The UTV Ireland Thread

FloatingVoter

^ Weekends are traditionally dead for news. Politicians don't work them. Breaking news happens of course - ie. Tunisia. But nobody is going to the small stations for the likes of that. I'm betting most of us were channel hopping between Sky for the big picture and RTE to get the local angle on that.
I'm the first to throw rocks at UTVI but they couldn't be expected to handle newsflash events like that or for example, the Nepalese earthquake. Sky have the resources to be on the ground fast and RTE have the connections inside Foreign Affairs to confirm any Irish citizens involved.

Fred Swanson

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Dodge

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Seriously, you're wondering why Irish people have more interest in a story with Irish people in it? :rolleyes:

Fred Swanson

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Dodge

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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You're arguing about what's newsworthy now. Can you leave that out of the UTV thread please

hotmail.com

FloatingVoter wrote: »

^ Weekends are traditionally dead for news. Politicians don't work them. Breaking news happens of course - ie. Tunisia. But nobody is going to the small stations for the likes of that. I'm betting most of us were channel hopping between Sky for the big picture and RTE to get the local angle on that.
I'm the first to throw rocks at UTVI but they couldn't be expected to handle newsflash events like that or for example, the Nepalese earthquake. Sky have the resources to be on the ground fast and RTE have the connections inside Foreign Affairs to confirm any Irish citizens involved.

I think if they want to gain credibility as a worthwhile news gathering station, they have to produce weekend bulletins, even if most weekends are quiet in terms of news.

RTE has a reputation for always having a 6 and 9 news every day of the week and it really helps with the brand.

It's probably a minor point, I doubt it's the reason why UTV Ireland is doing so badly!

FloatingVoter

^ In an ideal world. News analysis might be a way to go - talking heads going over the previous weeks events. Cheap to produce and there's always the possibility of a politician turning up drunk and/or saying something they shouldn't (ie. the truth).
That whole area was left out completely once they decided Pat Kenny was put to best use interviewing the B list.
The basic fact is there isn't enough room for another channel. Depending on the mythical rural viewer won't cut it - people in west Kerry and north Donegal have Netflix on the smart TV and are downloading HBO shows on the side.
Just this weekend it became clear RTE / BBC won't have the Olympics in a few years. The whole game is changing even for the established players. A minnow like UTVI has no chance.

Dodge

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Just this weekend it became clear RTE / BBC won't have the Olympics in a few years. The whole game is changing even for the established players. A minnow like UTVI has no chance.

Just on the Olympics, they'll definitely been on RTE. They're protected, RTE has more money than TV3 and discovery have no real interest in the Irish market

UTV Ireland is showing the next (ITV Produced) Carl Frampton fight so it does at least understand that live sports is key in any tv line up

FloatingVoter

Dodge wrote: »

Just on the Olympics, they'll definitely been on RTE. They're protected, RTE has more money than TV3 and discovery have no real interest in the Irish market

UTV Ireland is showing the next (ITV Produced) Carl Frampton fight so it does at least understand that live sports is key in any tv line up

....I expect one or two rugby fans along to have words on that front. UTVI doesn't have the cash to splash on sports rights for major events. The budget is gone on the two soaps. Their only leeway would be dumping a costly news service that nobody watches and like you say, focusing on live sport.

Clitheroekid

Easons in Tralee stocks a few copies of TV Times every week.Hotels in Killarney a nd Tralee do not relay UTVI on their internal tv system for customers.ITV 1 is relayed high up on the channel lineup.You have to provide what the customer expects.

iseegirls

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/utv-ireland-may-merge-with-tv3-after-mounting-losses-31369068.html

One UK Analyst does not see a bright future for the channel.

"The problem is that if the losses are allowed continue at this rate, they risk obscuring UTV products which are doing really well,"

Meanwhile on UTV Ireland this week at primetime:

• Bargain Fever Britain
• Britain's Best Canal Journeys
• Roman Britain From The Air
• The 100 Year Old Drivers
• Virgin Atlantic-Up In The Air
• The Dentist (set in Manchester)
• Superhospital (set in Derby)
• Vet School (set in Edinburgh)

SPDUB

iseegirls wrote: »

Meanwhile on UTV Ireland this week at primetime:

• Bargain Fever Britain
• Britain's Best Canal Journeys
• Roman Britain From The Air
• The 100 Year Old Drivers
• Virgin Atlantic-Up In The Air
• The Dentist (set in Manchester)
• Superhospital (set in Derby)
• Vet School (set in Edinburgh)

