The Virgin Media Television thread

Machinehead

Switched to TV3 inadvertently today on Saorview, my God the PQ is bad, not worth looking at, had forgotten how bad it was. Most of their content is simultaneously transmitted on other channels in HD, so why bother. The rest of the stuff not worth watching anyway, bar the gangland stuff. PS; RTÉ One+1 ain't much better & RTÉ News Now - radio on TV?????

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Sam Russell wrote: »

All that is required is for the Minister to change the minimum spec of broadcasting from 540 by 576i to 720 by 576i and require a minimum bandwidth be used. This would not change the costs for the SD broadcasters by much but would improve PQ hugely.

The Dublin media (including all of RTE) and the politicians do not watch Saorview. I doubt if they even know what it is. How else can you explain the total ignorance concerning RTE News Now and Oreachtas TV?

Yes I agree but for some reason who ever takes on the mantle of Minister for Communications continue to ignore the fact that people both In Dublin and outside Dublin that can't afford pay tv are entitled to have a DDT service like Saorview that provides lots of choice and HD content. TV3 have gotten away with a lot over the past number of years and will continue to do so until the goverment steps in and makes whatever legislation changes that are needed to ensure that the license fee payer get the service they are paying for.

political analyst

Royalty Limited Bellows wrote: »

Yes I agree but for some reason who ever takes on the mantle of Minister for Communications continue to ignore the fact that people both In Dublin and outside Dublin that can't afford pay tv are entitled to have a DDT service like Saorview that provides lots of choice and HD content. TV3 have gotten away with a lot over the past number of years and will continue to do so until the goverment steps in and makes whatever legislation changes that are needed to ensure that the license fee payer get the service they are paying for.

Then viewers should lobby their TDs to make the issue impossible for the minister to ignore.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

political analyst wrote: »

Then viewers should lobby their TDs to make the issue impossible for the minister to ignore.

You make a valid point but to be honest irish people aren't the best for lobbying and I also think with other important issues like the homeless, healthcare and the wages debacle, local people aren't going to lobby their local TDs over what kind of tv service the receive. When you have the likes of RTE, Comreg and a Minister who doesn't seem to care about Saorview what hope have the ordinary viewer even if they did lobby.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

political analyst wrote: »

Then viewers should lobby their TDs to make the issue impossible for the minister to ignore.

You make a valid point but to be honest irish people aren't the best for lobbying and I also think with other important issues like the homeless, healthcare and the wages debacle, local people aren't going to lobby their local TDs over what kind of tv service the receive. When you have the likes of RTE, Comreg and a Minister who doesn't seem to care about Saorview what hope have the ordinary viewer even if they did lobby.

political analyst

Royalty Limited Bellows wrote: »

You make a valid point but to be honest irish people aren't the best for lobbying and I also think with other important issues like the homeless, healthcare and the wages debacle, local people aren't going to lobby their local TDs over what kind of tv service the receive. When you have the likes of RTE, Comreg and a Minister who doesn't seem to care about Saorview what hope have the ordinary viewer even if they did lobby.

Has he been asked about it?

By the way, you double-posted.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

political analyst wrote: »

Has he been asked about it?

By the way, you double-posted.

Apoligies for the double post.

iseegirls

Did TV3/Virgin Media give a date as to when they will give a press release regarding the future of UTV Ireland? Thought I saw a date somewhere in last week's news - but can't find it.

Pokemon Battle

Do 3e still have the rights to family guy and american dad ? Haven't come arcoss them on it in a while

iseegirls

Pokemon Battle wrote: »

Do 3e still have the rights to family guy and american dad ? Haven't come arcoss them on it in a while

Yep, Family Guy is on tonight at 2am. American Dad was last shown around a month ago, when they were repeating them both every night. Newer episodes of the series rarely get promoted. Look at how ITV2 promote it - amazing the difference.

icdg

iseegirls wrote: »

Did TV3/Virgin Media give a date as to when they will give a press release regarding the future of UTV Ireland? Thought I saw a date somewhere in last week's news - but can't find it.

I don't think they gave a specific date, it was more "in the near future".

They were still waiting for the deal to close at that point and it may still have not occurred (though at that stage I presume all that was left was for the cheque to be handed over).

reubenreuben

Here it is:

http://www.independent.ie/business/media/unavoidable-redundancies-as-tv3-owner-virgin-media-concludes-acquisition-of-utv-ireland-35260018.html

icdg

And from the Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/utv-ireland-job-losses-unavoidable-as-tv3-announces-restructuring-1.2889140?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Nothing new really, but not looking too good for UTV Ireland staff.

iseegirls

More looking forward to what new name they are giving it. Doesn't look like it's going to happen yet.

channelsurfer2

No idea what way they will handle having 3 channels. They cant manage 2 never mind 3. 3E is very profitable making 4million for them last year on revenues of just under 8million. They might use that as an example

JDxtra

iseegirls wrote: »

More looking forward to what new name they are giving it. Doesn't look like it's going to happen yet.

