2013 in Irish television

Events

January
  • 6 January – It is reported that Seán Gallagher, a former candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election is launching legal proceedings against RTÉ over an incident in its Frontline Presidential Debate in which a tweet was wrongly attributed to the official Twitter account of the Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.[1]
  • 7 January – Debut of TV3's first self-produced drama, Deception, set on a post-Celtic Tiger housing estate in Galway.[2][3]
  • 30 January – Former Channel 5 Director of Programmes Jeff Ford has been hired by TV3 to become their new Director of Content, a position he will take up in February.[4]
  • 31 January – Figures published by TAM Ireland/Nielsen indicate viewers in Ireland watched an average of 3.35 hours of television per day (25 hours a week) in 2012.[5]

February
  • 1 February – Pat Kenny, most recently presenter of The Frontline, returns to host an edition of The Late Late Show after the death earlier in the week of regular host Ryan Tubridy's father.[6][7]
  • 5 February – Launch of Irish Horse TV, Ireland's first TV channel dedicated to horse racing and other equine sports.[8]
  • 7 February – The Irish Film and Television Network website reports that pre-production has begun on An Bronntanas, a five-part Irish language thriller set in Conamara that will air on TG4 in 2014.[9]
  • 25 February – Telecommunications giant BT, which bought the rights to some Premier League matches in 2012 expands its investment in sports broadcasting with the purchase of ESPN's channels in Britain and Ireland.[10]

March

April
  • 11 April – TV3 criticises new regulations that ban radio and television journalists from expressing an on-air opinion on news and current affairs issues as "a draconian extension of the State's control over media".[15]
  • 28 April – Keith Hanley wins the second series of The Voice of Ireland.[16]

May
  • 21 May – Justice Minister Alan Shatter apologises to independent deputy Mick Wallace in the Dáil Éireann after he divulged that Wallace had been excused from receiving penalty points for using a mobile phone while driving during a debate about people escaping penalty points on an edition of RTÉ's Prime Time. Shatter had previously admitted receiving his information from Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan but claimed he was not "in the business of collecting secret files on politicians".[17][18]
  • 30 May – Three international deals are announced by Dublin-based Network Ireland Television that will see 50 Irish-made short films aired on television channels in the Americas, Europe and Middle East.[19]

June
  • 3 June – AerTV, an Irish-owned online television service launched 18 months previously reports a 130% year-on-year increase in viewership for the first quarter of 2013.[20]
  • 5 June – Food manufacturers criticise Broadcasting Authority of Ireland plans to introduce new regulations banning television and radio advertising of foods with high fat, salt, and sugar content during children's programmes.[21]
  • 25 June – Setanta Sports signs a deal to make their BT Sport channels and ESPN available in the Irish Republic from 1 August.[22]

July
  • 11 July – Fine Gael Teachta Dála Tom Barry, who had been drinking in the Dáil bar, provokes international headlines after pulling party colleague Áine Collins onto his lap on live television during a late-night Dáil debate. Fine Gael later describe the incident was "silly" and "horseplay". However, the event sparks a national discussion about the treatment of women by men in Irish politics.[23][24]

August
  • 5 August – In a Sunday Times interview, journalist and businessman Vincent Browne criticises programmes about Travellers broadcast by his employer TV3, saying, "To say it was embarrassing doesn't begin to describe it. I squirmed and I railed against it. The Travellers stuff is appalling, absolutely appalling." He also says that when he complained to TV3 executive Ben Frow, the latter was "just amused at my indignation, which meant I couldn't get anywhere with it".[25][26]
  • 22 August – TV3 announces plans to commission its first soap opera, and invites companies from Ireland and the UK to put forward ideas. Submissions will be invited from September.[27]
  • 25 August – Research by Broadcasting Authority of Ireland shows most viewers are still watching television on traditional sets; only 4.6% view content online.[28]
  • 26 August – The latest figures from UTV Media show its half yearly profits fell by 10%, with its radio advertising revenue in both Britain and Ireland continuing to decline.[29]
  • 27 August – The Government of the 31st Dáil publishes plans to replace the television licence with a Public Service Broadcasting Charge on all primary residences, and certain businesses.[30] Holiday and second-home owners are likely to be exempted from the charge, with the onus to pay it on the occupier.[31]

September
  • 11 September – Aertv launches the first app that enables viewers to receive free streamed content of all Irish broadcast material.[32]
  • 20 September – Fifteenth anniversary of the launch of TV3.[33]

October

November
  • 6 November – UTV Media announces plans to launch UTV Ireland, a television channel targeting audiences within the Republic of Ireland. If given the go-ahead by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the channel will be on air from 2015, and will show some ITV content currently broadcast by TV3.[37]
  • 7 November – A total of 16 production companies have submitted ideas to TV3 for a twice-weekly soap, including Lime Productions, which produces Channel 4's teen soap Hollyoaks, the Irish Times reports.[38]
  • 7 November – Stephen Chisholm wins the first series of TV3's The Great Irish Bake Off.[39]
  • 14 November – Saorview relaunches its website in order to encourage viewers who have not done so yet to switch to digital television.[40]

December
  • 8 December – The Sunday Independent reports that James Bond will return to terrestrial television at Christmas after RTÉ signed a deal with MGM and Sony to air the films, and the expiry of BSkyB's exclusive rights to the franchise.[41]
  • 9 December – Joe Mulholland, a former Managing Director of RTÉ expresses concerns about the effect of cutbacks on the quality of programming produced by the broadcaster, warning they are in "dangerous times".[42]
  • 16 December – Launch of RTÉ One HD.[43]
  • 18 December – Chief executive of the Irish Film Board, James Hickey reports that Ireland's film, television and animation industry generated €168 million worth of activity in 2013, an 18 per cent increase on 2012 and its best year to date.[44]
  • 28 December – Ratings for 25 December indicate that comedian Brendan O'Carroll's show Mrs. Brown's Boys achieved the highest Christmas Day viewing figures in both Ireland and the UK. With a viewership of 832,000, it topped the Irish ratings for the third year in a row, while in the UK the episode, titled Buckin' Mammy achieved an audience of 9.4 million.[45]