Meanwhile on UTV NI this week at primetime:

• The Rookies
• Love your Garden
• The 100 Year Old Drivers
• Virgin Atlantic-Up In The Air
• Secret Life of Twins
• Gino's Italian Escape
• Superhospital (set in Derby)
• Doc Martin

iseegirls

SPDUB wrote: »

Meanwhile on UTV NI this week at primetime:

• The Rookies
• Love your Garden
• The 100 Year Old Drivers
• Virgin Atlantic-Up In The Air
• Secret Life of Twins
• Gino's Italian Escape
• Superhospital (set in Derby)
• Doc Martin

Yes, most of these are tailored for the British market - so there's nothing wrong with that. However, I do feel that UTV Ireland should not be going down the road of Bargain Fever Britain on a prime time 9pm slot if they want to keep an Irish audience entertained. It's no wonder 80% of their viewers leave the channel after Corrie finishes.

ciarandee1

hi well tv3 in my view has always been a wannabe itv , there main daytime programming is a copy of itv ireland am -gmb, midday- loose woman ect, but a cheaper version of it. the set are dull, there presenters are not styled as good as itv , u think with there "xpose" presenters which is a show about fashion and style they would style them. and there top shows is x factor, bgt ect which as previous post say is "for a british auddence". i live just on the border and the way tv3 runs makes me annoyed want to move into derry just to get away for the hell that is tv3 even there logo changes all the time sometime the 3 is purple and sometime it white make up ur mind. and they show more repet that UTV ireland long lost family , family fortunes. they will be showing Americas got talent soon but knowing them it will be an old series they piss me off so much

I think I will need to use Google Translate!

ziggyman17

ciarandee1 wrote: »

hi well tv3 in my view has always been a wannabe itv , there main daytime programming is a copy of itv ireland am -gmb, midday- loose woman ect, but a cheaper version of it. the set are dull, there presenters are not styled as good as itv , u think with there "xpose" presenters which is a show about fashion and style they would style them. and there top shows is x factor, bgt ect which as previous post say is "for a british auddence". i live just on the border and the way tv3 runs makes me annoyed want to move into derry just to get away for the hell that is tv3 even there logo changes all the time sometime the 3 is purple and sometime it white make up ur mind. and they show more repet that UTV ireland long lost family , family fortunes. they will be showing Americas got talent soon but knowing them it will be an old series they piss me off so much

I take it that you work for UTV Ireland..

ciarandee1

ziggyman17 wrote: »

I take it that you work for UTV Ireland..

i do not lad just they have been getting a bad rap here

:eek:

Galwayguy35

iseegirls wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/utv-ireland-may-merge-with-tv3-after-mounting-losses-31369068.html

One UK Analyst does not see a bright future for the channel.



Meanwhile on UTV Ireland this week at primetime:

• Bargain Fever Britain
• Britain's Best Canal Journeys
• Roman Britain From The Air
• The 100 Year Old Drivers
• Virgin Atlantic-Up In The Air
• The Dentist (set in Manchester)
• Superhospital (set in Derby)
• Vet School (set in Edinburgh)

Yeah I was reading that article, they reckon losses could be €16 million by the end of the year.

Someone suggested that the new owners of TV3 might buy it out and merge the 2 channels.

All those that jumped ship from TV3 would have to eat humble pie if that happens!

Thargor

Wonder if RTE would ever shoot in there with a high bid and get CS and Emmerdale back? Remember when it used to be on RTE?

FloatingVoter

Thargor wrote: »

Wonder if RTE would ever shoot in there with a high bid and get CS and Emmerdale back? Remember when it used to be on RTE?

A bidding war would drive the cost of the rights sky-high. RTE has had years to adapt to the loss of Corrie and Emmerdale. The only reason to do it would be to deprive TV3 of the prize and ultimately RTE answers to the license payer via the government of the day. Looking for a license fee hike to buy two English soaps that a commercial concern (TV3) was more than happy to carry wouldn't fall favourably on any governments ears.
I'm guessing RTE and TV3 will be more than happy to have things return to the status quo. And Liberty Global probably have deeper pockets if it did come to a scrap.

Clitheroekid

ITV Weather now acknowledges its viewers in the ROI by including it in UK weather forecast after 6 PM and 10 PM news.

Thargor

Jesus could TV3 look any tackier with that cheap sponsored by some mail order crap promo they're putting before every program? The one with the weird looking model...

