TV3 rails at "unlevel" broadcast pitch

Elmo

From the Irish Independent
By
Samantha McCaughren

THE current regulation of Irish broadcasters is leading to the "ghettoisation" of Irish commercial TV stations, TV3 has told the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).

TV3 says that it is competing with British stations who enjoy "light touch" regulation from British regulator Ofcom, and claims that RTÉ is effectively unregulated. In a document released under the Freedom of Information Act, TV3 claims these factors and others add up to a "devastating assault" on Irish commercial stations.

Yesterday, chief executive Rick Hetherington said that the amount of regulation in Ireland is increasing at a time when regulation elsewhere is being streamlined.

A 45pc stake in TV3 is currently up for sale, but ownership of the whole station could change hands in the process.

At its recent annual review, TV3 told the BCI that while there are 20 TV stations broadcasting in Ireland, most were British, and only Setanta and TV3 are regulated by the BCI.

"We cannot overemphasise to the BCI the grave danger that this regulatory imbalance poses for the Irish commercial sector," said the document.

"The Irish commercial sector faces a potentially devastating assault from three fronts, namely an unregulated State-funded broadcast system on one side, a very light touch UK regulatory regime . . . and what appears to be censorship by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC) without right of appeal."

I agree with the fact that Irish broadcasting sector has been basically run by OfCom the UK regulator.

TV3 is the second most watch TV station if it is so worried about just being another TV station and would rather differenciate itself from British Broadcasting Giant ITV prehaps it should produce some Quality Irish Programming for Prime Time TV with their annual advertising revenue of 70,000,000 euro, you have plenty now start using it.

RTE and TG4 have regulation. Those regulation do not come from the BCI but from the Government and RTE's Governing body. And that will be changing very soon On your requested Mr. Hetherington.

flogen

Their unlevel playing field complaints are old news, they've been saying that since they came into being.. it's true though, RTE answer to themselves while TV3 has to answer to the BCI... perhaps once the BAI is created things will be different, but that's probably still some way off.
Oh, and is Channel 6 not regulated by the BCI too?

Elmo

Oh, and is Channel 6 not regulated by the BCI too?

Yes, They kind of bullied themselves into a contract with the BCI by first getting a contract from OfCom to provide a service to Ireland in the UK for an Irish Audience hence removing the need for much of the heavily regulated Irish Broadcasting Industry. BCI didn't want to look foolish.

bully the BCI: As did setanta by giving the station to all NTL customers before any contract was signed by it or the BCI.

City Channel is also regulated by the BCI.

RTE answer to themselves while TV3 has to answer to the BCI

TV3 has very few regulations from the BCI and have got away with alot of sh1t. (The advertising that they speak of are advertising regulations, such as no advertising of Spirts on Irish Television. RTE and TG4 both have to follow the advertising regulations. RTE had many policies about Advertising during childrens' programming i.e. no advertisments during Pre-school TV on the Den.)

In the last 8 years TV3 have not created something different, innovative or orginal. Instead they have taken the easy option of spending very little on Imported shows and keeping their Irish Show to a minimum. In 1998 TV3 had 3% of the Audience, at that time it employed 155 people in the industry now in 2006 with record audience figures for the station (12% -15%) they have yet to provide any orginal, innovative or alternative programming, and the employ only 180 people but have a major portion of the Advertising revenue available in Ireland.

DMC

Rick singing the same old tune... no change there then. :rolleyes:

Telefís

Yawn.


I love Hetherington's use of 'streamlined', lol. That's certainly one word for it.
I can think of a few others too.

Ulsterman 1690

Why would Channel 6, Setanta etc need to sign a contract with a BCI at all ?

They are uplinked from the UK to a Luxembourg owned satellite even if they are subsequently relayed by Cable or MMDS in Ireland the BCI would have no more juristiction over them than they have over BBC or ITV i.e. none at all

And what "regulations" to TV3 have to comply with exactly apart from some very loose restrictions on how much and what kind of advertising they can carry ?

watty

Any one originated in Ireland on Cable or Terrestrial needs BCI.

If C6 or Setanta were not at all on Cable, then they would not need BCI.

The Cable companies can'ta carry just annything, though some of it is a bit murky..

flogen

Elmo wrote:

Yes, They kind of bullied themselves into a contract with the BCI by first getting a contract from OfCom to provide a service to Ireland in the UK for an Irish Audience hence removing the need for much of the heavily regulated Irish Broadcasting Industry. BCI didn't want to look foolish.

bully the BCI: As did setanta by giving the station to all NTL customers before any contract was signed by it or the BCI.

City Channel is also regulated by the BCI.

Yeah, I remember the thing with C6, didn't know about Setanta mind you

TV3 has very few regulations from the BCI and have got away with alot of sh1t. (The advertising that they speak of are advertising regulations, such as no advertising of Spirts on Irish Television. RTE and TG4 both have to follow the advertising regulations. RTE had many policies about Advertising during childrens' programming i.e. no advertisments during Pre-school TV on the Den.)

I think TV3, as always, will play the card that they get no public funding, no government assistance etc. and they have to answer to the BCI (which means very little really). Of course, they could get some public funding but they didn't apply for it; besides if the BAI does come into effect they'll have little to give out about

In the last 8 years TV3 have not created something different, innovative or orginal. Instead they have taken the easy option of spending very little on Imported shows and keeping their Irish Show to a minimum. In 1998 TV3 had 3% of the Audience, at that time it employed 155 people in the industry now in 2006 with record audience figures for the station (12% -15%) they have yet to provide any orginal, innovative or alternative programming, and the employ only 180 people but have a major portion of the Advertising revenue available in Ireland.

