Media in Ireland
Encyclopedia
The media in Ireland include all the media
and communication
s outlets of any other developed nation.
enshrined in its constitution
. The NGO
group Reporters sans frontières
named Ireland in joint first position in their "Worldwide press freedom index". However, some Irish journalists still campaign for the libel laws to be loosened.
The Troubles in Northern Ireland
led to some restrictions on press freedom, though these were primarily in the Republic
. The 1960 Broadcasting Authority Act allowed the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs to direct Radio Telefís Éireann
"not to broadcast any matter, or any matter of any particular class". This was used between 1971 and 1994 to prevent broadcasts of supporters of violence on RTÉ. From 1977 to 1994, it also applied to Sinn Féin
members. Since 1994, the situation in Northern Ireland has had little impact on freedom to report from that area. In fact, the most famous attack on an Irish journalist was not political, but against Sunday Independent
crime correspondent Veronica Guerin
.
is only 51%.
There are several daily newspapers in the Republic of Ireland, including the Irish Independent
, The Irish Examiner, The Irish Times
, Irish Daily Star, and the Evening Herald
. The best selling of these is the Irish Independent, which is published in both tabloid and broadsheet
formats.
In Northern Ireland
, the main newspapers are The Irish News
, seen as pro-Social Democratic and Labour Party
, and the Unionist-leaning Belfast Newsletter. The Belfast Telegraph is the main evening newspaper in Northern Ireland. In January 2005 Daily Ireland
, which was somewhat supportive of Provisional Sinn Féin was launched. It contended (in line with its politics) to be an all-Ireland newspaper, however its sales were far stronger in Northern Ireland and Dublin than the rest of the island, and it closed in September 2006.
The leading Sunday newspaper in terms of circulation is the Sunday Independent which has over a million readers each week, a very large number considering that Ireland has only 1.25 million households. Other popular papers include The Sunday Tribune, The Sunday Business Post
, Ireland on Sunday
and the Sunday World
(the latter published in separate editions for the Republic and Northern Ireland).
One noted trend in Irish newspapers is the presence of Republic of Ireland editions of UK newspapers, these include The Irish Sun
, Irish Mirror, Irish News of the World
, and the Irish edition of The Sunday Times
, the only one of the Irish editions that is of a broadsheet newspaper. The Irish Daily Star
also is sometimes placed in this category, though it has a far greater Irish content than the other UK editions, and is also 50% owned by Independent News and Media. Following the success of Ireland on Sunday (an Irish version of the Mail on Sunday), the Irish Daily Mail
was launched in February 2006, with Ireland on Sunday itself being rebranded The Irish Mail on Sunday in September 2006.
There are quite a large number of local weekly newspapers, with most counties and large towns having two or more newspapers. In Munster
the Evening Echo
, published in separate editions for Cork and Limerick, is a daily local newspaper. Curiously Dublin remains one of the few places in Ireland without a major local paper; The Dublin Evening Mail having closed down in the 1960s. The Evening Herald markets itself from time to time as a Dublin local newspaper, however it is distributed nationally. In 2003 the Dublin Daily was launched, but failed to attract enough readers to make it viable, and closed after 90 issues and a full rebrand as the Dublin Evening. In 2008, a number of local papers have been launched by the Gazette Group.
In Autumn 2005 Daily Mail and General Trust
revealed a plan to launch a free newspaper in the Dublin market, entitled Metro
. Independent News and Media decided to respond with a free version of the Evening Herald
, to be called Herald Metro. DGMT took legal action against INM to prevent them using the word "Metro" in the title of a freesheet newspaper. On 7 October 2005 an injunction was granted to DGMT to this effect. It was also revealed that the Irish Times would be taking a 33% stake in Metro and would be printing the title. On 10 October Metro launched, however INM simply altered the title of its rival freesheet to Herald AM
, and launched it on the same date.
There are also a number of newspapers printed in Irish. These include Foinse
, a weekly newspaper and Lá Nua, a daily newspaper. Foinse mainly focuses on Irish language related matters and Gaeltacht affairs, but also contains many other areas including current affairs, national and international events and other features, including 'Foinse sa Rang' a segment aimed at helping Leaving Certificate
students with their Irish exam. Lá Nua is printed in Belfast and focuses on current events and politics.
The Independent News & Media
group has a large presence in the Irish media market, especially in newspapers. It owns the Evening Herald, Irish Independent, and Sunday Independent, controls the Sunday World and The Star, and exercises a large degree of influence on the Sunday Tribune. Until 2004 it also held a large stake in the cable company Chorus Communications
.