UTV Ireland are repeating the great Sheridan Smith drama,Cilla over the next three nights at 10.30pm as a tribute to the lady herself! R.I.P. Cilla

Muahahaha

I just passed TV3 Headquaters the other day when picking up a parcel. Its out in Ballymount in a non-descript industrial estate. UTV Ireland on the other hand is in Grand Canal Docks which has the highest commercial rents in the country, driven by their neighbours Google, Facebook, Airbnb, etc. When they look at their monthly rent bill vis a vis the viewing figures it must make for a sinking feeling.

FloatingVoter

zorro2566 wrote: »

UTV Ireland are repeating the great Sheridan Smith drama,Cilla over the next three nights at 10.30pm as a tribute to the lady herself! R.I.P. Cilla

As much as I'm sick of this channel, Cilla is well worth a watch. Some people think Sheridan Smith is overhyped and Cilla herself is getting it in the neck from the also-rans of the troll world. Wrong on both counts. Watch this to see one class act portraying another.

Clitheroekid

School Swap was on ITV last night.Pupils attending a state school in Derbyshire swapped with pupils attending a private boarding school.Part 2 next week.UTV Ireland offering another serving up of Benidorm.I rest my case.

SPDUB

Clitheroekid wrote: »

School Swap was on ITV last night.Pupils attending a state school in Derbyshire swapped with pupils attending a private boarding school.Part 2 next week.UTV Ireland offering another serving up of Benidorm.I rest my case.

Well It's good that you rest it because you haven't told us what it is .

Dodge

SPDUB wrote: »

Well It's good that you rest it because you haven't told us what it is .

From the programmes listed, I can only assume it's that UTV Ireland and ITV are equally as bad as each other

lertsnim

Clitheroekid wrote: »

School Swap was on ITV last night.Pupils attending a state school in Derbyshire swapped with pupils attending a private boarding school.Part 2 next week.UTV Ireland offering another serving up of Benidorm.I rest my case.

That school swap sounds like awful ****e. I am glad UTV Ireland aren't showing it.

_Kaiser_

The plot thickens...

UTV has confirmed it is in talks about the possible sale of its television assets.

It released a statement in response to media reports saying that it is considering selling these properties to ITV.

If that happens I'd imagine a swift end to UTV Ireland anyway, but UTV NI could be wound down/rebranded too more in-line with the other ITV 1 regions.
There could also be a question about our access to these channels across all platforms as well given that ITV/UTV has never formally been on Sky Ireland previously for example.

(Complete side note.. the 503 errors are very annoying! Took me 3 attempts to post this! )

Larbre34

Yeah that development is probably bad news for the availability of ITV programming in Ireland as a whole. TV3 would probably end up contracting back the pick of ITV programming, (soaps, reality shows, dramas) and the news and current affairs would end up under an ITV Ulster brand, which may be entirely unavailable to viewers in ROI on Sky, UPC, Saorview. Freesat would then be the only option for ITV proper.

My main interest is the ITV sport offerings, such as they are, and I am giving up hope of them being available here any longer.

Mr.Nice Guy

I don't know what is going to happen but I hope UTV Ireland's reign of pap is coming to an end.

Dodge

Advertising on the radio

"number 2 in primetime" "some days number 2 over all"

lertsnim

Larbre34 wrote: »

TV3 would probably end up contracting back the pick of ITV programming

Why wouldn't ITV want to keep them?

_Kaiser_

lertsnim wrote: »

Why wouldn't ITV want to keep them?

Money Unless they planned to offer/retain a channel in ROI, there'd be no reason not to sell the rights to RTE/TV3 I'd think.

Larbre34

UTV profits down 90% on H1, thanks to the old UTVI ball and chain. The shareholders must be rabid at this stage!! 90%!! Score!

Credit: RTE.ie Business

UTV Media sees profit drop to £1m in first half of 2015

UTV has announced a pre-tax profit of £1m for the first six months of 2015, compared to £10m for the same period in 2014.

The broadcaster had group revenue of £58.3m - compared to £57.8m this time last year.

UTV Ireland, which was launched at the start of the year, had a lower-than-expected turnover of £4.9m, which UTV said was a result of a slower build in audience numbers.

Factoring in costs of £12.4m, operating losses at the new channel were £7.5m for the first half of the year.

This created an overall operating loss in UTV's television division of £3.3m.

Richard Huntingford, Chairman, UTV Media plc, said: "The challenges of establishing a new television channel are evident in these results which reflect thesignificant losses incurred by UTV Ireland in its first six months on air.

"Less evident, but not to be lost sight of, is the inherent value created by the establishment of a mainstream television channel in Europe's fastest growing economy, with long term licensing, programme supply and infrastructure in place."

