Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The 9 at 9 Good morning. Here are nine things to know as you start your day.

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you need to know as you kick off your day.

1. #SYRIAN DEATH: A 16-year-old boy who lived in Navan has been killed in Syria. Shamseddin Gaidan, who came to Ireland in 2001, returned to his native Libya for a holiday last summer. Instead of returning to Ireland, however, he is believed to have joined rebel forces in Syria instead.

2. #BRITAIN: The credit ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Britain’s government bond rating one notch from the top AAA to AA1, for the first time since 1978. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said that the news would redouble his resolve “to deliver our economic recovery plan,” which is based on deep spending cuts.

3. #BODY: A post mortem is to be carried out on a body which was discovered in Irish waters last night. RTÉ News is reporting that the body was discovered off the coast of Skerries, when it became caught in the nets of a fishing trawler.

4. #HEALTH INSURANCE: Laya Healthcare, the health insurance provider formerly known as Quinn, is to increase its premiums by an average of 10.8 per cent from 1 April. The proposed hike is the second for the insurer in 2013, following increases of between three and 14 per cent on 1 January.

5. #ADRIAN DONOHOE: The two men who were arrested yesterday as the result of six searches in the Dundalk area of Co Louth have been released, according to RTÉ News. The arrests were as part of the continuing investigation into the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

6. #NORTHERN IRELAND: Over 350 members of the PSNI have been injured as a result of their policing of parades and flag protests over the last eight months, according to The Irish News. The Police Federation, which represents the PSNI, said that it was  a “grim price to pay.”

7. #NORTH KOREA: Scheduled military drills by US forces alongside South Korean troops will “meet a miserable destruction”, according to a chief delegate of the North Korean military mission. RTÉ News is reporting that the warning came as tensions continue in light of the country’s nuclear test, which it carried out earlier this month.

8. #CROKE PARK: The additional five hours of work a week that had been proposed by government as part of talks to extend the Croke Park agreement may be scaled back, according to The Irish Times. This would be determined on a case-by-case basis, and would take into account the current working hours of individuals.

9. #EUROVISION: Singer/songwriter Ryan Dolan is to represent Ireland at the 58th Eurovision Song Contest, which is to be held in Malmö, Sweden in May. The winning song, Only Love Survives was written co-written with Wez Devine and was selected last night during The Late Late Show Eurovision special.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
10 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute KM TON
    Favourite KM TON
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 1:14 PM

    I feel bad for people losing their jobs but this is the least surprising news ever. The only bit i of a surprise is that it lasted this long.

    181
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Veroníca
    Favourite Veroníca
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 5:58 PM

    I’m surprised like you that it survived this length of time considering it was utter rubbish anyway

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex Simms
    Favourite Alex Simms
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 2:16 PM

    And so concludes the worst idea in Irish television history…

    152
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal, not Neil.
    Favourite Neal, not Neil.
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 5:34 PM

    You forgot about Channel 6.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
    Favourite Dave O'Hanlon
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 6:28 PM

    Channel 6 was actually a decent idea, a channel aimed primarily at a young adult audience. The problem was when it got taken over by TV3 and turned into 3e. They could easily have kept it the way it was but no instead of looking at Michelle Doherty showing decent music videos there was yet more Ant & Dec with X factor loonies

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irish Cottage Rental
    Favourite Irish Cottage Rental
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 1:33 PM

    One island two UTV’s
    A endless farce.

    139
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carm(Orange Vampire)
    Favourite Carm(Orange Vampire)
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 2:33 PM

    Does this mean that the real ITV/Ulster TV will be available to Irish viewers again?

    110
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 2:51 PM

    @Carm(Orange Vampire): There’s no legal obligation on TV carriers in Ireland to carry any of the ITV franchises so it’s probably not going to happen. In any case the ITV shows licenced to the TV3 group would be liable to geo locking; that would make it as good as a non option to carry UTV/ITV here so all you’d get is Julian or Good Evening Ulster. Certainly Virgin Media would have no incentive to carry it, they being its opposition.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seán J. Troy
    Favourite Seán J. Troy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:23 PM

    @David Walsh: Didn’t the EU just pass a bill that ends geoblocking within the EU?

    19
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Flood
    Favourite John Flood
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:26 PM

    Julian on camera is no longer on the air. He does prerecorded voice overs controlled by ITV HQ. Changed a couple of weeks ago.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Screaming Toddy
    Favourite Screaming Toddy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:56 PM

    UTV will never be on Virgin again. Why would Virgin have a competitor showing the same rubbish stuff on their rubbish channels

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 11:45 PM

    @Seán J. Troy:

    1) It is only a draft resolution and not a law as of yet
    2) It excludes copyright protected services; this included media and broadcasting.
    3) UK will soon be outside of the EU and not regulated by EU laws.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gavin Redmond
    Favourite Gavin Redmond
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 1:21 PM

    Created to fail. Somethings just don’t work.

