Irish Film Channel

The Irish Film Channel (Irish: Bealach Scannán na hÉireann) is a proposed free-to-air public television channel to launch in Ireland sometime after 2013.

Development

It was formally announced by the then Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, on 15 May 2008.^[2]

The concept for the channel came from Bord Scannán na hÉireann. The channel will air Irish, European and International cinema, with a strong emphasis on Irish productions. It has been proposed that channel will initially air three films per day on the channel on a regular basis seven days a week. It will accept limited advertising but breaks will be restricted to before and after, not during a film unlike other channels.^[3][4][5]

The new film channel is just one of the newly proposed channels to launch to 90% of the population by 31 October 2010;^[6] on the same day a proposed launch for the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel was also announced. The Houses of the Oireachtas Channel has reportedly been shelved by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission due to the recession it is not clear if the Irish Film Channel will go ahead.^[7] While both of these will be established as new public service broadcasters, owing to costs involved in the current economic climate, it is not clear if they will launch in 2011 or delay until improvement in the economic climate.

On August 4, 2011 it was confirmed that the Irish Film Channel is to be part of a new government strategy to promote Irish culture and film. No confirmation on when the channel will officially launch.^[8]

On September 16, 2012 it was revealed that Department of Communications has greenlighted the channels launch on the Saorview platform.^[9][10] Service providers are currently being sought and the government has asked the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to provide relevant licenses for the channel and additional channels.^[11] Minister for Communications Pat Rabbite has informed RTE Television of its decision as far back as June 2012.

See also

• Television in Ireland
• Digital television in Ireland
• Digital terrestrial television in Ireland

References

External links

• Bord Scannán na hÉireann / Irish Film Board
• Irish Film and Television Network, 2009, IFB Propose New Irish Film and TV Channel
• The Irish Government Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources website, section on broadcasting acts in the Republic of Ireland
• Oireachtas, 2007 The Houses of the Oireachtas, "Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 No.15 of 2007
• BCI evolutation into BAI planned for 2008
• RTE.ie/business "Bill sets up new broadcasting watchdog" Accessed: 14 May 2008
• Oireachtas, 2008 The Houses of the Oirachtas Broadcasting Bill 2008 to establish the BAI to take over BAI, RTÉ Authority, Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and Broadcasting Complaints Commission duties, and establish RTÉ and TG4 (previously Téilifis na Gaeilge) as corporate semi states and establish Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Oireachtas TV) and Irish Film Channel (Irish Film Board/Board Scannan na hEireann).
• Consultation on DTT Multiplexes, Commission for Communications Regulation (radiowave spectrum regulator)
• Commission for Communications Regulation, "Response to Licensing Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90
• for Communications Regulation, " License for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90a
• Commission for Communications Regulation, "Technical Conditions for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document 07/90b
• for Communications Regulation, "ComReg published License framework for Digital Terrestrial Television", Document: PR09 1107
• Silicon Republic.com "DTT licences will cost operators €114k", by John Kennedy
• Department ofCommunications commencement order of the Act 15 by the previous Minister for Communications, Ireland in April 2007
• on ComReg's role in Irish broadcasting spectrum regulation
• BCI, 2008 Broadcasting Commission of Ireland DTT license applicants proposals
• An academic's blog on Digital TV developments in Ireland