TV3 for over a decade survived with one small general purpose studio. I have no idea what the size is, it must be under 3,000 Sq Ft. They crammed the Ireland AM set and News set into it.
TV3 relied on hiring out independent studios, using theatres or even hiring RTE studios at Donnybrook in Dublin to produce shows for TV3.
Then came their 5,000 Sq Ft HD Studio. It sounds good, but compare it to the 6,525 Sq Ft RTE Studio 4 and the support services, TV3 studio looks second rate to be honest.
Ronan O'Gara is to become an analyst for TV3 coverage of The Six Nations.
Matt Cooper & Ivan Yates are the new presenters of TV3's The Tonight Show.
New documentaries on Syrian Refugees in Roscommon, Drug Addiction in Coolmine & BabyHaters.
New dramas launched for TV3 called The Bailout & Darklands.
New entertainment show; Ireland's Got Talent was also launched today by TV3.
Looking at TV3, I for once impressed. They have seemed to really put a lot of money and effort into their home produced content. It feels fresh, and puts RTE to shame.
Their news output needs a huge revamp and I hope it will get it. Their home produced shows are very ITV in style, and suits TV3 as Ireland's only independent station.
The over reliance on ITV shows and imported US shows are now cut back, and I hope it will do well.
RTE are always complacent, and have a very dull line up compared to TV3.
Looking at TV3, I for once impressed. They have seemed to really put a lot of money and effort into their home produced content. It feels fresh, and puts RTE to shame.
Not defending RTE but What is exactly fresh... Blind Date? Or Ireland's Got Talent ( a show that both have turned down countless times before)?
Apart from Gogglebox their two biggest homegrown shows are axed RTE shows The Restaurant and Living with Lucy.
In fairness to TV3, they're trying to produce original content to attract a decent viewership in a market the size of Scotland, in an era when the competition for advertising from around the world has never been so tough. I can't blame them for going for names that are going to get headlines - and, they would hope, viewers too.
I'm intrigued as to quite how much they would have spent to get Michelle Visage on Ireland's Got Talent - that is a hefty, hefty signing.
They're damned if they do and damned if they don't on the ITV stuff, having effectively ended ITV as a presence in the Irish market (save for those with FTA satellite), they need to show the majority of what they can show from the ITV schedule to keep long term viewers of that network happy. On the other hand as an Irish channel they're expected to have an Irish feel to their schedule. It's a line they have to thread. I do feel that with Xpose and Red Rock both seemingly on their last legs that they are turning back the clock to 2014 somewhat.
Red Rock was an odd show though. In its early development phase it was quite clearly going to be a early evening soap, and was being described as a direct Corrie replacement. Somehow the police/crime elements (and this at the height of Love/Hate's popularity) got fused in there, then took over. Then it came back for its second season as one hour prime time drama. It never quite settled in its format.
I'm interested to see about the Six Nations line up. It'll have to be strong, and poaching ROG is a good start. It's not really poaching of course, because after this season's Autumn Internationals are over RTE have no further senior men's international rugby union lined up for the present. Incidentally 3e HD did eventually appear on Sky, though there's still no sign of a Be3 HD.
As part of TG4's new autumn season, the channel has introduced a new trailer end board design. Its animation is very similar to the current Pro7 trailer animation style. A video is available to view on TG4: 2012 Idents & Presentation on Presentation Archive.