The main Irish publications are often strongly identified with a political agenda. The Irish Times is probably Ireland's most liberal
newspaper on social issues, whereas the Irish Independent is seen as more conservative. None of the main Republic of Ireland newspapers are now defined as allied with a particular political party, although the Irish Press when published was staunchly pro-Fianna Fáil
, and the Irish Times was seen prior to the 1960s as being pro-Unionist. Opinion on Northern Ireland is as diverse as that in the general public, ranging from the strongly anti-Republican line of the Sunday Independent to the more sympathetic Sunday Business Post.
and The Economist
to Hello!
and Reader's Digest
. This means that domestic titles can find it very hard to retain readership. Among the best selling Irish magazines are the RTÉ Guide
, Women's Way, VIP, U, Image Magazine
, Irish Tatler, Hot Press, Phoenix
, Business and Finance, Garden Heaven, and Ireland's Own
.
The Irish market also contains a large number of business to business titles including Checkout, Irish Marketing Journal and Hospitality Ireland.
In addition, there are many professional and scientific journals, with frequencies ranging from annual to monthly.
is divided into public service broadcasting, governed by the Broadcasting Authority Acts 1960-2002, which establish the public sector broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, and the commercial sector, governed by the Radio and Television Act 1988 and regulated by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. RTÉ is financed by a mixture of licence fees
paid by owners of television receivers, and advertising revenues. It is governed by a statutory authority appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Under the Broadcasting Act 2001 a second statutory corporation, Telefís na Gaeilge, was set up in 2007 to run the Irish language
channel TG4
, which was previously operated by RTÉ.
The commercial sector consists of programme contractors appointed by the BCI, and granted broadcasting licences by the Commission for Communications Regulation
. The contractors have specific public service obligations, most notably, a requirement for 20% news
and current affairs
.
Broadcasting in Northern Ireland
is governed under United Kingdom
law. The British Broadcasting Corporation operates a national region in Northern Ireland, known as BBC Northern Ireland
, and one member of the BBC Trust
is designated Trustee for Northern Ireland. The Office of Communications regulates the commercial broadcasting sector in Northern Ireland.
has four national terrestrial channels: RTÉ One
, RTÉ Two
- both operated directly by RTÉ
, TG4
, operated by Telifís na Gaeilge, and TV3 Ireland
, operated by TV3 Television Network Limited under a programme contract from the BCI. Northern Ireland has three national terrestrial channels: BBC One Northern Ireland
, BBC Two Northern Ireland - both operated by BBC Northern Ireland
- and UTV
, the latter being the Office of Communications Channel 3 licensee for Northern Ireland, and thus part of the UK ITV
network. In addition to the local variants, the other UK national channels Channel 4
and Five are also broadcast in Northern Ireland. Also in Northern Ireland, Ofcom licences some local terrestrial channels, known as Restricted Service Licences or RSLs, such as Channel 9
in Derry
and NvTv
in Belfast
.
in O'Connell Street during the Easter Rising
. The first official radio station on the island was 2BE Belfast
, which began broadcasting in 1924. This was followed in 1926 by 2RN Dublin
and 6CK Cork in 1927. 2BE Belfast later became BBC Radio Ulster
and 2RN Dublin became RTÉ
.
The Republic of Ireland has five national radio stations: RTÉ Radio 1
, RTÉ 2fm
, RTÉ lyric fm
, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
are operated by RTÉ Radio
, while Today FM
is a commercial radio station operated by Denis Obrien group communicorp. Newstalk 106
, a Dublin local station, has been issued a "quasi-national" FM licence, and a similarly limited AM licence has been advertised for a religious service, presumably to quell the rising amounts of religious stations on Irish pirate radio
. A "multi-city" service, consisting of one ILR franchise operating a single service in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, has been awarded to 4FM
which is expected to launch in early 2009.
The BCI's main commercial radio service is the Independent Local Radio network. This consists of 18 commercial stations licensed for different franchise areas. Except in Dublin and Cork, they operate as monopolies. (6, soon to be 7 stations are now licensed in Dublin and 2 in Cork). They operate a common news service, Independent Network News
, and a common sales house, Independent Radio Sales. The first of these stations, FM104
, came on air in 1989. One independent regional radio station, Beat 102-103
, currently also exists, with further franchises having been advertised. The BCI also issues contracts for non-commercial community of interest and local community stations.
Northern Ireland has two national radio stations: BBC Radio Ulster
, operated by the BBC, and the Ofcom-licensed Downtown Radio
. The BBC also operates a local radio station in Derry, BBC Radio Foyle
A number of local commercial radio stations (licensed by Ofcom) are also broadcast, including Q101.2 FM West in Omagh
, Q102
in Derry
and Cool FM
- based in Newtownards and Belfast CityBeat
96.7 and 102.5 FM (Part of the CN Group) in Belfast. The five UK wide BBC Radio
radio stations, as well as the three UK-wide Ofcom radio services (Classic FM
, TalkSport
, and Virgin Radio
) are also available in Northern Ireland.
)http://www.filmboard.ie/index600_800.php and the introduction of heavy tax breaks. Some of the most successful Irish films included the Palme d'Or winning The Wind That Shakes the Barley
(2006), Intermission
(2001), Man About Dog
(2004), Michael Collins (1996), Angela's Ashes
(1999) and The Commitments
(1991). Michael Collins is the highest grossing Irish film ever in Ireland, making £4,000,000.
