New cable/digital TV station for Ireland: Channel 6

OFDM

RTE Aertel News Service wrote:

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has granted a licence for a new television channel.

The licence has been awarded to Channel 6 to provide a broad format of entertainment service aimed at 15 to 35-year-olds.

The service will be broadcast Monday to Friday for 12 to 15 hours per day.

Muglins Broadcasting Limited (trading as Channel 6) will have the rights for the service for 10 years.

This will probably consist of a load of American programmes. Not a bad thing if they get the good ones.

And does anyone know what happened to all those regional TV licences that were given out a few years ago?

[edit]
Here's the bit the Aertel scum left out:
"Channel 6 will be carried on the NTL and Chorus analogue and digital platforms throughout the state as part of their basic television subscription package.

The service will be retransmitted on the Sky Digital Platform in Ireland and will be included in the Sky basic television subscription package."
[/edit]

Mossy Monk

who said it was terrestrial. they were given a license for cable/MMDS and satellite

OFDM

Mossy Monk wrote:

who said it was terrestrial. they were given a license for cable/MMDS and satellite

Bloody useless Aertel leaving out half the story.

Thread title changed.

Elmo

IMO: It seems like another case of the BCI having to back into a licence because they had already got a licence from britian.

Let face NTL/Chourus could set up several Irish Channels without a licence for any of them.

Chourus Sport
Waterford @ 8
City Channel

But at least it is a good thing.

Now all they need to do is give out DTT licence.

I hope that C6, Setanta and the local channels get DTT licence once DTT is roled out.

OFDM

I suppose those regional licences were all cable/digital as well?

Elmo

Chourus Sport
Waterford @ 8
City Channel

I know a new version of CITY Channel has its licence got, so has Waterford at 8.

Don't know about Chours Sport.

But over the last ten years they haven't had a licence

OFDM

The way RTE are reporting this on the 9 O'Clock news you'd still think it was a licence for a terrestial channel. No mention that it's cable only at all.

Dinner

I'm glad to hear another Channel enteriing the competition. But I fear it will be a heap o' sh!te. They've already lost points by calling it Channel 6. I wopnder how mush a marketing company were paid to come up with that mind blowing name.

I know that Tv3 isnt exactly a groundbreaking name either, but channel 6 just sucks donkey balls. Maybe they'll make up for that with half decent shows.

mike65

Channel 6 will be showing all the stuff you can currently watch on Paramount/Sky One, its a pointless channel designed to hoover up availible ad revenue, not provide a decent alternative to anything else.

Mike.

Elmo

Channel 6 will be showing all the stuff you can currently watch on Paramount/Sky One, its a pointless channel designed to hoover up availible ad revenue, not provide a decent alternative to anything else.

It will have to prove itself with its Irish Output IMO

Sky One, Paramount, E4 and Sky News only get around 7% of the audience altogether. Channel Six will want to be getting at least 3% of the audience after its first year to see it as a viable commercial TV station. they could still be only getting 1% of the audience after year five.

The only good thing about it will be the fact that it cannot retransmit a British Soap because every one who can get them can get the British Soaps.

Yes the name is very unimaginative.

And CITY CHANNEL isn't much better.

father_ted9t9

Jesus lads, nice to see the criticism and slagging has already started and its not even on air yet...good one lads, good one!

Badabing

I heard the two lads who will run the channels on the Last Word and they seemed to know what they wanted and their target audience so i wish them well.

Elmo

Jesus lads, nice to see the criticism and slagging has already started and its not even on air yet...good one lads, good one!

In fairness TV3 haven't given us much hope.

father_ted9t9

Elmo wrote:

In fairness TV3 haven't given us much hope.

Blh blah blah blah blah...always with the three bashing. Well this is nothing to do with tv3, so back to matter in hand.

Elmo

always with the three bashing. Well this is nothing to do with tv3, so back to matter in hand.

Well you asked what answer did you expect. (Espically from me )

Micheal Murphy was part of the TV3 team.

I mean TV3 has let us down completely. IMO.

Channel Six needs to kick TV3 into gear. IMO.

TV3 needs to kick RTE in the Rear. IMO. It just hasn't happened. YET.

Funk Daddy

BCI are a joke and are typical of the Irish media industry. Compare the amount of licences the BCI have issued compared to Ofcom (formerly ITC) in the UK. Even in proportion with population, it's still ridiculously small.

limerick_man

OK! The plan is to have the same amount of Irish output that TG4 gives!

I'm so happy to hear i will be able to get it on Chorus Cable, not having to go to ditital!

TV3 are already stepping up for the autumn and by the sounds of it RTE have some good comedies on the way! That Des Bishop Comedy Project sounds hilarious!

Already this channel seems to be pushing the others to do something!

OFDM

What's the point of this channel when most people don't have cable or digital MMDS? Digital terrestial transmission (like freeview in England) in this country is a long way off.

Robbo

Will Kent Brockman read the news on this new channel?

