Channel 6, also marketed as Six, is an Irish cable and satellite television operation, currently available on the Dublin, Galway, and Waterford cable systems formerly owned by NTL, the nationwide Chorus digital platform (both owned by Liberty Global), and - as of February 2007 - on Sky Digital. It is also available on some, though not every, Chorus analogue platform, including Cork, Limerick and Tralee. Since March 2007, the channel has also broadcast to a trial of 1,000 homes in counties Dublin and Louth via digital terrestrial television. Earlier, Channel 6 applied and was successful in a process to become a potential DTT 'channel manager'. The channel is encrypted and available via this method of transmission only to the trial users. Channel 6 can refer to: Channel 6 (Ireland), a cable, satellite and digital terrestrial channel that launched in March 2006. ... Image File history File links Channel_6_(Ireland). ... British Summer Time (BST), known in Ireland as Irish Summer Time (IST), is the daylight saving time in effect in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October each year. ... is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The deployment of digital terrestrial television in Ireland has had a chequered history, with the first tests being carried out in 1998, but no public trials until August 2006. ... Sky Digital is the brand name for British Sky Broadcastings digital satellite television service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28. ... UPC Ireland N.V. is Liberty Global Europes operation in Ireland. ... UPC Ireland N.V. is Liberty Global Europes operation in Ireland. ... Coaxial cable is often used to transmit cable television into the house. ... Satellite television is television delivered by way of communications satellites, as compared to conventional terrestrial television and cable television. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Connacht County: Dáil Éireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference S604123 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 41. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Virgin Media, Telewest and Virgin. ... Chorus Communications is a communications provider in Ireland, it offers internet, television and telephone services. ... Liberty Global Europe (formerly UGC Europe, and previously United Pan-Europe Communications or UPC, and still usually primarily trading under that brand) is Europes biggest cable TV provider, also providing internet access, telephony and other related services. ... Sky Digital is the brand name for British Sky Broadcastings digital satellite television service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28. ... This article is about the city in the Republic of Ireland. ... This article is about the capital of County Limerick in Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference Q828141 Statistics Province: Munster County: Elevation: 37 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural:   20,258  1,932 Website: www. ...

The Channel 6 website caused some confusion over the launch date. Initially the website holding image mentioned an April 2006 launch, but this referred to the launch date of the website, and not of the actual channel itself. The channel launched at 20:00 on March 30, 2006, while promotional reels began airing on NTL Digital from March 26, 2006. The website launch coincided with the programming launch and its content includes channel listings and information on the channel and its programmes. is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Background

The channel was initially only licenced by Ofcom in the UK for Sky Digital operation, and as such would have been operating as a semi-pirate in broadcasting to Ireland. However, the BCI has granted the station a cable and MMDS broadcasting licence, and its Ofcom licence has been withdrawn. Ofcom is a regulator for communication industries in the United Kingdom. ... Sky Digital is the brand name for British Sky Broadcastings digital satellite television service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28. ... Look up pirate and piracy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) is the regulator of the commercial broadcasting sector in Ireland. ... Multichannel multipoint distribution service, also known as MMDS or wireless cable, is a wireless telecommunications technology, used for general-purpose broadband networking or, more commonly, as an alternative method of cable television programming reception. ...

Despite these initial plans, the channel did not debut on Sky Digital in the Republic of Ireland due to a dispute with Sky on where the channel should appear on the EPG. Presumably, the dispute with Sky was to do with channel 106. as channel 106 was used for NTL, and channel 6, was used for Chorus, it is presumable that the channel 106, was requested for Sky also. However the channel 106 is currently occupied by Sky's flagship channel Sky One, while 107 and 108 used for Sky Two and Three respectively, which would have made a move difficult. Prior to launch, reports also indicated that Channel 6 had been offered a 'late 200s' EPG slot, which channel bosses suggested in media reports would 'devalue the brand' by not placing it with other Irish channels carried by Sky. The channel launched on Chorus and NTL only. Channel 6 finally launched on Sky in Ireland on 5 February 2007, with the EPG number 223 (since moved to 190). The channel is carried on SES SIRIUS for distribution to regional cable head-ends, encrypted in Cryptoworks. The Sky Digital EPG in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Sky Two (launched and branded as Sky One Mix until September 21, 2004, and subsequently known as Sky Mix until October 31, 2005) is a United Kingdom satellite television channel run by British Sky Broadcasting. ... Sky Three is a television station from BSkyB broadcasting to the the UK, designed to accompany their existing Sky One and Sky Two subscription channels. ... SES SIRIUS, formerly called Nordic Satellite AB (NSAB) is the owner and operator of the two SIRIUS satellites, which provide the Nordic countries and the Baltic states, with TV, radio, data and communications solutions. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

