Irish Open on RTE not blacked out in NI!

Digifriendly

For previous years RTE's coverage of the Irish Open was blacked out for Sky digital viewers in NI but for some reason it is 'in the clear' so far. Wonder why this is as Sky hold UK rights to this European Tour Event? Have Sky not insisted this time given recent successes of Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke and possibility of some irate golfing fans in the north?

Mike 1972

It might possibly have been an oversight/error by someone in RTE.

Is there actually someone in RTE employed to monitor the output and throw a switch when something deemed unsuitable for Northern consumption comes on ? Given the level of terrestrial overspill it all seems a pretty pointless exercise purely to appease the more anal retentive rights holders.

lawhec

Mike 1972 wrote: »

It might possibly have been an oversight/error by someone in RTE.

Is there actually someone in RTE employed to monitor the output and throw a switch when something deemed unsuitable for Northern consumption comes on ? Given the level of terrestrial overspill it all seems a pretty pointless exercise purely to appease the more anal retentive rights holders.

I think the 'encryption switch' is automated. There was a case a few years ago when RTÉ couldn't even show GAA games in Ireland because Setanta were paranoid to f**k about their GB rights, but one of the football qualifier games went to extra time and suddenly came back on to Sky during the first period of extra time.

Mike 1972

So if they were running a bit behind schedule a programme going out before one of these forbidden presentations could have its ending cut off ?

SRB

In the past that could have happened, now most encryption flags are triggered by the playout software running the channels and are unique to the event on-air.

jjll

love sky everything is exclusive just like the irish open was apperently

Digifriendly

jjll wrote: »

love sky everything is exclusive just like the irish open was apperently

Sky have exclusive rights to certain European PGA events but the Irish Open is also covered by RTE though AFAIK Sky still hold UK rights for this tournament hence my puzzlement at the coverage being 'in the clear' for NI viewers watching via Sky digital. As I pointed out in an earlier post it has been 'blacked out' in the past. Why the change this year? Has it anything to do with Darren Clarke's British Open win and surge of interest in golf north of the border as a result? Methinks it is but maybe I'm wrong.

Minstrel27

I don't see how that would have any effect.

Digifriendly

Minstrel27 wrote: »

I don't see how that would have any effect.

I can see why. If there is considerable interest in viewers from NI watching the Irish Open due to Darren Clarke's recent success, maybe Sky would not want to alienate them and therefore permitted the Irish Open to be broadcast 'in the clear' this time. Can you think of any other reason why it was not blacked out as in previous years?

Minstrel27

Why would Sky as rights holder for the UK permit another broadcaster to show an event. What benefit would they get from it?

Perhaps it was not blocked as RTÉ negotiated their rights to now include Northern Ireland?

Digifriendly

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Why would Sky as rights holder for the UK permit another broadcaster to show an event. What benefit would they get from it?

Perhaps it was not blocked as RTÉ negotiated their rights to now include Northern Ireland?

Exactly the benefit I mentioned - keeping sweet with golf fans north of the border. I maybe wrong but I doubt RTE's rights for this European Tour event now include N. Ireland as Sky's rights to show European PGA events surely cover all the UK. TG4 AFAIK is in a different position as the GFA includes promotion of the Irish language for the whole of the island which is why I think the Heineken Cup highlights on that channel will not be blacked out in NI the way they were when on RTE.

Minstrel27

If RTÉ's rights don't include Northern Ireland then it is not up to Sky to say if they can show it in Northern Ireland or not. That is a matter for the golfing folks that sold the rights.

Digifriendly

Minstrel27 wrote: »

If RTÉ's rights don't include Northern Ireland then it is not up to Sky to say if they can show it in Northern Ireland or not. That is a matter for the golfing folks that sold the rights.

Does this mean then that Heineken Cup organisers force RTE to black out their coverage in NI via Sky digital? If so how does this benefit them since it deprives some viewers in this part of Europe viewers of watching HC?

Minstrel27

They would force it because RTÉ only hold the rights for Ireland, not Northern Ireland.

Digifriendly

Minstrel27 wrote: »

They would force it because RTÉ only hold the rights for Ireland, not Northern Ireland.

Think you mean Republic of Ireland but I take your point. It is all a bit of an anomaly isn't it? NI viewers get RTE on Sky unlike rest of UK but have certain programmes 'blacked out' as Sky hold rights for these. It is very frustrating for those in NI who cannot get RTE via an aerial but have it on Sky. Often wonder if with European borders now open in so many ways why there cannot be full access to all programmes beamed into each country. I suppose its all to do with programme rights but what of the right of the viewer?

Minstrel27

Blocked programming is indeed frustrating. Sky viewers here have programmes blocked on Channel 4 even though Channel 4 is available unedited through Other Channels.



