New Irish TV Station coming: Channel 6

Elmo

Kich TV the new Irish Cable will broadcast from the UK. And will not come under the Regulation of the BCI (Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.)

I think the BCI need to get there act together. ASAP.

As Rick Hetherington said in the Irish Marketing Journal TV3 could decamp to the UK and avoid alot of the regulation surrounding TV3's licence.

Mossy Monk

if TV3 moved their operation across the water could they continue to broadcast terrestrially in this country

BrianD

Probably not. I am sure it is their contract that there studios must be located here. They could keep their cable, mmds and Sky carriage here and broadcast from the UK.

The BCI are already issuing licences for cable and sat delivery so they already have their act together. Setanta have one as do Dublin TV and WLR down in Waterford.


What is Kich TV?

Elmo

The BCI are already issuing licences for cable and sat delivery so they already have their act together. Setanta have one as do Dublin TV and WLR down in Waterford.

Yes indeed.????
1. WLR fm's Waterford @ 8 is up and running a number of years, they are now extending it to 7 days. They prob could of done this with out a licence, since they where running Waterford @8 with out a licence.
2. Setanta started a weekend broadcast on NTL basic in early August 2004. There application was signed by their CEO on the 30th of August and they where given the go ahead in December of 2004. I personally think Setanta backed the BCI into giving them the licence.

The only real licence they have given has been to The City Channel in Dublin.

What is Kich TV?

A new Irish Cable Channel. Coming Soon.

if TV3 moved their operation across the water could they continue to broadcast terrestrially in this country

No but Rick Hetherington said he wouldn't be to sad about lossing the 200,000 viewers that are currently in 4 TV Land. He could get rid of all of his requirements, including not being able to Advertise Spirts and the new Childrens Advertising laws. He also gave out about Political parties not being able to advertise on TV or Radio in Ireland. He says hes lossing a fortune. Poor Rick. Oh and he wouldn't have to make Ireland AM.

icdg

If the channel were located in Britain (or practically any other country in Europe) political parties wouldn't be able to advertise either. He'd need to move to America...

Also he'd lose the 103 placing on the EPG, his guarenteed carriage on NTL and Chorus, guarenteed position on analogue MMDS (TV3 being the only must carry station on analogue MMDS). He'd be subject to OFCOM's rules on alcohol and childrens advertising too.

Elmo

Also he'd lose the 103 placing on the EPG, his guarenteed carriage on NTL and Chorus, guarenteed position on analogue MMDS (TV3 being the only must carry station on analogue MMDS). He'd be subject to OFCOM's rules on alcohol and childrens advertising too.

Yeah! he seemed to just be giving out about everything. That's All he seems to ever do.

I will get the interview and put it up on boards.

weehamster

Kich TV, where did you hear about this? Who is behind it?

Its probably to do with advertising as the restriction on ads in Ireland as stricter. Bertie has been trying to get Sky (or Sky Ads as it should be called nowadays) to comply with Irish Law and tried (in vane) to get the EU to do something about it.

Charles Slane

There's a report by Paul O'Kane in the business section of the Sunday Tribune. To paraphrase -

---

Six, the new Irish channel that hopes to begin broadcasting in the Autumn is now finalising it's 10 million Euro fundraising round. It has a licence from the UK regulator Ofcom to broadcast to Ireland. It is being fronted by former TV3 executive Michael Murphy and former Carat Ireland boss Pat Donnelly.

The company has signed a deal with Paramount for programmes such as Frasier, ST:TNG, and Sex in the City.

They plan to be an entertainment channel pitched at 15-34 year olds - somewhere between Sky One and TV3. They hope to be on air in either the Autumn or early next year.

---

I would guess that they'd be broadcasting on Sky Digital.

I wonder why they'll be called "Six". Are they including Setanta as the 5th Irish channel ?

Round Cable

Charles Slane wrote:

I would guess that they'd be broadcasting on Sky Digital.

I wonder why they'll be called "Six". Are they including Setanta as the 5th Irish channel ?

Kich TV, is that the fifth?

radiospan

Charles Slane wrote:

The company has signed a deal with Paramount for programmes such as Frasier, ST:TNG, and Sex in the City.

