RTÉ International
Encyclopedia
RTÉ International is the working title
of an international television service, to be created by the national broadcaster of Ireland
, Raidió Teilifís Éireann
(RTÉ), when economic conditions improve.
The channel is expected to offer programmes from RTÉ One
, Two
and , including education, drama, comedy, music, news and current affairs. This includes The All Ireland Talent Show
, Dragons' Den
and The Late Late Show
. The Oireachtas
(parliament) has passed legislation requiring that RTÉ supply international service to suit the needs of Irish citizens living abroad, along with other new digital RTÉ channels.
Launch in United Kingdom
was expected in March 2009. (RTÉ's domestic channels are already available on Sky and Virgin Media
in Northern Ireland
, but not to Great Britain
, owing to rights restrictions.) There are also plans to launch the channel in Central Europe
and North America.
A similar service aired from 1996 until 2002 operated by a now-defunct cable and satellite channel, Tara Television
. This channel was carried on Sky
in the United Kingdom and on a small number of cable television services. The channel was 75% owned by UPC, RTÉ owned the remaining 25%. It was claimed by RTÉ that the channel could not pay royalty payments due to RTÉ for their programming. Despite a last minute deal between Setanta Sports
and UPC, Tara closed down, leaving Irish viewers in Britain without access to Irish television. Setanta then considered themselves creating a direct replacement channel carrying the best of RTÉ TV in Britain during 2004, but this did not materialise.
A Liberal Democrat
councillor, of Irish extraction, Martin Curry, is seeking to have RTÉ International carried on the digital terrestrial television service, Freeview, if Sky removes its channels from Freeview, rather than allowing Sky to use the bandwidth for subscription television. However, this is unlikely to happen as limited capacity on Freeview generally prevents the broadcasting of minority channels during main daytime/peak time hours.
On 17 March 2008, Eamon Ryan
the Minister for Communications announced the launch of RTÉ International under the new working title of Diaspora TV. On 4 June 2008 The Irish Post
reported that the channel would not in fact be named Diaspora TV and will keep the RTÉ International name, they also added that the channel may be operational ahead of the previously scheduled launch date of 17 March 2009. On 2 November 2008, RTÉ postponed the planned launch, citing straitened financial circumstances. The broadcaster wrote to Eamon Ryan during October claiming that it would be “unwise” for it to continue with the plan. RTÉ said it intended to honour the commitment in the 2007 Broadcasting Act
and hoped to launch the station by the end of 2009. A spokeswoman for Eamon Ryan said the decision to postpone the launch of the channel was “a reflection of the financial realities in Ireland and worldwide”. She said the minister is committed to the idea of RTÉ International and that it could be a “brilliant product” similar to BBC World News.
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
of an international television service, to be created by the national broadcaster of Ireland
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,...
, Raidió Teilifís 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...
(RTÉ), when economic conditions improve.
The channel is expected to offer programmes from 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...
, 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...
and , including education, drama, comedy, music, news and current affairs. This includes The All Ireland Talent Show
The All Ireland Talent Show
The All Ireland Talent Show was an RTÉ television series billed as Ireland's biggest-ever talent contest. It was first announced in November 2008 and the first series commenced broadcasting on 4 January 2009, completing on 15 March 2009. Modelled on Britain's Got Talent, it is produced by Tyrone...
, Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den is a series of reality television programmes featuring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas in order to secure investment finance from a panel of venture capitalists. The show originated in Japan as "Manē no Tora"...
and The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
. The Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
(parliament) has passed legislation requiring that RTÉ supply international service to suit the needs of Irish citizens living abroad, along with other new digital RTÉ channels.
Launch in 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...
was expected in March 2009. (RTÉ's domestic channels are already available on Sky and Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
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...
, but not to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, owing to rights restrictions.) There are also plans to launch the channel in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and North America.
A similar service aired from 1996 until 2002 operated by a now-defunct cable and satellite channel, Tara Television
Tara Television
Tara Television was an Irish cable and satellite channel aimed primarily at the Irish Diaspora living in Britain, it was set up in 1996 and began broadcasting a year later before being finally wound up in April 2002 by the High Court....
. This channel was carried on Sky
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
in the United Kingdom and on a small number of cable television services. The channel was 75% owned by UPC, RTÉ owned the remaining 25%. It was claimed by RTÉ that the channel could not pay royalty payments due to RTÉ for their programming. Despite a last minute deal between Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
and UPC, Tara closed down, leaving Irish viewers in Britain without access to Irish television. Setanta then considered themselves creating a direct replacement channel carrying the best of RTÉ TV in Britain during 2004, but this did not materialise.
A Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
councillor, of Irish extraction, Martin Curry, is seeking to have RTÉ International carried on the digital terrestrial television service, Freeview, if Sky removes its channels from Freeview, rather than allowing Sky to use the bandwidth for subscription television. However, this is unlikely to happen as limited capacity on Freeview generally prevents the broadcasting of minority channels during main daytime/peak time hours.
On 17 March 2008, Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan
Eamon Ryan is an Irish politician and leader of the Irish Green Party. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South constituency from 2002 to 2011, and served as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2007 to 2011....
the Minister for Communications announced the launch of RTÉ International under the new working title of Diaspora TV. On 4 June 2008 The Irish Post
The Irish Post
The Irish Post is a UK Newspaper for the Irish community in Britain. It was founded by the late journalist Breandán Mac Lua and Tony Beatty, a businessman from County Waterford. Thomas Crosbie Holdings acquired the paper in 2003...
reported that the channel would not in fact be named Diaspora TV and will keep the RTÉ International name, they also added that the channel may be operational ahead of the previously scheduled launch date of 17 March 2009. On 2 November 2008, RTÉ postponed the planned launch, citing straitened financial circumstances. The broadcaster wrote to Eamon Ryan during October claiming that it would be “unwise” for it to continue with the plan. RTÉ said it intended to honour the commitment in the 2007 Broadcasting Act
Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007
The Broadcasting Act 2007 is an Act of the Oireachtas .It deals with Irish Analogue broadcasting systems and the amendment of legislation on Digital Terrestrial Television dating back to 2001. This act amends previous acts, in particular the Broadcasting Act 2001...
and hoped to launch the station by the end of 2009. A spokeswoman for Eamon Ryan said the decision to postpone the launch of the channel was “a reflection of the financial realities in Ireland and worldwide”. She said the minister is committed to the idea of RTÉ International and that it could be a “brilliant product” similar to BBC World News.