UTV and UTV Ireland bought by ITV for £100m

JDxtra · 19-10-2015 01:17PM

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/end-of-an-era-for-utv-as-itv-buys-its-northern-cousin-1.2397305

updated piece by Laura Slattery speculating that ITV will just run opt-out advertising and close most of the UTV Irl output. It could be an option but who knows what their plans are at this stage.

That's probably what UTV should have done in the first place, then maybe they would still have their TV assets - or at least got a better price for them.

Elmo · 19-10-2015 01:23PM

JDxtra wrote: »

That's probably what UTV should have done in the first place, then maybe they would still have their TV assets - or at least got a better price for them.

Total and utter speculation from a journalist totally caught up by TV3. Never mentioning the fact that UTV Ireland has a steady 6% share of the audience. I think ITV will reduce its news output but as ITV begins to commission shows with Irish rights attached UTV Ireland under ITV will begin to see those key ITV shows such as Downton and Broadchurch that TV3 haven't simulcast. And with whatever replaces X-Factor.

ITV will look to opt outs for ITV 2, 3 and 4 and use their FTA channel to market them.

ftakeith · 19-10-2015 02:09PM

Elmo wrote: »

Total and utter speculation from a journalist totally caught up by TV3. Never mentioning the fact that UTV Ireland has a steady 6% share of the audience. I think ITV will reduce its news output but as ITV begins to commission shows with Irish rights attached UTV Ireland under ITV will begin to see those key ITV shows such as Downton and Broadchurch that TV3 haven't simulcast. And with whatever replaces X-Factor.

ITV will look to opt outs for ITV 2, 3 and 4 and use their FTA channel to market them.

ITV2, itv3 and itv4 won't be on sky roi epg

utv ire likely to be sold to TV3

TV3 is in HD on satellite and UTVI might turn into 3e into hd on satellite

Elmo · 19-10-2015 02:15PM

ftakeith wrote: »

ITV2, itv3 and itv4 won't be on sky roi epg

utv ire likely to be sold to TV3

TV3 is in HD on satellite and UTVI might turn into 3e into hd on satellite

ITV will consolidate its channels. It knows that ITV2, 3 and 4, its player and additional channels be and encore will suit UTV Ireland and with an advertising base in Dublin it could increase revenues. ITV will now just commission programmes for both the UK and ROI. Sky will do a deal to get ITV2, 3 and 4 on their Irish EPG.

TV3 has just been sold to Liberty Global, it is unlikely that they will want to return to the process of buying another broadcast service, especially when the same company owns 9.9% of ITV.

19-10-2015 02:15PM

ITV stated in their media release that they plan to introduce more ITV content to UTV Ireland. Doesn't sound like it will be sold and I can't see why ITV 2,3 &4 wouldn't be added to the sky epg here!

Gonzo · 19-10-2015 02:26PM

RTE News now said there are already plans for a rebrand in the near future -

Im thinking UTV Ireland could be rebranded to ITV even quicker than UTV in the north as the UTV brand does not have the same level of brand recognition here as it does in the north.

The 3 things im hoping will happen for us here is:

1: UTV Ireland rebrands to ITV
2: Much closer schedule to ITV in the UK with sports & movies intact
3: ITV 2, 3, 4 both sd and hd added to Sky EPG in Ireland.

would be great to have this occur by 1st January 2016.
this would just leave Channel 5 as the last terrestrial network unavailable in the republic.

Rick_ · 19-10-2015 03:01PM

I wonder where RTÉ got that from as they are the only outlet talking about ITV's plans for a rebrand.

What you have posted is certainly desirable, but a pipe dream at the moment. There are many contracts and agreements in place and may have years yet to run before something like what you suggest might happen, and even then, ITV may have no interest in doing some/all of what you have said.

I don't think there will be any changes to UTV or UTV Ireland until next year at the earliest. If anything, we might just get some cross promotion on UTV of ITV 2/3/4 programming in the meantime, that's it, if even.

bk · 19-10-2015 03:30PM

^^^

I have to disagree, I don't think it makes any sense for ITV to spend £100 million on UTV and not leverage their existing assists to increase their advertising share as quickly as possible.

I'd expect them to make all the ITV channels (ITV 2 to 4) available on the SKY EPG, Eir Vision EPG, etc. as soon as possible with Irish ads and I'd also expect them to make the ITV player widely available in Ireland as soon as possible.

Sure, of course there maybe some blackouts, etc. for a few years until they untangle TV rights from TV3, etc.

But ITV buying UTV is very much a recognition that the future of TV is a strong network, with lots of channels and a strong Player and content across multiple player and on-demand services (Sky Go, Virgin Horizon Go, etc.).

I expect they will use their large size and network effect (cross advertising between channels) to propel themselves into a strong second place across Ireland.

