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RTE "Free to Air"

  • 08-10-2002 12:14am
    #1
    andyr
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 102 ✭✭


    Its most probably been mentioned before but why cant TV3 & RTE broadcast "free to air" or supply a free to air viewing card for the SKY Digibox as the BBC do in the UK.

    I live in the Republic of Ireland and have cancelled my subscription to SKY so now I have lost TV3 & RTE which were only available on the family package even though I pay my licence fee!

    Why be bullied into getting a SKY Sub to view RTE & TV3?


Comments

  • #2
    DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Because you are bullied to if you want to watch RTÉ and TV3 via cable.

    This thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44376 has it all


  • #3
    ixtlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭ixtlan


    But even the other thread doesn't really answer the question...

    1/ How expensive can it be to set up a FTV card system? Who pays for the UK system?

    2/ Why have a FTV system anyhow, rather than block channels to Irish/Uk registered digiboxes? I know there must be a good reason since they run this in the UK...

    either way would require Sky to maintain it, but I guess the UK regulator requires Sky to do this? Why shouldn't the Irish regulator do the same?

    And perhaps such a regulation should apply to Chorus/NTL also, though it's not as much use there because the customer doesn't own the decoder box.

    Remember that eventually (and it looks like a distant eventually these days) the analogoue service will be switched off, and it would be far preferable for the non-Sky paying, dish/digibox owner to have RTE etc al on the dish.


    Ix.


  • #4
    sceptre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Originally posted by ixtlan
    Why shouldn't the Irish regulator do the same?

    Quick and easy answer to that: the Irish regulator has no power whatever to regulate Sky. There are no Irish regulations governing Sky.

    (yeah, yeah, I know it makes no sense)


  • #5
    ixtlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭ixtlan


    Originally posted by sceptre
    Quick and easy answer to that: the Irish regulator has no power whatever to regulate Sky. There are no Irish regulations governing Sky.

    Perhaps something to bring up at a meeting of European communications ministers....

    Are we sure that Sky cannot be regulated? I know it's based in the UK, but it does have customers here...

    Ix.


  • #6
    chernobyl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,682 ✭✭✭chernobyl


    Christ you guys have very short memories.
    RTE are only on Sky because SkyD were prepared to cover the tranponder costs and EPG access for RTE as long as RTE encrypted the channel (free again) and made it CA to Family Pack+ viewers.

    RTE only cover the uplink costs, and thats it.


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  • #7
    Lennoxschips
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭Lennoxschips


    The BBC bought their own transponder space on the satellite from Astra. Sky bought it for RTE. So Sky will do what they like with their own transponders...


  • #8
    DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Originally posted by ixtlan
    But even the other thread doesn't really answer the question...

    1/ How expensive can it be to set up a FTV card system? Who pays for the UK system?

    Its dear enough for cash-strapped RTÉ... It would be cost effective for the BBC to do it in the UK, but not RTÉ.....

    2/ Why have a FTV system anyhow, rather than block channels to Irish/Uk registered digiboxes? I know there must be a good reason since they run this in the UK...

    The UK doesn't have the same set-up as we have here, and the FTV card was a novel way of getting folk onto Digital Satellite in the UK, without necessarily going through Sky. As I said in the other thread, the reason we don't have an FTV set-up is because if you get RTE et al via cable, you pay for it. No cable sub, no RTÉ. Same with Sky, no Sky sub, no RTÉ.

    Its a level playing pitch for all.

    either way would require Sky to maintain it, but I guess the UK regulator requires Sky to do this? Why shouldn't the Irish regulator do the same?

    As sceptre said, the BCI doesn't regulate Sky here. That might change, but not in the short term. Money continues to flow into Sky's coffers from Irish people, without anyone really watching.

    And perhaps such a regulation should apply to Chorus/NTL also, though it's not as much use there because the customer doesn't own the decoder box.

    It does, and Etain Doyle regularily cracks the whip, but the whip is a feather rather than leather.

    Remember that eventually (and it looks like a distant eventually these days) the analogue service will be switched off, and it would be far preferable for the non-Sky paying, dish/digibox owner to have RTE etc al on the dish.

    It is distant. But FTA or FTV RTÉ on Sky is not the answer at the moment. Sky paid RTÉ, and that deal is to last for a long time to come yet.


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