Ireland has also proved a popular location for shooting films with The Quiet Man
(1952), Braveheart
(1995), the Omaha Beach landing scene from Saving Private Ryan
(1998), Reign of Fire (2002) and King Arthur (2004) all being shot in Ireland. The first film ever shot in Ireland was The Lad from Old Ireland (1910), which was advertised as "The first ever film recorded on two continents". The film was a short silent story about a young Irishman who went to the USA to find riches, before returning home to save his family home from the bailiffs.
Ireland has a high rate of cinema admissions (The highest in Europe). The biggest multiplex chain in the country is Ward Anderson
(owners of the Cineplex, Omniplex, and Savoy brands), with other cinemas being owned by Entertainment Enterprises Limited (operated by Odeon Cinemas
as UCI
, their former owners), Cineworld
(formerly UGC Cinemas
), and Vue
(formerly Ster Century
). In autumn 2005, a new multiplex cinema chain, Movies@
, entered the market, opening its first cinema in Dundrum
, with Galway
and Swords
sites to come.
There is also a large video rental market, dominated by Xtravision, a subsidiary of Blockbuster Video.
New Media Technology College
(NMTC) is the leading media training provider in Ireland. NMTC is in award-winning College accredited by the European Broadcasting Union.
A government backed website enables prospective broadband users to check which providers are available in their area: http://www.broadband.gov.ie/.
Ireland has a number of web-only news sites, mainly concentrating on business news, such as Businessandleadership.com, Siliconrepublic.com, Businessworld.ie and Insideireland.ie. Irishhealth.com also has a dedicated news section.
Eircom
is the main Internet service provider
, providing dial-up as well as broadband services. BT Ireland
's Internet subsidiary, Ireland On-Line
, is the other major player in broadband Internet provision, and also has a large number of dial-up subscribers. Other broadband providers include cable operator UPC
, wireless suppliers Digiweb
(Broadband & Phone), Irish Broadband
, and Clearwire
and communications operator Magnet.
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s outlets of any other developed nation.
Press freedom
Ireland has freedom of the pressFreedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
enshrined in its constitution
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
. The NGO
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
group Reporters sans frontières
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
named Ireland in joint first position in their "Worldwide press freedom index". However, some Irish journalists still campaign for the libel laws to be loosened.
The Troubles in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
led to some restrictions on press freedom, though these were primarily in the Republic
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The 1960 Broadcasting Authority Act allowed the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs to direct Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
"not to broadcast any matter, or any matter of any particular class". This was used between 1971 and 1994 to prevent broadcasts of supporters of violence on RTÉ. From 1977 to 1994, it also applied to Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
members. Since 1994, the situation in Northern Ireland has had little impact on freedom to report from that area. In fact, the most famous attack on an Irish journalist was not political, but against Sunday Independent
Sunday Independent
The Sunday Independent is a broadsheet Sunday newspaper published in Ireland by Independent News and Media plc. The newspaper is edited by Aengus Fanning, and is the biggest selling Irish Sunday newspaper by a large margin ; average circulation of 291,323 between June 2004 and January 2005,...
crime correspondent Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin
Veronica Guerin was an Irish crime reporter who was murdered on 26 June 1996 by drug lords, an event which, alongside the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe three weeks earlier, helped establish the Criminal Assets Bureau....
.
Newspapers
Newspapers are extremely popular in Ireland. According to the National Newspapers of Ireland and Joint National Readership Survey 91% of Irish adults regularly read newspapers http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0308/3689073432HM3READERS.html. The market penetration for daily newspapers runs at 190% and 350% for Sunday titles. For comparison, US newspaper market penetrationNewspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
is only 51%.
There are several daily newspapers in the Republic of Ireland, including the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, The Irish Examiner, The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
, Irish Daily Star, and the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
. The best selling of these is the Irish Independent, which is published in both tabloid and broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
formats.
In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the main newspapers are The Irish News
The Irish News
The Irish News is a compact-sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is perceived as being broadly Irish nationalist in outlook...
, seen as pro-Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
, and the Unionist-leaning Belfast Newsletter. The Belfast Telegraph is the main evening newspaper in Northern Ireland. In January 2005 Daily Ireland
Daily Ireland
Daily Ireland was an Irish daily newspaper which existed from January 2005 to September 2006 to cover news stories from an Irish republican viewpoint. It was linked to the Belfast local newspaper, the Andersonstown News...
, which was somewhat supportive of Provisional Sinn Féin was launched. It contended (in line with its politics) to be an all-Ireland newspaper, however its sales were far stronger in Northern Ireland and Dublin than the rest of the island, and it closed in September 2006.
