Launched 12 June 2008 Headquarters Donnybrook, Dublin | Country Ireland | |
 | ||
Owned by Raidió Teilifís Éireann Language English
Irish
Sign Language Broadcast area Ireland
Worldwide online | ||
RTÉ News Now is a 24-hour news television network in the Republic of Ireland operated by Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ. The channel launched as RTÉ News Now available exclusively online on 12 June 2008. The channel began broadcasting as a free-to-air channel on 29 October 2010 on Saorview. It began broadcasting on channel 200 of UPC Ireland's basic Value pack on 2 October 2012. As of January 2016 the channel is also available on the Sky Ireland platform channel number 578 (Republic of Ireland only)
Contents
- History
- Advertising
- Format
- Scheduling
- Programming
- News
- Breaking news
- Overnight and special simulcasts
- RT Weather
- RT TEN
- Current affairs
- Sports
- RT News rebrand
- RT News and Current Affairs not available on News Now
- Availability
- RT News Now App
- RT News Now Strategy 2012 to 2017
- Awards
- References
The channel broadcasts free-to-air and commercial free. The channel is available in Ireland and globally online, on mobile phones and an iPhone/iPad application is also widely available free. The channel is operated by RTÉ's department RTÉ News and Current Affairs. The channel broadcasts in the Irish, English and ISL languages.
History
RTÉ News Now was originally available only to online users of the RTÉ website and on mobile phones when the channel launched on 12 June 2008. Availability of the channel improved during test trials of Saorview in December 2009. The channel has been made available since May 2010 on train services within Dublin city and surrounding regions under a special agreement between CIÉ and RTÉ. Previously, Sky News provided such a service. Since October 29, 2010 the channel is available free-to-air to 98% of homes throughout the Republic of Ireland through Saorview. Upon the announcement in February 2011 that RTÉ News Now would become a permanent fixture to the Saorview line-up a number of media organizations criticized such a move claiming RTÉ would continue to have a monopoly over news output within Ireland.
Advertising
RTÉ News Now is currently one of only two RTÉ channels that does not carry advertising. The other being RTÉjr. In January 2015 it was reported that RTÉ intend to ask the Minister for Communications to allow them carry advertising on RTÉ News Now as part of an overhaul of the service. The broadcaster has put forward a proposal to add advertising to the channel in the near future, such a proposal needs government sanction.
Format
Scheduling
The channel airs live news programmes such as Six One, as they are broadcast on other RTÉ channels, along with weather forecasts. During other periods, live current affairs programmes such as Prime Time are shown. Outside of these hours the most recent show is repeated, looped, unless interrupted by live feeds of breaking news stories. Up-to-the-minute financial data and weather are also broadcast on-air. As with many other stations, a live ticker is provided, across the bottom of the screen, providing headlines sourced from content on the broadcaster's website.
RTÉ have a number of bulletins on the channel that do not air on RTÉ One or RTÉ Two; they also provide a live Irish language news bulletin at 17:00 each weekday. They provide special reports from different news and current affairs programming, this is identified as RTÉ News Now Highlights. News2Day also appears on the channel.
RTÉ have proposed some other changes to the RTÉ News Now schedule:
Programming
The channel broadcasts a mix of news and current affairs shows.
News
The channel airs the following RTÉ news programmes live:
Regular news bulletins and weather forecasts shown on RTÉ One and Two throughout the day are also simulcast on RTÉ News Now.
Breaking news
RTÉ News Now provides detailed analysis of breaking news stories domestically and internationally.
Overnight and special simulcasts
RTÉ News Now simulcasts Euronews after 01:00.
RTÉ Weather
RTÉ News Now weather is provided by RTÉ One and Two. It is a re-transmission of both services, however unlike RTÉ One and Two the channel does not carry sponsorship.
RTÉ TEN
RTÉ TEN (The Entertainment Network) provides viewers with up-to-the minute showbiz news from music reviews, interviews, film premieres and more. The show airs daily and hosts a weekly round-up show each weekend.
Current affairs
It broadcasts these current affairs shows:
Late Debate Tuesday to Thursday at 22.10
Sports
RTÉ News Now broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, they also have a special highlights programming for the duration of the games provided by the Olympic Broadcast Services. They also broadcast some live sport for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
They also broadcast the Camogie finals along with RTÉ Two.
RTÉ News rebrand
On 9 February 2009 RTÉ News received a major revamp, with a new 'walk-around' studio, new music, titles and graphics. The new look also lead to the revamp of RTÉs New's Now on-screen rolling tickers. Weather forecasts form of a core of the news bulletins, like much of RTÉ's news. During commercial breaks a new RTÉ News Now ident is shown.
On 25 May 2011 RTÉ News Now revamped its on-screen identity giving viewers more detailed content.
In late 2014, RTÉ News Now is set for another rebrand. On 30 November 2014 RTÉ News Now revealed its new on-air identity inline with RTÉ News rebrand in early 2014.
RTÉ News and Current Affairs not available on News Now
Availability
The channel is available nationwide as of 29 October 2010 on Saorview, Ireland's national digital terrestrial service. On 2 October 2012 it also launched on UPC Ireland. On 18 January 2016 it launched on Sky Ireland. The channel is available online throughout the world, without restriction. The service is available through a special iPhone application. Currently, the service is available in Windows Media Player and RealPlayer formats, and in Flash H.264 format on the Ireland-only RTÉ player. On 19 January 2010 RTÉ announced a new application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It was announced on 19 May 2010 that RTÉ News Now would begin appearing on Transvision digital screens in the main Dublin Bus and Train stations (Heuston, Connolly, Pearse and Busaras). In November 2010, the service became available, free of charge, on Android smartphone customers through the app store, Android Market for use over 3G networks and wi-fi, regardless of service provider.
RTÉ News Now App
On Thursday 17 April 2014 RTÉ News Now launched a new app for both iPhone and Android. With over 1 million downloads the service is the most used news app in the Republic of Ireland. The next generation News Now App provide users with an expanded range of content, new features and an innovative, market-leading app experience. The service will eventually be made available on iPad and other tablets.
RTÉ News Now Strategy: 2012 to 2017
On 16 September 2013 RTÉ management announced its Strategy:2012-2017. Under the strategy RTÉ confirmed its commitment to the 24 hour news channel. It is hoped that the channel will broadcast live bulletins from 07:00 - 00:00 with fewer repeats. Over 80% of the channels existing content is made-up of repeats with exception to live news broadcasts and breaking news stories. RTÉ want to drive the channel towards becoming "the driver of the 24-hour news cycle.”
Awards
In October 2008, RTÉ News Now won the award for Business Services at the Inspired IT Awards in Dublin. In November 2010, RTÉ News Now iPhone app won Best Media app, Best Apple App and the Grand Prix awards at 'The Appy's 2010 with The Carphone Wareshouse'.