Setanta Ireland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Setanta Ireland
Setanta Sports logo
Launched 2006
Owned by Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Ltd
Picture format 576i (SDTV 16:9)
1080i (HDTV 16:9)
Audience share 0.4% Red Arrow Down.svg (31/12/2010, [1])
Country Ireland
Formerly called Setanta Sports
Sister channel(s) Setanta Sports 1
Website [1]
Availability
Satellite
SCTV Digital
Sky Channel 423 (ROI and NI)
Cable
UPC Ireland Channel 105 & 401
Channel 412 (HD)

Setanta Sports Ireland (English pronunciation: /sɛˈtæntə/) is a subscription based Irish sports channel featuring local and international sporting events. The channel is available on some basic cable packages in the Republic of Ireland, while it is available upon direct subscription to the Setanta Sports package on other networks across Ireland. Its sister channel is the subscription based network Setanta Sports 1.

Contents

[edit] History

  • Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to Irish expatriates
  • More recently the network has expanded and it now broadcasts an extensive array of top live sporting events aimed at international English-speaking audiences
  • Setanta Ireland's CEO is Niall Cogley, former Director of Sport at RTÉ

The company's headquarters is 4th Floor, Georges Quay House, 43 Townsend Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Joint Group CEOs Michael O'Rourke and Leonard Ryan, COO Mark O'Meara and CFO Nigel Brennan are all based in that area

  • The name 'Setanta', comes from the name of the ancient Irish Warrior 'Setanta' from Ulster who frequently played the oldest known field sport, hurling, and who was later given the name 'Cúchulainn' as described in the ancient Irish texts of the 'Annals of Ulster'

[edit] Programming

As of June 2011, Setanta Ireland has begun to air music programming and Irish films as part of its line-up.[2]

  • The Hub
  • UEFA Champions League
  • On the Limit Sports
  • Greyhound View
  • Global Football
  • FIM Weekly
  • GAA on Setanta
  • Heads Up Tournament
  • MLS
  • Serie A Italy
  • Barclays Premier League
  • National Rugby League (NRL) from Australia
  • MotoGP

[edit] New ownership

As of 27 July 2009 the ownership structure of Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Limited (previously Setanta Sports Ireland Ltd) has changed. Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Limited is now co-owned by Gaiety Investments (60% share) with the remaining 40% share made up by Sabloss Limited. The main shareholders in Sabloss are Michael O’Rourke, Leonard Ryan and Mark O’Meara. Sabloss has also purchased 100% of the shares in Setanta Sports North America Limited. Both Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Limited and Setanta Sports North America Limited are licenced by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.[3]

[edit] Setanta HD

Setanta HD Logo

Setanta HD, a simulcast of Setanta Ireland in high-definition (HD), was added to UPC Ireland on 23 November 2010 with an official launch held four days later.[4] Setanta Sports is the Republic of Ireland's first indigenous broadcaster to use HD.[5] The channel is available on UPC Ireland channel 412, with a launch on satellite planned at a later date.[6]

Setanta had previously hoped to have a high-definition channel launched by August 2008, in time for the 2008–09 Premier League season.[7]

[edit] Setanta Goals

As of October 2010 Setanta Sports will launch an app for the iPhone and a ‘Setanta Goals’ service for other mobile phones and BlackBerrys, with a version of the app for Android phones to follow.[6]

[edit] Availability

Setanta Sports offers commercial venues in several countries around the world programming of sports such as football (soccer), Gaelic football, hurling, golf, cricket, rugby union and rugby league and boxing

[edit] Ireland

In Ireland, Setanta Sports' Channels are available on a number of different platforms. Its flagship Channel Setanta Ireland is available for free on UPC Ireland's basic cable package and as a subscription service on Sky. With subscribers receive the two Setanta Sports channels — Setanta Sports Ireland, Setanta Sports 1.

[edit] Recent developments

Setanta Sports GB including joint venture Setanta Sports News and other channels ceased trading at 18:00 on 22 June 2009 with the loss of jobs by staff associated with that section of the business following its difficulty in completing rights holder payments.[8] Following evaluation over the weekend and on Monday 21 June 2009 it agreed to the appointment as board of Setanta Sports Holdings of Deloitte as administrators to the GB business.

However other parts of the business that are profitable such as Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland[9] continue to trade and transmit, with only some content affected by the UK operation. They continue receiving subscriptions and so forth as going concerns following expressions of interest by various companies.[10]

Those Setanta Sports operations still trading are:

  • Ireland[9] (Setanta 1 and Setanta Ireland only)
  • USA[11]
  • Canada[12]
  • Australia[13]

It has been reported by The Irish Times and RTE News that UPC Ireland and MCD music promoter Denis Desmond are interested in purchasing Setanta channels in Ireland.[14]

On 30 June 2009, it was reported by the Irish Independent that the original owners of Setanta Sports and Denis Desmond have come to an agreement to continue to own and operate Setanta Ireland.[15]

On 16 July 2009, it was reported that Setanta Sports Ireland have bought the rights to air 33 live games from the UK's Premier League.[16]

On 19 July 2009, it was reported that Setanta Sports Ireland would make 21 employees redundant[17] though with the opportunity to be reemployed in the near future.

