It is being widely reported today that the Mayo-based TV channel, Irish TV, has ceased production following the withdrawal of its founder and principal investor, Pierce O'Reilly. The channel, which originated as Showcase on Sky channel 191, broadcast a mix of country music and county magazine programmes, and had just celebrated being added to the Saorview platform in July this year:

http://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php...f-key-investor

its not on saorview yet

I've just switched it on and there's football highlights on. The Dublin Marathon was on earlier tonight so they're on air at least.

That radio station and the TV channel concerned would not be the best of friends, to say the least.

I know someone who works there but won't see them till Tuesday to know for sure.

It's true, the administrators have been called in, a rescue looks unlikely.

^ Source? I saw it last night when I got home and it was still on the air.

They've suspended the county news services, which were costing them €1.4m a year.

There's been no public statement from the channel, but their previous complaints at having to pay €1m a year to get onto the free terrestrial platform - with a €3m bond on top of this - has shed welcome light on just how expensive it is to get onto what's supposedly the most basic platform.

I'd love to see how this compares with other countries.

They're on Sky, Freesat, eirTV and VodafoneTV already. Interesting that the British-owned Virgin Media never struck a deal with them, or of course, the new eir Sport.

It's true. They can still be on the air even with administrators called in.

As somebody directly affected by a situation like this, albeit many years back, when a minor TV station hits trouble the first things to go are the original content, replaced by cheap material being dumped on the market by others, having already covered its costs elsewhere.

The operating company has been wound up today - still broadcasting for now, but will presumably only take weeks before transmissions cease.

Such a pity, fair fcuk's to them for giving it a good go!

The impending closure would also render the Freesat lifestyle section of the EPG empty.

Ambitious but just about a failure towards the end with money being constantly haemorrhaged.

Two companies - Irish TV and it's holding company have bit the dust.