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Updated at 1.30pm
TV3 WILL REBRAND as Virgin Media TV in the second quarter of this year, the broadcaster’s managing director confirmed at its spring schedule launch in Dublin today.
Pat Kiely told reporters that “a very significant rebrand” would take place within the first half of the year.
“Our plans on this front will roll out in the second quarter of 2018. These developments will see our business take another giant leap forward and, most importantly, mean more connections with viewers and opportunities for our advertisers.”
The TV3 Group of stations was bought by Liberty Global, the parent company of Virgin Media, in July 2015 for €80 million.
A year later, the company snapped up UTV Ireland for €10 million, which it rebranded as be3.
The CEO of Liberty Global revealed the rebrand plans at a media conference in New York late last year, without confirming a planned date.
“We will rebrand those broadcast networks in Ireland as Virgin and we’ll see how that works,” Mike Fries told the UBS Global Media and Communications conference in New York, the Sunday Times reported.
Spring schedule launch
The broadcaster was giving a big push to Ireland’s Got Talent at this morning’s launch, held in Roberta’s restaurant in Temple Bar.
The Irish version of the well-tested franchise will air from Saturday 3 February, with Lucy Kennedy hosting and a judging panel of Louis Walsh, Jason Byrne, Denise Van Outen and US TV personality Michelle Visage.
A spin-off show, Ireland’s Got Mór Talent, was confirmed today – to be presented by Glenda Gilson and social media personality James Kavanagh.
The Tonight Show, fronted by Ivan Yates and Matt Cooper, will extend to four nights a week (Monday to Thursday) from Monday 5 February.
Elsewhere, Rachel Allen has been added to the lineup of the Marco Pierre White-fronted The Restaurant, and in sport the Six Nations championship comes to TV3 for the first time beginning on Saturday 3 February as Ireland take on France.
Red Rock also returns to the channel for 13 episodes from 22 January – but TV3′s head of programming Bill Malone confirmed the drama remains “on hiatus”.
TV3 revealed last August that production of the soap, which is produced by Element Pictures, was being postponed.
The drama first appeared on Irish screens in 2015 and has since been picked up in the UK by the BBC and by the Amazon Prime streaming service.
Questioned by reporters today, Malone said that no decision had been made about the show’s future.
“It’s on production hiatus but that doesn’t mean the door’s closed – it’s a very strong production.”
- With reporting from Paul Hosford
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Thst advert has little to do with the Britsh Government and all to do with appealing to the rich American donors who contribute handsomely at its coffers making them the wealthiest party by a long shot
@jerry slattery: and? What is your point?
@Paul Whitehead: exactly what’s his point
@Paul Whitehead: different adds for a different market is where he is aiming at. I think
@jerry slattery:
SF IRA are calling on someone else to be held fully accountable
LOL x 1,000,000
So according to a rate card from 2019, a full page ad in the New York Times is around $200k..
and then Mary Lou saying in another article that the finances were sloppy ? Say what you want about other parties but something is seriously off about SF funding and declared expenditure
@Ciaran: We had a FF taoiseach who had no bank account and used to win thousands on the horses.
@David Corrigan: ah……. so it’s all alright then.
@Sean Partidge: I didn’t say it was alright Seanie. Actually, I don’t agree with that ad SF took out in the US at all. It was silly. I was just stating that all our political parties have crooked members in my opinion.
Is that ok?
@Ciaran: even if it did cost 100k, it’s important enough to get full USA support for the GFA and preserve peace on this island. Or is the money issue just another way to get a dig in at the Shinners?
@Paul Whitehead: eh? 100k? Did you read the comment? That’s some SF financial wizardry right there…..
@C: if you read the article you would know it’s a half page ad. Paul can do maths
@Tara Doherty: half page ad is roughly $133k so not exactly half. There were also ads in other national and regional papers. Depending how many times they run the ad in the newspaper, but even once, all in wouldn’t have a lot of change left over $500k of expenditure. That’s a lot to spend on people not only outside your constituency but outside your continent for a “party of the people” don’t you think?
@Ciaran: €850 million was spent (wasted) by FG/L installing water meters in Ireland. That was some waste of cabbage, wasn’t it?
@Paul Whitehead: THE GFA is firstly about peace and stability in the region. NOT about United ireland. United ireland is a clause in the contract. This ad is about United ireland referendum. Funny how SF are talking about being a party of the people , a 32 county nationalist party yet seeking North American influence? As if Ireland can’t rule itself ? Also, if there was a United ireland tomorrow , SF wouldn’t be entitled to 1/8 of the donations the run through their northern office v south.
@C: it’s a half page add.. 200k a page. 200/2=100. A grade maths. NG for you C.
@Ciaran: the GFA is the basis for any future vote on a unites Ireland. Semantics…
@Ciaran: Sinn Féin don’t fund the ad’s.
