The ITV Thread

hotmail.com

irishfeen wrote: »

I think it could be only a matter of time before UTVNI appears back on UPC alongside UTVI .. They are getting an awful bollocking from people on social media... It not good for the "UTV" brand.

Let's see how the news programmes go first. They may go down well with the public.

irishfeen

hotmail.com wrote: »

Let's see how the news programmes go first. They may go down well with the public.

I actually don't think it will matter - films, Downton Abbey and Champions League will drive people with UPC mad .. Who knows UPC might even request them to reinstate it because with their reported price increase people might think of switching to FTA satellite or sky.

I already see on Twitter that people have said without UTV on UPC they will be leaving.

Hotblack Desiato

MarkK wrote: »

Not everyone has BBC1...
... and even if they do they may not have an easy way to record it.

They might not even have a TV!

But everyone in Ireland can buy a TV, buy a dish and a cheap satellite receiver, or a Freesat PVR if they like, and get BBC and ITV free of charge.

twinklerunner

irishfeen wrote: »

I actually don't think it will matter - films, Downton Abbey and Champions League will drive people with UPC mad .. Who knows UPC might even request them to reinstate it because with their reported price increase people might think of switching to FTA satellite or sky.

I already see on Twitter that people have said without UTV on UPC they will be leaving.

Looking at their afternoon schedules for next weekend, Saturday has SIX episodes of Emmerdale in a row and Sunday has FIVE episodes of Coronation Street. Seriously, how could they have got this so wrong?

JDxtra

They've messed up big time on UPC. Fair enough, those with Sky or Saorview are getting something extra - but those with UPC are up in arms because of the repeats and lack of key programming compared to their old UTV. Oh dear. Wasn't a good time for UPC to announce price increases!!

United road

irishfeen wrote: »

I actually don't think it will matter - films, Downton Abbey and Champions League will drive people with UPC mad .. Who knows UPC might even request them to reinstate it because with their reported price increase people might think of switching to FTA satellite or sky.

I already see on Twitter that people have said without UTV on UPC they will be leaving.

I can tell you as a long standing UPC customer, this ridiculous decision not to keep both UTVI and UTVNI on UPC means i will be 100% leaving.
Its principle, i pay to watch what i want to watch, when i feel the choice is lessened by daft decisions such as this, then i shall go elsewhere. It is unacceptable to me that we have a half a replacement channell!!
I mean honestly, 5 eps of Emmerdale in a row and 6 of corrie next week ?
How do UPC expect me to suck it up and continue to pay (increase in costs due in feb too :-(

irishfeen

twinklerunner wrote: »

Looking at their afternoon schedules for next weekend, Saturday has SIX episodes of Emmerdale in a row and Sunday has FIVE episodes of Coronation Street. Seriously, how could they have got this so wrong?

You see UTVI on the sky epg is perfect because we always had to go to added channels - it basically an addition to us.

But on the other side of the coin UTVNI off UPC and replaced with UTVI is just terrible - Films, Champions League, ITV News, Downton Abbey etc all gone replaced with nothing. To contain bad press UTV should just put UTVNI down the UPC EPG.

JDxtra

It's been said before - this one is beyond the control of UPC. UTV have told them what to do.

Only option now for UPC is to put pressure on UTV to improve the offering. The only card they have is to withdraw all UTV services and play hardball.

irishfeen

United road wrote: »

I can tell you as a long standing UPC customer, this ridiculous decision not to keep both UTVI and UTVNI on UPC means i will be 100% leaving.
Its principle, i pay to watch what i want to watch, when i feel the choice is lessened by daft decisions such as this, then i shall go elsewhere. It is unacceptable to me that we have a half a replacement channell!!
I mean honestly, 5 eps of Emmerdale in a row and 6 of corrie next week ?
How do UPC expect me to suck it up and continue to pay (increase in costs due in feb too :-(

I'm very sure there are hundreds if not thousands with the same opinion as yourself .. I made my opinion known on this ages ago on here, how UTV thought pulling a channel which was there for decades for a slim down worst version is mind blowing.

irishfeen

JDxtra wrote: »

It's been said before - this one is beyond the control of UPC. UTV have told them what to do.

Only option now for UPC is to put pressure on UTV to improve the offering. The only card they have is to withdraw all UTV services and play hardball.

I would imagine come tomorrow lunchtime that phone call will already have been made by people high up in UPC.

JDxtra

It would have been much cheaper and easier for UTV to just replace the programming they don't have Irish rights for and insert Irish adverts. If it starts making money after a year or two, then roll out local news and more original programming. There's a massive amount of unhappy UPC customers out there now who will likely never take to the station.

loyatemu

JDxtra wrote: »

It's been said before - this one is beyond the control of UPC. UTV have told them what to do.

Only option now for UPC is to put pressure on UTV to improve the offering. The only card they have is to withdraw all UTV services and play hardball.

