Comments on: DTT FTA?

By: tazus

tazus — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:15:33 +0000

People!! are you living in the 21st century!!?? What’s wrong with you?
you all know very well that the tv license, now days, is another lame excuse, for the government to raise funds from the poor us…yes it made sense in the 1930, 40, 50’s until the 1990… when in this country were just a few people and for a national tv station to run, the people needed to help out( and it made sense ), but now, we are at in the 21st century, battle of the fittest!! hello!! what ever happened with the right to free, uncensored information, the right to access this information freely and at whatever time you want??? we have the right to choose, a freedom of choice, there is not only the national tv station, we have other choices, if the national tv can not manage themselves than good luck and nice knowing you. But don’t ask the people to chip in, when we have so much choice.
tv licensee? a licensee for a TV?? you realize the times we are living now are much different then the time that this law was issued!? is like that law in England where in some particular time of the day, on a particular street in London you could kill a Scott and get away with it. Yeah …That old!!
You do realize that the national tv stations are making their monies from other sides and not the tv license …i.e. commercials…yeah a good example!! if I pay for a a national tv station to survive I expect that I am not going to be cluttered with people that are trying to sell me things that I don’t need.
we should all stop paying this ridiculous tax!!

By: Seo Catháin

Seo Catháin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:04:25 +0000

Pricewar begins. Both UPC & Sky have dropped their offering to €20. Sky’s prices could increase in September though says the website. Another two weeks for the DTT decision. Three strong bids. I think Onevision have the edge, given the UK dimension, that Setanta & Arquiva are strong. Boxer have commercial experience, Easy has solid backers, DTT is mutually beneficial for them. In fact DTT may be part of UPCs future as cable gets squeezed out. But I would think, its proposed offering, DSO approach, free channels offer, simple tiering, and most experienced history will give it the edge (Arquiva is over 40 years in the TV market and involved in UK ASO).

Still, I would expect UPC to make a play for Eircom and buy into Onevision should they lose. Alternatively, Communicorp might go after Eircom also and buy in. Boxer are stalling in Swedish subscriber growth for DTT at the mo.

By: Seo Catháin

Seo Catháin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:47:38 +0000

Yea, Declan. My thought is that they drop off Sky but do a deal on combo DTT-Sat boxes.That would be clever of them. But would that lead to a complaint by Sky to the EC on unfair competitive practise with State-Aid? I don’t think RTE NL is TV license funded though as it gives telecoms, TG4 and TV3 carriage so it might not. Sure would undermine Sky’s Irish offering. Would save Sky transponder costs, but could allow commercial DTT in the sky door unless Sky insist on FTA DTT combo box. Also I expect UK FTA RTE International on FTA sky so that somewhat satisfies Sky even if RTE dropped off. I think since people will buy DTT boxes anyways that why not Sky do a combo & save themselves transponder costs and get commission on commercial DTT. But they’d probably insist on FTA DTT only combo not to undermine their subs. So combo could be good for them and great convience for the customer and free UK terrestrials. I think UPC could be screwed unless they do similar. If they win commercial DTT they’re laughing of course then. Otherwise DTT will kill them off due to no fta cable.

I gather they did deal, that Sky provide free carriage. So ain’t costing them to be on unlike BBC-ITV who have to pay.

By: declan

declan — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:45:00 +0000

I use analogue tv aerial [RTE, TV3, TG4] and FTA sat,[40+channels], if an RTE, TV3 C I card were available with tv licence, access to our channels could be restricted.
If RTE, TV3 were pulled from Sky, demand for Sky would be reduced significantly [BBC,ITV &C4 on freeview] and it would give DTT a greater chance of success. If only 4 channels are available FTA on DTT it could well drive more subscribers into the hands of Sky/NTL, [no analouge alternative]. Channel 6, Setanta and others should be encouraged to join FTA DTT [opportunity for other Irish channels].
RTE etc is a very big plus to Sky in selling its product here, most of the other main channels with the exception of sports channels are free, a fact most people are not aware of,so why should RTE,TV3 pay anything to Sky

By: Seo Cathain

Seo Cathain — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:49:38 +0000

Correction. I meant state board should not compete with commercial broadcasters for advertising spend. Also meant the profit from sponsored ads which worked for Bubble Hits would add to the grant the IFB recieves from government that can be added to the grant for the Irish Film Sector thus keeping IFC not for profit. Just thought to correct interpretation of the above post.

