Oireachtas TV

MarkK

The Cush wrote: »

Had a quick look at the regulation, PSB and contract broadcasters must pay the levy. If the income of a broadcaster is less than €250,000 per year the levy would be €750, which would appear to be the category the Oireachtas channel falls into .

If they are paying €250,000 to Sky then their income most be more than that, no?

The Cush

MarkK wrote: »

If they are paying €250,000 to Sky then their income most be more than that, no?

Good point, as I said above I had a quick look at the regulation, went back again and this stands out

Qualifying Income
... money which the Government or a public body pays to a broadcaster by way of grant is qualifying income of that broadcaster.

How much of the Houses of the Oireachtas budget is allocated to broadcasting? €2.325m estimate for 2015, projected outturn for 2014 €2.409m.

galtee boy

Are the negotiations gone south ? Test card back on Lcn 17.

channelsurfer2

While some people would see spending 900k to let people watch a niche channel - most of which is watched by a few hundred people, worthwhile, i would rather the 900k was spent elsewhere. It sounds as if they are trying to either get the licence fee money for it, which could be used elsewhere.
The likely outcome is that the public will fund it either from the Oireacthas budget or from the licence fee allocation directly with RTE loosing out on 900k funding if it is the case.

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

Are the negotiations gone south ? Test card back on Lcn 17.

Doesn't surprise me really, maybe Mark Mulqueen should stay off twitter and stop blaming Saorview alone for this situation.

Irish Times piece on it yesterday - Saorview yet to vote for Oireachtas TV

Representatives of UPC, Sky and Eircom were all present at the formal launch of Oireachtas TV, the dedicated television channel of the Houses of the Oireachtas, on Monday, but there was one television platform missing: Saorview.

“We’re open to any partners who want to join us,” the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, Seán Barrett, said in his remarks. “They’re very welcome.”

But while the Oireachtas would like the platform not to charge it for carrying the channel, Saorview (operated by RTÉ subsidiary 2RN) has apparently yet to come round to that view.

“The negotiations are taking place and it’s down the level of contribution,” Barrett said. “I would expect that they would carry us free of charge. We’re talking about taxpayers’ money here.”

Both UPC, which was the original platform to back the channel, and Eircom, which will begin transmitting the channel shortly, carry it free of charge, while the Oireachtas pays a discounted fee to BSkyB for its set-up costs for satellite carriage.

Kristopherus

Funny that, Cush. I watched some of the proceedings today (Thursday) on Saorview. When I looked at it in the evening, I saw a test channel. So Saorview must be sniffing at it.

bigbob

Wonder if OTV considered contacting IrishTV/Showcase see of they could transmit OTV cheaper than SKY deal? It would have been a good fit for both as OTV only broadcasts during daytime. Leaving prime time to IrishTV. Guaranteed income for IrishTV to offset transmission costs. OTV would have been available FTA on satellite.

Elmo

bigbob wrote: »

Wonder if OTV considered contacting IrishTV/Showcase see of they could transmit OTV cheaper than SKY deal? It would have been a good fit for both as OTV only broadcasts during daytime. Leaving prime time to IrishTV. Guaranteed income for IrishTV to offset transmission costs. OTV would have been available FTA on satellite.

They could even have split the Soarview fee which would be a boost for IrishTV

Sam Russell

I would have thought it was essential for OTV to be on Saorview, but there you go.

The cost is irrelevant to them as it all comes out of public funds. [The licence fees are public funds]. One effect of OTV getting a free ride on Saorview would be that TV3 and UTVi (assuming they will be on Saorview) will have to carry the cost, as the cost is shared. However, the cost would not be increased until mux2 is full and mux3 has to be started. If TV3, TG4, and UTVi all go HD, it would be tight with two muxes.

It is another example of the politicians expecting a free ride.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Sam Russell wrote: »

I would have thought it was essential for OTV to be on Saorview, but there you go.

The cost is irrelevant to them as it all comes out of public funds. [The licence fees are public funds]. One effect of OTV getting a free ride on Saorview would be that TV3 and UTVi (assuming they will be on Saorview) will have to carry the cost, as the cost is shared. However, the cost would not be increased until mux2 is full and mux3 has to be started. If TV3, TG4, and UTVi all go HD, it would be tight with two muxes.

It is another example of the politicians expecting a free ride.

It looks like it could be years before we see mux 3 appear as it seems to be a struggle for new channels to launch on mux 2.

Sam Russell

natashaob6 wrote: »

It looks like it could be years before we see mux 3 appear as it seems to be a struggle for new channels to launch on mux 2.