"UTV Ireland is expected to rebrand before the end of the year." - they're not hanging about, but I suppose they've had plenty of time to think about it.

iseegirls

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

No idea what way they will handle having 3 channels. They cant manage 2 never mind 3. 3E is very profitable making 4million for them last year on revenues of just under 8million. They might use that as an example

The content on 3e is abysmal and cheap - it's no wonder they are making a profit. The only unique shows on the channel are mainly Uploaded, Bondi Rescue, Family Guy and Fool Us. The rest are repeats from TV3.
The News @ 8 going to 3e is a strange one. It's like if Channel 4 put their News at 7 on E4. However the move may be temporary - I'm sure it will be axed in January.

galtee boy

iseegirls wrote: »

More looking forward to what new name they are giving it. Doesn't look like it's going to happen yet.

Ok, let the guessing game begin ! I'm going for " More 3 ". Channel 4 has More 4, why not More 3 !

Elmo

galtee boy wrote: »

Ok, let the guessing game begin ! I'm going for " More 3 ". Channel 4 has More 4, why not More 3 !

3u said it way back.

channelsurfer2

I am going for channel 3mix

channelsurfer2

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

No idea what way they will handle having 3 channels. They cant manage 2 never mind 3. 3E is very profitable making 4million for them last year on revenues of just under 8million. They might use that as an example

As well as struggling to fill these 3 channels with any quality programming those that don't have pay tv will have to struggle to watch them through the fog bank that is Saorview standard definition. They should gone with TV3 HD, TV3+1 (SD) & 3e on the Saorview platform. On a related note, what will happen I wonder to UTVI HD on Sky 116? Would they continue to have a second channel in HD on Sky?

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

I'll go with 3v. Just to have the Virgin Media brand on it.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

[Deleted User] wrote: »

As well as struggling to fill these 3 channels with any quality programming those that don't have pay tv will have to struggle to watch them through the fog bank that is Saorview standard definition. They should gone with TV3 HD, TV3+1 (SD) & 3e on the Saorview platform. On a related note, what will happen I wonder to UTVI HD on Sky 116? Would they continue to have a second channel in HD on Sky?

I don't know but looking at both TV3 and UTIs schedule both Emmerdale and Cornation are been simulcast on both channels one in sd on TV3 and HD on UTVI.When they move permanently to TV3 it looks like they will go back to sd even on Sky on the TV3HD. The whole thing is becoming a joke. Even TG4 show more HD content than TV3.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

[Deleted User] wrote: »

As well as struggling to fill these 3 channels with any quality programming those that don't have pay tv will have to struggle to watch them through the fog bank that is Saorview standard definition. They should gone with TV3 HD, TV3+1 (SD) & 3e on the Saorview platform. On a related note, what will happen I wonder to UTVI HD on Sky 116? Would they continue to have a second channel in HD on Sky?

I don't know but looking at both TV3 and UTIs schedule both Emmerdale and Cornation are been simulcast on both channels one in sd on TV3 and HD on UTVI.When they move permanently to TV3 it looks like they will go back to sd even on Sky on the TV3HD. The whole thing is becoming a joke. Even TG4 show more HD content than TV3.

icdg

Guys, I know the Saorview HD thing is an issue, but quite honestly it's a thread in itself (and for the Terrestrial forum) and maybe it'd be better for someone to start a thread over in Terrestrial about it than to keep bringing it up in various threads here

expectationlost

iseegirls wrote: »

The News @ 8 going to 3e is a strange one.

?

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

?

TV3 News @8 is moving to 3e, while Ireland Live 5:30 will remain on UTV until the end of the year. It is strange to move TV3 News @8 to a largely gen entertainment channel that axed all attempts at news in the past.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

icdg wrote: »

And from the Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/utv-ireland-job-losses-unavoidable-as-tv3-announces-restructuring-1.2889140?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Nothing new really, but not looking too good for UTV Ireland staff.

I suppose the news staff will likely be the first offered redundancies and also cleaning, Canteen and security staff. These are the people I feel sorry for. It's never a good time for job losses but heading in to xmas and a new year is going to make thing that bit harder for those people that will be affected.

icdg

I'd expect Ireland Live not to return after Christmas, a pity because I've always thought it superior to TV3 News in quality and presentation. Maybe some of its team may be taken on by TV3 News.

It should also be remembered that aside from news and sales, nearly all of the actual broadcasting side of UTV Ireland was actually done out of Belfast and these jobs are all also gone as soon as these functions move to TV3.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

icdg wrote: »

I'd expect Ireland Live not to return after Christmas, a pity because I've always thought it superior to TV3 News in quality and presentation. Maybe some of its team may be taken on by TV3 News.

It should also be remembered that aside from news and sales, nearly all of the actual broadcasting side of UTV Ireland was actually done out of Belfast and these jobs are all also gone as soon as these functions move to TV3.

I liked tuning in to Ireland Live because I felt Allison Cummin was a good news presenter and the studio looked far more professional and was completly different to what we are used to seening on TV3. I hope Allison makes the move to TV3 and the revamp includes an up to date news studio and get rid of that god forsaken tacky studio.