The leading Sunday newspaper in terms of circulation is the Sunday Independent which has over a million readers each week, a very large number considering that Ireland has only 1.25 million households. Other popular papers include The Sunday Tribune, The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
, Ireland on Sunday
Ireland on Sunday
Ireland on Sunday was a Sunday newspaper in the Republic of Ireland, published by Associated Newspapers Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc...
and the Sunday World
Sunday World
The Sunday World is an Irish newspaper published by Sunday Newspapers Limited, a division of Independent News and Media. It is the largest selling "popular" newspaper in the Republic of Ireland and is also sold in Northern Ireland .-Origins:The Sunday World was Ireland's first tabloid newspaper...
(the latter published in separate editions for the Republic and Northern Ireland).
One noted trend in Irish newspapers is the presence of Republic of Ireland editions of UK newspapers, these include The Irish Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
, Irish Mirror, Irish News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
, and the Irish edition of The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, the only one of the Irish editions that is of a broadsheet newspaper. The Irish Daily Star
Irish Daily Star
The Irish Daily Star is a tabloid newspaper published in Ireland by the Independent Star Limited. Independent Star Limited is a joint venture between Richard Desmond's UK based Express Newspapers Limited, which owns the British Daily Star, and Irish news magnate Denis O'Brien's Independent News &...
also is sometimes placed in this category, though it has a far greater Irish content than the other UK editions, and is also 50% owned by Independent News and Media. Following the success of Ireland on Sunday (an Irish version of the Mail on Sunday), the Irish Daily Mail
Irish Daily Mail
The Irish Daily Mail is a newspaper published in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland by Associated Newspapers. The paper was launched in February 2006 with a launch strategy that included giving away free copies on the first day of circulation and low pricing subsequently....
was launched in February 2006, with Ireland on Sunday itself being rebranded The Irish Mail on Sunday in September 2006.
There are quite a large number of local weekly newspapers, with most counties and large towns having two or more newspapers. In Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
the Evening Echo
Evening Echo
The Evening Echo is an Irish evening newspaper based in Cork. It is distributed throughout the province of Munster, although it is primarily read in its base city of Cork. In Limerick, an altered local edition of the paper is sold...
, published in separate editions for Cork and Limerick, is a daily local newspaper. Curiously Dublin remains one of the few places in Ireland without a major local paper; The Dublin Evening Mail having closed down in the 1960s. The Evening Herald markets itself from time to time as a Dublin local newspaper, however it is distributed nationally. In 2003 the Dublin Daily was launched, but failed to attract enough readers to make it viable, and closed after 90 issues and a full rebrand as the Dublin Evening. In 2008, a number of local papers have been launched by the Gazette Group.
In Autumn 2005 Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust
Daily Mail and General Trust plc is a British media conglomerate, one of the largest in Europe. In the UK, it has interests in national and regional newspapers, television and radio. The company has extensive activities based outside the UK, through Northcliffe Media, DMG Radio Australia, DMG World...
revealed a plan to launch a free newspaper in the Dublin market, entitled Metro
Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
. Independent News and Media decided to respond with a free version of the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
, to be called Herald Metro. DGMT took legal action against INM to prevent them using the word "Metro" in the title of a freesheet newspaper. On 7 October 2005 an injunction was granted to DGMT to this effect. It was also revealed that the Irish Times would be taking a 33% stake in Metro and would be printing the title. On 10 October Metro launched, however INM simply altered the title of its rival freesheet to Herald AM
Herald AM
Herald am is a free daily newspaper distributed at train stations, bus stops, LUAS stations, traffic junctions and high density footpaths in Dublin. Herald am is one of two free newspapers distributed to commuters in Dublin from Monday to Friday...
, and launched it on the same date.
There are also a number of newspapers printed in Irish. These include Foinse
Foinse
-History:Foinse was first published in October 1996 as a weekly Saturday newspaper. It was published in Carraroe, County Galway and printed in Tralee. It was first published in October 1996....
, a weekly newspaper and Lá Nua, a daily newspaper. Foinse mainly focuses on Irish language related matters and Gaeltacht affairs, but also contains many other areas including current affairs, national and international events and other features, including 'Foinse sa Rang' a segment aimed at helping Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
students with their Irish exam. Lá Nua is printed in Belfast and focuses on current events and politics.
The Independent News & Media
Independent News & Media
Independent News & Media plc , is a media organisation based in Dublin, Ireland, with interests in 22 countries on 4 continents worldwide. The company owns over 200 print titles, more than 130 radio stations, over 100 commercial websites and many billboard locations, and is a leading press player...
group has a large presence in the Irish media market, especially in newspapers. It owns the Evening Herald, Irish Independent, and Sunday Independent, controls the Sunday World and The Star, and exercises a large degree of influence on the Sunday Tribune. Until 2004 it also held a large stake in the cable company Chorus Communications
Chorus Communications
Chorus Communications was a communications provider in Ireland, it offered internet, television and telephone services. It was owned by Liberty Global Europe, and ultimately controlled by John C. Malone's Liberty Media. It was based in Limerick, and owns the cable television and MMDS TV licences...
