TV3 has spring in its step as it launches its autumn line-up
UTV Ireland looked like a serious threat to TV3 when it launched in New Year’s Day, taking Coronation Street and Emmerdale from TV3.
But six months on, it is the new station that is floundering and TV3 that was sounding confident yesterday as it launched its autumn schedule.
It emerged yesterday that only 4,700 people tuned into UTV Ireland’s main news bulletin at 5.30pm on Monday, compared to 93,000 who watched TV3’s bulletin at the same time.
TV3’s new director of content Lynda McQuaid said UTV Ireland’s audiences peaked for Coronation Street and Emmerdale, but that those viewers were not sticking with the station for other shows.
Ms McQuaid added: ‘ TV3 news at the 5.30 is a recognisable brand, it is a trusted brand, and that’s the reason we are standing in the position we are. All I am keen to do is build on what we are doing.’
She said TV3 viewers had shown how loyal they were, adding: ‘Even pre losing the soaps, they are a very loyal breed.
‘We know who our viewers are but we cannot rest on our laurels, we have got to look forward.’
Ms McQuaid was speaking at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin yesterday where TV3 launched its autumn schedule to the advertising industry.
TV3 announced it would be broadcasting all 48 Rugby World Cup matches live. X Factor will also return to the station. A second season of Red Rock has been given the green light, and Ireland AM is expanding to the weekend, with Anna Daly and Simon Delaney at the helm on Saturdays and Ivan Yates and Ms Daly presenting on Sundays.
Ms Daly said she was looking forward to having some work/life balance.
‘I leave Ireland AM on July 2 and we go live on the 29. I’ll be doing a four-day week, Thursday to Sunday, so it gives me a better work and home life.’
Yates, who presents Newstalk Breakfast with Chris Donoghue, said of his new show: ‘It’s going to be a real challenge There isn’t a comparable programme on RTÉ or UTV so it’s high risk, a big challenge and I’m a bit of a rookie when it comes to television so I will be dependent on Anna to do all the serious, professional stuff.’ Also lined up in the schedule is a second series of The Restaurant, with chef Marco Pierre White appearing as a resident critic. The station has acquired the rights to broadcast Celebrity Big Brother this autumn and winter.
The schedule launch was hosted by Xpose’s Karen Koster, who is expected to return to our screens in September after nine months on maternity leave after she gave birth to her son Finn on New Year’s Eve.
The 35- year- old said: ‘I think I’ll be ready to come back by September. I’m feeling good.
‘It’ll be nine months then and already he has a strong personality on him.
‘I think he’s going to thrive in creche, to be honest. The days when it is just him and me, he is sick of the si ght of me. He gets restless. He’d love to be here today. He l oves seeing everybody. He loves seeing people. ‘You got to do what’s right for your own little family so hopefully this is the right thing.’
‘It’s high risk and a big challenge’