This week the Broadcasting Authority (BAI) announced their contract negotiations with all three potential operators of digital terrestrial television (DTT) have now failed.
The process started over two years ago with the award of the licence in principal to Boxer, the combined Denis O’Brien Communicorp and Swedish Boxer group. After a year they withdrew from the process citing the economy and breakdown of negotiations with RTÉ as reasons.
The licence was then offered to the runners-up, OneVision, the Eircom/TV3 consortium. After another year they too withdrew also citing breakdown of negotiations …

Last week a general email discussion has been going on talking about the costs of broadcasting online versus one-to-many broadcasting with FM or DAB.
JP Coakley, Director of Operations at RTÉ Radio made some very good points which I’m sharing with his permission. Please note these are JP’s personal thoughts and not necessarily those of RTÉ.
First things first. Let’s not demonise either side. This is neither a question of New Media refuseniks who are unable to see the tidal wave of the web coming toward them as they hold to a …

RTÉ have announced an expansion of their DAB transmission network which will see DAB coverage reaching over half of the Irish population.
Currently RTÉ’s DAB transmission network includes sites in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Clermon Carn Co.Louth serving many of Irelands main cities.
Now a new transmitter located on the Kippure transmission site will bring DAB to many of the midland counties including Kildare, Laois, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath. Broadcasting will commence before Christmas.
A map of the new broadcast area is available here and the accompanying RTÉ press release is below;
RTÉ Radio …

Short article in todays Irish Independent about where DAB is in Ireland. Though development of the platform has effectively stalled here, there are some very positive indications in the article.
RTÉ are as keen as ever to get the commericials involved, though it’s interesting to note they want them involved on RTÉ’s own DAB platform. My personal opinion is that this will never happen.
For the commercials, the IBI and UTV Radio appear to consider DAB as part of the future, but absolutely not a priority under the current economic climate.
For our …

Boxer’s withdrawal from DTT in Ireland hasn’t exactly been met with tears.The current and anticipated economic climate were reasons cited for Boxer pulling out of DTT but the real killer was a request from RTÉ for a €20m bond to operate the digital transmission network.
Within the industry the general feeling here is that neither the economic climate nor transmission fees are the problem but a realisation that a terrestrial pay TV option just will not work. I tend to agree for three strong reasons;
Firstly Ireland already enjoys over 75% digital …

Slightly off topic but the PPI Radio Awards were held last night in Kilkenny.  Usually the bitchiness stays at the awards but sometimes it creeps out in public as you’ll see in this spectacular example from RTE (note the last line);
RTÉ were the big winners at the 2008 PPI Radio Awards.
The broadcaster collected nine awards including news broadcaster of the year, news programme of the year and best drama.
The award ceremony was held in Kilkenny last night.
RTÉ Radio One was named national station of the year, while RTÉ radio presenter …

The new Broadcasting Bill 2008 was published today which the Minister describes as significantly changing the broadcasting landscape in Ireland.
The main headlines are the scrapping of the BCI and BCC to establish a new single content regulator to be known as the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Two new free-to-air television services, Oireachtas TV and an Irish movie channel, are to be established and it includes a “right of reply” mechanism for members of the public.
However, hidden away from the headlines are three sections of interest to us.
The first, Section …

Yesterday, another small piece of radio history was made when RTE closed down it’s final Medium Wave transmitter.
It was first put into service 75 years ago to give national radio coverage to the Eucharistic Conference which was hosted by Ireland in 1933.  Since then, if it didn’t put Athlone on the map, it certainly put it on radio dial with the towns name proudly displayed on many a tuning dial from the 40′s through to the 70′s.  Then in 1975 the 100kw monster was moved to  Tullamore where it broadcast …

Photo Nathaniel Ziering
Blimey RTE are quick!
I was only in Cork last week giving a talk to journalist students about DAB and based on a recent newspaper article told them all with conviction that DAB was coming to Cork before the end of the year. They blinkin’ well have it today!
RTE have turned on their DAB transmitter from Spur Hill which will give good coverage to the city. Sadly it’s only Mux One so no commercial services yet but lots of new RTE content including the rolling news and sports …