Television in the Republic of Ireland
Television in the Republic of Ireland is available through a variety of platforms. The digital terrestrial television service is known as Saorview and is the primary source of broadcast television since analogue transmissions ended on 24 October 2012. Digital satellite and digital cable are also widely used.
While many people receive their television via Saorview, which is broadcast by 2RN, more than half subscribe to multichannel television networks. The biggest single multichannel television network in Ireland is Sky Ireland, which broadcasts digital satellite television services. Virgin Media Ireland, Vodafone TV and Eir among others, provide similar digital television services to Irish viewers.
History
Television was first received in Ireland in 1949, following the opening of high-power BBC transmitters at Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, England and later Holme Moss in West Yorkshire, England, giving marginal reception along parts of the country's east coast. The first transmissions on the island of Ireland began with the launch of BBC in Northern Ireland when it began broadcasting television programmes in 1953, followed in 1959 by the launch of Ulster Television.Throughout the 1950s the governments of Ireland were worried about the influences of British television and the popularity of the medium. By the end of the 1950s, 60% of the population could receive the UK's BBC TV and ITV from spill over from Northern Ireland, Wales and the west of England. Throughout the 1950s the Irish government discussed the provision of an Irish television service; this was headed up by Leon O'Broin, the secretary of the Department of Post and Telegraphs. The Department of Post and Telegraphs had responsibility for Radio Éireann, Ireland's radio service. In 1950 O'Broin established his own committee on Irish television and bought a television set to receive broadcasts from the BBC. The Department of Finance at this time were worried about the cost of setting up a new television service and dismissed the possibility on several occasions during the 1950s. By March 1951 O'Broin would press for the inevitable establishment of an Irish television service in the state. In a memorandum to government, the department set out four possibilities for the ownership and control of a new service:
- Owned by the state directly
- Owned by a public corporation
- Owned by private enterprise
- Having a combination where transmitters would be owned by the state and content would be provided by private enterprises
The public service broadcaster, Telefís Éireann, opened in 1961 with the first public transmissions on 31 December 1961. An additional channel RTÉ2 began operation in November 1978. TG4 launched on 31 October 1996 as a free-to-air public service broadcaster that targets Irish language viewers.
The earliest colour broadcasts in Ireland took place in 1968. However, a full colour service was only introduced in 1973, with The Late Late Show remaining in monochrome until 1976.
On 20 September 1998, TV3 launched as the first independent commercial broadcaster in Ireland. In the 2000s television in Ireland expanded with the launch of Eir Sport 1, Bubble Hits and 3e, which are available through PayTV cable and satellite services. TV3 purchased C6 and rebranded it 3e. Only with the launch of Saorview was 3e available free-to-air.
Ireland commenced its switch over to its free-to-air digital terrestrial television in October 2010. This provided viewers with greater viewing opportunities with an increase in public service channels, i.e. of commercial services with the possibility of more public service channels from existing public service broadcaster and possibly two new channels, the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel and the Irish Film Channel, subject to finance from the government for the last two. The then Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte aspired to have a complete DTT service rolled out by 31 December 2011.
Regulation
In Ireland, the Commission for Communications Regulation regulates radio wave spectrum licensing, and since 1 October 2009 the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland regulates both public service broadcasters such as RTÉ, TG4 and commercial broadcasters.Digital terrestrial television
Between 2008 and 2010, service providers for the commercial digital terrestrial television service varied. Negotiations between the three key players which included Boxer, OneVision, and Easy TV were deemed unsuccessful. Both Boxer and Onevision failed to sign-off an agreement between BAI and RTÉNL. Easy TV considered its position on the license offer put to it on 29 April 2010. The Easy TV consortium informed the BAI on 12 May 2010 that it was declining their offer to pursue negotiations regarding the Commercial DTT Multiplex Licence.On 17 March 2011, Saorview, Ireland's national free-to-air DTT service, launched a public advertising campaign to highlight the integration of digital terrestrial television within Ireland and launched DTT officially to the public in May 2011. The service initially aired services provided only by RTÉ, TG4 and TV3. Additional services such as a commercial DTT service were deferred until a later date. The BAI have since ended negotiations to find a suitable service provider for such content.
Public service channels are carried by 2RN, with this service operational to 90% of the country by 31 October 2010 and complete by 31 December 2011. However, publicly accessible tests of this system were available across large swathes of the country since December 2009 with further expansion since 29 October 2010 with a soft launch in Spring 2011 culminating in a hard launch before 31 December 2011 when the ASO phase began.
The Irish system, being used by both RTÉNL and any subsequent commercial DTT provider, is a MPEG-4 DVB-T service with an MHEG-5 interactive layer.
