Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
VIRGIN MEDIA TELEVISION had a record 2018, with viewing figures up 7% year-on-year compared to the previous 12 months, it was announced today.
Its director of programming Bill Malone made the announcement as he launched the spring schedule for the company, which rebranded last year.
The spring schedule for Virgin Media One will see familiar faces return on shows like Ireland’s Got Talent and Red Rock.
It will see the Love Island stable expand to include the Australian and American versions of the programme, as well as new documentaries on topics such as Irish paedophile hunters and the disappearance of Fiona Sinnott. On top of this there will be a huge amount of sports programming, and more Irish films to coincide with the sponsored Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival.
At the launch today in the Alex Hotel, Malone – formerly of RTÉ – told TheJournal.ie: “2018 was a big year for us – we had our record year of audience viewing ever, and that’s up 7% year-on-year.”
He said that 2019 is “about looking forward, building that momentum”, and singled out the sports coverage in particular to demonstrate the range of content due on the Virgin Media channels – including the Six Nations, Heineken Cup final, Europa League final, and Champions League final.
‘We don’t get a licence fee’
It was 2016 when Malone was poached from RTÉ to take over the director of programming role at the then-TV3. So he’s well placed to comment on business at Virgin Media and its commercial focus compared to State broadcaster RTÉ.
“We don’t get a licence fee and we do turn a profit,” he pointed out. “And that’s about being strategic about what you invest in, how you invest, and also to drive efficiencies. Put your audience first, strategic investment and drive efficiencies – and that’s what we’re doing.”
But he added: “RTE have a revenue of €1 billion over the last years, and have lost €30m [over the three years up to 2018] so an increase in the licence fee would be a reward to their inefficiencies. That’s actually not good for the broadcasting industry.”
Back on the topic of his current employer, he said: “It’s clear we have got a very audience-centred approach, which is improve quality with great content that our audiences really love, impact on our audiences.”
Malone said that Virgin Media has been strategically investing in TV3 over the past number of years. The TV3 Group was acquired by UPC Ireland in 2015. The previous year, UPC had become part of Liberty Global’s UK subsidiary, Virgin Media. It was later rebranded to Virgin Media in Ireland.
Following the acquisition, Virgin Media expanded the network. The three channels under the TV3 brand - TV3, 3e and Be3 - were rebranded to Virgin Media One, Two and Three last year.
Malone said that the focus in recent years has been: “Put the audience first, invest in quality programming, invest in infrastructure and technology. And the result is we’re improving our quality, raising the bar in terms of our quality and attracting more viewers.”
Asked about how they know what audiences gravitate towards, he said: “It’s an amazing industry to work in because every morning I get the ratings so I instantly know how we did last night.”
And I can see in what part of the country, how many people are watching and what demographic, how old, how young, male, female… all that data. And that data, all broadcasters have the same but that data allows you to know what various groups are watching and also the talkability.
By talkability, he means things like the chatter on social media, which is perhaps most obvious in the case of major sports events, and with shows like Love Island and The Tonight Show. One look at the hashtags associated with any of those will instantly show Virgin Media what works for Twitter users – and what most definitely doesn’t.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Virgin media television or “ITV b channel”
I see Matt Cooper forgot his shoes again!
@Chauncey Gardiner: Na, Matt just trying to be down with the kids..
@Chauncey Gardiner: the shtate of them runners
Oh-oh. Nowhere does it say how many people watch these channels today, or the baseline on which the 7% year-on-year increase is based.
An increase from what though. Attractive headline all the same.
I don’t suppose Virgin Media TV will admit that Red Rock has been axed and that it’s just a case of the remaining episodes being broadcast……I thought not!
@Ciarán Masterson: agreed… What are they going to do… Put them in a box in the attic
“Love Island Stable”
..well I suppose they are all looking for a ride.
I’ve lost interest in the channel since “our man” Aidan Clooney got the bullet.
@Alex Reed: that doesn’t clear anything up. No explanation offered for his departure, no statement from him, just confirmation from them that “he has left the organisation”.
Not really a channel we watch to be honest. The odd time for the earlier news. Good luck to them.
Be nice if it was in HD. You really notice the difference.
@Squiddley Diddley: it is in HD
@Alan Wiley: Not broadcast in HD.
@Alan Wiley:
The HD version isn’t available on Saorview.
@Alan Wiley: If they want to be considered as a proper Irish TV channel in 2019, an ITV equivalent, they would want to broadcast to the general public in HD, and make their player app available for all on smart TVs. Restricting such things to their own customers (I know the app is on phones) is an abdication of what is expected of a proper independent tv channel.
@Ciarán Masterson: i get it now, thanks.
@Squiddley Diddley: far away from HD you were reared, you mean to say you want a crap channel in HD, ha ha ha
Patron Saints Of Repeats and Re-Runs… And do we really need to suffer Trailer Park Trash from USA and Australia with their versions of “Love Island”
Then why are so many people shocked at the Christmas 2018 offering from virgin media rte was just as bad real pity we dont have a minister in situe to take these companies through the courts for passing of bad TV and taken money in conjunction with the law virgin media 1 2 and the are a joke just look at the repeated repeats in the rte guide which is printed in the uk
Watched a program painting Airbnb in an extremely negative light a while ago. Was totally shocked and the content. It was the most blatantly biased program I’ve ever seen in my entire life. This is the danger when you have a British hotelier, media mogul, soft drink manufacturer, airline operator… controlling the airwaves.
@Frank Lee: Spot on
I watch Virgin , not for Red Rock or Ireland’s got talent, the chase, the cube and gogglebox maybe
Lots of the programmes have no subtitles available for the deaf , it’s hit and miss ,deaf folk don’t know if they will be able to watch a particular programme until it starts . It’s very frustrating . RTE , BBC ,CH4, and SKY have subs on everything.
Just seen a piece on their news for the launch of the new spring schedule. More trash tv with z list celebs. They better not put the 6 nations on their pay sport channels.
@Declan Moran:six nations has to be on free to air television
@Steff Blood: and nothing for the rest of us who are not into sports
I think the exclusive Champion’s League night will eventually bite them in the arse.
Ratings sent out daily? This is complete rot.
Have looked into this myself before and there is no way they collect viewer numbers with any degree of accuracy.
It just isn’t possible. We are being scammed
Tis a load of nonsense that virgin TV. The romote resembles something out of mork and Mindy. Couldn’t even get the thing to work. Spaceage stuff
WHY?
Ha am watching the new a g m two eps in and add free and it wont b seen on the terrible virgin media till the summer that’s how much virgin media loves their viewers wheres the Irish minister for telecumations he has to be in their pockets it’s the only explanation
Only programme i ever watched on this channel was #VINB, as for the 2 that replaced him, celeb journalists, Podge & Rodge!
Could not listen to them on radio, much less watch them.
Their champions league coverage is definitely excellent. Being able to watch every game is a plus and their punditry is now better than RTE too. But other than that it’s much the same as it was under TV3 from what I can see.
have your say