UTV and UTV Ireland bought by ITV for £100m

icdg · 24-08-2015 05:44PM

I don't buy that one at all. They have a large overseas production operation - especially in the U.S. - and also operate a channel in the Far East.

It is looking quite likely that if the sale goes through it will include UTV Ireland. Whether or not UTV Ireland stays in operation for long after any sale will depend on whether ITV decides to stick with it or figures it can make more money from Ireland through the overseas sale process.

Nor should anyone assume, that in the event UTV Ireland closes down, that it will lead to the restoration of the pre January 2015 arrangements. ITV may never return to cable here in the form it was previously and it is by no means certain that TV3 would be able to strike a deal along the lines of its old one.

channelsurfer2 · 24-08-2015 06:20PM

Tthere is the (slight) possibility that ITV will shut the UTVIrl brand on Saorview and have some sort of ITV Ireland brand but I doubt it. However, they wont keep piling money into a lost cause. But arent ITV Studios part of the ITV group itself so could ITV not save itself 10million a year in rights costs for Emmerdale and Corrie in the Republic by keeping the station going if they own both the station and the rights?

Johnboy1951 · 24-08-2015 06:56PM

According to BBC NI news the losses in UTV Ireland of some £12 million is a large reason for the talks ..... reported to be 3 to 4 times expected losses for the year.

I find it difficult to believe that ITV would be prepared to sustain such losses just to have a presence in ROI. But maybe they have some different plans ....

formerly scottish paddy · 24-08-2015 08:07PM

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

According to BBC NI news the losses in UTV Ireland of some £12 million is a large reason for the talks ..... reported to be 3 to 4 times expected losses for the year.

Ah well looks like the bosses in UTV seriously underestimated how easy it would be to become established in the southern market and the TV operation in Belfast is paying the price. I don't expect the staff in Havelock House will be too happy about this, as ITV is bound to "rationalise" employment levels, with various functions moving to control centres in GB.

Richard · 24-08-2015 08:56PM

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

. But arent ITV Studios part of the ITV group itself so could ITV not save itself 10million a year in rights costs for Emmerdale and Corrie in the Republic by keeping the station going if they own both the station and the rights?

But ITV Studios are currently getting 10 million a year from UTV for the rights. So if ITV owned UTVI then they wouldn't pay, or be paid for the rights. Unless they sold the rights to someone else like RTE or TV3.

Richard · 24-08-2015 08:58PM

formerly scottish paddy wrote: »

Ah well looks like the bosses in UTV seriously underestimated how easy it would be to become established in the southern market

The things is, 15 years ago, UTV was a lot more established.

PacMan · 24-08-2015 09:56PM

This is a big story.
I would like to see ITV take over UTV-I and UTV-NI and have one station with seperate news and ad opt outs, and then hopefully the addition of ITV2/3/4 on the Sky EPG.
.
The question then, is what happens to TV3, a station that I watch on occasion. I enjoy VB and dare I say it Ireland AM. And watch 3e on occasion for some of their shows or TV3 repeats.
Their (TV3) weekend is full of simulcast of ITV shows, and they (ITV) must either have a plan in place to deal with rights to programmes in the Republic, or on the otherhand, they may not be too bothered as the market is way too small.

Souriau · 24-08-2015 11:42PM

formerly scottish paddy wrote: »

To be honest I don't know if ITV will be interested in acquiring UTVI. They don't operate outside the UK, and would it really be worth the hassle (different regulator, dealing in euros, etc) especially for a station that is loosing money hand over fist. UTVI could go to another bidder, Liberty Global???

It is available in South Africa as ITV Choice, so they do operate outside UK

channelsurfer2 · 25-08-2015 09:59AM

Probably doing due diligence on the company and in particular the debts at UTVIRL before any deal is signed.

icdg · 25-08-2015 11:14AM

I have a suspicion that they wanted it to stay quiet until the interim results were announced on Friday. Once the speculation started they were obliged to release a statement to the market as it affects the share price.

Richard · 25-08-2015 12:39PM

"The Ulster Fry" has its own take on it here;:

http://theulsterfry.com/featured/utv-presenters-to-take-over-popular-itv-programmes/

Johnboy1951 · 25-08-2015 01:23PM

Richard wrote: »

"The Ulster Fry" has its own take on it here;:

http://theulsterfry.com/featured/utv-presenters-to-take-over-popular-itv-programmes/

mikeym · 25-08-2015 02:03PM

So Utv Ireland is up for sale.

Will anyone buy the channel?

channelsurfer2 · 25-08-2015 02:07PM

If ITV do take over UTVIrl as well, then it leaves RTE looking under threat for the six nations, with ITV have UK rights to Ireland matches.

ftakeith · 25-08-2015 02:40PM

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

If ITV do take over UTVIrl as well, then it leaves RTE looking under threat for the six nations, with ITV have UK rights to Ireland matches.

threat is only in satellite and UK freeview homes

channelsurfer2 · 25-08-2015 02:43PM

ftakeith wrote: »

threat is only in satellite and UK freeview homes

I mean that ITV will want ROI rights as well as UK rights to have the same schedule if they are really serious about taking over utvirl....

ftakeith · 25-08-2015 03:36PM

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

I mean that ITV will want ROI rights as well as UK rights to have the same schedule if they are really serious about taking over utvirl....

