Multichannel TV in Ireland

I was just reading some threads about UK multichannels (ITV2, BBC3, etc) and was just wondering what people knew/thought about the multichannels that will launch when Ireland gets it equivalent of Freeview?

Apparently RTE had planned to have 5 channels [1, 2, Eolas (Edu & info), Zap (youth) and Irelant Today (News)] by 2001 but they haven't opened [yet]. I'd say TV3 will get one. Maybe TG4 will get one but then again they can hardly fill the schedule of one channel. Maybe Ireland should have its own news channel too, even if it's mostly Euronews or whatever.

Lets hope there aren't as many gaming or timeshift channels

What do you think?

Well I don't think you should get BBC channels after DSO, bit overspill of signal can't be helped.

Odd how we can't get yours though, even in SW England - did they buy
the transmitters off the market in Albert Square?

They might be planning to put RTÉ International on Freeview in the UK but RTE has a history of planning things they can't actually deliver (eg 5 channels by 2001 :p

If they're ever going to have a news channel, I could only see it being done as an RTÉ News/ITN Partnership that airs in NI on freeview, and whatever DTT here is called. I would say each channel would have to be restructued. RTÉ ONE would be like it is now, but less American Stuff. RTÉ Two would be the channel that shows the American stuff and sport and an occasional concert. I would see an RTÉ Three, which would have The Den and some teen shows during the day, and at night a film, and a show that would be on itv three, like a drama or comedy.
RTÉ Four would be Dáil Éireann in the daytime, and upmarket stuff like BBC Four, during the night, and concerts from the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, during the summer, kind of like Proms.

But if RTE had the material to provide that wouldn't they be putting it on RTE1, 2 and TG4 right now?

I hope they drop channel numbers in favour of names. After DSO in the UK, how are visitors going to know which is the main channel - BBC1, ITV1, SKY1 or RTE1? etc.

Then again, if their idea of a youth channel is called "Zap"...

Hmm...Good Question. I guess instead of RTÉ FOUR, there could be a loose regional service for each Province, instead of county, so I guess for instance, Connacht would have a channel, mostly local programming, and the public could submit stuff to it, and then have a networked primetime with the upmarket stuff. I guess donegal would be included in Connacht, and Monaghan in Leinster. On second thought, I guess it should be RTÉ West, RTÉ East, and RTÉ South.

Connacht gets TG4

That would be a good idea.

Maybe when there's regional TV we won't need the hour-long Six One , since most of its second half goes to sport and the regions anyway.

Are RTE actually going to launch that Breakfast show they had planned for January (according to boards )?

For why? They are channel numbers for the company broadcasting them. Do you have a problem differentiating with the bit in front of the number? Does ITV1 and BBC1 look the same to you?

And there isn't a "main" channel (we don't live in pre-glasnost Russia)

I'm just saying that broadcasters would look a bit more interesting if they could be more creative than "XYZ1, XYZ2, XYZ3, XYZ4" etc.

BTW By main channel I was referring to the flagship channel of the state broadcaster. You know what I mean!

RTÉ's plans for extra channels have more or less been axed. They are complaining loudly over having to fund RTÉ International from the licence fee and have made their intention to do a "go-slow" on it fairly clear.

As for DTT, there is a trial service running in Dublin and Louth. Only the Irish channels are FTA though, selected triallists (nobody knows how they were selected, possibly the family/friends/etc of those working in the DCMNR) can watch the BBC digital channels (no BBC1 or BBC2 though), Sky Sports 1, Sky News, Channel 6, Extreme Sports, and UKTV History.

I would imagine that having the UK terrestrials (except the usually excluded Channel 5), and Sky One and Sky News would be de rigeur for any commercial DTT service in Ireland.

I was just wondering if any more Irish channels would open?