Great, cos they're never on. :rolleyes:

If this is going to be a Sky Digital only channel, I really don't see the point unless it's FTA.

Round Cable

plazzTT wrote:

Great, cos they're never on. :rolleyes:

If this is going to be a Sky Digital only channel, I really don't see the point unless it's FTA.

Well Star Trek has not been shown in primetime TV in Ireland for a decade, I welcome it.

limerick_man

I hope its on chorus!!! Please god! and i hope they show king of queens at peak times !!!

JohnC.

Hang on, is this really an Irish channel? Or is it a UK channel which happens to be run by some Irish people, giving some misguided reporter an excuse to call it Irish?

2 reasons I ask this:

First, it is called Six. Ireland have 4 main channels. The UK have 5. Six would fit much better in the UK.

Second, why would an Irish channel need permission from the UK Ofcom? This would indicate it is a UK based channel. A UK channel which happens to be broadcasting into Ireland, just like a couple hundred other Sky carried channels.

radiospan

Round Cable wrote:

Well Star Trek has not been shown in primetime TV in Ireland for a decade, I welcome it.

Yes I agree. I remember the very first episode of Star Trek I saw was TNG on RTE 1.

If it's going to be broadcast on analogue terrestrial then, yes it would be good (but only for those without Sky anyway).

About the name, they couldn't really call it Five because that would definately have caused confusion. Especially if the UK channel "Five" plan on launching on the Irish EPG.

Round Cable

Kahless wrote:

Second, why would an Irish channel need permission from the UK Ofcom? This would indicate it is a UK based channel. A UK channel which happens to be broadcasting into Ireland, just like a couple hundred other Sky carried channels.

Rather than get a licence from Irish BCI, they got one from the UK's Ofcom, who have better options for advertising, so the channels probabally will not be transmitted in the UK even though it originates from there.

Charles Slane

Kahless wrote:

Hang on, is this really an Irish channel? Or is it a UK channel which happens to be run by some Irish people, giving some misguided reporter an excuse to call it Irish?

2 reasons I ask this:

First, it is called Six. Ireland have 4 main channels. The UK have 5. Six would fit much better in the UK.

Second, why would an Irish channel need permission from the UK Ofcom? This would indicate it is a UK based channel. A UK channel which happens to be broadcasting into Ireland, just like a couple hundred other Sky carried channels.

Not sure why they're called Six, but I guess the way the channel would work is this -

They buy the Irish rights for these programmes at a low cost (according to the report they're also in talks with 20th Century Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, Sony, and Disney), broadcast on Sky with encryption meaning that it can only be received by Irish Sky subscribers, sell advertising in Ireland only, and try to get carriage on the Irish cable systems.

I'm not sure how the licencing works for satellite channels, but if they're uplinking from the UK, does this mean that they'd need a licence from Ofcom?

I'd imagine that this will be an entertainment-only channel with no news coverage. Probably little or no "Irish" programming either (not so different from TV3 there !!).

I guess it's just a clever way to pay litttle or nothing for Irish broadcasts rights for old programming and make some money from the Irish advertising pool (and why not !) It may also mean that they don't have to jump through the hoops of getting an Irish broadcasting licence (all that going through the motions of pretending that you're going to feature lots of intelligent discussion, local cultural expression, and Irish language programming must get very tiresome for licence-seekers).

If anyone should be unhappy about Six, it would be Sky One, TV3 and Paramount (who are due to launch on NTL analogue and start Irish advertising opt-outs soon).

Elmo

New Irish TV channel close to completing €10,000,000 fundraising by Paul O'Kane.
________________________________________________________________

Six the new Irish TV channel that hopes to begin broadcasting in the autumn, is now finalising its 10m fundraising round.

There has been strong interest from a combination of venture capital funds and institutions, and the process could be completed as early as next month, sources said.

Six, which has a licence to broadcast into Ireland from the UK regulator OfCom, is being fronted by former TV3 executive Michael Murphy and former Carat Ireland boss Pat Donnelly.

It is thought that the offer has been oversubscribed and the backers may decide to raise slightly more then the 10m originally envisaged to give the start-up venture "an additional comfort zone", although no final decision has yet been taken.