I also wouldn't be surprised if they rebrand UTV Ireland very quickly. It is a relatively new brand and no point in continuing to promote it if they plan to move to ITV eventually anyway. UTV NI might stay around longer. But the ITV brand is very strong in Ireland and I think many people would be glad to see the TV3/UTV go away and replaced by "real" ITV.

It will be interest to see if ITV might be interested in bringing more of their channels to Saorview and if all of this might spur Channel 4 to join saorview.

Rick_ · 19-10-2015 03:43PM

But they don't own it... yet. They have agreed to buy it, subject to approval, and that could take another good while yet. They aren't going to go and make changes quickly and if the deal doesn't complete then they would have to undo their work.

UTV Ireland would be just a name change, they could keep the idents and on air look so I suppose that won't cost them much to do, but ITV 2/3/4 appearing on EPG's and ITV Player being available... No, don't see it, not for a good while yet, if ever. They have a UTV Ireland Player and it can easily be rebranded to suit the new name/look for UTV Ireland.

The rest, as I say, is possible in time, but I wouldn't start holding my breath.

Elmo · 19-10-2015 03:54PM

Paddy C wrote: »

But they don't own it... yet. They have agreed to buy it, subject to approval, and that could take another good while yet. They aren't going to go and make changes quickly and if the deal doesn't complete then they would have to undo their work.

UTV Ireland would be just a name change, they could keep the idents and on air look so I suppose that won't cost them much to do, but ITV 2/3/4 appearing on EPG's and ITV Player being available... No, don't see it, not for a good while yet, if ever. They have a UTV Ireland Player and it can easily be rebranded to suit the new name/look for UTV Ireland.

The rest, as I say, is possible in time, but I wouldn't start holding my breath.

Unlikely that ITV 2, be, 3 and 4 will ever make it on to Saorview, I see them available on Sky's EPG as soon as possible with Irish advertising, though all after the sale is agreed, which won't be until mid-2016, April at the earliest.

UTV Ireland player will definitely rebrand to what ever ITV brand their player to, and will be run in RoI similar to All4.

19-10-2015 04:02PM

If ITV intend to have a presence in Ireland then why wouldnt they have all their other channels available on Sky in Ireland?

Chris_Bradley · 19-10-2015 04:52PM

zorro2566 wrote: »

If ITV intend to have a presence in Ireland then why wouldnt they have all their other channels available on Sky in Ireland?

I'm sure it all boils down to certain programming rights that have been bought specifically for Ireland by TV3 that ITV carry in the UK. There is a fistful of them.

ITV 2,3&4 are not encrypted and can't be blocked to us viewers here in Ireland.

bk · 19-10-2015 04:53PM

Paddy C wrote: »

But they don't own it... yet. They have agreed to buy it, subject to approval, and that could take another good while yet. They aren't going to go and make changes quickly and if the deal doesn't complete then they would have to undo their work.

Of course I said the above assuming the actual sale goes through.

But once they do have a presence in Ireland, it makes no sense not to go all in.

bk · 19-10-2015 04:56PM

Chris_Bradley wrote: »

I'm sure it all boils down to certain programming rights that have been bought specifically for Ireland by TV3 that ITV carry in the UK. There is a fistful of them.

True, but they can always block or replace those shows, specially when these channels would be an opt-out carrying Irish channels anyway on Sky EPG.

In time, I expect they will no longer license their own TV shows to TV3, etc. in future and will require all future rights they buy to be all UK + Ireland.

Gonzo · 19-10-2015 05:49PM

ITV making their library of channels available across Sky, EirVison and Virgin Media in Ireland makes perfect sense at this stage, with their presence in Ireland there is no way they are gonna ignore the advertising from an audience of over 4 million people and just stick with the 1.5 million up north.

They will want this 100 million pounds expenditure to return profit as quickly as possible and make it work for them, keeping their market mostly closed to Northern Ireland is not the way to go!

If ITV were to use Saorview it would probably require another Mux, not sure they would be prepared to do that.

The funny thing is the whole reason this sale occurred is that UTV made an absolute dogs dinner of their channel here by launching an amateur tacky butchered version of UTV while at the same time alienating over 1 million people from the choice of having regular UTV on UPC/Virgin Media, not surprised they lost all their money on UTV Ireland. People with sky and freesat/free to air Astra 2 generally tune into ITV on other channels anyway.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 19-10-2015 05:51PM

It has just been announced on Ireland live. The statement said that ITV plan to enhance the schedule with more ITV content the rest of the statement is the same as what has been in the media today. Nothing about a rebrand which I suppose is expected until the deal is fully singed sealed and delivered.

iseegirls · 19-10-2015 05:52PM

natashaob6 wrote: »

It has just been announced on Ireland live. The statement said that ITV plan to enhance the schedule with more ITV content ...

