Oireachtas TV

Charles Slane

According to today's Sunday Times, Oireachtas TV will launch in September on Sky (and continue to broadcast on UPC) with broadcasts of the banking inquiry. It will broadcast 24/7.

Sky will carry it at a "discounted" fee of €250,000.

It will not be on Saorview due to demands from RTE for the full market rate fee of €900,000.

channelsurfer2

thats nice of sky to provide such a public service at a discounted fee for us all to watch.:D

Elmo

Charles Slane wrote: »

According to today's Sunday Times, Oireachtas TV will launch in September on Sky (and continue to broadcast on UPC) with broadcasts of the banking inquiry. It will broadcast 24/7.

24/7 = They have no idea.

We assume a full launch rather than the current "trial" period.

Will sky be giving all their customers a discount?

why not start this month.... Oh! wait! 24/7 of the following

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Looks like RTE 2rn are determined to limit the amount of channels outside of the RTE bundle of channels launching on Saorview. Let's wait and see if they feck things up for UTV Ireland.

Elmo

natashaob6 wrote: »

Looks like RTE 2rn are determined to limit the amount of channels outside of the RTE bundle of channels launching on Saorview. Let's wait and see if they feck things up for UTV Ireland.

It is a case of Oireachtas not wanting to buy a slot. Why not ask for 12 hours a day at least with the other 12 provided by The Irish Film Board.

Cust Pay for Pay TV = a payment from the provider to the TV station
Cust don't pay for TV = TV station pays to be on the network

watty

natashaob6 wrote: »

Looks like RTE 2rn are determined to limit the amount of channels outside of the RTE bundle of channels launching on Saorview. Let's wait and see if they feck things up for UTV Ireland.

Total rubbish

2RN will take money from anyone with BAI licence.

Comparing costs of Satellite and Terrestrial Transmission the €250,000 is very expensive. Terrestrial INHERENTLY costs very much more than Satellite and there would be outrage from every other customer if 2RN gave a discount. Saorsat is very much cheaper.

The Oireachtas has been cheeking the Electorate over this since 2008. It's an absolute disgrace and an insult to the Irish Electorate that they will only fund foreign Pay TV.

They should pay the €900,000 and they'd find they'd get Sky for free.

Write and complain to your TD about the TDs. NOT 2RN!

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

I suppose if Oireachtas TV and the Irish Film Board sat down together with 2rn they could possibly come to some agreement and share a channel.

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

watty wrote: »

Total rubbish

2RN will take money from anyone with BAI licence.

It's not total rubbish it's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.

icdg

Calm down everyone

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

icdg wrote: »

Calm down everyone

Apologies will do.

Elmo

natashaob6 wrote: »

It's not total rubbish it's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.

You are but you'll find many here are very dissappointed at all broadcasters for their lack of vision when it comes to DTT.

There are many things that the Oireactas can do to get on Soarview

1. Go 24/7 and it will cost €900,000 like all other SD channels
2. Split the Channel with another broadcaster and it will cost €450,000 like all half channels
3. Go on Soarview as a radio station
4. Have RTÉ run Oireachtas TV

I am surprised Sky are charging the Oireachtas how much money does RTÉ, TV3 and TG4 pay to be on Sky? Can we have a source? I also thought they were on the system for free.

How much to go FTA on Satellite also, Keep asking that question

h7nlrp2v0g5u48

Elmo wrote: »

You are but you'll find many here are very dissappointed at all broadcasters for their lack of vision when it comes to DTT.

There are many things that the Oireactas can do to get on Soarview

1. Go 24/7 and it will cost €900,000 like all other SD channels
2. Split the Channel with another broadcaster and it will cost €450,000 like all half channels
3. Go on Soarview as a radio station
4. Have RTÉ run Oireachtas TV

I am surprised Sky are charging the Oireachtas how much money does RTÉ, TV3 and TG4 pay to be on Sky? Can we have a source? I also thought they were on the system for free.

How much to go FTA on Satellite also, Keep asking that question

I agree a lot of what you say makes perfectly good sense but as you say there just doesn't seem to be any vision going forward.

L1011

Elmo wrote: »

I am surprised Sky are charging the Oireachtas how much money does RTÉ, TV3 and TG4 pay to be on Sky? Can we have a source? I also thought they were on the system for free.

They are free as far as I know; but they're actually channels people want to watch - outside of the banking inquiry, there's about 400 people in the country who'll watch Oireachtas TV and most of us have broadband...

They were going to have to pay for carriage regardless; 250k is a lot for carriage but less than carriage + a Sky EPG slot.