.
The main Irish publications are often strongly identified with a political agenda. The Irish Times is probably Ireland's most liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
newspaper on social issues, whereas the Irish Independent is seen as more conservative. None of the main Republic of Ireland newspapers are now defined as allied with a particular political party, although the Irish Press when published was staunchly pro-Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
, and the Irish Times was seen prior to the 1960s as being pro-Unionist. Opinion on Northern Ireland is as diverse as that in the general public, ranging from the strongly anti-Republican line of the Sunday Independent to the more sympathetic Sunday Business Post.
Magazines
The Irish magazine market is one of the world's most competitive with hundreds of international magazines available in Ireland ranging from TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
to Hello!
Hello!
Hello is a weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news and human-interest stories, published in the United Kingdom since 1988. Hello is sister magazine to ¡Hola!, the Spanish weekly magazine launched in Spain in 1944...
and Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
. This means that domestic titles can find it very hard to retain readership. Among the best selling Irish magazines are the RTÉ Guide
RTÉ Guide
The RTÉ Guide is a television and radio listings magazine in Ireland published by RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, a subsidiary of Raidió Teilifís Éireann....
, Women's Way, VIP, U, Image Magazine
Image magazine
Image magazine, the student magazine of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, was started as an alternative to the school's yearbook in 1973. Images first editor was Tom Siegfried. The general-interest magazine is published twice a semester by a small staff of students in the Schieffer...
, Irish Tatler, Hot Press, Phoenix
Phoenix Magazine
Phoenix Magazine, has a monthly circulation of 4,000, and is the debut publications of is the student newspaper of Phoenix Communications VA. Launching in late January 2011, Phoenix Magazine covers the East Roanoke County area as well as the Western Bedford County area...
, Business and Finance, Garden Heaven, and Ireland's Own
Ireland's Own
Ireland's Own is a family magazine published weekly in Ireland. It specialises in lightweight content, traditional stories, knitting patterns, and uncontroversial family content, including puzzles and recipes. It was launched in 26 November 1902 by John M...
.
The Irish market also contains a large number of business to business titles including Checkout, Irish Marketing Journal and Hospitality Ireland.
In addition, there are many professional and scientific journals, with frequencies ranging from annual to monthly.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting in the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
is divided into public service broadcasting, governed by the Broadcasting Authority Acts 1960-2002, which establish the public sector broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, and the commercial sector, governed by the Radio and Television Act 1988 and regulated by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. RTÉ is financed by a mixture of licence fees
Television licensing in the Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, a television licence is required for any address at which there is a television set. In 2008, the annual licence fee is €160. Revenue is collected by An Post, the Irish postal service. The bulk of the fee is used to fund Raidió Teilifís Éireann , the state broadcaster...
paid by owners of television receivers, and advertising revenues. It is governed by a statutory authority appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Under the Broadcasting Act 2001 a second statutory corporation, Telefís na Gaeilge, was set up in 2007 to run the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
channel TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
, which was previously operated by RTÉ.
The commercial sector consists of programme contractors appointed by the BCI, and granted broadcasting licences by the Commission for Communications Regulation
Commission for Communications Regulation
The Commission for Communications Regulation is the general communications regulator for the Republic of Ireland, covering almost all possible types of communications....
. The contractors have specific public service obligations, most notably, a requirement for 20% news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
and current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
.
Broadcasting in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
is governed under United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
law. The British Broadcasting Corporation operates a national region in Northern Ireland, known as BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
, and one member of the BBC Trust
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
is designated Trustee for Northern Ireland. The Office of Communications regulates the commercial broadcasting sector in Northern Ireland.
Television
The Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
has four national terrestrial channels: RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
, RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
- both operated directly by RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
, TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
, operated by Telifís na Gaeilge, and TV3 Ireland
TV3 Ireland
TV3 is a free-to-air commercial television network in the Republic of Ireland. Launched on 20 September 1998 it was Ireland's first commercial broadcaster. The channel is owned by TV3 Group a subsidiary of Doughty Hanson & Co.-The TV3 Group:...
, operated by TV3 Television Network Limited under a programme contract from the BCI. Northern Ireland has three national terrestrial channels: BBC One Northern Ireland
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, BBC Two Northern Ireland - both operated by BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
- and UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
, the latter being the Office of Communications Channel 3 licensee for Northern Ireland, and thus part of the UK ITV
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
network. In addition to the local variants, the other UK national channels Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and Five are also broadcast in Northern Ireland. Also in Northern Ireland, Ofcom licences some local terrestrial channels, known as Restricted Service Licences or RSLs, such as Channel 9
C9TV
C9TV is a local television station based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The station's licences were awarded by the ITC in 1996 and allow the station to broadcast to Derry, Limavady, Coleraine and Strabane. The channels signal also spills into County Donegal in the Republic and can be picked up in...
in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and NvTv
NVTV
NvTv ' is a local community television station based in the city of Belfast, which broadcasts on UHF channel 62 , and also streams its programming online; it is operated by the Northern Visions media and arts project...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Radio
The first known radio transmission in Ireland was a call to arms made from the General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office (Dublin)
The General Post Office ' in Dublin is the headquarters of the Irish postal service, An Post, and Dublin's principal post office...
in O'Connell Street during the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
. The first official radio station on the island was 2BE Belfast
2BE Belfast
2BE was the call sign of the first official radio station in Northern Ireland which started broadcasting from Belfast in 1924 on a frequency of 682 kHz. Operated by the British Broadcasting Company, later Corporation, the station was in 1936 subsumed into the Northern Ireland Regional...
