Saorview Changes - 2026

2025 was the year that a broadcaster pulled out of Saorview for the first time (UCB Radio Ch 2011). January 16th 2026 is the date that RTE Radio 1 extra, RTE 2xm, RTE Pluse, RTE JR radio and RTE CHILL will fully vacate the platform.

On Saorview rte jr radio is back on, while on the rte radio player RTE jr is replaced with RTE kids.

Radio 1 extra, Pulse, 2xm and Chill have already been removed.

Thanks is this an average

Do you have a break down of what is used, by channel.

Could the SD channels all increase their quality?

Saorview is really run like a poor value for money public service - slow to change (or never changes) and wasteful of resources. It’s on air 15 years now and only still does just about enough. It’s certainly not the type of service that is going to lure in new viewers! Saorview Connect was far too late to the market, poorly implemented and ended as a failure. Anyways, I’ve given up on Saorview – only use it now as a backup service just in case. If my external antenna blew down I wouldn't fix it.

In terms of capacity, across the two MUXs there is of course room for much more HD content - if they were motivated enough to think of the viewer.

Ditch the Saorview info channels (meaningless), ditch the +1s (they are becoming irrelevant) and ditch all the Saorview test card channels - then all the RTE channels (including RTE News), TG4, all the VM channels & Sky News could broadcast in HD. Leave only RTE Jr, Cula4, Oireachtas & Challenge as SD.

I wonder are there many people out there who have Saorview as their only means of tv viewing ? If you add up subscribers to Sky,Vodafone, eir and Virgin, there can't be many left for Saorview only or am I wrong ? Personally, I've only ever seen Saorview as a kitchen tv or bedroom tv service, but with multi room boxes now available from all the pay operators, even this option is outdated. Even a modern tv that has all the Irish players on it, is a way better option than Saorview, at least you would get all the Irish channels in HD.

think it's about 12%

saorview only from memory. it's in some document tg4 put out about launching new channels

I'm pretty much Saorview only. I got a cheap Firestick a few months ago that I mainly use for Channel 4 but that's it.

I was also using Saorview for Radio 1 Extra but they stupidly decided to get rid of it.

I was reliant on Saorview until recently. Officially the Firestick doesn't have access to the RTE Player but somebody here gave me a workaround. If it wasn't for that, then no. Even so it's glitchy and gets stuck during ad breaks etc and has to be restarted. A lot of the time it takes over an hour to watch a 40 minute programme.

No access to anything officially.

The instructions in the Firestick thread help.

thanks thats good to know, will have to see can i get that sorted so. have access to the players on an apple tv anyway so im not too badly off for now but its handy to have it on the firestick too at times

Saorview would be our main TV, we have fta satellite but Saorview is still the primary viewed channels.

Have access to RTE Player/3 player/TG4 Player on the LG TV, again Saorview is still our primary viewed channels.

My daughter would watch alot of box sets on Netflix, but when it comes to I'm a celebrity get me out of here or love Island Saorview Virgin media channels on Saorview are the winner for her.

How long have they been up?