Its backers include the Gowan Group, a motor dealership chain, and Barrys, a food and beverages company. Barrys Tea is an Irish tea company founded in 1901 in Cork City. ...

Channel 6 is one of the few free-to-view channels on NTL digital (channels which are viewable without a subscription to the digital service/without an authorisation card inserted).

Company Information

Channel 6's first Managing Director was Martin Drake. Prior to taking up this position, Martin was Director of Finance for Discovery Networks Europe with responsibilities spanning 6 offices across the major European TV markets. In addition to this, he had also held senior management positions at the BBC and Five in the UK, and at Orbit Satellite TV Network in Italy. Martin Drake however left the company after eight months. His departure was described as "quite amicable" [1]. Drake was followed by interim CEO Mark Kellett who joined the company in June 2006 from Yahoo Europe where he served as Chief Financial Officer. He has since returned to the hi-tech sector. Managing director is the term used for the chief executive of many limited companies in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and some other English speaking countries. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Five (often referred as five, as per the logo), formerly, and more commonly known as Channel 5, is the British fifth and final national analogue terrestrial TV channel. ... Yahoo! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... “CFO” redirects here. ... High tech refers to high technology, technology that is at the cutting-edge and the most advanced currently available. ...

Channel 6's current Chief Executive is Michael Murphy, who is also the channel's Director of Programming.

The Channel 6 logo was designed by Dynamo, a Dublin based creative team.

Website

The initial Channel 6 website was designed by ShopeCentre, a Dublin based Web Applications Development firm. However, following issues related to the site - a replacement interim site had to be put up in its place in mid 2007.

A wholly new interactive site is currently under construction by a new Developer and will be lauching in early December 2007.

Programming

The channel produces up to 34 hours per week of locally produced programming with the remainder being made up of North American, Central European and Australian shows. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Central Europe The Alpine Countries and the Visegrád Group (Political map, 2004) Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ...

The channel targets 15-34 year olds in the Irish market. Unlike other Irish channels, there is no news service (and no current plans for one).

Channel 6 airs a number of locally produced programmes, initially these were commissions made by Intermission Studios; however since October 2007, a newly formed in-house production unit has taken control of local programming on Channel 6.

Amongst the home-produced shows currently offered are: the nightly alternative music show, Night Shift voted the favourite music show by Hot Press magazine readers in 2006, daily chart music show Popscene and cinema and DVD review Take Six. The Channel will launch an Irish Surf/Surf Culture Show called Cois Farraige in November 2006 hosted by Jenny Buckley.

Past home-produced shows include gaming show, Game On, the Irish version of Access Hollywood, the official Irish chart show Pop20 which is produced by Old Hat, and a quiz programme Quiz 6. Access Hollywood logo used 2001-2005 Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. ... Uncle Dog is a band that released an album and single in 1972. ...

Channel 6 has a deal with CBS Paramount on distribution of some of its big shows on Irish TV. Classic shows on the channel include Sex and the City, Frasier and Friends. "Our focus is on providing Irish viewers with a mix of both local and international entertainment programming," said Michael Murphy, Channel 6's director of programming. "We are delighted to be able to offer our viewers such high-quality, well-known series right at the start. We anticipate that this will be the first of several deals with our friends at CBS Paramount." CBS Paramount Television (reincorporated from Desilu Productions) (a. ... Sex and the City is a popular American cable television program. ... Frasier was an American sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer as psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane. ... CBS Paramount Television (formerly Desilu Productions, Paramount Television, among other companies) is an American television production/distribution company that was formed on January 17, 2006 by CBS Corporation merging Paramount Television and CBS Productions. ...