, which began broadcasting in 1924. This was followed in 1926 by 2RN Dublin
2RN
2RN was the first radio broadcasting station in the Irish Free State. It began broadcasting on 1 January 1926 and continued until 1933, when it was succeeded by Radio Athlone...
and 6CK Cork in 1927. 2BE Belfast later became BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
and 2RN Dublin became RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
.
The Republic of Ireland has five national radio stations: RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
, RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
, RTÉ lyric fm
RTÉ lyric fm
RTÉ lyric fm is an Irish classical music radio station, owned by the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM in Ireland, on satellite, on Sky Digital in Ireland and United Kingdom and via the...
, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
are operated by RTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio is a department of Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Radio broadcasts four analogue channels and five digital channels....
, while Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
is a commercial radio station operated by Denis Obrien group communicorp. Newstalk 106
NewsTalk 106
Newstalk is an Independent Radio station in Ireland. It is operated by News 106 Limited, a subsidiary of Denis O'Brien's Communicorp group, and broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.The station is a "quasi-national" station as of 29 September...
, a Dublin local station, has been issued a "quasi-national" FM licence, and a similarly limited AM licence has been advertised for a religious service, presumably to quell the rising amounts of religious stations on Irish pirate radio
Irish pirate radio
Pirate radio in Ireland has had a long history, with hundreds of radio stations having operated from within the country. Due to past lax enforcement of the rules, the lack of commercial radio until 1989, and the small physical size of the country, pirate radio has proliferated up to recent years...
. A "multi-city" service, consisting of one ILR franchise operating a single service in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, has been awarded to 4FM
4fm
Classic Hits 4FM is an independent multi-region radio station broadcasting to Dublin and commuter belt, the cities and counties of Cork, Limerick, Galway and County Clare. Reception is also possible in parts of several other neighbouring counties...
which is expected to launch in early 2009.
The BCI's main commercial radio service is the Independent Local Radio network. This consists of 18 commercial stations licensed for different franchise areas. Except in Dublin and Cork, they operate as monopolies. (6, soon to be 7 stations are now licensed in Dublin and 2 in Cork). They operate a common news service, Independent Network News
Independent Network News (Ireland)
Independent Network News was the agency that supplies national and international news to 30 independent local radio stations in Ireland....
, and a common sales house, Independent Radio Sales. The first of these stations, FM104
FM104
FM104 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcast across Dublin, Ireland, on the frequency 104.4 MHz. It is operated by Capital Radio Productions Limited , and is a subsidiary of UTV Radio. The station broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland...
, came on air in 1989. One independent regional radio station, Beat 102-103
Beat 102-103
Beat 102 103 is an independent regional radio station in Ireland licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland covering counties Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and South Tipperary in South East Ireland...
, currently also exists, with further franchises having been advertised. The BCI also issues contracts for non-commercial community of interest and local community stations.
Northern Ireland has two national radio stations: BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
, operated by the BBC, and the Ofcom-licensed Downtown Radio
Downtown Radio
Downtown Radio is an Adult Contemporary music radio station based in Newtownards, County Down, that serves all of Northern Ireland using a network of FM and AM transmitters.- History :...
. The BBC also operates a local radio station in Derry, BBC Radio Foyle
BBC Radio Foyle
BBC Radio Foyle is a BBC Northern Ireland local radio station, serving County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is named after the River Foyle which flows through the city where the station is based. The station broadcasts from BBC's Northland Road studios on 93.1 FM and 792 MW in Derry, County...
A number of local commercial radio stations (licensed by Ofcom) are also broadcast, including Q101.2 FM West in Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
, Q102
Q102.9
Q102.9 "Northwest's Best Music" is a radio station based in Derry, County Londonderry. It broadcasts on FM 102.9 to the north west of Northern Ireland, Q102 also broadcasts via DAB throughout Northern Ireland via the Score NI multiplex. It is part of the Q Radio Network, which also owns a number...
in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and Cool FM
Cool FM
97.4 Cool FM is a commercial radio station, based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, owned and operated by Bauer Radio and part of the Big City Network. The station began broadcasting in 1990 when its parent station Downtown Radio ceased simulcasting and split its AM and FM frequencies into two...