Talks are under way between Investment Bank of Ireland IBI and potential investors in the new station as to how the funding round will be structured. Six's backers and IBI have refused to say how much equity will be made available to investors.

Six is planning a new entertainment channel that will be pitched at 15 to 34 year olds, and hopes to launch a service between Sky One and TV3 in either autumn or early next year.

Six, which has already raised €500,000 in seed capital, has told investors that the company will reach break-even in its 4th year of operation, as its turnover grows from €4.2m in year one to about €12,000,000 in year 4.

THe company has signed a deal with US giant Paramount for programmes such as Fraiser, Star Trek: TNG and Sex and the City. It is also in talks with 20th century fox, universal, warner bros, sony and disney.
_________________________________________________________________
SIX was formally known as Kish TV.

Charles Slane

Here's some info (some of it repeats).

From Media Network Weblog
http://medianetwork.blogspot.com/2005_01_23_medianetwork_archive.html -

"Irish newspaper says new TV channel being planned

Today's edition of Irish newspaper Business World reports on plans to start a new Irish television channel late this year or early in 2006. The paper says a new company, Kish Media, has been set up by Michael Murphy, former head of programming at TV3, and Pat Donnelly, outgoing chief executive at media buying firm Carat Ireland. The two are said to be in discussions with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland about getting a licence. The new station is to be an entertainment channel, and the newspaper says Kish is expected to enter into talks with Sky to have its service broadcast from satellite, and also with cable firms."

And from www.adworld.ie

"Pat Donnelly in new €10m TV Venture
The outgoing chief executive of Carat Ireland, Jim Donnelly, is planning to launch a new entertainement TV station.

Donnelly has teamed up with former TV3 producer Michael Murphy to laucnh Kish Media and has engaged IBI Corporate Finance to raise up to €10m for the new ventutre.

The new company is also in negotiations with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) which has the ultimate say on whether or not it gets a licence. Industry experts say that the BCI will probably grant the company a licence to broadcast via satellite and cable.

According to some reports Kish has already raised in the order of €500,000 for the new venture.

Donnelly is the founder of All Ireland Media which was set up in 1985 and was later bought out by Carat in 2002 for a price in the region of €22.3m. "

And from thepost.ie

"The former director of programmes at TV3, Michael Murphy, is planning to launch a new entertainment television station later this year, The Sunday Business Post has learned.

Murphy and the outgoing chief executive of advertising firm Carat, Pat Donnelly, have hired Investment Bank of Ireland (IBI) to raise €10 million from venture capitalists and high net worth individuals to fund the station. The fundraising is still in its early stages. Murphy, 4 4, f i r st approached Donnelly with the idea last year. They subsequently set up a company called Kish Media to manage the project. An estimated €300,000 has been invested in the firm, according to records filed at the Companies Registration Office in Dublin.

“By the time we raise funding and get a premises it will be later in the year before we get it going,” said Donnelly. He said the channel would be “a young person's station'‘.

“I think the market is there,” he said. “You only have to look at the figures that TV3 is putting up. There is a lot of money out there and it is a growing business.”

Murphy worked in TV3 from its inception but left the station to become director of digital operations at Eircom.

He left the telecoms company last year to work as a media consultant.

Donnelly co-founded All Ireland Media in 1985 and was a major beneficiary when the firm was bought outright by the Carat group for €22.3 million in 2002."

icdg

Merged with thread from Satellite.

JohnC.

A new piece from todays Irish Sun

€10m TV6 To Target Under 40s
By Richie Taylor

A new TV station aimed at 15-34 year olds is to go on air later this year.

Ireland's Channel 6 will open with a massive €10 million investment.

Shareholder Michael Murphy said yesterday he believed there was plenty of room for another station.

He claimed Ireland's market was not compeditive and that similar sized countries could accommodate up to 20 TV channels.

He added: "TV3 is no longer serving the youth end of the market.

"There is now an opportunity for a service serving this crucial group.

"We also hope that our enrty will drive down advertising costs"

Mr Murphy said he wanted Channel 6 to be available on Sky, ntl and Chorus.