Doesn't it just use ITV content anyway? Outside of their news.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48 · 19-10-2015 06:00PM

iseegirls wrote: »

Doesn't it just use ITV content anyway? Outside of their news.

Yes but I suppose they mean adding new content after it's been made.

Elmo · 19-10-2015 06:36PM

natashaob6 wrote: »

Yes but I suppose they mean adding new content after it's been made.

Also showing ITV weekend schedule.

The problem that they seem unable to face up to is that a channel largely dedicated to English TV will not really gain an audience other than what they have, and I'd say that UTV Ireland with more ITV programming will begin to see a drop in audience.

In fairness to TV3 they had some what of an idea that they need US, English and Irish programming as part of the schedule, something UTV and it seems now ITV find hard to comprehend.

TV3 will need to find some other English programmes over the next few years outside of ITV. RTE have a deal with BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 don't seem to sell programming rights into the Irish market.

icdg · 19-10-2015 06:46PM

Channel 4 a while back took a decision to buy Irish rights to all their own programmes and as many imports as they could. Although some distributors haven't played ball they are now in a position where they have been able to launch a advertising region covering the Republic as a result. I imagine this will be something ITV will be looking at replicating.

Elmo · 19-10-2015 06:56PM

icdg wrote: »

Channel 4 a while back took a decision to buy Irish rights to all their own programmes and as many imports as they could. Although some distributors haven't played ball they are now in a position where they have been able to launch a advertising region covering the Republic as a result. I imagine this will be something ITV will be looking at replicating.

I am assuming that Channel 4 "Orignal Programming" would be covered under their agreement with the independent producer. I know RTE have bought some channel 4 dramas in the past like Shameless and The Inbetweeners, while TV3 had Hollyoaks for 6 months.

What's left for TV3... Channel 5 programming.

ftakeith · 19-10-2015 07:52PM

Elmo wrote: »

Also showing ITV weekend schedule.

The problem that they seem unable to face up to is that a channel largely dedicated to English TV will not really gain an audience other than what they have, and I'd say that UTV Ireland with more ITV programming will begin to see a drop in audience.

In fairness to TV3 they had some what of an idea that they need US, English and Irish programming as part of the schedule, something UTV and it seems now ITV find hard to comprehend.

TV3 will need to find some other English programmes over the next few years outside of ITV. RTE have a deal with BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 don't seem to sell programming rights into the Irish market.

TV3 have bought some channel 4 programmes like
embarassing bodies
the undateables

tv3 have also bought some poverty porn programmes from channel5

mikeym · 19-10-2015 08:09PM

Elmo wrote: »

I am assuming that Channel 4 "Orignal Programming" would be covered under their agreement with the independent producer. I know RTE have bought some channel 4 dramas in the past like Shameless and The Inbetweeners, while TV3 had Hollyoaks for 6 months.

What's left for TV3... Channel 5 programming.

Nothing wrong with some of the Channel 5 stuff.

Its a pity its not on the Epg because I would love to record some of the shows.

What will Utv Ireland be called after the takeover?

Gonzo · 19-10-2015 09:41PM

Channel 5 and its sister channels are decent, I don't know why it gets such grief from so many people. They have a decent lineup of tv shows and movies. They are also much better than our UTV Ireland and even TV3. I would love to have those channels on our EPG but don't think it will ever happen unless they end up buying some channel here!

Elmo · 19-10-2015 10:44PM

Gonzo wrote: »

Channel 5 and its sister channels are decent, I don't know why it gets such grief from so many people. They have a decent lineup of tv shows and movies. They are also much better than our UTV Ireland and even TV3. I would love to have those channels on our EPG but don't think it will ever happen unless they end up buying some channel here!

As its owned by discovery now I am surprised it hasn't made the move.

lertsnim · 19-10-2015 11:38PM

Channel 5 is owned by Viacom, not Discovery.

Elmo · 19-10-2015 11:53PM

lertsnim wrote: »

Channel 5 is owned by Viacom, not Discovery.

.... I am surprised considering that Viacom sells advertising via some of its other channels in the Irish Market.

Gonzo · 20-10-2015 02:56AM

seems that anything that is connected with channel 5 is not available for Irish sky boxes, Viacom handed the launch of Spike over to Channel 5 who of course never let it launch here.

icdg · 20-10-2015 07:14AM

I count five posts since anything UTV related was last mentioned

irishfeen · 20-10-2015 08:53AM

icdg wrote: »

I count five posts since anything UTV related was last mentioned

... It comes with the territary ICDG, it's lucky it's still on broadcasting!

UTV and UTV Ireland bought by ITV for £100m

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