Perhaps the buyout will lead to some originallity, but I fear that's wishful thinking.

Elmo

Of course, they could get some public funding but they didn't apply for it; besides if the BAI does come into effect they'll have little to give out about

Actually they did look for funding for some shows through the Vision and Sound Fund (BCI peice of the Licence Fee) however they where not awarded any funding.

Initially they said that It did not make commerical sence to take part in the Sound And Vision Fund. And now they are not happy that TG4 and RTE got most of the funding (through Independent Producers) and Setanta a TV station that only NTL customers get for free got 2 productions out of the Fund.

http://www.iftn.ie/news/index3.htm?fuseaction=newsArticle&file_id=4120

TV3 wanted more commercial programming? Their Sound and Vision link has been remove from their website. ???? mmmmm

If the Capital Investors get their hands on TV3 it is unlikely that it will become any more orginal. And I cann't see ITV wanting to invest anymore money in Irish TV. It's not like they have sought to increase TV3 Irish output in the last 5 years rather it's been a push to place ITV productions on the Station.

Woo Who My local bus service is getting a show of its own now that's what I call public service broadcasting, pity I cann't say the same for the Bus, GGGGGRRRRRRRR 32 ****ing A well at least is not the 32 ****ing B aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh all the way round Baldoyle.

Ulsterman 1690

watty wrote:

Any one originated in Ireland on Cable or Terrestrial needs BCI.

But the channel is uplinked from the UK and none of the other channels uplinked from the UK need BCI approval to ba carried on cable

Elmo

But the channel is uplinked from the UK and none of the other channels uplinked from the UK need BCI approval to ba carried on cable

Are you sure they are up linked from the UK. How were the Oringal Dublin, Galway, Waterford channels uplinked? i.e. Waterford at 8 and the Infomercials for Dublin?

But you are right realistically if UPC wanted they could provide new TV services without the consent of the BCI.
E.g. UPC 1, 2, 3 and 4 prehaps.

The BCI and IRTC and ComReg have no really control over what UPC put on their cable networks.

Ulsterman 1690

Are you sure they are up linked from the UK. How were the Oringal Dublin, Galway, Waterford channels uplinked? i.e. Waterford at 8 and the Infomercials for Dublin?

As far as I know even RTE and TV3 are uplinked to satellite from the UK and not as commonly supposed from RTE's studio site in Montrose/Donnybrook (which is it BTW) however as there channels are broadcast terrestrially in Ireland they are also subject to Irish regulation

The other local channels were/all cable/MMDS only so uplinking doesnt come into it

Elmo

The other local channels were/all cable/MMDS only so uplinking doesnt come into it

Channel 6 and City Channel are only cable. They are not available on Sat. ????

Mossy Monk

not for domestic uses anyway in Channel 6's case. but some can view it. i have never heard of City Channel being anywhere on satellite

so on Six One today they said that Newstalk got the license. any idea on when i will be able to hear it in the South East?

robert muldoon

The big question i have in all this is, what will UTV do now? as they want to get on the Irish Sky EPG. Are they excluded because TV3 have Corrie and Eastenders? I love ITV Drama and i lkke to record some of the better programs and i cant do this till ITV are on the Irish EPG. I have Sky+

Mossy Monk

Ulsterman 1690 wrote:

As far as I know even RTE and TV3 are uplinked to satellite from the UK and not as commonly supposed from RTE's studio site in Montrose/Donnybrook

dont know how i missed this

but why then did RTÉ install a huge dish right before they went on Astra 2?

L1011

As far as I know, the RTÉ uplink facility sends up 1, 2, TV3, TG4, the 4 radio stations; and beam-bends TV5 and DW off 19E (notice the quite appreciable delay between them on 19/13 where they're centrally managed, and 28)

All thats uplinked from the UK is RTÉ Radio 1 Mediumwave ("Europe"), which is done by WRN, and is sent up to Eurobird and Hotbird.

watty

Elmo wrote:

Channel 6 and City Channel are only cable. They are not available on Sat. ????

Channel 6 is on some atlantic satellite to feed cable head ends. Much the cheapest way to distribute TV /Radio nationally, especially if you have a lot of sites to feed.

The price of 34Mbps fibre isn't funny. I don't know why RTE is upgrading to 34M fibre to feed their TX sites. Perhaps they got a special deal?

RTE can't use the off air sky feed as it is lower quality and wrong feed for analogue. Also Sky are a bit tricky about authorising the Tanberg stream decryption boxes needed.

L1011

watty wrote:

RTE can't use the off air sky feed as it is lower quality and wrong feed for analogue. Also Sky are a bit tricky about authorising the Tanberg stream decryption boxes needed.

This hasn't stopped some numpties on DigitalSpy -insisting- that RTÉ feed their transmitter network with Sky Digiboxes and "RTÉ FTV cards" :rolleyes:

Ulsterman 1690

All thats uplinked from the UK is RTÉ Radio 1 Mediumwave ("Europe"), which is done by WRN, and is sent up to Eurobird and Hotbird.

I stand corrected

vanman

tv3 always complain about how hard doneby they are,martin king as a weatherman is a joke,how come his forcast is always different than rte. it is used as entertainment thats what.give us some irish shows and not the cheap import american muck that we get at the moment.surely the bci must insist that a lot of their shows must be irish produced.