So what's the real reason for RTE closing down Tara ?

Charles Slane

Check out this article by Catherine O'Mahony in The Sunday Business Post

http://www.sbpost.ie/story.jsp?list=businesspost&rightnav=/common/navs/right/sponsorsnav.jsp&advert=/common/adverts/top/sundaypaper.htm&title=Sunday+Paper&story=WCContent;id-41503

Under the heading - "Examiner said pulling plug on Tara was counter-productive for RTE"

It says ....

"RTE ignored an interim examiner's opinion that it stood to make more out of hanging on to the loss-making cable and satellite channel Tara TV than it did from scrapping it.


KPMG partner Ray Jackson, who was appointed by the High Court to act as examiner to Tara earlier this month, advised RTE that it "would receive more monies if the company continued trading rather than go into liquidation".

He also said a potential new investor had emerged for the business, but only if RTE agreed to renegotiate its programming agreement with Tara. However, RTE refused to back Tara and this resulted in a liquidator being appointed last week.

In a report on the matter, Jackson blames the demise of Tara on RTE's refusal to consider any option but pulling the plug on the service......."

So why did RTE do it ? The possibility of RTE launching it's own UK/World service is looking more and more likely.

Which turns out to be very unfortunate for the staff of Tara.

Lennoxschips

Because RTE know that the people who usually watch Tara in the UK will all have Irish Sky subs from next month, making Tara redundant!

jimbob

I'd rather see RTE investing in improving its normal service than in other loss making companies

Charles Slane

Originally posted by Lennoxschips
Because RTE know that the people who usually watch Tara in the UK will all have Irish Sky subs from next month, making Tara redundant!

It won't be as easy for GB viewers to get the Irish channels as it is for Irish viewers to get UK channels.

At least we can get someone to get an FTV card and send it over, or get a second digibox and card from E-Bay or the like.

GB viewers who want to watch the Irish channels will have to get an Irish subscription - much more hassle.

It seems they'll have to do without Questions and Answers and Open House until RTE start some kind of UK service.

irishgeo

i found this on wotsat website.

Irish broadcaster Tara Television has gone into liquidation - saying it has been forced to close after UPC, its majority shareholder, failed to convince fellow shareholder RTE to financially support the channel during its planned strategy for growth this year. Tara had expected to break-even by the fourth quarter of 2002, however it had faced increased commercial competition with several new Irish channels launching in coming months.

i assume they mean RTE and TV3 when they say new Irish channels.

But is wotsat not an english mag and england wont get RTE and TV3 so what they on about then!!!

Charles Slane

Has anyone else noticed how Wotsat's news has deteriorated in quality in the last few months ?

And it used to be really good.

These days their items are often inaccurate or out-of-date.

The only Tara TV market that would have been affected by RTE's appearance on Sky Digtial would have been Northern Ireland.

irishgeo

i noticed that to charles . it used to the best on the net for sat news no its going downhill fast. i think i try some other sat mags websites.

DMC

Maybe it has, or are you getting your news more quickly from sites like ICDG and Digitalspy?

Charles Slane

Originally posted by DamoDMC
Maybe it has, or are you getting your news more quickly from sites like ICDG and Digitalspy?

That might explain it being out of date, but not the inaccuracy.

DMC

True, but I expect ITV Digital's and Tara's demise to be reported in the June or July Issue.

BTW, why is Roger Bunney's column always 2 months behind??

carrolls

According to another board (http://skydigi.20m.com), Tara Tv's offices are based in Derry and London.
I asumed Tara was based in the Offices of RTE in Donnybrook.
Who is right?

Mossy Monk

i reckon they'd have offices in the UK for advertising

icdg

Originally posted by carrolls
According to another board (http://skydigi.20m.com), Tara Tv's offices are based in Derry and London.
I asumed Tara was based in the Offices of RTE in Donnybrook.
Who is right?

Dublin and London. Tara operates out of the Television Centre at Montrose, but it has an advertising sales office in London.

I don't know for certain about Derry, but I know the Guardian made the same mistake, and is probably the source for the story.

triple-play

I would guess that RTE were just waiting for the opportunity to take the UK rights to RTE programming away from Tara and when Tara fell behind in their payments RTE took the opportunity with both hands.

I guess since RTE advertising income has decreased in Ireland and they have just spent a lot of money on a new advertising management system from Carlton they are looking for ways to leverage their income. How better that setting up a new RTE UK channel for satellite and cable? It will cost them very little as they own the rights to the content and yet it will help to bring in more advertising revenue -definitely more revenue than was coming in from Tara. All idle speculation but they are a devious lot in Montrose...