Depends on who wants to go HD. It gets tight if all the current (and UTVi) decide to go HD, but if any don't, there is no problem. OTV can be free or not, that matters little, except it shows what a load of xxxxx the TDs are.

Red Alert

It's laughable that launching this channel is a problem on Saorview, given that they've rubbish the kids' simulcasts etc on it already paid for by the license fee...

Elmo

Red Alert wrote: »

It's laughable that launching this channel is a problem on Saorview, given that they've rubbish the kids' simulcasts etc on it already paid for by the license fee...

Only because the Minister and Department prevented those simulcasts being moved off RTÉ2

The Cush

This from the Irish Times recently

As there is often a clash in the schedule, editorial meetings take place in the Oireachtas broadcasting unit the week before to decide which committee hearing merits being broadcast (they’re all online anyway, of course). “We have set up a small editorial board,” says Barrett, “and we don’t interfere.”

What is the Oireachtas TV editorial board?

An editorial board was established to oversee programming and to provide guidance to officials running the station. Fine Gael TDs Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett; Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Paddy Burke; and chair of the working group of committee chairs, David Stanton, will also sit on the editorial board.

Three other parliamentarians will sit on the board - this will include Mr Whelan and two TDs, one from the Government and one from the opposition benches.

There is no additional allowance for those who take up a position on the board.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/labour-row-over-appointment-to-oireachtas-tv-body-30628549.html#sthash.Bisrhayw.dpuf

and the row ...

THE appointment of Labour Senator John Whelan to the editorial board of the new Oireachtas television station sparked a blazing row after the party's parliamentary meeting, the Irish Independent has learned.

Cork Senator John Gilroy is understood to have taken exception to the appointment and approached Labour chief whip Emmet Stagg after the party's weekly meeting last Wednesday night.

Sources claim Mr Gilroy raised concerns about the fact the party was not consulted before the appointment. The conversation, which took place in view of a number of Labour members, was described as "heated" and filled with "colourful language" by onlookers.

"There was words all right and it certainly wasn't language I would let children use," a Labour source said. Another party source said some members were annoyed they were not consulted about the appointment.

"If someone wanted it or not we should have been asked. It got people's backs up," the source said.

...

Mr Stagg said Mr Whelan, who is a former journalist, was appointed because he had "journalistic experience".

Mr Whelan, who was not at the meeting, said he was "disappointed" Mr Gilroy did not raise his objection to the appointment while he was present.

"It's a pity he didn't take the opportunity to deal with it upfront and to my face or in person when I'm at the parliamentary party meeting rather than whispering behind my back and doing damage when I'm not present," he said.

He pointed out that he had 30 years of media experience and was the party's communications spokesman in the Seanad.

He is also a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications and is a member of the Oireachtas Commission, which was instrumental in bringing forward plans for the new television station.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/labour-row-over-appointment-to-oireachtas-tv-body-30628549.html#sthash.Bisrhayw.dpuf

This from the minutes of the Houses Commission meeting last July

OIREACHTAS CHANNEL: PROPOSAL ON ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EDITORIAL BOARD

The Commission considered a proposal on establishment of an Editorial Board in the Houses to have responsibility for overseeing the broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings on the Oireachtas Channel.

The Commission approved the proposal subject to an amendment to the proposed membership of the Board. It was agreed that membership of the Board would consist of:
- the Ceann Comhairle (Chair of the Board);
- the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad;
- the Chairman of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen;
- one member of the Oireachtas Commission who shall be appointed from among the opposition members of the Commission; and
- three members of the Houses, one of whom shall be a member of Seanad Éireann.

The Commission further agreed to the appointment of Deputy John Browne to the Editorial Board as the representative of the Commission.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/commission/min20140715.pdf

The Cush

According to Mark Mulqueen on Twitter Saorview will be getting back to them with a quote for the cost of carriage.

https://twitter.com/MarkMulqueen/status/517221300956565504
https://twitter.com/MarkMulqueen/status/517241886445424640

mackersdublin

Is anybody getting tests on Ch 17 on Saorview

Over the last days, when I've checked it's just a 2rn clock

The Cush

mackersdublin wrote: »

Is anybody getting tests on Ch 17 on Saorview

Nothing since they switched off the test transmission last week and replaced it with a test card.

ourtrail

It's on the eVision network now too apparently.

Sam Russell

That is a scandal that they refuse to be on the national broadcasting network.

