TV3 Group
 |
|
| Public/Limited | |
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 20 September 1998 |
| Founder | Ossie Kilkenny, Paul McGuinness, James Morris and John Kelleher |
| Headquarters | Ballymount, Dublin, Ireland |
|
Area served
|
Throughout the entire island of Ireland; Ireland and the constituent country/autonomous province of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom also rest of the world (via internet, satellite, digital and analogue services) |
|
Key people
|
Pat Kiely MD of 3 Group; (former CEO David McRedmond) |
| Products |
Television services transmission e-publishing (teletext & web) commercial telecoms services |
| Revenue |
 €57.4 million (2009) |
| Owner |
Virgin Media Ireland (Liberty Global) |
|
Number of employees
|
250 (2015) |
| Website | tv3.ie |
The TV3 Group is a commercial TV network in the Republic of Ireland. Launched in 1998 (as TV3 Television Network), the TV3 Group was formed in January 2009.
The network operates TV3 and its sister channels 3e and be3 and the online service TV3.ie. The network's studios are located at Ballymount, Dublin. TV3, the first channel from the network, launched in 1998. The network expanded in 2008 with the launch of 3e. In November 2008, the tv3.ie. With the intention of developing it into an entertainment portal. Catch-up facilities, as well as exclusive content, are available for 3 programming as are news, weather, sport and entertainment updates. In October 2011, 3Player a video-on-demand service was launched.
Main Channels
Time Shift Channels
HD Channels
Children's Block
TV3 was intended to be Ireland's third terrestrial channel. In October 1988 the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) was created to regulate new independent stations. The original TV3 licence to broadcast was granted in 1990 to the consortium Tullamore Beta Ltd (some of this consortium made up of Windmill Lane Productions and Paul McGuinness [manager of U2]). It was envisaged that the channel would broadcast on cable and MMDS, but it was later decided that the channel should broadcast on terrestrial television similar to other Irish channels.
IRTC revoked the broadcasting licence due to delays in broadcasting the channel. After a court battle the licence was eventually restored in 1993. By 1993 an agreement was made to sell 49 per cent of the company to UTV, to raise much-needed cash for investment in facilities. UTV pulled out of negotiations in 1995, after TV3 tried to convince existing MMDS and cable television providers to drop UTV and replace it with TV3. Due to the success of UTV with audiences within the Republic of Ireland many cable television carriers declined.
In 1997, Canadian communications company Canwest bought a major stake in the new company.
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Wikipedia