Councillor warns RTE could be lost in after digital switch

Councillor warns RTE could be lost in after digital switch

30 May 2012

TELEVISION viewers in the Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ballynahinch areas could be left with blank screens if they want to watch their favourite Irish channels after the digital switchover this October, it has been claimed.

Downpatrick councillor Cadogan Enright has rejected suggestions that viewers who currently receive television channels via the Saorview digital transmitter will not face any disruption.

He claimed at Monday night’s monthly meeting of Down Council that Saorview won’t cover the district’s three main towns after the digital switchover and that only the Blackmountain transmitter in Belfast will broadcast RTE and TG4 channels.

Councillor Enright said the bulk of homes in the district’s three main towns receive their television signals from the Divis mountain transmitter which will not be broadcasting Irish channels.

He said there was was a clear promise for universal Irish coverage for TG4 in particular under the Good Friday Agreement.

Councillor Enright said the Saorview website includes information about the areas it covers and those who will receive Irish television stations and illustrates that Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ballynahinch won’t be covered.

Despite councillor Enright’s concerns, it was revealed at Monday night’s meeting that the Saorview service will be available to viewers in Northern Ireland who have traditionally accessed Republic of Ireland channels via their aerials, provided they have the appropriate equipment.

A letter from digitaluk’s national manager Denis Wolinski said Saorview equipment will provide full access to TG4, RTE1 and RTE2, as well as other channels such as TV3, RTEjt and RTE News.

The letter said newer Freeview digital televisions and boxes including HD or MPEG4 standard may also be used to receive Saorview channels, although some features such as subtitles or text may not fully function.

Mr. Wolinski said it is expected that following the switchover, TG4, RTE1 and RTE2 will be available on Freeview via some transmitters within Northern Ireland. He said viewers in the Down area who currently receive these channels via an analogue signal, should continue to receive them after switchover, providing they have the appropriate equipment.