RTE News Blocked In Northern Ireland

eirman

The 18:01 & 21:00 News bulletins were block on my NI-Sub Sky Box last night.

Ditto for the 13:00 bulletin today.😓

https://belfastmedia.com/viewers-in-the-north-unable-to-watch-rte-news-bulletins

icdg

Almost certainly due to the Olympics. The IOC are really, really zealous about protecting their rights. The Games were blocked on RTE in NI last time too (although I don’t recall the news being).

Unfortunately you’ll see a lot of this type of thing over the next few weeks. US news bulletins broadcast on the likes of CNBC typically get pulled for the duration due to issues. I know non-rights holders like Sky often only get to show still images because the IOC won’t respect the usual “news access” arrangements.

eirman

"Almost certainly due to the Olympics."

That's a relief (considering we only got the HD version recently).

Fortunately, have Saorview.

LATEST: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng9x95zz8o

icdg

Statement by RTE on the matter.

https://about.rte.ie/2024/07/25/rte-statement-rte-coverage-of-olympic-games-2024-paris/

NI viewers will have to make do with an edited after the fact bulletin on the Player for the next few weeks. I suppose the alternative would be to put in place a separate stream of RTE One where they could replace the offending segments with a caption but they’d have to be on the ball - even a few seconds of footage in the headline sequence would offend.

As I say, the IOC are very zealous.

decor58

Is it the IOC or Warner Brothers Discovery, I read recently where the BBC is restricted to 250 hours live coverage, RTE would most likely have similar restrictions and penalties for overspill. Selling rights to world events with such restrictions should not be allowed.

lertsnim

RTE and the BBC sublicenced their rights from Warner Brothers Discovery so that will be why they're limited. I think 250 hours of live coverage is plenty anyway.

eirman

As announced on 18.00 bulletin, following objections by the SDLP & SF, things should be back to normal very soon.

As a matter of interest will Olympics coverage be geo-blocked on BBC NI broadcast using Sky RoI cards?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122429584#Comment_122429584

I don't believe it is possible to block on an FTA channel. You could just tune it in as an Other Channels channel anyway.

Delta2113

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122426799#Comment_122426799

So did RTE actually get agreement with BBC/Discovery whoever or are they pressing ahead with ignoring the law and sure the Irish taxpayers can cough up again if they get sued?

RTE has not explained the complete reversal.

icdg

It has never been before and as L1011 points out you can’t actually block a FTA satellite signal (they could on Stream if they were so inclined).

However a little known fact is that the ROI versions of BBC One NI and BBC Two NI on Sky are actually separate to the NI ones. No programmes are different, but they have no red button prompts. That’s actually down to the 2012 Olympics and the BBC for some reason decided to remove access for ROI viewers to the red button prompt (the BBC was still the primary rights holder then and delivered a huge amount of red button coverage). So they could probably block it in playout, rather than by using the CAS, if they were so inclined. Even if they were you could still manually tune them in, of course.

eirman

Still blocked on NI RTE Satellite - Monday Perhaps?

icdg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122430600#Comment_122430600

Was that the news or the Games themselves? I think they’ve only promised to unblock the news, the Games will remain blocked throughout as they were in 2021.

Digifriendly

I find it hard to understand the furore as RTE and the rest of the Saorview channels are available to over 70% of viewers in N. Ireland (Ofcom report at time of DSO). Aerials for Saorview are all over the North including unionist areas. Many of them date back to the old analogue pre Sky days when the only live First Division and FA Cup football (apart from the final) in these islands was RTE's coverage.

There are a few black spots for Saorview reception where local transmitters carry RTE via the Freview NI Minimux. This is where the geo blocking occurs but in comparison to those who receive Saorview it is probably quite small.

BTW Olympic Opening Ceremony on RTE 2 geo blocked on Freeview but in the clear via Sky!

eirman

All back to normal service now 😀

The 18:01 Bulletin is now viewable in NI.

(Where do I collect my reward for my thousandth post)

Digifriendly

Olympics Coverage on RTE 2 as per yesterday geo blocked on Freeview but in the clear via Sky!