He claimed that apart from RTE, TG4 and TV3, the Irish market was dominated by "passive" British stations broadcasting very little Irish content.

He said these channels could be taking millions of euro out of the Irish advertising marlet each year.

Mr Murphy insisted that €10 million was sufficient to set up the station and felt it could soon be profitable. He said the sation would model itself on TG4 - which had created "a whole new aray of talent."

So, from that it seems they are intending to create more than a little Irish content and not just have imports from the US. Either that or he will look foolish criticising other channels for having very little Irish content.

Ulsterman 1690

Especially if the UK channel "Five" plan on launching on the Irish EPG

they dont !

Elmo

Donnelly has teamed up with former TV3 producer Michael Murphy to laucnh Kish Media and has engaged IBI Corporate Finance to raise up to €10m for the new ventutre.

Rick Hetherington (CEO TV3) Said

There is a wonderful business case for moving to the UK. We wouldn't have any of the regulatory overheads. We would no longer transmit on the RTÉ transmission system but as RTÉ has said there are only 400,000 homes dependent on that now. So could you live without those 400,000 homes in the short term?

I some how don't think its 400,000 homes more like 400,000 people. After all there are only 1.1million homes in the country.

As far as i know this is what they want to do. They won't be getting a licence from the BCI so there won't be any Irish TV on the service, unless they plan to regulate themselves.

Mr Murphy insisted that €10 million was sufficient to set up the station and felt it could soon be profitable. He said the sation would model itself on TG4 - which had created "a whole new aray of talent."

I hope he does and I hope he makes TV3 and RTE look very foolish.

Either that or he will look foolish criticising other channels for having very little Irish content.

Unfortunately Paul McGuiness, Ozzie KilKenny and James Morris look foolish, but that doesn't stop them from smiling all the way to the bank.

mjsmyth

Just call it Cúig, t'is simple. It's obviously and Irish Station then and it still follows the numbers games........ rte 1 rte2 tv3 tg4

MJ

Mossy Monk

oh but Setanta Sports is supposedly Irelands 5th national broadcaster

Elmo

oh but Setanta Sports is supposedly Irelands 5th national broadcaster

It didn't stop TV3 calling themselfs 3 when TG4 was the real 3.

Yeah! but it could be because someone else may have already issued the number 5 as a TV station. We will wait and see.

Or perhaps it is because they are getting the licence from the UK which have 5 main terrestrial stations.

byte

Why bother with any number. Just give it a decent name and decent programming, and people will watch*


*assuming they can receive it!

limerick_man

Setanta is only available on NTL, other cable services dont carry it... and its not free to air! How can it be irelands 5th when it is only available on one cable company plus dititial??

Round Cable

Setanta can only be digital acorrding to BCI rules, it's available on all platforms, it's just Chorus/Sky customers have to pay an unreasonable amount to view, it's really not worth it.

beer enigma

Just seen an ad in the jobs section of today's Irish Times looking for staff for a new Irish based tv channel 'Channel 6' ?

Apparently aimed at the teen/20 something audience - anyone know anything about it ??

DMC

Yes, discussed here....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=233568

modrover

In this week's Irish Times noticed an recruitment add for Channel 6 here in Ireland? Anyone else read same!

eth0_

channel6.ie is registered, and I found this on google:
http://www.businessworld.ie/cgi-bin/printer_friendly?a=1166232

bazzer

They now have the makings of a website.....

www.channel6.ie

Dub13

this can only be good news...

luckat

Is it all of Ireland or just Dublin?

netwhizkid

Originally posted by Dub13
this can only be good news...

Maybe, i'm expecting more TV3 type thrash with 30mins ad breaks out of every 60 aimed at teenybobbers with crazy frog ads all day long, come on people this is Ireland, it'll never work, its probably a gimmick to get some of the money that is being doshed out from RTEs licence fee, remember TV3 refused it. It will probably reduce the signal strenght to rural areas in the hills if it goes nationwide, can we expect it on $ky ?

Regards netwhizkid

BlueShaun

well since tv3 has become an itv relay for those out of the terrestrial signal, the could licence it on the same grounds as tv3 had.

