The ITV Thread

irishmusicfeed

So UTV Ireland is launching on January 01, 2015 with a proper launch of its schedule on January 5.... It's now November 10 and no advertising online, in magazine, newspapers, billboards etc for programmes and launch.

No news on whether it will be on Saorview... probably one of the worst channel launches in history?

Elmo

irishmusicfeed wrote: »

So UTV Ireland is launching on January 01, 2015 with a proper launch of its schedule on January 5.... It's now November 10 and no advertising online, in magazine, newspapers, billboards etc for programmes and launch.

No news on whether it will be on Saorview... probably one of the worst channel launches in history?

I think they are making a big announement at the beginning of December. But yes too low key even for a well known brand. Will a Re-tune be required for Saorview?

icdg

irishmusicfeed wrote: »

No news on whether it will be on Saorview... probably one of the worst channel launches in history?

Of all the hundreds of channel launches, in history, ever? Not a chance. It hasn't launched yet, so obviously it's very early to judge.

Even to be the worst in just the UK and Ireland alone, it would still have to beat:

RTÉ2 - played the wrong sound for first few minutes. And the announcer called it "Channel Two", which didn't bode well for the future.

ITV3 - Didn't secure Sky carriage until four hours before launch!

BT Sport - didn't secure UPC carriage until the day before launch.

ESPN - didn't secure UPC carriage until 11 days after launch

TV3 - played a god-awful 30 minute opening show that amounted to an extended promo.

Worst of all, BBC Two - suffered a power cut and had to postpone its launch till the following evening.

jca

Is it going to be on the sky epg?

Maysa07

Elmo wrote: »

I think they are making a big announement at the beginning of December. But yes too low key even for a well known brand. Will a Re-tune be required for Saorview?

Yes i believe so.

lertsnim

irishmusicfeed wrote: »

probably one of the worst channel launches in history?

Very dramatic.

jca

jca wrote: »

Is it going to be on the sky epg?

I hope so, I series link corrie and emmerdale so it better be!

Sam Russell

zorro2566 wrote: »

I hope so, I series link corrie and emmerdale so it better be!

Get a Freesat+ receiver and you will be sorted with no monthly bill.:)

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

With the Sky epg freeze over the Xmas I wonder will we see tests begin soon and maybe UTVI added to the Sky epg before the freeze.

natashaob6

natashaob6 wrote: »

With the Sky epg freeze over the Xmas I wonder will we see tests begin soon and maybe UTVI added to the Sky epg before the freeze.

If it goes on Sky,I wonder will it be in HD? Corrie and Emmerdale look good in HD!

Sam Russell

zorro2566 wrote: »

Corrie and Emmerdale look good in HD!

That is a matter of taste.

irishmusicfeed

I said probably ... and I was talking about the actual marketing for the channel not its actual launch whether it has no sound upon launch, or has a blank screen doesn't bother mein the slightest... saucer of milk anyone...

jca

natashaob6 wrote: »

With the Sky epg freeze over the Xmas I wonder will we see tests begin soon and maybe UTVI added to the Sky epg before the freeze.

What's a sky epg freeze?

Machinehead

jca wrote: »

What's a sky epg freeze?

No channel launches on the EPG till the Christmas period is over. EPG is frozen till then. They've been at this for years for some reason.

JDxtra

It's a change freeze. Key tech staff will be on holidays. Same thing for broadcasters. Making EPG changes has a small element of risk, so they want to avoid any issues - especially as it's Christmas and a peak viewing period. Makes sense in my opinion.

radiowaves

Sam Russell wrote: »

Get a Freesat+ receiver and you will be sorted with no monthly bill.:)

Strange post.

He'd also be missing tons of channels

Sam Russell

radiowaves wrote: »

Strange post.