Infoanon

I think the 250k needs to be clarified - RTE have previously reported Sky carriage as costing 250k in reference to the Irish opt outs - thus 'distribution costs INCLUDING discounted Sky carriage is 250k' would make more sense???

Hope its encrypted - what would our neighbours think of the carry on in the Oireachtas !

The Cush

This from the article today

Mark Mulqueen, a spokesperson for the Oireachtas, said: "It is still hoped RTÉ, our public broadcaster, will change its mind and join UPC, Sky and Eircom in recognising that this is not a commercial opportunity but instead a genuinely civic initiative".

Mark, Sean Barrett and the others in the Oireachtas that keep pushing for the channel to be carried free or at a discounted rate seem to forget about the legislation they passed on this a few years ago, the Broadcasting Act 2009, and particularly this section

"130(4) The Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas shall make to RTÉ such periodic or other payments in respect of any service provided by RTÉ for the purposes set out in subsection (1) (a) of broadcasting by digital means the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel as the Minister, after consultation with the Communications Regulator, RTÉ and the Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas, may direct."

The Commission together with the Dept of Communications have to power to change the Act to allow for the channel to be carried at a reduced or no charge on the transmission network but as it currently stands there is nothing in the act that allows them to give preferential treatment to the Oireachtas Channel over RTÉ, TV3, TG4 or the future UTVI channel.

After years of consultation and discussion RTÉ and 2RN published their wholesale access reference offers relating to transmission and multiplexing late last year which gives transparency to the tariffs - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=89755449

The Dept and the Oireachtas will soon have the chance to amend the Broadcasting Act, if they wish, to allow the channel to be carried at a reduced rate via the planned Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill whose purpose is to replace the TV Licence fee with the Public Broadcasting Service Charge.

lertsnim

If this is encrypted on satellite then it is an absolute shambles.

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

If this is encrypted on satellite then it is an absolute shambles.

Of course will be Encrypted.

Copyerselveson

watty wrote: »

Total rubbish

2RN will take money from anyone with BAI licence.

Comparing costs of Satellite and Terrestrial Transmission the €250,000 is very expensive. Terrestrial INHERENTLY costs very much more than Satellite and there would be outrage from every other customer if 2RN gave a discount. Saorsat is very much cheaper.

Indeed Saorsat is cheaper but then again how many hundred viewers would a Saorsat exclusive channel have? Of course Saorsat's advantage is that it is carefully engineered to ensure no one outside the official footprint can watch it, unlike Sky.

Elmo

Copyerselveson wrote: »

Indeed Saorsat is cheaper but then again how many hundred viewers would a Saorsat exclusive channel have? Of course Saorsat's advantage is that it is carefully engineered to ensure no one outside the official footprint can watch it, unlike Sky.

Footprint won't matter with oireachtas as they won't show imports or anything outside oireachtas coverage. They could go on Astra

lertsnim

Elmo wrote: »

Of course will be Encrypted.

Why so? Programming rights?

Copyerselveson

Sky are VERY unlikely to let Oireachtas TV on a FTA basis.

icdg

To be fair, there's no real reason why, from anyone's point of view (including Sky's) that it would need to be encrypted. I'm not saying it won't be anyway, only that there's no reason it needs to be.

formerly scottish paddy

What the TD's seem to forget is that RTÉ/2RN built the existing DTT network after the BAI and the government failed over many years to get an alternative structure in place. They borrowed the money and built this in record time in order to fulfil this country's obligation to ASO, meanwhile the government pocketed the "digital dividend" from the sell off of RF spectrum. To expect a commercial return on this investment and enable the repayment of loans is not an unreasonable expectation. For TD's to question the amount payable for Saorview is laughable when you look at the expenditure on their "expenses" in the course of one year! For them to consider paying a foreign Pay TV platform (that doesn't even pay tax here) any money, discounted or not is a disgrace, with potential viewers having to pay Sky again to watch. This service should be available as a matter of course on the primary broadcast network in the country, freely available to all citizens, anything else is a travesty. :mad:

Copyerselveson

icdg wrote: »

To be fair, there's no real reason why, from anyone's point of view (including Sky's) that it would need to be encrypted. I'm not saying it won't be anyway, only that there's no reason it needs to be.

