Aertels Asterisk

Genghis

If you look up the TV page for RTE1 and Network2 on Aertel - pages 171 and 172, you'll see that they have started to put an asterisk after certain programmes. The first time I saw it I thought it might mean that an earlier sport / live event might throw the schedule, but there was nothing to suggest either such a show, or an indication of what said * might mean.

Then I thought I had it. Just like some supermarkets who mark 'irish produce' with an asterisk on your till receipt, this could well be an attempt by RTE to show how Irish they really are, and how the increase in the licence fee is justified etc.

Yesterday almost everything on RTE from six-one on had an asterix, but almost nothing from N2 had it (not even News 2, or the Celtic game, which could be considered a home production).

Then I looked again at the web version. pg171 . For this morning / afternoon they have asterisks everywhere - Crossroads, Home and Away, ER, Six-One, Beyond the Hall Door. Shows that don't merit one include Neighbours, Cagney and Lacey, Hart to Hart, Police Rescueand The Bill. Over on N2, very few shows are marked, Friends and the Film Gross Pointe Blank being two.

Theory 3 - RTE are highlighting the most popular shows?

Theory 4 - RTE are highlighting stuff that is being shown for the first time.

And finally, I've noticed they haven't added these to any of the UK channels, or TV3, but they have for TG4. That blows my fifth theory out - that RTE are marking the shows which would be most appealing to advertise on - since RTE do not sell ads for TG4 (they have their own sales team).

Can anyone shed any light?

DMC

A guess... subtitles?

Genghis

Good guess DMC. Could be it alright, but I'd have thought Neighbours and News 2 were subtitled?

icdg

A look at P366 indicates that subtitled programmes are indeed the ones astriked.

Mystery solved!

Genghis

Hurrah! Well done DMC! Chers ICDG