He'd also be missing tons of channels

He said he wanted to series link Emerdale and Corrie. Well, he can do that with Freesat+ with no monthly bills. Poster never mentioned 'tons of channels'. If he gets Freesat, he will get the tons of channels that are availabe in the UK. If he has Sky, he can series link, but he says he wont be able to so presumably he does not have Sky. Also, Freesat has many channels not on Sky or not recordable on Sky for an Irish subsciber.

radiowaves

Sam Russell wrote: »

He said he wanted to series link Emerdale and Corrie. Well, he can do that with Freesat+ with no monthly bills. Poster never mentioned 'tons of channels'. If he gets Freesat, he will get the tons of channels that are availabe in the UK. If he has Sky, he can series link, but he says he wont be able to so presumably he does not have Sky. Also, Freesat has many channels not on Sky or not recordable on Sky for an Irish subsciber.

?

Did you even read the posts?

He does series link them.

zorro2566 wrote: »

I hope so, I series link corrie and emmerdale so it better be!

That was in response to a hope that it would be on the Sky EPG.

Strange he'd hope it'd be on Sky if he hadn't got Sky, no?

I have Sky + HD and I hope UTV Ireland will be on the Sky epg to enable series linking and recording for Corrie/Emmerdale because TV3 won't be showing them after December 31st. I sometimes watch them on ITV HD through the 'other channels' but since the card trick died I can't record them anymore with my Irish sub card!

mikeym

Tv3 will get their comeuppance

For years we've been denied UTV on the Sky Epg.

Sweet revenge.

dublinman1990

This is from UTV Irelands Twitter account from the last few days. Lucky that I had found these pics.

https://twitter.com/UTVIreland/status/530767354574409728/photo/1

https://twitter.com/UTVIreland/status/530388726158229504

galtee boy

The silence on carriage deals is deafening, never mind epg numbers. It would seem all is not well, with only 50 days to go. By early December UTVI should be running loop promos highlighting forthcoming programmes etc on all platforms, therefore I would have thought that testing would be up and running by now.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

galtee boy wrote: »

The silence on carriage deals is deafening, never mind epg numbers. It would seem all is not well, with only 50 days to go. By early December UTVI should be running loop promos highlighting forthcoming programmes etc on all platforms, therefore I would have thought that testing would be up and running by now.

Yes I thought some announcement would have been made on platform deals and testing would begin shortly. Saorview were doing abit of tweaking yesterday. Most of the hidden test channels were showing RTE2 for awhile but have now gone back to test cards so maybe we might see a UTVI promo appear out of the blue.

watty

No testing needed.
AFAIK there is a platform deal in principle. Unlike TV3, UTV can read the published 2RN (formerly RTE NL) charges and see they are commercially normal. After all unlike TV3 here, they don't whinge about the Transmission charges up North (much smaller area).

They aren't going to waste money having publicity too early. No doubt their own Local Radio here will mention it.

channelsurfer2

its time enough. They dont actually have the rights to broadcast anything until January1st so they will probably start a loop on Saorview in mid-december. Not sure about Sky but assume they have that sorted for launch also.

icdg

Their biggest problem re carriage may be UPC and the question of what will happen to UTV NI. That was one of the major reasons UTV pulled out of TV3 in the mid-1990s.

Here is some latest news

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/shares-in-utv-drop-by-6-7-as-revenue-growth-eases-1.1999249

http://www.independent.ie/business/media/utv-media-upbeat-on-irish-economy-on-higher-radio-sales-30741226.html

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

This from radiotoday.ie/2014/11/revenues-up-for-utv-radios-irish-radio-business/. Apologies if link doesn't work. It states that their studios are now ready and that they have commissioned new programmes.

I posted links to that news in my previous post!

Your one is ....

http://radiotoday.ie/2014/11/revenues-up-for-utv-radios-irish-radio-business/

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

zorro2566 wrote: »

I posted links to that news in my previous post!