Mossy Monk

OFDM wrote:

What's the point of this channel when most people don't have cable or digital MMDS? Digital terrestial transmission (like freeview in England) in this country is a long way off.

i wouldnt be sure of the exact numbers but it must be over a million people in this country with access to some sort of multichannel tv through cable. MMDS or Sky

limerick_man

Yes, more ppl have cable or ditital then dont!

moshpit77

I honeslty don't think we need another 'Irish' channel showing these shows that are available on other channels already. Why not have a dedicated Irish music channel instead, it'd be something different and there's definitely a market there for it

limerick_man

Well TV3 tried it out for a season, its gone so i'm guessing it didnt work! TG4 have shows along that line. But Channel 6 will be showing the same (if not more) Irish output than the likes of TG4!
Which means there will be more Irish shows on tv... this will put pressure on TV3 and co., to up their output... which they are already doing this autumn

JBoyle4eva

Robbo wrote:

Will Kent Brockman read the news on this new channel?

Now that would be news to watch!

tvnutz

Nah...Tom Tucker and Diane Simmons are better!

Funk Daddy

tvnutz wrote:

Nah...Tom Tucker and Diane Simmons are better!

Agreed 100%.

"We now go live to Diane being a bitch: Diane..."

Mossy Monk

it would only work if Asian Reporter Trish Takanowa (sp?) was there

limerick_man

Does anyone know, when it will come on air?

tvnutz

lol ye..."Im here standing outside the Port Barrington Hotel because they don't allow Asians inside". lol

Mossy Monk

lmao

father_ted9t9

Early next year Limerick man!

father_ted9t9

There will be a lot of Music input in the channel, including a number of music programmes. And no kent brockman wont be doing news as there is no news output on the channel!LOL:)

tvfan

what is channel 6? Is it an irish station?

father_ted9t9

Yes it will be

limerick_man

Oh yeah its for the 15-34yo age group!!! Wonder will theyre be good comedies and stuff?

limerick_man

And what shows will be on? will they start with any irish stuff? I hear they have linked up with HBO... i'm guessing sex and the city will be on every night ... hopefully they will show the chris rock specials!!!
NE one know?

AARRRGH

limerick_man wrote:

And what shows will be on? will they start with any irish stuff? I hear they have linked up with HBO... i'm guessing sex and the city will be on every night ... hopefully they will show the chris rock specials!!!
NE one know?

AFAIK, there will be no news or current affairs. Just entertainment, ala HBO.

Mossy Monk

ooooooooh

Oz may get another showing

tSubh Dearg

I read in an article that it is supposed to be starting around Christmas. The same article also said that there would be 16 hours of Irish broadcasting and the rest would be American and British series. However, that article was published before it was announced that they had gotten a BCI license.

tvfan

so will this be like RTE or TV3 or is it a satellite channel?

limerick_man

Its like TV3 when it started, no news but its Irish... its just not going to be free!

celticfc

tvfan wrote:

so will this be like RTE or TV3 or is it a satellite channel?

It will not be available Terrestrially like RTÉ, TV3 or TG4...

...However, it will be available on all digital platforms on standard subscription packages. (eg. Family pack on Sky & Basic pack on ntl) Also it has been confirmed that it will aso be made available on ntl's analogue line-up. (Not certain about Chorus's)


Also, more info on Channel 6 here in the ICDG Broadcasting forum.

BTW, Merged with existing thread.

limerick_man

It will be on Chorus anologue!

byte

Damn, I'll have to cancel my UK Sky sub and reinstate my ROI one! Or.. maybe I'll just wait to see what the channel has to offer!

father_ted9t9

It will be on UK Sub aswell!

JBoyle4eva

Sorry to ask this, but when is C6 starting?

limerick_man

Guessing you havent read through!!! Around Feburary (sometime early next year, anyway)!

Thank you come again!

Elmo

Have they put it back I heard that is was Nov 2005, before XMAS?

Mossy Monk

i think a lot of the dates being put forward atm are hearsay. is there a definate launch date/month?

doh.ie

father_ted9t9 wrote:

It will be on UK Sub aswell!

I don't think it'll be on a UK Sky subscription, simply because its availablility in the UK will not be possible due to rights exclusive issues for stuff like Sex & The City, the Star Trek series, Frasier, The 4400 and other Paramount/Viacom material (all already on Paramount/Sky One in the UK).

That means their rights will be restricted to Irish-only broadcasting, and will probably earn them a place on 105 on the Irish Sky EPG, and not available in the UK (or Northern Ireland) on Sky (or cable) at all.

It does, however, have a UK licence which allows them to broadcast on the Astra satellite system, via Sky, to Ireland (both on Sky Digital and NTL/Chorus). If they wished, they didn't need an Irish BCI licence at all (as E4/Sky One/Paramount/Nickelodeon/other satellite channels targetting Ireland with Irish ads don't), but they probably thought it best to go through the correct channels (pardon the pun!) to increase their chances of getting a terrestrial or DTT licence here down the line.

Elmo

It does, however, have a UK licence which allows them to broadcast on the Astra satellite system, via Sky, to Ireland (both on Sky Digital and NTL/Chorus). If they wished, they didn't need an Irish BCI licence at all (as E4/Sky One/Paramount/Nickelodeon/other satellite channels targetting Ireland with Irish ads don't),

Also in getting the OfCom licence first they new that the BCI wouldn't want to look bad if they didn't automatically give an Irish Station a licence themselves. IMO.

Lets face it there was never a need for the BCI to issue such licences when there where already local stations set up without their consent. Am I to assume that Waterford at 8, the Link Channel and Chorus Sport where illegal channels?

Again I would like to see E4, C4, Sky One's Licences from the BCI. Or perhaps maybe just Sky News Irelands.