Sky News being added to Saorview

Gavan Reilly says it launches next week:

Wonder if it'll be SD or HD? If HD, that'd be a bonus over FTA satellite...

I would imagine it'll be SD, the only way to get Sky News in HD OTA as currently stands is through pay TV. Their FTA broadcasts are all SD.

They tried that back in 2004 when they launched Sky News Ireland a special Irish broadcast at 7pm and 10pm each night.

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It closed in 2006

Yeah but that was a very different time. They could easily start a joint venture with a local radio station and simulcast short bulletins or panel discussions like France Info does.

I nearly fell off my chair... Saorview have actually done something and added a channel?

Hopefully it wets their appetite for change.

Is there anything stopping Saorview approaching broadcasters though? They need to promote the platform and make it attractive.

It will be on channel 23 which is currently the rolling Saorview info channel called 'Faisneis Saorview'. So a retune shouldn't be necessary, it's a straight replacement.

Can't see that there's any requirement for a 'test'.

Surprised RTE not up in arms over it. I suppose the Irish versions of E4 and Pick could easily join them too with more Irish specific adverts.

As I said , I'm not sure, it would make more sense to show the "Irish" satellite version, but you could have RTE/Virgin complaining about advertising being taken from them etc.

Anyone complaining because someone else is showing Irish ads on Saorview would rightfully be told to take a hike.

The way it usually works is radio will carry ads for TV shows and stations, even rival owned. TV will carry ads for radio, even rival owned. Both will carry ads for platforms, e.g. Sky, Virgin, even if they own other channels.

Its not normal for a TV channel to carry ads for a rival TV channel or for specific shows on another platform.

Anyway, this has nothing to do with whether they'd try block the Irish and feed of Sky News. And they have no grounds to do that