Liberty will buy UTV Ire into TV3

than 3e or UTV Ire alongside TV3

Liberty have played a blinder in their Irish business dealings so far

TV3 have some high rated ITV programmes and it will get the ITV content back from UTVI

Than will take on RTE for more TV content like some US/ UK TV programmes and live sporting rights

I can see Liberty in 2016 buying Setanta Ireland

channelsurfer2 · 25-08-2015 03:45PM

ftakeith wrote: »

Liberty will buy UTV Ire into TV3

than 3e or UTV Ire alongside TV3

Liberty have played a blinder in their Irish business dealings so far

TV3 have some high rated ITV programmes and it will get the ITV content back from UTVI

Than will take on RTE for more TV content like some US/ UK TV programmes and live sporting rights

I can see Liberty in 2016 buying Setanta Ireland

We'll have to agree to disagree... I think that despite Liberty owning shares in ITV, it will not affect what they do with UTVIRL. I also suspect that TV3 wont get any of the programming back unless UTVIRL shuts up shop.

Elmo · 25-08-2015 09:44PM

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Quite a surprise if this report is true. I have watched UTV NI on Cablelink since I was a kid in the 90's as it was my only source of ITV programming until TV3 came along in 1998. With me having Saorview/FTA satellite for 3 years I rarely watch it all now because I have gotten used to watching ITV English regions so often I usually forget that UTV NI is there most of the time.

2001, TV3 had no major English programmes outside of Channel 5 dramas (Professionals was C5 right?) and EastEnders. TV3 would later get Granada content in 2001 and later again 2004 more ITV content.

Harry Palmr · 25-08-2015 10:09PM

CI5: The New Professionals was the name of it - a bad revival of the 1980s series but that was made for SKY One not Channel 5

Richard · 25-08-2015 11:41PM

If UTVI is a stumbling block then I can't see UTVI surviving in a different company than UTVNI. With UTV Media owning both stations they can make savings.

Gonzo · 27-08-2015 11:36AM

ITV will probably close UTV Ireland down for good and sell the rights of programmes back to TV3 or RTE. I doubt ITV have any interest in operating a channel in the republic.

irishfeen · 27-08-2015 12:14PM

Gonzo wrote: »

ITV will probably close UTV Ireland down for good and sell the rights of programmes back to TV3 or RTE. I doubt ITV have any interest in operating a channel in the republic.

I don't know about that! .. It could be their perfect time for doing it and with the ITV soaps there is Advertisement revenue to be made in Ireland.

ftakeith · 27-08-2015 01:23PM

irishfeen wrote: »

I don't know about that! .. It could be their perfect time for doing it and with the ITV soaps there is Advertisement revenue to be made in Ireland.

3e might be in HD in 2016 on satellite/cable if liberty buy UTVI, as UTVI is hd on satellite/cable

3e or UTVI will disappear in 2016

Gonzo · 27-08-2015 02:19PM

Once ITV buy UTV Northern Ireland, I presume they will move over to the ITV branding very quickly?

icdg · 27-08-2015 03:18PM

Not necessarily. But doubtlessly it will happen. The move to the ITV branding would likely to coincide with a move of presentation and playout to London.

It would also happen only after a decision on what the future of UTV Ireland will be, for the simple reason that UTV handles UTV Ireland's playout.

UTV Ireland would continue to require a separate continuity team in any event, as there remain too many variations from the ITV network schedule. Less of an impetus to rebrand.

Elmo · 27-08-2015 05:22PM

icdg wrote: »

UTV Ireland would continue to require a separate continuity team in any event, as there remain too many variations from the ITV network schedule. Less of an impetus to rebrand.

I could see ITV Ireland branding happening. With UTV keeping its brand in the north.

Though question if UTV plc are selling of their TV division who holds the rights to the brand UTV? will UTV plc rebrand to URadio plc?

icdg · 27-08-2015 05:32PM

That is no doubt one of the things to be agreed on in a deal. My view is that the UTV brand will go with the TV division, even if ITV intend to ditch it in the short to medium term, with the rump UTV being renamed something different at their next AGM. (I also wouldn't be surprised if the company relocated to either London or Dublin at that point, there'd be little to keep them in NI and little sense remaining there with only a small operation and the majority of their assets being in GB and ROI).

I wonder will something be announced tommorow morning when their interim results are released?

formerly scottish paddy · 28-08-2015 05:02PM

ITV will have no interest in keeping the UTV brand. I predict ITV Ulster as the name. If ITV do buy UTV(I) I wonder could we see ITV2,3,4 coming to Saorview as well?............nightmare for TV3 and RTE, in terms of advertising market.

galtee boy · 28-08-2015 05:15PM

formerly scottish paddy wrote: »

ITV will have no interest in keeping the UTV brand. I predict ITV Ulster as the name. If ITV do buy UTV(I) I wonder could we see ITV2,3,4 coming to Saorview as well?............nightmare for TV3 and RTE, in terms of advertising market.

I doubt ITV will cough up approx 1m each for ITV 2,3 & 4 to go on Saorview for such a small audience and that's only for standard def. I think right now, it's very much 50-50 if they will keep UTVI going. Might be a lot more profitable and a lot less hassle, to just put up the soaps for sale again and let TV3 and RTE fight it out for the rights.

UTV and UTV Ireland bought by ITV for £100m

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