Quite a few of these shows have already been aired on Irish channels, RTÉ previously aired Friends while TV3 ran Sex and the City however Channel 6 is the first of the Irish channels to show programmes such as House and Courteney Cox drama Dirt, the US version of The Office, Numb3rs and My Name Is Earl. House, originally titled as House, M.D., is a critically-acclaimed American medical drama television series created by David Shore and executive produced by Shore and film director Bryan Singer. ... The Office is a television show, broadcast by NBC and co-produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions, in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. ... Numb3rs (also capitalized as NUMB3RS and pronounced as Numbers) is an American television show produced by brothers Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. ... My Name Is Earl is an Emmy Award-winning American sitcom created by Greg Garcia. ...

The Channel also aired the first series of US hit Heroes six months prior to it airing on BBC2, but after it aired on British digital channel Sci-Fi. Heroes is an American science fiction drama television series created by Tim Kring. ... Sci-fi is an abbreviation for science fiction. ...

They have also signed a deal with FOX to broadcast a number of their shows in Ireland. On Friday, 31 March, its first full-day of programming, they aired Buffy the Vampire Slayer in accordance with this. Channel 6 is also the only Irish broadcaster to carry Fox animations Family Guy and American Dad. This article is about the animal. ... For other uses, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (disambiguation). ...

A basic Teletext service is provided, listing schedules and competition details and winners. No subtitling service is provided. A BBC Ceefax page from January 9, 2007. ...

Launch

The available schedule (from the Irish Times Magazine) indicated that it would launch on Thursday, 30 March, at 18:00. It began with a two-hour "preview", simply a repeated cycle of the preview trailer that had earlier aired on NTL, before programmes started proper at 20:00. The first face on the channel was Michelle Doherty, who fronted a mock newscast explaining the focus of the channel on entertainment, which also served as the station's first continuity announcement. Programmes then began proper with a film review show, Take Six. From Friday 31 March it began programming at 15:00. Programming initially aired from 15:00 each weekday and 12:00 each weekend. It has now commenced broadcasting from 07:00 every morning. The channel promised the biggest Irish media launch to date. They reportedly spent approximately €3 million on advertising. It has been suggested that Irish Times Trust be merged into this article or section. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The channel’s launch marketing began on 26 March with double-page spreads across a number of national newspapers, which is to be followed by a significant outdoor and radio campaign.

Channel 6 - all the entertainment you need, is the simple advertising slogan for the channel in line with the fact that it will not feature any news, sport or current affairs.

Home produced programmes

Channel 6 show a mix of Irish produced shows and foreign imports. Home-produced shows broadcast by Channel 6 include:

• Take Six - a movie show hosted by Taragh Loughrey-Grant.
• Popscene - a weekday afternoon chart music show hosted by Brian Devereux.
• Day Shift - a weekend morning music show.
• Night Shift - a late night interactive music show hosted by Michelle Doherty.
• Access Hollywood - an entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry hosted by Jenny Buckley based on Access Hollywood sharing the same logo and some reports.
• Cois Farraige - an Irish surfing and surf culture show also hosted by Jenny Buckley
• Quiz6 - a phone in quiz show, where viewers could answer on screen puzzles to win cash.
• Game On - a video games show.
• Pop20 - The official Irish top 20 singles chart.

Take Six is an Irish movie show which debuted on Channel 6 on 30th March 2006. ... Access Hollywood logo used 2001-2005 Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. ...

See also

• Media in Ireland
• List of Irish television channels

The media in Ireland includes all the media and communications outlets of any other developed nation. ... Irelands television channels are a subset of the Media in Ireland. ...

References

• Launch date & target market figures: Irish Independent, Feb 2, 2006.
• No Sky launch for Channel Six: Digital Spy (see link below)

External links

• Channel 6 Official website
• BCI licence agreement (link currently unavailable)
• Digital Spy article
• Dynamo website
• Intermission Studios website

References