Channel 6 start date put back.

Charles Slane

I started this as a new thread as the old Channel 6 thread is very long and gone waaay off topic, but it can be merged if needs be.

From Sunday Business Post - www.sbpost.ie -

Channel 6 start-date put back

28 August 2005 By Laura Noonan
The co-founder of the planned new Irish television station, Channel 6, has said he needs to secure financial backing within the next three weeks to ensure it starts broadcasting by early next year.

“We are reaching a critical point now,” Pat Donnelly told The Sunday Business Post. “If we haven't signed the contracts with financial backers by early September, we will have a problem.”

Donnelly said that the station's funding had been in place for some time, but that contracts had not been signed yet because the investment was contingent on a number of factors, such as the programmes the channel could secure.

“All the things - the programming, the finance, how the station will be carried - are interdependent, so we are carrying out all these parallel conversations, and we can't push the button on any one thing until it is all in place,” Donnelly said.

Donnelly added that he could not name the station's financial backers at this stage, but it is understood that there are about four parties in line to invest, including individuals and venture capital companies.

The parties have provisionally agreed to invest between €10 million and €12 million.

Channel 6 had originally planned to launch this autumn, but Donnelly said: “Realistically, it will be early next year before we are on air.”

The station will carry entertainment programmes targeting under 35s, with no news or sports.

Donnelly said he could not give details of any programming lined up for fear of forewarning competitors.

“It will be like a mixture of RTE 2, E4 and Sky One, if you can fathom that,” he said.

Donnelly's cofounder, former TV3 executive Michael Murphy, first began planning Channel 6 two years ago. Donnelly came on board last May.

When the station goes on air, it will employ about 20 people, but so far no other staff have been recruited.

“We have spoken to a number of key staff and a number of people have expressed interest, but obviously we can't take anyone on until the finance is signed off,’' Donnelly said.

Elmo

I thought that the date was very soon.

Anyone know when City Channel is starting.