By: Seo Cathain

Seo Cathain — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:47:01 +0000

On the Irish Film Channel, the issue with ads is that it would take revenue of the the market for commercial broadcasters. Understandable to avoid that. But sponsored films surely is maybe a runner. An opportunity to supplement the grant to the IFB surely can’t be missed. Okay understandable as state board that it should compete with commercial broadcasters for advertising spend. But sponsored films may provide some revenue to at least cover the cost of the channels operating costs and add a little profit to the grant available to Irish Film Sector?

By: Seo Cathain

Seo Cathain — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:37:15 +0000

Yip, as we read Michael from the the Boxer bid on at http://www.bci.ie/DTT/boxer/licencea_section5_acquistionofprogmaterial.pdf the plan of BBC Ireland and ITV Ireland will surely have advertising opt-ins. Thus you can argue why should Irish broadcasters be denied it. Okay for RTE-TG4 they already get the TV license and advertising already for Irish programming but instead of TV license increases the allowance of advertising on the channel particularly as this channel would go onto the USA where it would have a market also would support more Irish programming. From what I have read about DTV for my DTT dissertation research, DTT will bring fragmentation of audiences and as much challenge to the market as it will bring opportunities. Any assistance we can give Irish broadcasters then we should, be that also the Irish commercial broadcasting sector and RTE and TG4 alike. Exactly. RTE’s archive channel could be an additional channel to this. That way we can have a boquet of Irish channels. ie Oireachtais TV, Ireland One, RTE 4, Irish Kids Channel.

I suspect that if this suggestion doesn’t get the go ahead that perhaps TV3 will do something similar with City Channels, Channel 6 and itself for the UK market. But for now can’t they work together and then when Irish programming is built up over a few years then they can go their own way on the satellite platform.

PS, Oireachtas TV is now FTA. Am picking up on my usb stick and also when I take the card out of the trial box. You know something, when you email helpfully, people do listen if you have something reasonable to say. Eh, cynics are lazy and well the tabloids…hehe the Irish Sun urging a no vote with an Irish babe on the front…Well we could expect that of a UK paper eh! I wonder on what grounds? Have they even read the changes…so much apparent mistruth by the No side that I did not find in the very readable Institute of International and European Affairs consolidated treaties. Yet another referendum of No-ers scaring people about EU army.

By: Michael O'Brien

Michael O'Brien — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:27:10 +0000

Interesting topic being covered. I think an ALL Ireland TV channel for the UK etc including programmes from RTE/TV3/UTV and BBCNI. Allow adverts to at least cover the cost of running the channel. Suggested line up could be Ireland AM, Factual shows, RTE news at 1, Afternoon show, Kids progs, TV3 news at 5.30, Xpose, Nationwide, Fair City, RTE 9 o’clock news, Late Late, Tubridy, TV3 Sports Tonight etc. Obviously these programmes broadcast at set times and other programmes would be broadcast in between. There ye go, a ready made Irish TV Channel for the UK etc.

By: Seo Catháin

Seo Catháin — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:06:49 +0000

Well that is a good solution. But problem Wesley is that the bidders aren’t really looking ahead. They’re looking at holding all the muxes, continuing with the status co and making money from a new platform. I think the solution is to give BBC and ITV a mux to relay their channels and let BBC NI and UTV make a few bob from the diaspora channel ads. Of course UTV are already on satellite. That would really help DTT. Then make money on the other two muxes. 2 tiers, basic for €9.99 and either Sky or Setanta Sports for €9.99 or both for €17.99.

Boxers tiers is like Sky’s but adds complexity and people don’t like complexity. Othewise split up the basic tier into kids, news, docs for €2.99 per month each tier.

FTA Uk TV is essential for Pay DTT. I don’t think the DTT consortiums get this. I think its not up to the BCI to resolve that. They’re a regulator. Its up to the winning bidder to do so. They’ll see themesleves failing on the charge and find that they’ll have to go to the BBC and ITV, better do now & lose market share that’s hard to recover than do later.

By: Wesley

Wesley — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:15:27 +0000

also, can I just say, I have a HD JVC tv, with a built in digital tuner and a common interface slot for any future pay tv on DTT that requires a card (like setanta or top up tv). I also fully intend to get a Freesat HD PVR box when they are released in June (currently I use an old sky digibox for Freesat, works fine). Surely this is enough for anyone to have a full free tv service with the option of having pay tv and sports without having to be tied to one provider. as long as setanta, if they are on the DTT platform, provide the same, no annual contract, offering as they do on the British DTT platform