Well I certainly hope Oireachtas TV will be FTA and not encrypted but I would expect Sky will lump it in with the other Irish channels on the same transponder. As an ex pat who does not have a Sky sub it would be great to see it here in England on a standard FTA receiver.

lertsnim

Oireachteas TV is not going to be a subscriber driver and Sky do have some of their own channels FTA already. Challenge, Pick and Sky News

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

Oireachteas TV is not going to be a subscriber driver and Sky do have some of their own channels FTA already. Challenge, Pick and Sky News

True but this is Ireland and Sky are sky $$$$$$$$$$$€€€€€€€€€€€€€£££££££££££

The Cush

From the Indo - http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/bank-inquiry-shown-live-but-not-on-rte-30411459.html#sthash.CDTOmHLr.dpuf

When asked about the charge being applied to the new channel an RTE spokesperson said: "Saorview is a wholly owned subsidiary of RTE and as a public service media organisation we are not in a position to offer subsidised or discretionary tariffs."

and the journal.ie - http://www.thejournal.ie/oireachtas-tv-launch-1557822-Jul2014/

With regards to a dedicated Oireachtas channel and carriage costs on Saorview, RTÉ said it is not in a position to offer subsidised or discretionary tariffs.

Access to Saorview is determined by the provisions of the Broadcasting Act, 2009 as well as ComReg: "RTÉ is obliged to treat all customers on a similar basis in terms of access and tariffs charged irrespective of who those customers are. This comes with the specific ComReg obligation on RTÉ which is non-discrimination."

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

From the Indo - http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/bank-inquiry-shown-live-but-not-on-rte-30411459.html#sthash.CDTOmHLr.dpuf

When asked about the charge being applied to the new channel an RTE spokesperson said: "Saorview is a wholly owned subsidiary of RTE and as a public service media organisation we are not in a position to offer subsidised or discretionary tariffs."

RTÉ easy target for Newspapers.

PacMan

Recently, I have received several calls from Sky and Milford Browne (Survey) regarding the availability of having the RTE player on Sky.

.....Would I like the idea.... and would I be more likely to recommend Sky to others with the availability of the RTE player.
Questions of that nature.

Another question was, would I watch the RTE News Now channel on Sky.

Maybe its possible that all may appear soon...I hope

expectationlost

if rte can't get the oireachtas on tv then what's the point of it?

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

if rte can't get the oireachtas on tv then what's the point of it?

The question should be if The Houses of the Oireachtas can't get the Oireachtas TV on Soarview then what's the point of it?

We're to quick to suggest that RTÉ are in the wrong. Have the Oireachtas ask to go FTA on satellite with the owners of Astra at a reduced rate?

The Cush

From the Examiner today

TDs and senators were given a sneak preview of Oireachtas TV yesterday which will go live in September, ahead of the long-awaited banking inquiry being broadcast on the new channel.

...

The Committee on Administration received a presentation from Oireachtas officials yesterday which included a clip of how the new channel will look and sound.

...

However, a dispute with RTÉ means that its Saorview service will not broadcast the channel. Oireachtas officials say costs demanded by the state broadcaster are too high.

Politicians are expected to ask officials from RTÉ to come to Leinster House to discuss the impasse.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/revamped-dail-tv-to-be-beamed-into-12m-homes-274933.html

galtee boy

If the Government who part fund Rte with the licence fee, can't strike a deal for carriage on Saorview, what chance has any new channel getting on Saorview ? Don't be surprised if UTV Ireland tell Saorview to get stuffed too. Between Sky and UPC, approx 1.2m homes are covered according to article in the paper today, so not being on Saorview may not be a huge loss to any potential new channel.

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

If the Government who part fund Rte with the licence fee, can't strike a deal for carriage on Saorview, what chance has any new channel getting on Saorview ? Don't be surprised if UTV Ireland tell Saorview to get stuffed too.

UTVI doesn't have a problem with the Saorview tariff - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90673526

Elmo

galtee boy wrote: »

If the Government who part fund Rte with the licence fee, can't strike a deal for carriage on Saorview, what chance has any new channel getting on Saorview ? Don't be surprised if UTV Ireland tell Saorview to get stuffed too. Between Sky and UPC, approx 1.2m homes are covered according to article in the paper today, so not being on Saorview may not be a huge loss to any potential new channel.

The Licence fee shouldn't be used for carriage, the government don't fund the licence fee the people do, and it should be used for programme making. Oireachtas TV are well funded can could afford saorview only they choose a tariff from sky, that they are making out to be a reduce rate when other Irish broadcasters are paying the same and perhaps nothing.

RTÉ can have the same argument as Oireachtas that they don't have the funds to support it.

galtee boy

The Cush wrote: »

UTVI doesn't have a problem with the Saorview tariff - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90673526

I'll hold my breath until UTVI actually make an announcement that they have agreed carriage on Saorview with 2RN.

galtee boy

Elmo wrote: »

The Licence fee shouldn't be used for carriage, the government don't fund the licence fee the people do, and it should be used for programme making. Oireachtas TV are well funded can could afford saorview only they choose a tariff from sky, that they are making out to be a reduce rate when other Irish broadcasters are paying the same and perhaps nothing.