- based in Newtownards and Belfast CityBeat
Belfast CityBeat
Belfast CityBeat is a two-time Arqiva 'Station Of The Year' and multi-Sony Award winning Northern Irish radio station. It broadcasts to Greater Belfast on 96.7 MHz FM and on DAB Digital Radio across all of Northern Ireland. From 5 April 2007, Citybeat became available on 102.5FM for North Belfast,...
96.7 and 102.5 FM (Part of the CN Group) in Belfast. The five UK wide BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
radio stations, as well as the three UK-wide Ofcom radio services (Classic FM
Classic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
, TalkSport
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
, and Virgin Radio
Virgin Radio
Absolute Radio is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station rebranded to its current name at 7.45am on 29 September 2008.The station is based in London and plays popular rock music...
) are also available in Northern Ireland.
Film
The Irish Film industry has grown rapidly in recent years thanks largely to the promotion of the sector by Bord Scannán na hÉireann (The Irish Film BoardIrish Film Board
The Irish Film Board is Ireland’s national film agency and major film funding body. It was recommended for abolition by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2009.-Formative years:...
)http://www.filmboard.ie/index600_800.php and the introduction of heavy tax breaks. Some of the most successful Irish films included the Palme d'Or winning The Wind That Shakes the Barley
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (film)
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a 2006 Irish war drama film directed by Ken Loach, set during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War...
(2006), Intermission
Intermission (film)
Intermission is a 2003 Irish comedy crime film directed by John Crowley which tells a story of a young couple and people surrounding them. The film is set in Dublin, Ireland and is filmed in a TV drama style with several storylines crossing over one another during the course of the film.Mark O'Rowe...
(2001), Man About Dog
Man About Dog
Man About Dog is a 2004 Irish comedy film starring Allen Leech, Ciaran Nolan and Tom Murphy. The film was distributed by Redbus Film Distribution and directed by Paddy Breathnach.- Plot :...
(2004), Michael Collins (1996), Angela's Ashes
Angela's Ashes (film)
Angela's Ashes is a 1999 Irish-American drama film based on the memoir of the same title by Frank McCourt. It was directed by Alan Parker and starred Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, Joe Breen, Ciaran Owens, and Michael Legge .-Plot:Angela's Ashes tells the story of Frank McCourt and his childhood...
(1999) and The Commitments
The Commitments (film)
The Commitments , the soundtrack for the film, was released on 13 Aug 1991. "Mustang Sally" was released as a single. Most of the songs on the album are performed by the cast band, but two are by Irish singer Niamh Kavanagh.-Track listing:-Chart positions:-The Commitments, Vol...
(1991). Michael Collins is the highest grossing Irish film ever in Ireland, making £4,000,000.
Ireland has also proved a popular location for shooting films with The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man is a 1952 American Technicolor romantic comedy-drama film. It was directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen and Barry Fitzgerald. It was based on a 1933 Saturday Evening Post short story by Maurice Walsh...
(1952), Braveheart
Braveheart
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical drama war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace...
(1995), the Omaha Beach landing scene from Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
(1998), Reign of Fire (2002) and King Arthur (2004) all being shot in Ireland. The first film ever shot in Ireland was The Lad from Old Ireland (1910), which was advertised as "The first ever film recorded on two continents". The film was a short silent story about a young Irishman who went to the USA to find riches, before returning home to save his family home from the bailiffs.
Ireland has a high rate of cinema admissions (The highest in Europe). The biggest multiplex chain in the country is Ward Anderson
Ward Anderson
Ward Anderson is the largest cinema chain in Ireland. It operates cinemas throughout the Republic Of Ireland and Northern Ireland.The group is owned by its two founders, Leo Ward, and Kevin Anderson, and its different brands are managed by various members of their families...
(owners of the Cineplex, Omniplex, and Savoy brands), with other cinemas being owned by Entertainment Enterprises Limited (operated by Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
as UCI
United Cinemas International
UCI Cinemas is a brand of cinema, currently operating in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Brazil...
, their former owners), Cineworld
Cineworld
Cineworld Group plc is a cinema chain operating in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Jersey. The chain consists of 78 cinemas; 76 of which are located in the UK and one each in Ireland and Jersey. It is the second-largest cinema operator in the UK with 801 screens, and the owner of...
(formerly UGC Cinemas
UGC
UGC is the second largest cinema operator in Europe with, as of August 2005, 49 sites and 553 screens across four countries:* France: 37 cinemas, 357 screens* Spain: 5 cinemas, 88 screens* Belgium: 3 cinemas, 43 screens* Italy: 4 cinemas, 66 screens...
), and Vue
Vue (cinema)
Vue Entertainment , formerly known as SBC International Cinemas, is a cinema company in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The company was formed in May 2003 when SBC acquired 36 Warner Village cinemas. There are now 69 Vue cinemas, with 654 screens totaling 140,500 seats, including the rebranded...