RTÉ Television were awarded a licence to operate a single multiplex, with a second multiplex which followed once analogue broadcasting ceased on 24 October 2012. Other services to launch on the second multiplex include additional services from TV3 such as TV3HD, TV3+1, 3Kids and 3Classics and additional channels from RTÉ such as an arts channel and music channel.
The Broadcasting Act 2009 provided provision for the launch of two additional public services. These include an Oireachtas Channel and an Irish Film Channel. The Oireachtas TV service currently broadcasts on Saorview channel 22. The Irish Film Board will oversee operation for the Irish Film Channel.
By 2012, SAORVIEW offered 98% coverage for all channels. This was a significant improvement in free-to-air television coverage. Similar services such as Saorview available in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe are not compatible with Ireland's DTT service. RTÉ recommends that consumers wishing to avail of the SAORVIEW service only purchase receivers that carry the SAORVIEW approved logo. In practice, most MPEG-4 DVB-T compatible equipment, such as that conforming to the UK's Freeview HD standard, is capable of receiving SAORVIEW transmissions, albeit with some limitations to the EPG function. As the Freeview HD system is based on the newer DVB-T2 standard, SAORVIEW reception is dependent on the backward-compatibility of such devices.
Historical testing
was repeatedly tested from 2RN's Three Rock Mountain transmitter, with relatively long tests in 1998 and 2001, and shorter tests in 2004, with a single multiplex carrying the four Irish analogue terrestrial channels, and Tara Television while it was in existence, on both UHF and VHF. These were under temporary licences for testing, which are regularly awarded. RTÉast Networks also broadcast test DVB-T with analogue TV and radio channels from the Clermont Carn transmitter in the Cooley Mountains, County Louth with some signal bleed into Northern Ireland.A contract to run a nationwide system, with six multiplexes from main sites, and four from relay sites was awarded in 2001 to ITS Digital Limited, led by former RTÉ executive Peter Branagan and trading as "It's TV", who intended to launch a pay TV and broadband service. ITS wanted to offer broadband internet access using the DVB-RCT standard. They had no broadband licence and no viable business plan without selling broadband, and due to lack of funding withdrew its application in October 2002.
The government also planned to privatise RTÉ's transmission network at this time but this too failed in October 2002 following the withdrawal of ITS Digital Limited DTT licence application and a number of other factors.
Disability organisations and the switchover
TV Access, a coalition of organisations that promote issues surrounding individuals with disabilities and senior citizens, began a campaign to highlight the switchover from analogue to digital television broadcast services in its contribution to the Oireachtas Communications Committee heard on Wednesday, 1 April 2009.TV Access aimed to make the wider public aware of the needs of aging and disabled viewers; they also launched a website.
Promotion for DTT roll-out began on 17 March 2011.
Multiplex licensing process
- The establishment of a commercial multiplex for Digital Television Terrestrial within Ireland was punctuated with many delays. The BAI engaged in two phases of targeted consultation to assist in the development of its DTT Multiplex Licensing Policy. These consultations ran from May to December 2007 and involved the production of a comprehensive consultation document outlining policy proposals in relation to DTT licensing and the commissioning of independent research on DTT. It was initially proposed that RTÉ Television would operate the free-to-air public service multiplex, RTÉNL would provide the relevant broadcasting technologies and a third party would provide the pay or subscription service. These third parties included Easy TV, One Vision and Boxer. Initially, Boxer Ireland was given the licence to operate the pay DTT service. Boxer's failure to negotiate with RTÉNL and the economic downturn in Ireland resulted in Boxer no longer holding interest in pursuing its business in Ireland. On 20 April 2009, the BAI announced that Boxer had ended negotiations on the DTT contract without a successful outcome. Following this the consortium that made up One Vision were issued the licence. Once again, One Vision failed to negotiate with RTÉNL, hence negotiations were unsuccessful. On 29 April 2010 it was announced that Onevision had pulled out of negotiations. Finally, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland began negotiating with Easy TV. RTÉ publicly confirmed on 14 May 2010 Easy TV was "declining their offer to pursue negotiations" on the DTT contract. The BAI officially confirmed Easy TV's withdrawal and the conclusion of the current DTT licensing process on 18 May 2010.
- In July 2010, the then Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan announced that RTÉ would provide a basic free-to-air service without a pay DTT element. The free-to-air service would provide up to seven to ten channels and would roll out between 31 October 2010 to 31 December 2012. The new service would provide viewers with existing Irish channels, while also providing opportunities to expand existing channel portfolios. This service would be provided by Saorview and Saorsat the latter to be used in areas were availability to access the Saorview is limited due to geographics.