Richard

1. Why Channel 6, though? Given that there are only 4 Irish terrestrial channels.

2. The website doesn't state that it will be available on analogue terrestrial. Is there any point in going through the hassle of launching a new analogue terrestrial channel?

3. Will it be any good?

Round Cable

Richard wrote:

2. The website doesn't state that it will be available on analogue terrestrial. Is there any point in going through the hassle of launching a new analogue terrestrial channel?

It will not be allowed on analouge terrestrial, any new channels must be digital only.

DMC

Merging with existing thread open in Broadcasting.

Charles Slane

From the Sunday Business Post -

"Channel 6 will operate initially on a British licence, having opted for this route as “the most straightforward and predictable'‘, according to Donnelly.

It is planning to run around 16 hours of Irish programming a week,with themes focused on youth-oriented issues such as fashion and music. The remainder of programming will be American and British, in a style Donnelly said was typified by shows like Sex and the City and Men Behaving Badly.

“Our longer-term intention is to have an Irish licence, and we are still in talks with the BCI,” saidDonnelly. A priority for Channel 6 is to have access to an analogue carrier service.

“Digital may take over in four or five years' time but, for now, analogue delivers the whole of Dublin and all the major urban centres.”

icdg

In other words, they need NTL analogue carrige, if they are going to be taken seriously. A favourable EPG position wouldn't go astray, either...

I cannot believe that they will actually commission this much Irish programming. It is far more than the entire non-news (and Ireland AM) output of the official independent television contractor, TV3. Obviously they will not be providing news and current affairs, but what will it be? Cheap and cheerful most likely...

ShaneOC

icdg wrote:

In other words, they need NTL analogue carrige, if they are going to be taken seriously. A favourable EPG position wouldn't go astray, either...

I cannot believe that they will actually commission this much Irish programming. It is far more than the entire non-news (and Ireland AM) output of the official independent television contractor, TV3. Obviously they will not be providing news and current affairs, but what will it be? Cheap and cheerful most likely...

Dreathar Mór???

mike65

Its gonna be sh1te! Seriously, why would anyone want to watch a station which carries the same output as Paramount, UK Gold and E4? As for freshly commissioned shows...they'll be the last word in bargin basement filler material.

Mike.

limerick_man

Paramount and E4 are great and this will really good for irish actors and scriptwriters! The more irish production the more talent scouts will come here to get ppl!

Elmo

Paramount and E4 are great and this will really good for irish actors and scriptwriters! The more irish production the more talent scouts will come here to get ppl!

I have to say that I am dissappointed in Paramount I thought it would have been better. As for E4 well if you like repeat after repeat after repeat its alright. But they only have about 5 shows.

1. Why take the talent away from Ireland.
2. Unless they actually produce a Drama/Comedy scriptwriters are not going to be scouted on less they move over to LONDON.
3. If only TV3 was to help Irish Talent in this way. But unfortunately they have failed us totally, as have RTE.

Pat Donelly has said that TG4 have done more in the past 10 years on air to promote Irish Talent then RTE and TV3 put together. He said he hopes to pick up on some of the success stories of TG4 and hope to provide an outlet for Irish Talent. I hope he can do it. I assume that most of the Irish Shows will be along the lines of E4 and TG4 presenters rather then Actors.

I some how cann't see them producing a soap or drama. Anytime soon.

limerick_man

What TG4 have only produced hector! Thats all, TV3 have Dermot Whelan, Claire Byrne, Alan Cantwell, Trevor Welch, Aidan Cooney, Lorraine Keane, Martin King, Maura Derrane, Mark Cagney, Alan Hughes and Ursula Halligan! And RTE ... well I wont go down that long list of celebs!

Mossy Monk

limerick_man wrote:

celebs!

take it easy now :eek:

Charles Slane

There was a report in today's Irish Times saying that Channel 6 had done a deal with Paramount for programming and how it might lead to a conflict between Paramount Comedy (with their new Irish opt-out) and Channel 6 for programming rights.

limerick_man

Paramount own paramount comedy (hint the name), that would be like TV3 and UTV arguing over program rights!

FuzzyZoeller

Funny things is, UTV are arguing with TV3 over programming rights!!!