TV3 Ireland is the sole commercial television channel in the Republic of Ireland. TV3 Television Network Limited is owned jointly by ITV plc, the largest United Kingdom commercial television company, and by CanWest Global Communications, a Canada company. Currently 10% of the company is owned by the original TV3 Consortium. The main studios of TV3 are located in Ballymount, Dublin.

=History=

TV3, which was intended to be Ireland s third terrestrial channel, took almost ten years to bring from initial planning to debut. In October 1988 the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) was created to regulate new independent stations. The original TV3 licence to broadcast was granted in 1990 to a consortium including members of U2_(band) and the owner of the Windmill Lane Studios where the group had made many of their records. Because of delays in setting up the station, the license was revoked by the IRTC. After a court battle, the license was eventually restored in 1993.

At this stage, an agreement to sell 49% of the company was sold to Ulster Television, the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland, to raise much-needed cash for investment in facilities. However, as TV3 were trying to convince Irish cable and MMDS carriers to replace UTV with their channel, the new shareholders pulled out in 1995. Given that UTV had the third largest audience in the Republic, the carriers declined to drop them in favour of TV3. The result was that the project was on hold again.

In as its theme tune.

In September 2000, Granada Media plc (a predecessor company of ITV plc which owned six ITV franchises) agreed to acquire 45% of the company from the original TV3 consortium. This was part of deal which gave TV3 the right to simulcast with ITV certain Granada programming. As part of this deal, Coronation Street and Emmerdale moved from RTÃ? One to TV3. The Granada plc shareholding was taken over by ITV plc upon the merger of Granada with Carlton on 2nd February, 2004.

=Programming=

: see article: List of TV3 Ireland television programming

TV3 produces little in the way of original Irish programming, compared to RTÃ?. Apart from their news bulletins and sports coverage, much of TV3 s schedules are taken up with simulcasting of Granada Television programmes, acquisitioned programming from the US and movies.

Efforts into Irish made television include the short run The Dunphy Show (2003), fronted by Eamon Dunphy, which was built up to be a contender with Radio Telefís �ireann s The Late Late Show . In spite of the flurry of media attention, The Dunphy Show s failed to perform to expectations, and was cancelled only weeks before the initial season was due to conclude. For the Autumn 2005 season, TV3 have announced a new midweek talk show which will be hosted by Brendan Courtney.

TV3 s news service is broadcast at 17:30, 18:30, and 23:00. Originally the 17:30 and 18:30 bulletins were a single 18:00 hour-long bulletin. However this attempt to compete with network schedule change). For a time, the 17:30 programme was called First Edition .

Gráinne Seoige who had been the main evening news anchor from launch, moved in 2004 to become main anchor of Sky News Ireland. TV3 had previously poached her from TG4 where she had also been main news anchor. TV3 News is now anchored by Claire Byrne and Alan Cantwell. At weekends, there is a single news programme at 17:30.

TV3 also produces a nightly sports round-up programme called Sports Tonight which follows News Tonight at 23:00. Other original sports programming includes match analysis and commentary for the football matches that the station broadcasts.

In 2005, TV3 gained rights to broadcast edited highlights of Formula One Grand Prix racing. The new Irish sports channel, Setanta Sports, has the exclusive rights to broadcast the races live.

There are also a number of commissioned programmes on TV3 including a weekly movie show called Popcorn and a weekly programme on horse racing called Go Racing . New commissioned shows launched in 2005 include a programme giving property advice called The Property Game and a sports themed entertainment show called The Offside Show .

Ireland AM is the breakfast programme and is the only live breakfast television programme in Ireland. Broadcast from 07:00 to 10:00, it includes regular news updates on the hour and half-hour, but is mainly features and lifestyle based.

Rick Hetherington is Chief Executive Officer of TV3, and James Morris is Chairman.

= See also =

= References=

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