The ability to receive BBC in the Republic of Ireland

briany

This is a mostly historical question relating to the analog terrestrial days. People in the Republic of Ireland could receive BBC broadcasts without putting anything toward the British license fee.

Did the BBC ever take umbrage at this? Did they ever propose a solution? Was an understanding ever reached between respective governments over the matter?

Rebelbrowser

briany wrote: »

This is a mostly historical question relating to the analog terrestrial days. People in the Republic of Ireland could receive BBC broadcasts without putting anything toward the British license fee.

Did the BBC ever take umbrage at this? Did they ever propose a solution? Was an understanding ever reached between respective governments over the matter?

Only on the east coast (definitely) or near the border (I assume). You couldn't pick up anything other than RTE in Cork for (personal) example.

Elmo

briany wrote: »

This is a mostly historical question relating to the analog terrestrial days. People in the Republic of Ireland could receive BBC broadcasts without putting anything toward the British license fee.

Did the BBC ever take umbrage at this? Did they ever propose a solution? Was an understanding ever reached between respective governments over the matter?

I suppose it swings both ways, getting RTÉ along the border and coast of Britain.

AFAIK other northern European countries also get some spillover from around the coast of Britain.

you can still pick up Freeview along the boarder and along the East coast, shhh don't tell anyone.

Digifriendly

Is Freeview from NI not receivable well beyond the border? Reports on this and other forums suggest that both Divis (main transmitter) and Kilkeel (relay) are being picked up well beyond border counties.
It is a bit like Saorview in NI although I accept that penetration of Saorview is much greater in NI (over 70% according to estimates) than Freeview is in the south.

Not forgetting Brougher Mtn in Fermanagh. I've seen some impressive pieces of ironmongery in Westmeath pointing in its direction.

medoc

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

Only on the east coast (definitely) or near the border (I assume). You couldn't pick up anything other than RTE in Cork for (personal) example.

We had good analogue coverage in Offaly (15km west of Tullamore) from Brougher or Enniskillen as everyone around here called it. Channel 4 was the weakest but Utv and BBC 1 were almost crystal clear except on rare occasions. Even after half the aerial broke off we still had good reception for many years, including in later years a good signal on Freeview. Though we couldn’t get the commercial muxes. In fact we only took down the aerial about a year ago. It having been first installed in about 1988. We couldn’t get signal from the local deflector from the Slieve Bloom (Kinnitty). Neighbors could and in the very early days it carried Sky One and Screen Sport with the 4 English Teresterial stations. Though those two only lasted a few years. In the later days of the service the four channels were sourced from Sky boxes.