On 28 July 2009, it was confirmed that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has approved that the new ownership of Setanta Sports in Ireland and Setanta Sports in North America. A new deal between BCI and Setanta Sports will see Setanta Ireland and Setanta Sports 1 continue to air exclusively to Irish audiences.[3]

[edit] OneVision Irish DTT license application

On 1 May 2009, Fintan Drury, chairperson of the OneVision consortium made up of TV3 Group, Arqiva, Eircom and Setanta Sports, announced that OneVision is to enter negotiations with the BCI with the view to take over operations of the pay DTT service.[18] If negotiations are deemed successful it may see the launch of DTT in late 2009/early 2010 at a proposed operation cost of €40 million. OneVision aspires to offer 23 channels coinciding with the free-to-air channels.[19] For more one OneVision see article One Vision (DTT). It is Setanta Ireland that is part of the Onevision DTT Consortium and its new ownership structure could be perceived as being positive for the Onevision consortium DTT plans.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Media Live". Medialive2.com. http://www.medialive2.com/television/channel-share-of-viewing/channel-share-of-viewing.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26.  Registration required
  2. ^ "Setanta Sports gives Irish films a try-out". The Irish Times. 1 July 2011. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2011/0701/1224299837529.html. 
  3. ^ a b "BCI approves Ownership changes at Setanta Sports Channel Ireland and signs 2 new satellite content contracts with Setanta Companies". Press Release. Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. 2009-07-28. http://www.bci.ie/news_information/press230.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  4. ^ "Setanta HD launches tomorrow". Business and Leadership. 26 November 2010. http://www.businessandleadership.com/marketing/item/26926-setanta-hd-launches-tomorro. 
  5. ^ "Setanta scores a first in high-definition revolution". Irish Independent. 16 September 2010. http://www.independent.ie/business/media/setanta-scores-a-first-in-highdefinition-revolution-2339299.html. 
  6. ^ a b "Setanta becomes the first Irish channel to go HD". Setanta Sports. 16 September 2010. http://www.setanta.com/ie/Customer-Info-Articles/SETANTA-BECOMES-FIRST-IRISH-CHANNEL-TO-GO-HD/gnid-77051/. 
  7. ^ Welsh, James (2007-12-06). "Setanta, Sky spar over high def channel". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/broadcasting/a81234/setanta-sky-spar-over-high-def-channel.html. Retrieved 25 March 2010. 
  8. ^ "Setanta Sports GB is no longer trading". Setanta Sports. 2009-06-23. http://www.setanta.com/global/gb.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  9. ^ a b "Setanta Sports Ireland Home". Setanta Sports. http://www.setanta.com/ie/. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  10. ^ Hancock, Ciarán (2009-06-24). "NTL parent interested in Setanta's Irish arm". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0624/1224249415370.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  11. ^ "Setanta Sports USA Homepage: Setanta Sports has ceased to broadcast in the USA and the Caribbean.". Setanta Sports. http://www.setanta.com/us/. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  12. ^ "Setanta Sports Canada Homepage". Setanta Sports. http://www.setanta.com/ca/. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  13. ^ "Setanta Sports Australia Homepage". Setanta Sports. http://www.setanta.com/au/. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  14. ^ "Liberty Global looking at Setanta's Irish arm". RTÉ Business (RTÉ). 2009-06-24. http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0624/setanta-business.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  15. ^ Noonan, Laura (2009-06-30). "Setanta Ireland buyout deal agreed". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/business/media/setanta-ireland-buyout-deal-agreed-1797260.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  16. ^ Hancock, Ciarán (2009-07-16). "Setanta secures Premier League package for screening here". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0716/1224250761537.html. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  17. ^ Sweeney, E, Ken (2009-07-19). "Setanta Sports Ireland to make 21 workers redundant". Irish Tribune. http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2009/jul/19/setanta-sports-ireland-to-make-21-workers-redundan/. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  18. ^ Noonan, Laura (2009-05-02). "OneVision sets sights on paid-for TV project". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/onevision-sets-sights-on-paidfor-tv-project-1726759.html. Retrieved 2009-06-23. 
  19. ^ "OneVision wants DTT licence". The Irish Times. 2009-05-01. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0501/1224245754008.html. Retrieved 23 June 2009. 
Terrestrial

Analogue: RTÉ One · RTÉ Two · TV3 · TG4 · Digital: · RTÉ News Now · 3e · RTÉ One +1 · RTÉjr · HD: RTÉ Two HD

BBC One NI · BBC Two NI · UTV · UTV +1 · UTV HD · Channel 4 · Channel 5
Cable/Satellite
Oireachtas TV · Setanta Ireland · Setanta Sports 1 · Setanta HD
Local/Community
Internet
Video on Demand (VoD)
Future/Planned
Defunct
Buzz TV · Smile TV · MiTV
Channels with Irish advertising
E4 · E4 +1 · Sky1 · Sky Living · Comedy Central · Comedy Central +1 · Comedy Central Extra · Universal Channel · Sky News · Discovery Channel · Sky Sports 1 · Sky Sports 2 · Sky Sports News · E! · Nickelodeon · Nick Jr. · MTV

[edit] External links
General channels
Former channels
Football
Racing
International channels
Sports competitions
sponsored by Setanta
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Setanta_Ireland&oldid=472710070"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export