Government agreement: Free-To-Air RTE in NI, BBC in RoI on DTT platform

This debate from the Seanad recently indicates that meetings are underway between the two governments in relation to matters covered under the memorandum of understanding.

Television Reception.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this important issue for my constituency and the Border area. I welcome the Minister of State.

Irish language broadcasting in Northern Ireland received a boost when the Irish and UK Governments agreed a memorandum of understanding which provides a framework for continuing co-operation on broadcasting issues on the island of Ireland. The memorandum is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition during the digital switchover and the switch-off of analogue services on the island of Ireland. It was signed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw. The memorandum commits the two Governments to facilitating the widespread availability of RTE services in Northern Ireland and BBC services in Ireland on a free-to-air basis. It will also ensure the continuing widespread availability of the Irish language channel, TG4, in Northern Ireland following the digital switchover.

At the time the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources said the agreement was the culmination of a successful period of co-operation on broadcasting issues between the Governments of Ireland and the UK and its benefits would be important. A smooth transition to digital television throughout the island of Ireland is important, especially for TG4, and the agreement will facilitate the availability of RTE on an all-island basis. The agreement will also help the delivery of broader economic and social benefits which will be gained by all citizens from the release of digital dividend spectrum following the closure of the analogue service. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw, said he was pleased to sign the memorandum of understanding as it was an important step in ensuring everything went smoothly and that BBC services would continue to be available on the island of Ireland.

I raise this issue because many of my constituents who pay the licence fee do not receive RTE’s channels. RTE has done a great deal of work at its sites in Holywell and Limavady in Northern Ireland. Will the work being done on both sides of the Border maximise reception quality for those who receive either no signal or a very poor one? Will it overcome existing problems in order that those who do not receive a signal will receive one and that when the switchover takes place those who have found a solution through free-to-air services from, for example, the Limavady transmitter will not find that the good service they currently receive will disappear? In the context of the memorandum of understanding, it is intended to provide a good service for people in the North and that from the North BBC services will be provided for people in the Republic. However, it should be borne in mind that many do not currently receive RTE services.

In May 2008 the Inishowen Independent ran a story on how television services on Inishowen were going digital but that reception quality would not improve for householders. It was indicated that, although RTE was upgrading the transmitter at Holywell Hill, Altaghderry, Killea and that the digital service was due to come on stream by 2012, this would not address the problem of bad reception that had plagued areas across Inishowen. Scores of households in the Burt area have been forced to subscribe to satellite providers such as Sky in order to receive clear RTE television pictures. The fact that they have to pay the licence fee of €160 to RTE and €240 to Sky means there is an additional cost to them.

RTE sought planning permission from Donegal County Council to build a prefabricated cabin at Holywell Hill to house the new digital broadcasting equipment. Experts in RTE say that, while the signal will be digital, it will be broadcast terrestrially. They also say it will not provide much comfort for those households that currently cannot receive clear analogue pictures. The spokesperson for RTE said that when the signal went digital, it would be no better or no worse than the signal currently received in households. RTE states it has met its legal obligations by providing coverage for 99% of the population and that local conditions mean 100% coverage cannot be achieved.

Many have been trying to find a solution to the problem. Some who work in the industry say they have been able to install freeview systems using satellite dishes in recent months. The crux of the matter is how we determine whether the digital television transmitters in the North will carry RTE and TG4 on freeview services. We assume they will because if these services are to be provided for people in Belfast and Inishowen receives a signal from the North, it should cover the area. This is a technical subject, but people in my area do not care how the problem is solved. They experience enormous problems because they cannot receive a crystal-clear signal. The television pictures they receive are snowy. We had enough snow during the winter without having to worry about it now. In the Muff area there is a perfect signal received from Limavady, but there is a shadow effect in the signal received in Quigley’s Point and Redcastle. The signal received in the Clonmany and Urris areas also requires to be dealt with.

A memorandum of understanding has been agreed and much work is ongoing. We need to find a solution to the problem on a cross-Border basis. Will the Minister of State indicate whether it is accepted that there is a problem with television coverage in the Inishowen area?

Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Social Protection and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Áine Brady): On behalf of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, I thank the Senator for raising in the Seanad the issue of the availability of Irish television services in Northern Ireland in the context of the switchover to digital terrestrial television services.