Elmo

Sam Russell wrote: »

That is a scandal that they refuse to be on the national broadcasting network.

No the national network refuses to take them! You've messed up their whole PR spin :rolleyes:

Sam Russell

Elmo wrote: »

No the national network refuses to take them! You've messed up their whole PR spin :rolleyes:

... for Free, but they make the rules and could force 2rn to take them. They are willing to pay Sky - a foreign outfit, but not pay 2rn - a state operation.

As I said - scandalous.

Elmo

Sam Russell wrote: »

... for Free, but they make the rules and could force 2rn to take them. They are willing to pay Sky - a foreign outfit, but not pay 2rn - a state operation.

As I said - scandalous.

Also interesting to see that the DG of RTÉ beleives that pay operators make money from free TV services, surely if OTV was on Soarview .... the same argument might apply.

watty

Pay Operators and Saorview? Doesn't compute Jim.

It's robbing peter to pay paul to "force" 2RN to take OTV free. They can only do that if they bring back P&T and make 2RN be a state agency. They have to pay, like everyone else. Even TV3 has to pay.

The Cush

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/saorview-seeks-525-000-to-broadcast-oireachtas-tv-channel-1.2157906

According to the article UPC and Eircom transmit the Oireachtas TV channel free of charge while Sky charges a “discounted” fee of €250,000. If RTÉ are seeking a fee at less than that of a regular SD channel I assume the picture resolution will be less than that of a regular channel also.

Saorview, which is operated by RTÉ subsidiary 2RN, told the Oireachtas recently that it would like to add the channel to its free-to-air platform.

However, it said, unlike pay-TV operators, Saorview could not discriminate in charging for the carriage of channels on its network.

Under legislation, it said, the services operate under a regulated tariff model which is independently regulated.

Saorview conducted a trial broadcast of the channel last September and estimated the carriage costs would be in the region of €525,000.

As we've said here before why doesn't the Oireachtas change the legislation to allow free/reduced carriage.

In briefing material submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, Saorview pointed out that it does not receive subscription revenue to offset the cost of transmission.

It said households with Sky or UPC effectively pay all the cost of transmission, while free-to-air platforms such as Saorview charges these costs to channels in the form of tariff charges.

Written Dáil reply from the Minister last Sept - http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2014091700106#WRGGG03550

watty

An ongoing insult to the Irish people. Our government supporting foreign pay TV.

expectationlost

re-released Oireachtas TV FOI Oireachtas TV Surveys - Released 4 March 2015 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/re-releasedrecords/ 2 UPC viewing surveys, bskyb cost and other correspondence

in 2012 seeing dail precedings on TV didn't not improve perceptions of how hard politicians worked, presumabley because of the often empty Dail, this is why an option to flick away from the Dail and see what going on in each chamber/committee room would be useful.

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

rereleased Oireachtas TV FOI Oireachtas TV Surveys - Released 4 March 2015 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/re-releasedrecords/ 2 UPC viewing surveys, bskyb cost and other correspondence

in 2012 seeing dail precedings on TV didn't not improve perceptions of how hard politicians worked

You know TV channels that aren't part of TAM Ireland get an hourly rating just not the name of the show. RTÉ, TV3, TG4 and Sky can all see the audience share and reach of OTV.

Since all broadcasters like to share details of competitors they'd probably be happy to share that information to a journalist? But its all so secretive. It's hard to even get details on RTÉ NEWS NOW.

expectationlost

R872 - Oireachtas TV payments - Released 25 February 2015 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/re-releasedrecords/

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

R872 - Oireachtas TV payments - Released 25 February 2015 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/re-releasedrecords/

Yeah interesting how they put the amount for 15 weeks looks small at 78,000 but if you work it out it becomes 250,000 per year.

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

If RTÉ are seeking a fee at less than that of a regular SD channel I assume the picture resolution will be less than that of a regular channel also.

From the FOI information released in March, linked to by expectationlost above (correspondence page 6) which answers the question

"an estimate for the SD channel annual carriage costs would be approximately €0.52m (assumed low average bit-rate usage due to the nature of the channel)."

natashaob6 wrote: »

Oireachtas TV now on test channel 17 on Saorview.

galtee boy wrote: »

Are the negotiations gone south ? Test card back on Lcn 17.

According to the correspondence it was a short 7 day technical trial using the Oireachtas TV feed to get a better estimate of the running bitrate usage on Saorview and from there the most likely carriage charge. They refer to running the test "in the dark" i.e. hidden, so that viewers wouldn't see the test channel while scrolling through the channels