TG4
Categories: RTÉ television | Irish language
| TG4 | |
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| Launched: | 31st October 1996 |
| Audience Share : | 2.9% (Sept. '05 ) |
| Owned By: | Radio Telefís Éireann |
| www.tg4.ie | |
| Availability | |
|---|---|
| Terrestrial | |
| Analogue: | UHF channels 23, 31, 33, 50, 55, 59, 63, 68 |
| Digital: | none |
| Satellite | |
| Sky Digital: | -channel 103 (ROI) -channel 269 (NI) |
| }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|Cable| }} | |
TG4 is an Irish television channel for speakers of the Irish language which was launched on 31 October 1996; it was known as Teilifís na Gaeilge or TnaG before a rebranding campaign in 1999. It has some organisational links with the Irish state broadcaster, Radio Telefís Éireann. The name is read in Irish as T G a Ceathair or T G Ceathair - "Ceathair" is pronounced as CAH-HER.
Contents |
Operation
While 730,000 viewers tune in to the station every day, the core audience is more in the region of 100,000. The daily Irish language programme schedule is its central service: over seven hours of programming in Irish, supported by a wide range of material in other languages (mainly English).
TG4 invests over €15m annually in original Irish programming from the independent production sector in Ireland. The channel has had a major role in increasing the profile of Ireland's Irish-speaking minority, which is mostly resident in the rural west-coast communities of the Gaeltacht, but is increasingly represented by a self-confident and vibrant community in Ireland's cities. Considered technologically innovative and creative, TG4 is making some of its programming available on the internet to subscribers. The soap opera Ros na Rún is one of its most popular programmes, and the station has a developed a reputation for ground-breaking independently produced documentaries.
TG4 is operated by Seirbhisí Theilifís na Gaeilge Teoranta, a subsidary of Radio Telefís Éireann. It also has a separate advisory council, Comhairle Theilifís na Gaeilge. It however operates completely separately from the rest of the RTÉ corporate structure, though RTÉ does provide one hour of free programming a day, and Nuacht TG4 is produced by RTÉ News. Under the Broadcasting Act 2001, the assets of TG4 can be transferred to a new public corporation independent of RTÉ, called Teilifís na Gaeilge. However this portion of the act has yet to be commenced. Current speculation is that it may come into effect in 2006.
Northern Ireland
TG4 was originally only available in Northern Ireland via 'overspill' of the terrestrial signal from across the border. In the 1998 Belfast Agreement there was provision for TG4 (then TnaG) to be made available in Northern Ireland, along with increased recognition of the Irish language. However, progress was limited, with the channel not yet able to secure carriage on cable TV. Similarly, while TG4, along with the Republic's other terrestrial channels, is carried on Sky Digital there, it was not available to Sky subscribers in Northern Ireland until 18 April, 2005,
In March 2005, TG4 began broadcasting from the Divis transmitter near Belfast, as a result of agreement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Northern Ireland Office. However, reception is still unavailable in many areas, even in Belfast. One Belfast journalist has refused to pay his television licence until the British government fulfills its pledges regarding TG4.
Programming
TG4 has become known for innovative programming in film, arts, drama, documentaries, and sports. For example, it broadcast Nip/Tuck and Curb Your Enthusiasm long before more mainstream channels, and in 2005 it broadcast exclusive Irish coverage of the Wimbledon championships tennis tournament and Tour de France cycling.
It covers Irish sports extensively such as Celtic League rugby, club-level gaelic football and hurling, and women's gaelic football. These are events which may not appeal to a mass audience but nevertheless have a strong following.
TG4 actively commissions documentaries such as the acclaimed and popular Amú travel programmes which launched the career of Hector ó Heochagáin, one of several presenters who have gone on to success at other channels.
Most pre-recorded programmes in languages other than English have English sub-titles.
Trivia
When TnaG was launched, it was derided as a white elephant by Kevin Myers of the Irish Times, who called it 'Telefís De Lorean', in a reference to the ill-fated De Lorean Motor Company.
See also
External links
| Radio Telefís Éireann | Image:Radio Telefís Éireann.png | |
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Television: RTÉ One | RTÉ Two | TG4 | ||
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Radio: RTÉ Radio 1 | 2FM | RTÉ Lyric FM | Raidió na Gaeltachta |