Presumably UPC were paying UTV to carry the NI channel (and are paying BBC, C4 etc).

What's to stop them paying ITV directly to carry (say) the London version of ITV? - ITV don't own UTV.

UPC and their predecessors have been carrying the 4 basic UK terrestrials since the early 80s, its a big change to remove one of them now.

galtee boy

loyatemu wrote: »

Presumably UPC were paying UTV to carry the NI channel (and are paying BBC, C4 etc).

What's to stop them paying ITV directly to carry (say) the London version of ITV? - ITV don't own UTV.

UPC and their predecessors have been carrying the 4 basic UK terrestrials since the early 80s, its a big change to remove one of them now.

They can't do that. Any other ITV region doesn't have the rights to show most ITV programming in ROI, because UTVI and TV3 hold 90% of those rights.

irishfeen

loyatemu wrote: »

Presumably UPC were paying UTV to carry the NI channel (and are paying BBC, C4 etc).

What's to stop them paying ITV directly to carry (say) the London version of ITV? - ITV don't own UTV.

UPC and their predecessors have been carrying the 4 basic UK terrestrials since the early 80s, its a big change to remove one of them now.

I think TV3 could take ITV and UPC to court if they put it on the epg due to rights issues.

I think UTV secured a special dispensation from the government years back to be allowed broadcast on multi channel (now UPC) - I think UTV paid a fee to cover rights issues on cable. You will notice UTV never appeared on sky because the cable dispensation didn't apply.

lertsnim

loyatemu wrote: »

Presumably UPC were paying UTV to carry the NI channel (and are paying BBC, C4 etc).

What's to stop them paying ITV directly to carry (say) the London version of ITV? - ITV don't own UTV.

UPC and their predecessors have been carrying the 4 basic UK terrestrials since the early 80s, its a big change to remove one of them now.

TV3 are making a big deal of Broadchurch being exclusive to them. Do ITV and UPC want the headache of a court case? Absolutely not.

irishfeen

lertsnim wrote: »

TV3 are making a big deal of Broadchurch being exclusive to them. Do ITV and UPC want the headache of a court case? Absolutely not.

If they put UTV back on UPC I dont think TV3 have any right to bring about a court case although there is a slight chance UTV might have broke agreement ending the channel on cable even for a few days.

RED L4 0TH

irishfeen wrote: »

You see UTVI on the sky epg is perfect because we always had to go to added channels - it basically an addition to us.

But on the other side of the coin UTVNI off UPC and replaced with UTVI is just terrible - Films, Champions League, ITV News, Downton Abbey etc all gone replaced with nothing. To contain bad press UTV should just put UTVNI down the UPC EPG.

Live Champions League gone from UTVNI/ITV in a few months, plus Downton is on TV3 as well. UK news still available via the BBC. Is it really a huge issue for UPC viewers?

irishfeen

RED L4 0TH wrote: »

Live Champions League gone from UTVNI/ITV in a few months, plus Downton is on TV3 as well. UK news still available via the BBC. Is it really a huge issue for UPC viewers?

Go and read Twitter to see reaction! .. TV3 show Downton 3 days after ITV and films are also a big thing apparently... You see the main thing is they have replaced a channel which was broadcast for decades with a piss poor equivalent (and will be for years until rights become available)

icdg

loyatemu wrote: »

UPC and their predecessors have been carrying the 4 basic UK terrestrials since the early 80s, its a big change to remove one of them now.

Try the mid 1960s and that will give you an idea of how long UTV has been on cable here, reception of it and BBC1&2 was the reason cable got started here in the first place.

I do think UTV Ireland will become more like ITV as time goes past, but I don't think anyone could have foreseen how hostile the reaction would be to this.

irishfeen

icdg wrote: »

Try the mid 1960s and that will give you an idea of how long UTV has been on cable here, reception of it and BBC1&2 was the reason cable got started here in the first place.

I do think UTV Ireland will become more like ITV as time goes past, but I don't think anyone could have foreseen how hostile the reaction would be to this.

It was a very poor decision - a few of us on here thought UTVNI would remain down the EPG.. Some argued that it would split advertisement revenue but that argument never really made sense as it's all the UTV organisation anyway. This way the sky viewers actually win completely - get and extra channel and have the added channel section for UTVNI... UPC viewers are left with a worse UTV and an increase in subscription - NOT GOOD for UTV or UPC.

AwaitYourReply

irishfeen wrote: »

I think TV3 could take ITV and UPC to court if they put it on the epg due to rights issues.

I think UTV secured a special dispensation from the government years back to be allowed broadcast on multi channel (now UPC) - I think UTV paid a fee to cover rights issues on cable. You will notice UTV never appeared on sky because the cable dispensation didn't apply.