(formerly Ster Century
Ster Century
Ster Century was a cinema company in Ireland and the UK. There was one Ster Century cinema in Dublin, Ireland, and six in the UK: Basingstoke, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Norwich, and Romford...
). In autumn 2005, a new multiplex cinema chain, Movies@
Movies@
Movies@ Ltd. is a cinema chain in the Republic of Ireland. The company opened its first multiplex cinema at the Dundrum Town Centre on 1 October 2005, with 12 screens...
, entered the market, opening its first cinema in Dundrum
Dundrum
Dundrum is the name of several places:in Ireland:*Dundrum, Dublin, a suburb of Dublin city.**Dundrum Town Centre, a shopping centre*Dundrum, County Tipperary** the Dundrum meteorite of 1865, which fell in Munster, Ireland...
, with Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and Swords
Swords, Dublin
Swords is the county town of Fingal in Ireland. It is about 13 km north of Dublin city centre and is part of its commuter belt.- History :...
sites to come.
There is also a large video rental market, dominated by Xtravision, a subsidiary of Blockbuster Video.
New Media Technology College
New Media Technology College
New Media Technology College was set up in 2000 to offer highly specialised programmes in Digital Media. Since then, the College has expanded the range of courses to include the excellent 2 yr full-time Edexcel BTEC courses in,FilmPhotographyJournalism...
(NMTC) is the leading media training provider in Ireland. NMTC is in award-winning College accredited by the European Broadcasting Union.
Internet
Despite the large number of technology companies located in Ireland and its image as a high-tech country, internet penetration in Ireland lags behind many Western countries. Broadband access remains a particular problem: in September 2006 it was estimated that only 8% of Irish homes had broadband access, placing it 9th worst in the European Union. Ireland's dispersed settlement pattern is partly to blame and some rural areas have no broadband providers other than expensive satellite services.A government backed website enables prospective broadband users to check which providers are available in their area: http://www.broadband.gov.ie/.
Ireland has a number of web-only news sites, mainly concentrating on business news, such as Businessandleadership.com, Siliconrepublic.com, Businessworld.ie and Insideireland.ie. Irishhealth.com also has a dedicated news section.
Eircom
Eircom
Eircom Group LTD is a telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland, and a former state-owned incumbent. It is currently the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic of Ireland and operates primarily on the island of Ireland, with a point of presence in Great Britain.As Bord...
is the main Internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, providing dial-up as well as broadband services. BT Ireland
BT Ireland
BT Communications Limited is a telecommunications and internet company in Ireland. It is a subsidiary of BT Group plc.-Esat Telecom:The company was founded in 1990 by Denis O'Brien, and was originally known as Esat Telecom...
's Internet subsidiary, Ireland On-Line
Ireland On-Line
Ireland On-Line is a large ISP in the Republic of Ireland, and is owned by BT Ireland. The largest internet service in Ireland is eircom. It was the first commercial internet service provider in the state. The company is one of Ireland's largest ISPs and offers email in addition to other Internet...
, is the other major player in broadband Internet provision, and also has a large number of dial-up subscribers. Other broadband providers include cable operator UPC
UPC Ireland
UPC Ireland is Liberty Global Europe's telecommunications operation in Ireland. UPC Ireland is the largest digital cable television provider within the Republic of Ireland. As of September 2010 the company offers broadband internet, digital television and digital telephony to over 531,000 customers...
, wireless suppliers Digiweb
Digiweb
Digiweb is a telecommunications company in Ireland, supplying business and consumer broadband and web hosting.Digiweb is 100% Irish owned and run, and is headquartered in Dundalk, County Louth with its technical, installation and sales offices in Dublin....
(Broadband & Phone), Irish Broadband
Irish Broadband
Irish Broadband is a telecommunications company in Ireland providing wireless broadband services.In April 2008, Imagine Communications Group acquired Irish Broadband from National Toll Roads and Kilsaran Concrete...
, and Clearwire
Clearwire
Clearwire Corporation is a wireless internet service provider serving markets in the United States, Belgium, and Spain...
and communications operator Magnet.
External links
- Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 dealing with Digital Terrestrial TV and digital switchover and regulation. April 12, 2007. An Act establishing the BAI and update TV license legislation is expected in 2008.
- The commencement of the Act by the previous Minister for Communications, Ireland
- Info on ComReg's role
- http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Broadcasting+Legislation/ The Irish Government Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources website, section on broadcasting acts in the Republic of Ireland
- http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0765.pdf Consultation on DTT Multiplexes, Commission for Communications Regulation (radiowave spectrum regulator).
- http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0790.pdf Commission for Communications Regulation, "Response to Licensing Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90
- http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0790a.pdf Commission for Communications Regulation, " License for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90a.
- http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0790b.pdf Commission for Communications Regulation, "Technical Conditions for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90b.
- http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/PR091107.pdf Commission for Communications Regulation, "ComReg published License framework for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document: PR09 1107.
- http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single9607 Silicon Republic.com "DTT licences will cost operators €114k", by John Kennedy