Debuts

RTÉ

TV3

TG4

Ongoing television programmes

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

Ending this year

Deaths

See also

References
  1. "Gallagher takes legal action over Frontline debate". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  2. "Galway based drama series Deception to premiere on TV3 next week". Galway Advertiser. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. Butler, Laura (3 January 2013). "Our first drama as good as 'Love/Hate'". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. O'Carroll, Lisa (30 January 2013). "Jeff Ford to become head of content at TV3". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  5. Slattery, Laura (31 January 2013). "Viewers loyal to TV as they watch 25 hours a week". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  6. Sweeney, Ken (31 January 2013). "Blast from the past – Pat Kenny to host 'Late Late Show' as Ryan Tubridy mourns passing of father". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  7. "Tubridy off air following death of his father". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  8. "Ireland gets new equine TV channel". Horsetalk. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  9. Hall, Eva (7 February 2013). "TG4 Series 'An Bronntanas' Enters Pre-Production". The Irish Film & Television Network. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  10. Deans, Jason; Gibson, Owen (25 February 2013). "BT buys ESPN'S UK and Ireland TV channels". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  11. Kennedy, Jason (5 March 2013). "Mispriced television orders cancelled". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  12. Cronin, Kevin (8 March 2013). "TV3 Sony HD Studios launched by Minister for Communications". The Irish Film & Television Network. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  13. Corcoran, Jody (10 March 2013). "Coalition tension over Lowry tapes". Sunday Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  14. "Gardaí examining Lowry tape as conversation is aired on national TV: Independent TD Michael Lowry can be heard making reference to a £250,000 payment which he said he never declared". TheJournal.ie. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  15. McCárthaigh, Seán (11 April 2013). "TV3 slams new code as 'draconian'". Irish Examiner. Landmark Media Investments. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  16. "Keith Hanley wins The Voice of Ireland". RTÉ Ten. RTÉ. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  17. McEnroe, Juno (22 May 2013). "Shatter: Garda chief told me about Wallace". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  18. "TD to lodge official complaint over justice minister's remarks". Sligo Today. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  19. Cronin, Kevin (30 May 2013). "Network Ireland Television, Film & TV Distributors, Secure 3 International Deals to Sell 50 Irish Shorts Abroad". The Irish Film & Television Network. Iftn.ie. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  20. Percival, Geoff (4 June 2013). "Online TV service sees viewership rise 130%". Irish Examiner. Landmark Media Investments. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  21. McCárthaigh, Seán (5 June 2013). "Industry attacks food ads ban for children's TV". Irish Examiner. Landmark Media Investments. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  22. "Setanta to add BT". Evening Herald. Independent News and Media. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  23. O'Toole, Emer (12 July 2013). "The Ireland abortion debate, summed up in one disrespectful gesture". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  24. O'Toole, Emer (11 July 2013). "The moment a politician grabbed his female colleague and pulled her onto his lap – during an abortion debate". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  25. Browne upset by TV3 shows on Travellers Irish Independent, 2013-08-08.
  26. Henry McKean attacks Vincent Browne's "mouthing off" Irish Independent, 2013-08-15.
  27. "TV3 Seeks Soap Opera and Invites Irish & UK Production Companies to Pitch Ideas". The Irish Film and Television Network. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  28. "BAI research claims only 4.6% watch TV on a laptop". BreakingNews.ie. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  29. "Irish radio ad market still difficult". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  30. "Consultation on Public Service Broadcasting Charge". Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  31. Cullen, Paul (27 August 2013). "Second home owners to escape broadcasting charge". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  32. Aertv has launched the first app to stream all Irish broadcast channels for free.
  33. "15 Today Happy Birthday TV3! - RTÉ News". RTÉ. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  34. "Joe Brolly: 'It's nobody's business if GAA clubs are named after dead republican paramilitaries'". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  35. "Joe Brolly hits out at GAA republican club name critics". BBC News. BBC. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  36. Butler, Laura (29 October 2013). "Edele Lynch is crowned winner of Celebrity Apprentice". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  37. Burke-Kennedy, Eoin; Carbery, Genevieve (6 November 2013). "UTV to launch new Dublin-based TV channel by 2015". The Iris Times. The Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  38. "Makers of 'Hollyoaks' among 16 to pitch to produce TV3 soap". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  39. Ferguson, Amanda (8 November 2013). "Great Irish Bake Off's Stephen Chisholm from Belfast is king of the castle". Belfast Telegraph. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  40. Cronin, Kevin (14 November 2013). "Saorview, Ireland's free Digital TV service, Launches New Website". The Irish Film and Television Network. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  41. Webb, Nick (8 December 2013). "RTÉ goes in for the kill to get Bond back on our TV screens". The Sunday Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  42. Rabbitte, Eimear (9 December 2013). "Cuts are putting RTÉ output at risk, warns former head of TV". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  43. "RTÉ One HD to launch next Monday". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  44. McGreevy, Ronan (18 December 2013). "Irish film and television generates record €168 million". The Irish Times. The Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  45. Anderson, Nicola (28 December 2013). "A first for Mrs Brown as show tops Irish and UK festive ratings". Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  46. "Irish wildlife filmmaker Eamon de Buitlear dies". BBC News. BBC. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
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