I did mean Ireland. That is the official name of this country. Republic of Ireland is a soccer team but let's keep politics out of this.

Digifriendly

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Blocked programming is indeed frustrating. Sky viewers here have programmes blocked on Channel 4 even though Channel 4 is available unedited through Other Channels.



I did mean Ireland. That is the official name of this country. Republic of Ireland is a soccer team but let's keep politics out of this.

Especially frustrating for recording Channel 4. At least with Freesat it would be 'in the clear' I guess. I agree you're correct re Ireland. Bit confusing for those from outside the island though. BTW thanks very much as I've enjoyed your informative and helpful contributions to this thread. Lets both hope someone will go to court some day from either north or south of the island and win a landmark case about rights of the viewers to have all programmes 'in the clear.' Now that would be something!

MACHEAD

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Blocked programming is indeed frustrating.

Yes, so frustrating indeed, that many of up here (in the North) have gone to the additional expense of running a ROI subscription. Roll on Saorsat!

Elmo

Digifriendly wrote: »

Especially frustrating for recording Channel 4. At least with Freesat it would be 'in the clear' I guess. I agree you're correct re Ireland. Bit confusing for those from outside the island though. BTW thanks very much as I've enjoyed your informative and helpful contributions to this thread. Lets both hope someone will go to court some day from either north or south of the island and win a landmark case about rights of the viewers to have all programmes 'in the clear.' Now that would be something!

It's a bizzare situation in particular with rights. I don't see why commercial providers in the North are so protective of 3 channels from the south. Do they block EastEnders and Home and Away? I can understand why UTV would have issues with Free To Air TV3 in NI but why do they have an issue with pay TV3 on NI pay providers? surely this is the same as UTV being available in the south on UPC. UTV would continue to hold on to their audience in the North something they have being failing to do in the south over the last decade. None of the channels available on UPC are blocked. Except when they had ITV2, 3 and 4 and I can understand Setanta's protection of some of those sports on Pay TV as it is a Pay TV service but had the rights been on the FTA Irish channels I don't see the issue of allowing these games in the clear.

I don't believe that with a population of 1.5 million that RTÉ's or TG4's broadcasts of True Blood or CSI would really cause damage to Channel 4's or Channel 5's audience share. Channel 4's broadcast of True Blood (even 4 months after its broadcast on TG4) is more damaging to TG4.

ardmacha

I did mean Ireland. That is the official name of this country. Republic of Ireland is a soccer team but let's keep politics out of this.

Yeah right. Sneak in a bit of divisionism under the guise of a TV thread and then pretend you are keeping politics out of it. If geoblocking is the issue then geography rather than politics should be the basis of the discussion.

Are such programmes blocked on cable in NI? It seems to me that Saorsat and Freesat will significantly damage Sky in both jurisdictions.

Elmo

ardmacha wrote: »

Are such programmes blocked on cable in NI? It seems to me that Saorsat and Freesat will significantly damage Sky in both jurisdictions.

I wonder about Saorsat how much is a Saorsat satellite and equipment?

I believe that Virgin block certain programmes on RTÉ and TG4 due to rights issues.

Sky continues to grow unfortunately, perhaps Big Brother will damage both Sky and UPC when people discover that they can watch TV for Free. Only good thing to come from Big Brother.

Digifriendly

Interesting that tonights CL qualifier shown on RTE2 was not blacked out though ITV had UK rights. Wonder will future CL games on RTE be 'in the clear' here in NI?

icdg

ardmacha wrote: »

Are such programmes blocked on cable in NI? It seems to me that Saorsat and Freesat will significantly damage Sky in both jurisdictions.

Please keep the politics for politics people!

To answer the query, Home and Away was blocked from a very early stage when RTÉ first became available on NTL (now Virgin Media) in Northern Ireland. I believe other programmes are blocked also from time to time.

Saorsat will do nothing to Sky. All it is Saorview via satellite. No more, no less. Unless you were specifically paying for Sky to get RTÉ - and I can't imagine anybody needing to be in a position to do that - you get no benefit from switching from Sky's hundreds of channels to Saorsat's eight.

Freesat is a different kettle of fish. But you can't purchase "official" Freesat recievers in ROI - you need to import them. Of course you can just use a regular free-to-air satellite receiver, but you lose the benefits of the easy-to-use Freesat EPG and access to red button services. (Of course, this exposes the fact that all Freesat really is, is a brand name, and proprietary EPG software and middleware for STBs).

NewHillel

icdg wrote: »

Freesat is a different kettle of fish. But you can't purchase "official" Freesat recievers in ROI - you need to import them. Of course you can just use a regular free-to-air satellite receiver, but you lose the benefits of the easy-to-use Freesat EPG and access to red button services. (Of course, this exposes the fact that all Freesat really is, is a brand name, and proprietary EPG software and middleware for STBs).