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Owen Hennelly
    Favourite Owen Hennelly
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 1:45 PM

    So will it stay on as a third TV3 channel or be wound up altogether? If it’s wound up will we be getting UTV NI back in its place?

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Furey
    Favourite Paul Furey
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 3:58 PM

    UTVNITV3

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seán J. Troy
    Favourite Seán J. Troy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:23 PM

    @Paul Furey: I heard of that one, it’s a an African rebel group.

    13
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal, not Neil.
    Favourite Neal, not Neil.
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 5:29 PM

    @,Seán the geoblocking thing was more about making sure that your can access your Irish Netflix or Sky on demand content while temporarily visiting another EU country

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Doyle
    Favourite Larry Doyle
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 1:54 PM

    Great – even more Jeremy Kyle repeats!

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Harpur
    Favourite Tom Harpur
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 2:54 PM

    A few years back TV3 had plans to start 3 classics 3 kids 3 sports and TV3+1 and a Sony HD Studio they commenced the Studios but scrapped the extra channels so maybe now they’ll rebrand UTV to 3 Classics or 3 sports.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal, not Neil.
    Favourite Neal, not Neil.
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 5:31 PM

    It would be very interesting to see what a TV3 “cassic” is. Perhaps a selection of Vincent Brown’s crankiest episodes?

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Flanagan
    Favourite John Flanagan
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 3:33 PM

    UTV Ireland didn’t serve the deaf & hard of hearing community well because when it was first launched, there were no subtitles to be had at the time. Glad to see this god-awful channel go because of endless repeats as well!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Screaming Toddy
    Favourite Screaming Toddy
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:57 PM

    What?

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Scot Tanner Buchholz
    Favourite Scot Tanner Buchholz
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 11:38 PM

    That is not the fault of the TV station rather a fault in Ireland not having ‘CC’ services like they have in Canada and the U.S.A. CC = closed captioning. The technology is out there. Ireland just lags behind in using it.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Mccomiskey
    Favourite Mick Mccomiskey
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 2:53 PM

    This is very disappointing. Now I won’t be able to use utv Ireland player. It had most of the stuff available on itv.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal, not Neil.
    Favourite Neal, not Neil.
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 5:33 PM

    TV3 own a lot of those programmes rights for the next ten years as part of the deal so they’ll put them somewhere.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mike Galvin
    Favourite Mike Galvin
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 6:14 PM

    All I say is I wish TV3 the best of luck with the 3 channels, whatever we might say. I only wish they would upgrade their picture quality on saorview especially for large screen tvs, the same applies to TG4.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Flood
    Favourite John Flood
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:28 PM

    If you want UTV, get FREEVIEW Ireland via satellite. Best thing going. Pay for set up or DIY and NO fees afterward.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Kinsella
    Favourite Shane Kinsella
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:44 PM

    You’re getting mixed up with FREESAT. Freevirw is the terrestrial TV service. Both of which are miles better than saorview.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Flood
    Favourite John Flood
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 4:47 PM

    both Saorview and Freeview into a single Digital Terrestrial Receiver allowing you to receive all the Free UK & Irish Digital TV Channels on a single box.

    5
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dónal O'Flynn
    Favourite Dónal O'Flynn
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 8:32 PM

    @John Flood: you’re still missing Shane’s point. You can’t get “Freeview” here that’s only available within the bounds of the UK. What we can get is “Freesat”. The only reason we have it at all is that the satellites have to cover all of the UK and can’t do that without also covering Ireland.

    Also available for the few percent of Irish homes that can’t get “Saorview” is “Saorsat” with RTÉ 1, RTÉ 2 and TG4 only, no purely commercial telly.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Flood
    Favourite John Flood
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 8:41 PM

    I just cut n pasted text from my owners manual. Apparently not all of Ireland can receive the FTA channels of the satellite. I’m in Wicklow, my friend in Cork can’t get same.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Walsh
    Favourite David Walsh
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 11:49 PM

    @Dónal O’Flynn: there are plans on the cards to make most of the Freeview channels available to Saorview customers.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán Masterson
    Favourite Ciarán Masterson
    Report
    Dec 2nd 2016, 1:27 AM
    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Flynn
    Favourite Paddy Flynn
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 3:08 PM

    TV3 2? I don’t think so.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tiarnan Guinée
    Favourite Tiarnan Guinée
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 3:49 PM

    @Paddy Flynn: 3ee more like

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Scot Tanner Buchholz
    Favourite Scot Tanner Buchholz
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 11:33 PM

    This is a sad day for freedom of the press, steps towards democracy and the people who will loose their jobs. Ireland is large enough to support Three tv stations. Rte should loose RTE2 and save tax payers money. #SadDay #UTVIreland

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute von
    Favourite von
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 7:51 PM

    From TV 3 Ah well we can get rid of all the people who kept us alive for months but now we have Emmerdale and Corrie dory guys we don’t meed you. Bye bye.
    And the fat cats get fatter.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Buster VL
    Favourite Buster VL
    Report
    Dec 1st 2016, 8:24 PM

    Aaa Wally free zone.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.