How come we get E4 and not C4 in the ROI?

LegacyUser

If E4 officially belongs to C4, how come C4 hasn't been released to viewers in the ROI?

Just wondering...

Steo

LegacyUser

It might have to do with the fact that Ch4 has sports rights and these may not be cleared for ROI DSat broadcasting (they are presumably cleared for UK DSat brodcasting and UK + ROI Analogue broadcasting).

They could sort it out fairly easilly if they want to - there may be the issue of them wanting Sky to subsidise their inclusion in the same way they did with the BBC. They won't do this of course - at least not to the same extent because CH4 has advertising.

LegacyUser

And advertising aimed at the Republic too !!! Hopefully they will sort this out soon. I have sent numerous enquiries to them regarding availability here but I have yet to receive a reply.

LegacyUser

Its a regulatory thing. In the UK Sky are obliged to distribute any free to air stations over their distribution systems. But only to customers in UK. Same thing doesn't apply to ROI - and ntl, chorus etc are keeping c4 sweet so as not to have sky carry c4 here- image poor ntl and chorus if someone had a real choice of tv?

LegacyUser

I just don't understand why Sky doesn't hound RTE and TV3 to get them on board. I'm sure that subsidising them on the digital satellite platform would still be lucrative for Sky.

Anyway, what would RTE have to lose? They would still get the license fee. I don't see how it will conflict with the new "microwave" broadcasting technology that is supposed to come about, as not everyone will opt for Sky.

Someone should shake the marketing chiefs...

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stiabhna:
I just don't understand why Sky doesn't hound RTE and TV3 to get them on board.
</font>

I'm sure they're doing this already. They have been in discussions with RT at least.

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I'm sure that subsidising them on the digital satellite platform would still be lucrative for Sky.
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Studies were done in the UK which showed that many (if not even most) digital viewers switched to analogue to receive the 5 analogue terrestrial channels. So most people may not care if RTE is on Sky as long as they have good reception.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
Anyway, what would RTE have to lose? They would still get the license fee. I don't see how it will conflict with the new "microwave" broadcasting technology that is supposed to come about, as not everyone will opt for Sky.
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The issue is akin to the ITV on Sky Issue - RTE have links with the Digital Terrestrial service planned for Ireland. So they want people to get that instead.

icdg

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cookie Monster:
Its a regulatory thing. In the UK Sky are obliged to distribute any free to air stations over their distribution systems.
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No, they aren't. They didn't for ten years of Sky analogue, and they still don't distribute ITV either. Anyway the BBC owns (or leases directly from SES) its own transponders AFAIK.

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But only to customers in UK. Same thing doesn't apply to ROI - and ntl, chorus etc are keeping c4 sweet so as not to have sky carry c4 here- image poor ntl and chorus if someone had a real choice of tv?
</font>

No evidence of that either. I doubt they have an exclusivity deal - this would mean C4 couldn't be available on DTT either.

The real issue is of course rights (to do with foreign programmes and sports) which C4 have for UK and not Ireland, and E4 (as a satellite channel) has for UK & Ireland. The cable companies pay to have C4's rights for programmes extended to Ireland for their platforms, but Sky does not yet have an agreement with C4 to do this with respect to its Irish customers. But it continues to be in negiotations...

BTW, on the RTE issue, it was unfortunately announced by the RTE Authority last week that they still have "no plans" to go on Sky in the near future.


[This message has been edited by icdg (edited 10-07-2001).]

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
The issue is akin to the ITV on Sky Issue - RTE have links with the Digital Terrestrial service planned for Ireland. So they want people to get that instead.

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In Britain, BBC broadcasts on digital satellite and will also do so on digital terrestrial. I don't understand why RTE doesn't follow their lead.

Talk about freedom of choice for consumers...

LegacyUser

Good point Richard.My parents never watch BBC on skydigital always on terrestrial analogue.

LegacyUser

Actually the UK gets E4 too.
do you ever look @ BBLB?
when a caller from the UK is on the line, they are asked do you watch C4 or the live feed of E4.
The Uk does not get C4 on Pure Sky Digital.

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Ashley Lyn Cafagna

[This message has been edited by chernobyl (edited 12-07-2001).]

LegacyUser

what do you mean by C4 on Pure Sky Digital?

LegacyUser

Pure Sky Digital= you got a dish on your wall as opposed to NTL/Chorus offering a cut down version of Sky.

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Ashley Lyn Cafagna

icdg

I'm afraid the UK does in fact get C4 on Sky Digital. Channel #104.

(No need to call Sky via DBS "pure", its SkyDigital, and you can refer to the other UK platforms by their names - NTL Digitalplus, Telewest Active Digital and ITV Digital).