One of the key selling points of UPC's previous incarnations around urban Ireland some years ago: ntl cable tv in Dublin, Galway, Waterford and Chorus cable tv in Cork and Limerick was that unlike Sky Digital if you were a cable tv subscriber you also got the bonus channels: UTV(NI) and Channel 4 and Channel 6 (later bought by TV3 Group and re-named 3e). Sky Digital Ireland already had made special arrangements to have BBC One and BBC2 Northern Ireland on the Sky ROI epg at an early stage once the UK terrestrial channels went on Sky Digital in the UK. Channel 4 came to Sky Digital Ireland in more recent years but UTV(NI) had been prevented from going onto the Sky Digital ROI epg until the UTV Ireland channel was launched on 01/01/2015.

AwaitYourReply

icdg wrote: »

Try the mid 1960s and that will give you an idea of how long UTV has been on cable here, reception of it and BBC1&2 was the reason cable got started here in the first place.

I do think UTV Ireland will become more like ITV as time goes past, but I don't think anyone could have foreseen how hostile the reaction would be to this.

If it was the mid 1960s it was probably then called RTÉ Relays and later Cablelink?

UPC and UTV Ireland must be raging at the very angry reaction of UPC Ireland cable customers but some UTV insiders may have suspected that there would be some negative feedback over the loss of some programmes not shown on UTV Ireland or else certain popular shows not broadcast until a later date. Some UPC Ireland digital cable subscribers may well end up cancelling their contracts if this is not resolved to their satisfaction promptly which must be very frustrating for all those involved.

Elmo

irishfeen wrote: »

Go and read Twitter to see reaction! .. TV3 show Downton 3 days after ITV and films are also a big thing apparently... You see the main thing is they have replaced a channel which was broadcast for decades with a piss poor equivalent (and will be for years until rights become available)

TV3 are showing Broadchurch an hour after ITV/UTV/STV, lead in by Donal McIntyre Investigates. I assume they will move to make sure Downton is simulcast and any other ITV dramas. Though IMO a bad move not to simulcast but that is an issue for TV3 not UTV Ireland.

Benidorm is distributed by endemol I haven't hear who got rights to endemol's ITV programmes. I thought it was TV3. Though RTÉ have Ripper Street.

I doubt that UPC will put any of the other ITV regions or STV on UPC. Though I am guessing no one wants STV and hey who cares about NI Soccer matches!

hotmail.com

I would like if they put ITV News on ITV 2 at least for UPC customers.

AwaitYourReply

hotmail.com wrote: »

I would like if they put ITV News on ITV 2 at least for UPC customers.

UPC Ireland can't interfere with ITV2 or any other TV broadcaster's programming schedule even if there is a dispute over a local cable company making changes to it's channel line-up. Right now all you can do really is look into another option such as Free-To-Air digital satellite tv which would mean having a satellite dish installed.

Unless you are taking out a new Sky Digital subscription for the first time whereby' the satellite dish/set-top-box/remote control are provided subject to certain terms & conditions as set down by Sky. Then you would have to manually add UTV(NI) or other ITV channels to "Other Channels" on your Sky Digibox as it is not officially provided so; certain functions like: "series link" or the "Sky+ Plus" recording facility will NOT work as this channel is not part of the Sky Digital ROI epg for Ireland. If you do not want to take out a Sky Digital subscription, alternatively, you can opt to pay for the equipment & installation yourself and UTV(NI) from Belfast or other ITV regions will be there for you to watch so you would also get to see itv News from ITN in London.

lertsnim

hotmail.com wrote: »

I would like if they put ITV News on ITV 2 at least for UPC customers.

ITV2 is a general entertainment channel. You will never see ITV News on it. In the grand scheme of things ITV doesn't care about viewers from another country and why would they? No regional adverts and they still get paid by UPC regardless of what is shown.

efb

I thought ITV NEWS ceased?

Bellerstring

Arrgghhh!!!
I got up today and switched on the TV hoping to see Susanna Reid, who makes me happy to be awake, as I have being doing every workday morning for years.
WTF!!!!
TELE-FCKUING-SHOPPING!!!!!
THIS IS FCKIN MADDENING!!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Judge

Elmo wrote: »

TV3 are showing Broadchurch an hour after ITV/UTV/STV, lead in by Donal McIntyre Investigates. I assume they will move to make sure Downton is simulcast and any other ITV dramas. Though IMO a bad move not to simulcast but that is an issue for TV3 not UTV Ireland.

On the subject of simulcasting, I had assumed that UTV Ireland would simulcast the ITV dramas they had the rights to. Not so. New series of Foyle's War started on ITV and proper UTV last night. What did UTV Ireland show? An episode of the series broadcast on proper UTV about 3-4 years ago. :mad:

irishfeen

Well I think UTV are now in no doubt what UPC customers think of their new channel - I haven't hardly found a good comment on their Twitter account ... Everytime they post something new people are giving them a bollocking - welcome to the south lads