RTÉ can have the same argument as Oireachtas that they don't have the funds to support it.

Ok, so does any know how the cost of carriage on Saorview compares with the cost of carriage on Freeview in NI or mainland UK ? I know mainland UK has 55m population approx, but per head of population, I wonder how the two systems compare ? Does TV3 and Oireachtas TV have a valid argument ?

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

Does TV3 and Oireachtas TV have a valid argument ?

No.

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1371.pdf

Elmo

galtee boy wrote: »

Ok, so does any know how the cost of carriage on Saorview compares with the cost of carriage on Freeview in NI or mainland UK ? I know mainland UK has 55m population approx, but per head of population, I wonder how the two systems compare ? Does TV3 and Oireachtas TV have a valid argument ?

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/vfm/distribution.pdf

galtee boy

The Cush wrote: »

No.

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1371.pdf

Thanks for the link, I think its a job for the weekend, reading the whole article !

galtee boy

Elmo wrote: »

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/vfm/distribution.pdf

Again, its a weekend job to read and analyize it. Thanks for the link though.

Elmo

galtee boy wrote: »

Again, its a weekend job to read and analyize it. Thanks for the link though.

Basically BBC pay €255m in transmission costs for all Radio and TV services, on Satellite, DTT and Online.

I don't like the table on this link largely because of how it splits up the cost of BBC ONE and Parliament by viewer.

0.2p per hour per viewer
and
4.9p per hour per viewer

You should get the same answer when you multiply it out :rolleyes:

The Cush

galtee boy wrote: »

so does any know how the cost of carriage on Saorview compares with the cost of carriage on Freeview in NI or mainland UK ? I know mainland UK has 55m population approx, but per head of population, I wonder how the two systems compare ?

Arqiva UK DTT reference offers
http://www.arqiva.ie/documentation/reference-offers/other-national-dtt-reference-offers/national-grid-reference-offer-v.5-july-2007_1.pdf
http://www.arqiva.ie/documentation/reference-offers/other-national-dtt-reference-offers/arqiva_reference_offer_version_3.pdf

RTÉ/2RN reference offers
http://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2RN-Wholesale-Access-Reference-Offer-29-May-2014.pdf
http://static.rasset.ie/documents/about/rte-saorview-wholesale-access-reference-offer-2nd-march-2014.pdf

Elmo

They seem to charge more for PBS ???

PER MUX?
12.5m for PBS
5.5M for Com
Total for 6 muxes 54m

Am I right with the above figures?

2rn

MARKET B
SCHEDULE 001 - SERVICE PROVIDER SMOOTHING

New Service Description
Interim Annual Tariff
Standard Definition Television Service (2.4 Mbps) €963,278
High Definition Television Service (6.0 Mbps) €2,152,359
Digital Teletext Service (700 kbps) €297,672
Radio / Audio Service (197 kbps) €85,275
Radio / Audio Service (132 kbps) €57,271
Radio / Audio Service ( 99 kbps) €43,004

formerly scottish paddy

Look we have been round the houses with this argument. TV3 have done it to death and its been investigated and reported on, the costs on Saorview are reasonable, if they weren't then TV3 wouldn't be on it, and I don't think UTV will have a problem. UTV have already said that they will be on Saorview, and they knew the costs (freely available on the RTÉ website) before they said that.There are some people who just want to piggy back on others and feel they shouldn't have to pay anything, they think RTÉ just built Saorview for a laugh.
For all those that have a problem with costs (TV3, Oireachtas TV, TG4 HD) it's simple, let them band together and set up their own DTT platform, there are still 4 BAI Mux frequencies available, then everyone will be happy!

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

They seem to charge more for PBS ???

The PSB muxes are carried on over 1,000 transmitters while the COM muxes are carried on about 80 transmitters.

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

The PSB muxes are carried on over 1,000 transmitters while the COM muxes are carried on about 80 transmitters.

How many transmitter on the Island of Ireland?

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

How many transmitter on the Island of Ireland?

You can count them here
http://www.saorview.ie/get-saorview/make-the-switch/coverage-map/
http://www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?c=6

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

You can count them here
http://www.saorview.ie/get-saorview/make-the-switch/coverage-map/
http://www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?c=6

64 roi
46 ni
110 total

~15 main transmitters total

expectationlost

how much does it actually cost for 2rn to carry oir tv

The Cush

expectationlost wrote: »

how much does it actually cost for 2rn to carry oir tv

€963,278