The development of digital broadcasting is an imperative at an international, European and national level. Throughout the world countries have agreed that traditional analogue broadcast services will no longer be protected from interference after 2015. Within Europe there is widespread agreement that all analogue broadcast services will cease by 2012. This provides an opportunity for Ireland to upgrade its terrestrial free-to-view television services from analogue to digital and, while so doing, seek ways in which to provide greater access to the Irish public broadcast services throughout the island of Ireland.

It is important for Ireland to upgrade to digital terrestrial television services for a number of reasons. Analogue networks are becoming increasingly obsolete and expensive to operate. Digital technology is essential in order that our broadcasters can continue to compete with commercial broadcasters. Digital terrestrial television, DTT, is more spectrum efficient and versatile than the analogue television service. DTT can provide more services for television viewers. These include more television channels, more radio channels, electronic programme guides and even HDTV services. Because DTT is more spectrum efficient — it can provide eight television channels in the same amount of spectrum as one analogue television channel — spectrum in the television frequency band can be reallocated to other services such as broadband or mobile broadband services. This provides a digital dividend which has the potential to provide a significant economic benefit for the country.

The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for RTE and TG4 to provide their broadcast services, in as far as possible, throughout the island of Ireland. In addition, the Act provides for RTE to build and operate a free-to-view digital television service as a replacement for the current analogue service. This service must at least provide space for RTE One, RTE Two, TG4 and TV3. The RTE free-to-view digital television service is due to launch to 90% of the population by 31 October.

In developing plans for digital terrestrial television services in Ireland the Minister was cognisant that the United Kingdom was also upgrading its television services to digital and, in particular, that the Northern Ireland switchover is planned for the last quarter of 2012. In this regard and in order to provide for a co-ordinated approach to the analogue network switch-off on both sides of the Border, the Minister’s officials entered into discussions with their United Kingdom counterparts. As a result of these discussions, a memorandum of understanding was signed jointly by the United Kingdom and Irish Governmendts on 1 February, the purpose of which is to provide a mechanism for co-operation between the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom in providing a framework for the transition to digital terrestrial television services and the analogue network switch-off; to provide for TG4 to be carried in Northern Ireland on the digital television network and to provide an opportunity for RTE to be transmitted within Northern Ireland and for the BBC to be transmitted in Ireland. The provision of BBC services throughout Ireland is a commercial decision for the BBC, as, unlike RTE, it does not have a mandate to provide its services throughout the island of Ireland. In regard to TG4, the memorandum of understanding draws on the Belfast — Good Friday — Agreement 1998 and the 2006 St. Andrews Agreement which provided for the availability of TG4 throughout Northern Ireland on the analogue network. The memorandum of understanding provides for TG4 to be carried on the digital network in Northern Ireland. In regard to RTE, the memorandum of understanding commits the two Governments to seeking to find a technical and cost-effective solution to the provision of RTE services throughout Northern Ireland.

Since it was signed, officials from the two Governments have continued to meet and work together to provide for full implementation of the memorandum of understanding. The most recent meeting took place in March and a further meeting is planned for May. The meetings are examining practical ways in which the memorandum of understanding can be used to provide for a smooth transition from analogue to digital television services across the island of Ireland and how best to provide for RTE and TG4 services to be made available throughout Ireland.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney: I asked one specific question. Given that the officials responsible for the memorandum of understanding will meet in May, can the Adjournment Matter I have raised be brought to their attention regarding the difficulties experienced in the Inishowen area? The officials might need to talk to RTE spokespersons to obtain further details on the technical difficulties experienced. Solutions can be found. I ask that the response of the officials be brought to my attention.

Deputy Áine Brady: I will ask if that can be done.

"RTE has done a great deal of work at its sites in Holywell and Limavady in Northern Ireland. Will the work being done on both sides of the Border maximise reception quality for those who receive either no signal or a very poor one?"
Didn't know RTE had a site in Limavady! Anyone any more info on this?

lawhec wrote: »

Not sure what mandate is in place if any, but I've always thought that RTÉ (and Radio Éireann before it) always sought to provide 32 county coverage of its services as much as it was practical to do so in line with national aspirational aims (in particular with the old Articles 2 & 3 of the Republic's constitution) of it being a PSB, hence Clermont Carn and Holywell Hill being sites lying next door to the border, Truskmore not very far from it and a number of others both main sites and relays (Carin Hill, Moville etc.) intend to have part of their coverage reach into Northern Ireland as well.

You also have to remember that the DG is from Derry and the Head of Programming is also from the North.

