Setanta Sports News

Infobox TV channel
name = Setanta Sports News
logofile = Setanta Sports News.png logosize = 250px
launch = 29 November 2007
closed date =
picture format = 16:9, 576i (SDTV)
share = 0.1%
share as of = July 2008
share source = [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?report=monthgmulti BARB]
network =
owner = Virgin Media Television &
Setanta Sports

slogan =
country = Flagicon|Ireland Ireland
UK
sister names = Setanta UK
web =
sat serv 1 = Sky Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 418 (UK)
Channel 430 (Ireland)
cable serv 1 = Virgin Media
cable chan 1 = Channel 518
cable serv 2 = UPC Ireland
cable chan 2 = Channel 412

Setanta Sports News is a television channel from Virgin Media Television and Setanta Sports. The channel launched on 29 November 2007. [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a79274/setanta-sports-news-launch-date-announced.html Setanta Sports News launch date announced] Digital Spy, 5 November 2007] The channel is a rolling 24-hour sports news channel using the strength of the Setanta Sports brand across the United Kingdom and Ireland . It is available to all Virgin Media customers and also free-to-view on satellite and online. The channel is seen as Virgin Media's rival to Sky Sports News which was removed from their platform on 1 March 2007 as their contract with British Sky Broadcasting had ended.

There is a live feed available online at [http://www.football.virginmedia.com/page/Live Virgin Media Sport.] .

It was announced on 12 September 2007 that ITN was appointed producer of Setanta Sports News. [cite news
title = Sports News is about to get an exciting new look
publisher = BroadcastNow
date = 12 September 2007
url = http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcastnowJobDetail.aspx?intStoryID=7044
accessdate = 2007-09-12]

The channel is transmitted by Red Bee Media, who also play in the commercial breaks.

History

Setanta Sports News was launched on 29 November 2007 on the Virgin Media and Sky Digital platforms. The Virgin Media Television network had previously expressed their interest in running a sports news channel, after BSkyB took off Sky Sports News from ntl:Telewest's successor Virgin Media. Some media sources have claimed that Setanta News is intended to be in direct competition with Sky's Sports News [cite news| title = Setanta sports news trains its sights on Sky| publisher = Guardian Unlimited| date = November 29, 2007| url = http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2218682,00.html| accessdate = 2008-01-02] , which has an average of around 0.6%. It was announced in the summer of 2007 that Virgin Media Television was to launch the new channel. [cite news| title = Setanta plans sports news channel| publisher = Guardian Unlimited| date = July 24, 2007| url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/jul/24/broadcasting.virginrichardbranson| accessdate = 2008-01-02]

On the 1st September 2008, the channel was given a new look. The format was changed from 4:3 to Widescreen. Viewers could now see headlines along the length of the bottom of the screen, rather than across the top of the video section. There were other several minor changes, but not of particular importance.

International coverage

From 1 January 2008 Setanta Sports News has been rebroadcast live in one hour blocks on their domestic international stations in Australia and in the USA. In Australia Setanta Sports News is shown daily live at 7am and 6pm EST (changing to 9am & 6pm EDT) and in the USA is shown live at 1am, 5pm and 10pm ET.

Presenter Lineup

*Steve Gaisford
*Kelly Dalglish
*Rachel Brookes
*Murray Dron
*Charlotte Jackson
*Rhodri Williams
*Steven Godden
*Ali Douglas
*Alex Hyndman
*Ashley House
*Matt Teale
*Lisa Knights
*Roann Ghosh
*Faye Barker
*Andy Kerr
*Amelia Harris

External links

* [http://setanta.com/en/UK/Our-channels/Setanta-Sports-News/ Setanta Sports News]
* [http://www.virginmediatv.co.uk Virgin Media]
* [http://www.setanta.com/uk Setanta Sports]

References