Your one is ....

http://radiotoday.ie/2014/11/revenues-up-for-utv-radios-irish-radio-business/

sorry about that. I couln'd get the link to work. Thanks for posting the link.

icdg

There's pretty much nothing else UTV Ireland related in that statement other than that quote, unfortunately. Presumably there will be at least one major media event in the run up to Christmas - there will need to be advance listings for the Christmas TV guides which normally come out around the second week of December. Also I'd imagine that UTV NI will be relegated to the "Regional Variations" column as of 1 January.

irishfeen

It would IMO be a very bad decision for UTV to remove UTVNI from UPC - They have the best of both worlds leaving it there as it further draws away viewers from TV3.

endakenny

irishfeen wrote: »

It would IMO be a very bad decision for UTV to remove UTVNI from UPC - They have the best of both worlds leaving it there as it further draws away viewers from TV3.

The problem is that having both of them on UPC:cool: would mean that UTV NI would take away from UTV Ireland's advertising revenue.

icdg

endakenny wrote: »

The problem is that having both of them on UPC:cool: would mean that UTV NI would take away from UTV Ireland's advertising revenue.

Yeah, that's the reason they'd want to remove it essentially. They don't want to cannibalise their own viewership, particularly when they'll be showing the same programmes a good chunk of the time.

At the best, expect it to be demoted down the EPG a good way but I expect it to go entirely.

twinklerunner

There was a programme on UTV & ITV a couple of nights ago called 'the nation's favourite queen songs'. I wonder how Irish people will feel about these types of shows on UTV Ireland, given that we're a different nation?

icdg

Well, I don't see protests outside Ballymount about TV3/3e showing Britain's Got Talent, Booze Britain, or any of the other shows of the format "Britains Somethingist Somethings" that they've shown over the years. In fact, Britain's Got Talent is one of their top rating programmes (and one they'll be continuing to show, it being made by Thames rather than ITV).

codrulz

Slightly off topic but was reading this in the car on the way home, looked up and on the opposite side of the road passing me was a 141 modeo estate with big utv branding all over it. What are the odds!

irishfeen

endakenny wrote: »

The problem is that having both of them on UPC:cool: would mean that UTV NI would take away from UTV Ireland's advertising revenue.

Doesn't make a blind bit of difference if its all going into the "UTV Media" coppers ... they already sell ads to the south on UTVNI - UTV want TV3 out of the equation, this would be a massive step in helping that become a reality.

Just take the Rugby World cup - TV3 laud it everywhere but UTV could just say its on UTV too... sly/smart advertisement could help the UTV family greatly.

twinklerunner

icdg wrote: »

Well, I don't see protests outside Ballymount about TV3/3e showing Britain's Got Talent, Booze Britain, or any of the other shows of the format "Britains Somethingist Somethings" that they've shown over the years. In fact, Britain's Got Talent is one of their top rating programmes (and one they'll be continuing to show, it being made by Thames rather than ITV).

You're right of course. I hope the NI version stays on UPC even if it's down the epg.

Elmo

twinklerunner wrote: »

You're right of course. I hope the NI version stays on UPC even if it's down the epg.

I'd say if that did happen TV3 would look for RWC to be blocked on UPC.

irishfeen

Elmo wrote: »

I'd say if that did happen TV3 would look for RWC to be blocked on UPC.

I actually think that might not be allowed - Am I mad or do I vaguely remember reading somewhere that UTV years back came to an agreement with the government for a fee to broadcast in the south on cable without restriction?

dublinman1990

endakenny wrote: »

The problem is that having both of them on UPC:cool: would mean that UTV NI would take away from UTV Ireland's advertising revenue.

UTV also have that scenario if they both go on Saorview/Freesat or Saorview/FTA Satellite.

But that scenario won't matter for UTV either because they would work damn hard to make sure that they make as much money as possible from advertising revenues from viewers all over Ireland and beyond because of their bigger reach by going free to air on satellite. They are a well established brand in broadcasting in this country for the last 50 years so in effect going on platforms like Saorview should not be a problem for them because with their portfolio's resources and assets it looks in effect to be a very well utilised operation for the other broadcasters like TV3 can only dream of.