And not unlike UTV being available in ROI advertising possiblities are available in NI, Setanta would also view this as a reason. As do C4 and Sky.

Two questions asked in the Dáil earlier this week regarding speculation about transmitters in the border area. Did anyone come across this in the press?

Broadcasting Legislation.

346. Deputy Alan Shatter asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans regarding Irish broadcasting masts in the vicinity of the Border following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Irish and UK governments, which provides a framework for continuing co-operation on broadcasting issues on the island of Ireland; if it is envisaged that control and or ownership of such masts will be transferred to a cross-Border holding body or other co-operative or joint arrangement or if they will remain in the ownership of this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17823/10]

349. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the official position in respect of reports that Irish broadcasting masts located near the Border may be transferred to a cross-Border holding body; his views on whether these transmitters are strategic State assets providing additional revenue for public service broadcasting and are part of a network which is an essential national asset in the event of any national emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18119/10]

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Eamon Ryan): I propose to take Question Nos. 346 and 349 together.

There are no plans to transfer broadcasting masts located near the border to a cross border holding body. The information referred to by the Deputy is based on inaccurate press reporting. There are no provisions in the Memorandum of Understanding that would allow for such a development.

A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding is available on www.dcenr.gov.ie.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20100505.XML&Node=2843#N2843

Also came across this article from early Feb regarding switchover in NI - http://www.agendani.com/going-digital

Freesat for Us and Saorsat for Them, then.

Anyway, no ITV or UTV on Saorsat, It's only Saorview channels. TV3 can sleep nights

Elmo wrote: »

Yeah but if You have Saorsat you should be able to gain access to other Satellite services. no?

In a sense. But not from the same feed.
You need either a custom Dual feed dish or two dishes (though one doesn't need to look like a dish). Plenty of discussion in The Satellite forum

From about this Post http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=67681453&postcount=561 in this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055968485 (many many pointless and repetitive posts at this stage)

See also http://www.techtir.ie/saortv/saorsat
And http://www.techtir.ie/isaa/saorsat/preliminary

If you want Sky you need two satellite Receivers as Sky Receiver won't work for Saorsat. A Freesat HD (DVB-S2 HD) receiver or Generic HD DVB-S2 receiver should mostly work on Saorsat. Further research required. Uncertain aspects are Program Guide and Interactive.

Saorsat is for 2% to 7% that can't get Irish DTT, in Ireland. It should work in all of N.I. but not England, Wales, Cornwall and Most of Scotland.

SRB wrote: »

Yes, but it would be at the expense of other services, which would have to come off to make way for those three, not to mention RTE Radio.

There are spaces on the FreeView EPG that would be better served by RTÉ 1, 2 and TG4 (TV3 for that matter also).

QVC, Channel One (soon to be Challenge), Ideal World, bid tv, price drop/gem tv.

How do the 3 manchester channels work?

Peter Henderson wrote: »

Personally, I think Freesat should also be available to viewers in the ROI, although i suppose RTE would object strongly.

RTÉ has no objection, this from the Oireachtas discussion with RTÉ

Deputy Noel J. Coonan: People are under the impression that they will be able to receive every channel because there are two multiplexes. What channels will be available under the proposals outlined by Mr. Hayes? Will these be the eight or nine channels listed here? Will the UK channels be available?

Mr. Conor Hayes: The UK channels are available under an approach called Freesat, which is broadcast by a company owned by the BBC and ITV. They broadcast these channels in the clear over Ireland using a wide-band satellite operating in the KU band. RTE’s satellite option is a narrow-band satellite operating in the Ka band. One cannot get them on the same satellite. In the US, there are hybrid dishes available and householders can receive Ka band and Ku band signals. That is technically feasible and there are some 22 million households in the US using it. The cost of the dish is approximately $65.

Deputy Noel J. Coonan: Deputy D’Arcy will have to go to Italy and I will have to go to the US.

Mr. Conor Hayes: We are doing our best to identify solutions.

Deputy Noel J. Coonan: Will people have to get a box for Sky and a box for the UK channels? These are not readily available. People are under the impression they can do this once they switch over.

Mr. Conor Hayes: If people want to stay with Sky and keep paying money, one does not need anything else. The alternative we are providing does not involve pay-TV.

Chairman: The Deputy’s question is whether one can get BBC and ITV.

Mr. Conor Hayes: If one has a satellite.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate...&Ex=All&Page=3

I've no idea what is on N.I. TV. But none of it will shift for "foriegn" TV. There would be trouble.