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UTV sell TV business to ITV

Rebrand from Oct 17th - please use new thread. (August 2015)

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ST
Stuart
rdd posted:
Likely if they do rebrand, the NI station will be ITV Northern Ireland off air but just "ITV" on air.

The ROI station will likely either stay UTV Ireland, become just UTV, or become ITV Ireland.

My initial thoughts was 'ITV Ulster', but there are sensitive issues with that name.

'ITV Northern Ireland' sounds unwieldy, but the BBC manage OK with something similar - and ITV have coped with the slightly more cumbersome 'ITV Tyne Tees & Border'.

However, it will just be "ITV" on air. Welcome to the world of bland un-regionalised Channel 3! Shocked
RD
rdd Founding member
Yeah just ITV (for UTV Ireland) is probably more likely than ITV Ireland, if that's the route they are going to go down.

It is after all, still an unconfirmed report from just one news organisation.
SP
Spencer
Reports today that UTV are set to lose the TV part of their business and just focus on radio...


And yet they're also trying to sell their local radio stations, so essentially they could soon just own TalkSport and the planned TS offshoots on the forthcoming second national commercial DAB multiplex. Seems a bit of a comedown really.
PC
p_c_u_k
Well this is quite sad really, in an end of an era sort of way. In practical terms though, does UTV NI actually produce that much more local content than an ITV franchise? I know there's a late night news update but aside from news there doesn't appear to be much there. It'll be missed more during major events like elections, I imagine. In NI, as previously said, UTV would surely become ITV on screen and ITV News Northern Ireland for local news.

In terms of the Republic, you'd have to imagine this will eventually leave TV3 in a bit of trouble. Once the rights for any ITV shows run out surely ITV would keep them, which means all the big non-Irish shows would be with them. TV3 could hit back with repeats but against every single show?

Politically and licence-wise I assume ITV would have to keep producing national news from the Republic, but is there scope for closer working with ITN to help with international news? If so, if ITV was interested in this side of things (unlikely) they could produce a better rival for RTE given ITN's international resources.

It does seem UTV thought they would charge into the Republic, take TV3's TV rights, that TV3 would just roll over and they would become defacto Channel 3. It's clearly not been that simple. I suspect the idea of a broadcaster from the UK coming in and thinking people in the Republic would roll over hasn't gone down well with everyone as well.

Surely it can't continue to support two commercial broadcasters?

I'm currently mourning the almost inevitable demise of Santawatch ...
bkman1990 and Justin gave kudos
PC
p_c_u_k
Reports today that UTV are set to lose the TV part of their business and just focus on radio...


And yet they're also trying to sell their local radio stations, so essentially they could soon just own TalkSport and the planned TS offshoots on the forthcoming second national commercial DAB multiplex. Seems a bit of a comedown really.


It feels a lot like SMG's collapse after it over-expanded. STV is now in a healthy state and runs the Scottish and Grampian franchises as STV, plus their local channels and website.
WH
whoiam989
But what will happen if Ireland reunifies into one in (distant) future? I hoped UTV would become TV3 affiliate, other regional TV3 stations would be created, and UTV Ireland would become ITV Ireland.
CH
chris
But what will happen if Ireland reunifies into one in (distant) future? I hoped UTV would become TV3 affiliate, other regional TV3 stations would be created, and UTV Ireland would become ITV Ireland.


The chances of that are so slim it's not worth worrying about. Concern yourself more with Scotland leaving the UK which is still unlikely but more likely than a unified Ireland.
RS
Rob_Schneider
Thought this would happen sooner or later. I imagine they'll now grow the radio division.
LL
London Lite Founding member
UTV have already sold a radio station in Liverpool to Global. I'd expect more to come to fund UTV's digital radio expansion.
:-(
A former member
Would ITV just merge UTV ireland and UTV together? I'm sure you could have Network CA during the day, Would Ireland want ITV news at 1.30?
WH
Whataday Founding member
UTV have already sold a radio station in Liverpool to Global. I'd expect more to come to fund UTV's digital radio expansion.


Yes, aren't they resurrecting Virgin Radio?
RI
Rijowhi
Well this is quite sad really, in an end of an era sort of way. In practical terms though, does UTV NI actually produce that much more local content than an ITV franchise? I know there's a late night news update but aside from news there doesn't appear to be much there. It'll be missed more during major events like elections, I imagine. In NI, as previously said, UTV would surely become ITV on screen and ITV News Northern Ireland for local news.

In terms of the Republic, you'd have to imagine this will eventually leave TV3 in a bit of trouble. Once the rights for any ITV shows run out surely ITV would keep them, which means all the big non-Irish shows would be with them. TV3 could hit back with repeats but against every single show?

Politically and licence-wise I assume ITV would have to keep producing national news from the Republic, but is there scope for closer working with ITN to help with international news? If so, if ITV was interested in this side of things (unlikely) they could produce a better rival for RTE given ITN's international resources.

It does seem UTV thought they would charge into the Republic, take TV3's TV rights, that TV3 would just roll over and they would become defacto Channel 3. It's clearly not been that simple. I suspect the idea of a broadcaster from the UK coming in and thinking people in the Republic would roll over hasn't gone down well with everyone as well.

Surely it can't continue to support two commercial broadcasters?

I'm currently mourning the almost inevitable demise of Santawatch ...


***Conspiracy alert***

TV3 are being bought by UPC, who have also been rumoured to be interested in ITV...could UPC/ITV be lining to merge UTV Ireland and TV3? Probably not, but this is all very interesting News. Shocked

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