The group made no further comment on negotiations to sell its television division, which were reported on earlier in the week.

In addition to its television channel, UTV also owns a network of radio stations across Ireland and Britain - including FM104, Galway Bay FM and Talksport in London.

Skid X

Rumours on twitter that tomorrow's Sunday Business Post will claim that Pat Kenny's Chat Show is being axed.

It wouldn't be a surprise, did they really think the people of Ireland would drop everything to watch an hour long recorded interview with the likes of Lulu and Shane Filan?

Edit: It is mentioned on the front page

https://twitter.com/sundaybusiness/status/640286679153180672

I am more concerned that they seem to have stopped showing Benidorm. It's not on next Tuesday having just finished series 5 this week!

Mr.Nice Guy

Rumours suggest Pat was at a restaurant with UTV Ireland bosses when he was told he wasn't getting a second series and he responded by sticking his fork into some cheese asking bosses to 'smell my cheese'. He was seen exiting the building shouting 'I've got cheese, this is cheese.'

It's not known where he is now; he was last spotted buying some toblerones at a gas station and it was observed he was not wearing any shoes.

Skid X

The Irish Independent has the same story

"UTV Ireland has decided not to go ahead with a second series of In The Round this autumn.

"We are delighted to have worked with Coco Television and we would like to thank them for their hard work and commitment to UTV Ireland this year. We look forward to engaging with them in the future on new projects. We are currently discussing future projects with Pat Kenny."

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/pats-chat-show-axed-as-he-eyes-anchor-role-for-election-31505383.html

It goes on to speculate that Pat Kenny might work on Current Affairs programming in the run up to the Election. If the station survives that long.

FloatingVoter

Skid X wrote: »

The Irish Independent has the same story



http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/pats-chat-show-axed-as-he-eyes-anchor-role-for-election-31505383.html

It goes on to speculate that Pat Kenny might work on Current Affairs programming in the run up to the Election. If the station survives that long.

...well that, or a return to childrens TV and continuity announcing. Seriously, the election is more than likely April / May 2016. I can't see this surviving until Christmas. I'm sure other employees are already jobhunting.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I see we won't be getting the new and final series of Downton Abbey next Sunday, and will have to wait to catch it on TV3 during the week.

Downton was perfect Sunday evening viewing, it was part of its appeal. I really can't wait for UTV Ireland to get kicked out of town.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I see TV3 are going to have it on Sundays after all, but not until 10.15. So it won't be over until 11.15 (and I presume much later this Sunday as the opening programme usually lasts an hour and a half). That's a bit late for most people on a Sunday night. The 9 o'clock slot was perfect. The same thing happened with Broadachurch. Had to wait an extra hour to watch it on TV3. Total pain in the a*se..

Tompatrick

Salvatore Uptight Plumber wrote: »

I see TV3 are going to have it on Sundays after all, but not until 10.15. So it won't be over until 11.15 (and I presume much later this Sunday as the opening programme usually lasts an hour and a half). That's a bit late for most people on a Sunday night. The 9 o'clock slot was perfect. The same thing happened with Broadachurch. Had to wait an extra hour to watch it on TV3. Total pain in the a*se..

This this this. !^^^^^^^^

This is why UTV Ireland is failing. Before anyone starts about broadcasting rights people don't give an F.

They had a station in UTV that was replaced with a much lesser version.

channelsurfer2

Its because tv3 wouldn't pay the amount of money needed to broadcast it at the same time as ITV so settled for paying less to show it after ITV.
I seem to remember Ben Frowe (former tv3 controller) state that somewhere in an article.

Dodge

Tompatrick wrote: »

Before anyone starts about broadcasting rights people don't give an F.

No one disagrees with your point. What some people do is try and explain why it happens. No one on this thread can change it for you...

Tompatrick

Dodge wrote: »

No one disagrees with your point. What some people do is try and explain why it happens. No one on this thread can change it for you...

Yea but it's kinda like so what ? You do that and you will be closed in 12 months. A child could have told them that ! This is what I find so odd and so frustrating about this situation ! It's all so very very predictable.

Dodge

its no skin off my nose either way.

lertsnim

Tompatrick wrote: »

Before anyone starts about broadcasting rights people don't give an F.

Unfortunately for you, burying your head in the sand about such things will not change it.

Even if UTV ireland closed down what would happen? TV3 would continue to show Downton Abbey late on Sundays.

As UPC is very close to owning TV3 I don't think they will be clamouring to get UTV NI back onto their service.