Channel 6 (Ireland)

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"Channel 6" redirects here. For other uses, see Channel 6 (disambiguation).


Channel 6
Launched	30 March 2006
Owned by	Channel 6 Broadcasting Limited
Website	channel6.ie
Availability
Cable
NTL Ireland (Analogue)	256MHz (Dublin) Varies in Waterford and Galway
NTL Ireland (Digital)	106
Chorus (Analogue)	256MHz (Dublin) Varies in Waterford and Galway

Channel 6, also marketed as Six, is an Irish cable and satellite television operation, currently available on the Dublin, Galway, and Waterford cable systems formerly owned by NTL, and the nationwide Chorus digital platform (both owned by Liberty Global). It is also available on some, though not every, Chorus analogue platform, including Cork and Limerick.

The Channel 6 website led to some confusion over the launch date. Initially the website holding image mentioned an April 2006 launch, but this referred to the launch date of the website, and not of the actual channel itself. The channel launched at 8pm on March 30, 2006, while promotional reels began airing on NTL Digital from March 26, 2006. The website launch coincided with the programming launch and its content includes channel listings and information on the channel and its programmes.

1 Background
2 Company Information
3 Programming
4 Launch
5 List of Channel 6 programmes
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Background

The channel was initially only licenced by Ofcom in the UK for Sky Digital operation, and as such would have been operating as a semi-pirate in broadcasting to Ireland. However, the BCI has granted the station a cable and MMDS broadcasting licence, and its Ofcom licence has been withdrawn.

Despite these initial plans, the channel did not debut on Sky Digital in the Republic of Ireland due to a dispute with Sky on where the channel should appear on the EPG. Presumably, the dispute with Sky was to do with channel 106. as channel 106 was used for NTL, and channel 6, was used for Chorus, it is presumable that the channel 106, was requested for Sky also. However the channel 106 is currently occupied by Sky's flagship channel Sky One, while 107 and 108 used for Sky Two and Three respectively, which would have made a move difficult. Prior to launch, reports also indicated that Channel 6 had been offered a 'late 200s' EPG slot, which channel bosses suggested in media reports would 'devalue the brand'. It was also reported that EPG slot 105 (unoccupied in the Sky Ireland EPG) was sought by Channel 6, but refused by Sky. (This was possibly because UTV ultimately have ambitions to join the Sky Ireland system officially.) The channel launched on Chorus and NTL only. It is estimated that of the 1.2 million people inside Channel 6's 15-34-year-old target market, about half will be able to view the channel. Although it is presumed that at some later stage the channel will launch on Sky, there have been no significant developments regarding their dispute. The channel is carried on SES SIRIUS for distribution to regional cable head-ends, encrypted in Cryptoworks.

Its backers include the Gowan Group, a motor dealership chain, and Barrys, a food and beverages company.

Channel 6 is one of the few free-to-view channels on NTL digital (channels which are viewable without a subscription to the digital service/without a authorisation card inserted).

[edit] Company Information

Channel 6's first Managing Director was Martin Drake. Prior to taking up this position, Martin was Director of Finance for Discovery Networks Europe with responsibilities spanning 6 offices across the major European TV markets. In addition to this, he had also held senior management positions at the BBC and Five in the UK, and at Orbit Satellite TV Network in Italy. Martin Drake however left the company after less than 3 months. His departure was described as "quite amicable" [1].

Channel 6's current Managing Director is Mark Kellett. He joined the company in June 2006 from Yahoo Europe where he served as Chief Financial Officer. His background in mainly in the hi-tech sector.

The Channel 6 logo was designed by Dynamo, a Dublin based creative team.

[edit] Programming

The channel will produce up to 16 hours of locally produced programming with the remainder being made up of North American, Central European and Australian shows.

The channel is targeting the 15-34 year olds in the Irish market. Unlike the other Irish channels, there is no news service (and no current plans for one).

Channel 6 airs a number of locally produced programmes, the vast majority of which are commissions made by Intermission Studios; these include the alternative music show, Night Shift, and the computer gaming show, Game On. In addition to Night Shift and Game On the other home produced shows on Channel 6 are the daily pop music show Popscene, the Irish version of Access Hollywood, a movie review show called Take Six and the official Irish chart show Pop20 which is produced by Old Hat, who also produced TV3's movie show Popcorn.

Channel 6 has a deal with CBS Paramount on distribution of some of its big shows on Irish TV. Classic shows on the channel will include Sex and the City, Frasier and new seasons of Las Vegas and 7th Heaven (the former through its acquisition of DreamWorks Television). "Our focus is on providing Irish viewers with a mix of both local and international entertainment programming," said Michael Murphy, Channel 6's director of programming. "We are delighted to be able to offer our viewers such high-quality, well-known series right at the start. We anticipate that this will be the first of several deals with our friends at CBS Paramount."

Quite a few of these shows have already been aired on Irish channels, RTÉ previously aired 7th Heaven while TV3 ran Sex and the City and Las Vegas, however Channel 6 will be the first of the Irish channels to show programmes such as House, the US version of The Office, Numb3rs and Dead Like Me among others.

They have also signed a deal with FOX to broadcast a number of their shows in Ireland. On Friday, 31 March, its first full-day of programming, they aired Buffy the Vampire Slayer in accordance with this.

A basic Teletext service is provided, listing schedules and competition details and winners. No subtitling service is provided.

[edit] Launch

The available schedule (from the Irish Times Magazine) indicated that it would launch on Thursday, 30 March, at 18:00. It began with a two-hour "preview", simply a repeated cycle of the preview trailer that had earlier aired on NTL, before programs started proper at 20:00. The first face on the channel was Michelle Doherty, who fronted a mock newscast explaining the focus of the channel on entertainment, which also served as the station's first continuity announcement. Programmes then began proper with a film review show, Take Six. From Friday 31 March it began programming at 15:00. Programming initially aired from 15:00 each weekday and 12:00 each weekend. It has now commenced broadcasting from 07:00 every morning. The channel promised the biggest Irish media launch to date. They reportedly spent approximately €3 million on advertising.

The channel’s launch marketing began on 26 March with double-page spreads across a number of national newspapers, which is to be followed by a significant outdoor and radio campaign.

Channel 6 - all the entertainment you need, is the simple advertising slogan for the channel in line with the fact that it will not feature any news, sport or current affairs.

[edit] List of Channel 6 programmes

Channel 6 is scheduled to show a mix of Irish produced shows and foreign imports. The programming runs from 7am to approximately 2am.

[edit] Home produced

Take Six - a movie show hosted by Taragh Loughrey-Grant.
Popscene - a weekday afternoon music show hosted by Brian Devereux.
Day Shift - a weekend afternoon music show.
Night Shift - a late night interactive music show hosted by Michelle Doherty.
Access Hollywood - an entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry hosted by Jenny Buckley based on Access Hollywood sharing the same logo and some reports.
Quiz6 - a phone in quiz show, where viewers could answer on screen puzzles to win cash.
Game On - a video games show.
Pop20 - The official Irish top 20 singles chart.