The Late Late Gay Byrne Irish Television Thread

Was half expecting 3more or seven3.

Yeah, that never made much sense. ITV5 would've at least followed the same pattern as the rest. In TV3's case though, there is no pattern, as their only other channel is 3e. How did that one get it's name anyway?

It was originally called Channel 6 -because Setanta Ireland had already taken 105 on what was then called Chorus NTL (now Virgin Media)'s EPG, and that was the only platform it was on when it launched, though it went on Sky a few months later. When TV3 bought it from its original shareholders they renamed it 3e using the same rationale as E4, "E is for entertainment".

I was expecting 3 Brit, maybe the B is for British/Britain? I guess it's depending on how much of the currentl UTV schedule they'll be keeping.

It really is a pain to name multiple digital channels when you've got a number in your name, isn't it?

Unless TV3 aims to make a virtue of the fact they've got all the British ITV shows on this channel I can't see it standing for Britain - if Irish TV has one USP it's that it doesn't all come from a foreign country, so I imagine they wouldn't want to make this a huge deal.

It does sound more like it owes itself to a slightly clumsier attempt at ITV Be, but that doesn't really make any sense either as that brand has reality TV connotations.

It's not an easy one to sort, but it obviously doesn't make any sense to leave it as UTV, so it'll be changing one way or another.

It's obvious that a rebrand was a better option, and with UTV Ireland now being the third channel in the TV3 family, surely it would sound as if it'd aim for the older audience like BBC FOUR and ITV3 do for the UK, just as 3e does for the youth demographic, right?

B3 sounds like ITVBe all over again, for Ireland - uninspiring name but possibly awful content - but we'll find out what they've planned once Tuesday hits.

TV 3, 3e and 3.... What could they really put there that would make any sense?

I'm still wondering if the e in 3e was for extra or entertainment. I don't think it's supposed to be entertainment. Are they saying TV 3 isn;t entertaining and viewers should watch 3e for that?

Meanwhile RTE One's Christmas ident was in use tonight, at 7pm at least.

I think it's supposed to be a play on words for 'Be Free', is it not?

I suspect that would go above most heads as it did here. 3B would work better than B3.

Yep. I saw 3 of them tonight. The picture quality looks great on them on Saorview.

Much better looking than last year's set of idents it has to be said.

The Irish Nationalist in me would be screaming if something like that might appear.