@Ciaran: do you not think that FF/FG are scrutising were single word of every single advertising that’s been published if there was something amiss it would be out in the open by now.it well known they have the ability to raise huge amounts of money in America they have been doing it for decades.there just better at doing it than FF/FG and the other parties
@Ciaran: what is off? Foreign donations to political parties are heavily scrutinised and restricted. Donations made abroad and spent abroad are not. So can we reel in the hyperbolic hysteria a little.
@Ciaran: so now you are re writing the GFA. It is an international agreement which put an end to British/ Unionist suppression and oppression to anything remotely Republican. Giving those who are Republicans the right to advance there aims and objectives in a peaceful democratic manner for the 1st time ever in that sectarian statelet. The foremost of those aims being reunification. So don’t act all shocked and surprised now that the blocking/ stalling of that democratic by Britain is being called into question.
@David Corrigan: they will ne used sooner or later and will be considered money well spent by whatever govt gets to turn them on.
@David Corrigan:
that same Taoiseach helped SF/IRA get their murderers out of prison so mary lou and her “comrades” wont be complaining anytime soon
The Good Friday Agreement certainly calmed things down and made life more tolerable for everyone so yes everyone should stick to it
@FlopFlipU: didn’t tone down the bitterness, that’ll always be there, it’s in their DNA
@FlopFlipU:
IRA cowards murdered someone you love
they went to prison where they belong
the GFA lets them out .. is that tolerable ?
Poor Leo. Wherever would we start if we tried to name all the ‘unhelpful’ things that this muppet show of a government has done.
Heard an interesting stat recently that ‘more people have died in the last few years from suicide’ than died in the entire troubles. I’m massively paraphrasing, partly because you’d never know about it.
@thesaltyurchin: just checked the stats. Even without full data, more people have died from suicide in Northern ireland since the troubles ended than during/ ‘from’ the troubles. 5,207 versus 3,500 . Interesting as it is, it doesn’t diminish the troubles and what they caused.
@Marie B: no doubt. we all must wait patiently for antiquated ideologies and beliefs to dissipate so we can focus on elevating or at leat caring to follow reason.
@thesaltyurchin:
“Mr Sands chose to take his own life. It was a choice that his organization did not allow to many of its victims”
- Margaret Thatcher
May 05, 1981
Varadkar criticises SF, well now that is a shocker. When will people see his only “skill” is pulling people down. He does nothing for this country.
@Phil Swan:
a doctor did nothing ?
No mention of the amount of money it will require from ROI tax payers to foot the bill for a United Ireland.
Should there ever be a vote on consolidating Narnia, I believe the published accounts will show it dead in the water, for both sides that is.
SF are just an existence of a narrative, and some of the members are much more equal than others because they get paid to deliver the fable.
@zephyrum: It’s been mentioned many times. Keep up.
@Tommy Berry: lol
@zephyrum:
there will never be a united ireland
the “Good republicans” are making too much money and SF know damn well
This is ireland ! We are not owned by America. Why the pleads to America ??
@Dublin sunrise: With the ass licking done by all political parties concerning the U.S. Yes we are owned by the U.S.
@Dublin sunrise: you sure about that.
At this point unity is probably unhelpful to citizens on both sides. Little to be gained at a high price.
This Ad is just a taste of things to come when SF gets into power at the next election and gains control of the national purse strings.
@Roger Bond: sinnfeinn wont get into power its already showing that they clearly
Wont have enough seats.lets face it if they win election they will need to go to bed with labour pbp independent and possibly others.personally i dont envisiege this happning.
@Roger Bond:
“when SF gets into power”
LOL
Trusting them to run a country will be hard when they can’t even produce a grammatically-correct press advert.
@Ajax Penumbra: do you trust the current government?
They can’t even work together for a United Northern Ireland, what chance would a United Ireland have?
There likely will be a United Ireland EVENTUALLY in the future as part of the European Union!
FF,FG know there’s nothing thought of them in the US,can u imagine if they had quarter of the following in the US,maybe in the last 100 years,if they had done something to unite Ireland,that should have been done with in 10 to 20 years after the 26,since the 70s the North has completely changed,and there is pure hatred from each side now,I hope to see it in my life time,I’m 53,but I will be shocked if it happens
@Kate Peters:
every 4th of july the yanks celebrate getting rid of the brits and SF prey on that
fearlessly fighting the Brits appeals to the yanks
the yanks dont know about Paul Quinn , Liam Adams etc
Leo’s complete lack of leadership is also unhelpful for the whole country.
@Trevor W: 100%
There likely will be a United Ireland EVENTUALLY in the future as part of the European Union!
There likely will be a United Ireland EVENTUALLY in the future as part of the European Union!
There likely will be a United Ireland EVENTUALLY in the future as part of the European Union!
@Martin Gosling: You can that again!
And what if the DUP says No, and the paramilitaries says No,,and yes the cost of Uniting,,,like most things from SF no costings,,
It wouldn’t be a normal day if Leak wasn’t giving out about SF. He’s obsessed!!
have your say