UTV (TV channel)

UTV to expand to All of Ireland by 2015

• Report rights infringement
• published: 09 Nov 2013
• views: 4610

UTV bosses have insisted that they are aiming to be the "first choice" for television viewers in Ireland, going head-to-head with mainstream competitors with their plans to launch a new station. UTV Ireland is expected to go on air early in 2015, based in Dublin and with additional newsgathering and reporting presences in Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick. More than 100 new jobs will be created. An application for a service licence was submitted to regulators at the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland early on Wednesday, with details revealed at a later press conference in Dublin. UTV expects to hear before the end of the year if it has been successful, but UTV Television Managing Director Michael Wilson said he was "100% certain" that the plans would go ahead. He told UTV Live Tonight: "Today's announcement will give more choice to the audience in Ireland. They already have very good service from RTÉ and from TV3. We believe there's room for a third, strong public service channel in Ireland." We aim to be the first choice for viewers in Ireland and that's our goal. Michael Wilson, UTV UTV was the first commercial television channel in Ireland when it launched as part of the ITV Network in 1959. Michael Wilson added: "We intend to introduce UTV Ireland in early 2015, utilising the existing UTV winning formula of combining high quality news, current affairs, entertainment and drama. "We plan to make this new channel available on as many platforms as possible, subject to contract approval, with a catch-up service also available online." UTV Media plc Group Chief Executive John McCann emphasised UTV's commitment to the development. "The audience in Ireland has known the UTV brand for more than 50 years through our station for Northern Ireland," he said. "UTV Media already has a very strong presence in the Republic of Ireland, employing more than 300 people in our various businesses - including our market-leading Irish radio stations. "We look forward to building on that success with the launch of a new Irish TV channel." The announcement came after a deal was signed with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, giving UTV exclusive broadcasting rights in the Republic for hit shows like Coronation Street and Emmerdale from early 2015. UTV is also planning a nightly one-hour news and current affairs programme for Ireland. Today's announcement represents a strong vote of confidence in Irish broadcasting and our investment in the Irish economy. John McCann, UTV Media plc UTV has described the move as one of the biggest investments that the group has ever made and the most important announcement by UTV Television since the launch of UTV in 1959. Irish Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has welcomed the investment. "One has to be positive about it, it's more competition," he said, ahead of a meeting with UTV executives on Wednesday. "There will be challenges. There's no doubt about this decision - UTV is well established on the island of Ireland, their reputation is well known - but we're a small market. There are finite resources." In a statement, Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ said: "The very clear commercial aspirations for this channel only serve to emphasise the need for Ireland to have a strong public service media organisation. "The application for a new channel from UTV is at the very early stages of consideration and we await the outcome of those deliberations with interest." Lecturer in Media Communications at Cork Institute of Technology, Frank O'Donovan, said the plans presented increased opportunities for students. "This'll be great news for our students. It'll provide job opportunities particularly in regional areas and I think they'll be delighted with this new development," he said. "Now that UTV have come into the frame, things are likely to change - hopefully, there'll be more of an eye cast down towards Cork and towards the regions."