A number of Retailers, Power City and Maplin, to name but two, sell Freesat equipment.

Elmo

I think that the bbc itv and channel 4 channels are available on the same satelite as saorsat, aren't qsat using saorsat as the free to air sat.

Elmo

NewHillel wrote: »

icdg wrote: »

Freesat is a different kettle of fish. But you can't purchase "official" Freesat recievers in ROI - you need to import them. Of course you can just use a regular free-to-air satellite receiver, but you lose the benefits of the easy-to-use Freesat EPG and access to red button services. (Of course, this exposes the fact that all Freesat really is, is a brand name, and proprietary EPG software and middleware for STBs).

A number of Retailers, Power City and Maplin, to name but two, sell Freesat equipment.

FreeSat does not operate in roi, they sell fta satellite. Not sure if they come with a freesat epg.

Digifriendly

Elmo wrote: »

FreeSat does not operate in roi, they sell fta satellite. Not sure if they come with a freesat epg.

I'm confused - are Freesat boxes officially sold in ROI or not?

Minstrel27

ardmacha wrote: »

Yeah right. Sneak in a bit of divisionism under the guise of a TV thread and then pretend you are keeping politics out of it. If geoblocking is the issue then geography rather than politics should be the basis of the discussion.

Hi, welcome to last week. If you are looking for an argument then do go elsewhere.

Elmo

Digifriendly wrote: »

I'm confused - are Freesat boxes officially sold in ROI or not?

They are not offically sold in the 26 counties :rolleyes:

Hi, welcome to last week. If you are looking for an argument then do go elsewhere.

Suggestion box

Ignore political trolls, be happy to refer in your post to Southern Ireland as: - 26 counties, ROI, The Republic, Rep. Of Ireland, while referring to Northern Ireland as:- 6 counties, Northern Ireland. And refer to the whole Island as Ireland to avoid political outrage. While not totally PC it covers all the bases IMO. Or we could call Northern Ireland the North East! And don't reply to this its a joke, might not be funny but I amn't being serious.

icdg

Okay there's a five day ban for ANYONE that brings up the name of the state thing again in this forum again over the next week. Joking or not. Go debate it in politics.

Digifriendly

Just to update - RTE's highlights of the Solheim Cup (Sky had exclusive UK rights) was 'in the clear' for Sky Digital viewers here in NI. BTW it was excellent coverage as well.

MACHEAD

Digifriendly wrote: »

Just to update - RTE's highlights of the Solheim Cup (Sky had exclusive UK rights) was 'in the clear' for Sky Digital viewers here in NI. BTW it was excellent coverage as well.

Now if only they'd do the same for Premier Soccer Saturday!

Digifriendly

MACHEAD wrote: »

Now if only they'd do the same for Premier Soccer Saturday!

And Champions league and ROI Qualifiers! HEC rugby highlights are now with TG4 so I don't expect them to be blacked out as Irish language rights extend to the whole of the island.

Digifriendly

Wednesday's RTE2 coverage of CL was not blacked out in NI. AFAIK it usually is.

Digifriendly

Just to add - Premier Soccer Saturday not blacked out on RTE2 - first time I remember.

MACHEAD

Premier Soccer Saturday on RTÉ 2 was available up here in the 'North' for the past 2 weeks, but blocked again tonight.

Digifriendly

MACHEAD wrote: »

Premier Soccer Saturday on RTÉ 2 was available up here in the 'North' for the past 2 weeks, but blocked again tonight.

Yes disappointed to see that. Wonder if Mini-mux (RTE1/2 and TG4 from NI DTT transmitters) will do this after DSO next year?

Minstrel27

Digifriendly wrote: »

Yes disappointed to see that. Wonder if Mini-mux (RTE1/2 and TG4 from NI DTT transmitters) will do this after DSO next year?

If they block it on Sky then I imagine it will be the same via DTT.

MACHEAD

Minstrel27 wrote: »

If they block it on Sky then I imagine it will be the same via DTT.

Unfortunately this is likely to be the case, unless by then some new arrangement can be applied whereby RTÉ would have 'island of Ireland' rights, just as TG4 have for irish language programs.

Digifriendly

MACHEAD wrote: »

Unfortunately this is likely to be the case, unless by then some new arrangement can be applied whereby RTÉ would have 'island of Ireland' rights, just as TG4 have for irish language programs.

At least TG4 have HC rugby highlights which should mean they're 'in the clear' via Sky. Only programme I can remember being blacked out on TG4 here in NI (though there were probably others and my memory isn't great) was believe it or not 'Dukes of Hazzard' a few years ago.