You just have to look at the constant moaning TV3 do to make themselves feel relevant. They are actually the only broadcasters in Ireland without a radio station to boost their "big" status in Irish broadcasting. Having to go down the route of being on TV only in broadcasting is a massive risk of failure on their part.

The only difference UTV would do the work in terms of boosting their profile in more ways than one. The only difference in TV3 is that if there is any massive change in their profile, they could crib and moan until the cows come home.

realistic anorak

Any chance of them being on saorsat i wonder ?

Elmo

The EU directive AVWF clear say "where practicable". This allows for foreign based TV channles in EU countries to transmit into other EU countries, however only "where practicable" in other words if a broadcaster doesn't hold rights to programmes in certain regions then it can't broadcast in those regions.

The MOU is just as vague as to the main NI PSB in RoI, first they were to be on Saorview then it changed to PayTV "where practicable" or as much as possible. Note: Sky never added UTV to its line up yet it would be governed under that MoU.

Unless ITV have bought RoI rights for RWC along with UK rights there is no reason why TV3 could no ask for a block on UPC. As pointed out they may have over spent on those rights, they will want value and it will prob be as the audience's expence.

marclt

At a guess, I'd assume UTV NI will be replaced by UTV I on the UPC epg. If they go on Sky, would they want/need to encrypt?

Elmo

marclt wrote: »

At a guess, I'd assume UTV NI will be replaced by UTV I on the UPC epg. If they go on Sky, would they want/need to encrypt?

This is the catch. UTV NI is part of the ITV Network all ITV regions including STV and UTVNI are unencrypted as they hold the rights to those programmes as part of the ITV Network, while clearly they are cover under the MoU on UPC, though I wonder if they will keep to that?

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

while clearly they are cover under the MoU on UPC, though I wonder if they will keep to that?

The MoU was a gentleman's agreement between the two governments in the period leading up to ASO/DSO, it had little relevance to the commercial networks.

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

The MoU was a gentleman's agreement between the two governments in the period leading up to ASO/DSO, it had little relevance to the commercial networks.

Is Saorview light not a continuation of the MoU ? Is the provision of BBC NI on sky and UPC not a continuation of the MoU? And shouldn't UTVNI also be available under the MoU on sky?

Elmo

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/broadcasting-chiefs-tuned-in-for-160m-switchon-of-new-channel-30745865.html

Suggestion here that they are spending 160m sure they might have bought TV3 for 10m and kept their loans! Unlike to have cost any more than €50m. Though prehaps they've invested in broadcasting equipment, though I am sure that they have econs of scale from UTV NI and UTV Radio, no? and even then unlikely that such cost would bring it up to anywhere near 160m if so they won't last.

Estimates

20 - 30m for ITV rights
10 - 15m for Irish programming
10 - 15m for facilities ????
10 - 15m for other rights
1 - 3m for platforms
total 51 to 78m

irishfeen

Elmo wrote: »

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/broadcasting-chiefs-tuned-in-for-160m-switchon-of-new-channel-30745865.html

Suggestion here that they are spending 160m sure they might have bought TV3 for 10m and kept their loans! Unlike to have cost any more than €50m. Though prehaps they've invested in broadcasting equipment, though I am sure that they have econs of scale from UTV NI and UTV Radio, no? and even then unlikely that such cost would bring it up to anywhere near 160m if so they won't last.

Estimates

20 - 30m for ITV rights
10 - 15m for Irish programming
10 - 15m for facilities ????
10 - 15m for other rights
1 - 3m for platforms
total 51 to 78m

I would also very much question the €160m figure... no way are they spending that much.

MarkK

marclt wrote: »

At a guess, I'd assume UTV NI will be replaced by UTV I on the UPC epg.

Do you think UTV would ask to have UTV NI removed or do you think it would be UPCs choice.

I don't see why UPC would want to remove it, they carry plenty of worse channels.

If UTV want it removed, couldn't UPC put ITV Wales on instead?
After all that was the region that Waterford and Cork used to receive.