Setanta Sports News

Last updated

Setanta Sports News
Country Ireland
United Kingdom
Programming
Picture format 16:9, 576i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner Virgin Media Television
Setanta Sports
Sister channels Arsenal TV
Celtic TV
ESPN America
LFC TV
Racing UK
Racing World
Rangers TV
Setanta Sports 1
Setanta Sports 2
Setanta Golf
Setanta Ireland
History
Launched29 November 2007
Closed23 June 2009 [1]
Links
Website www.setanta.com/uk/news

Setanta Sports News was a television channel from Virgin Media Television and Setanta Sports. The channel launched on 29 November 2007. [2] as a rolling 24-hour sports news channel using the strength of the Setanta Sports brand across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was available to all Virgin Media customers and also free-to-view on satellite and online. The channel was 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. However, when Virgin Media reinstated Sky Sports News onto their television platform, their Setanta rival remained an active channel.

Contents

It was announced on 12 September 2007 that ITN was appointed producer of Setanta Sports News. [3]

The channel was transmitted by Red Bee Media, which also played in the commercial breaks.

The channel closed at just before 6pm on Tuesday 23 June 2009, following financial difficulties. [4]

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 removed Sky Sports News from ntl:Telewest's successor Virgin Media. Media sources claimed that Setanta News was intended to be in direct competition with BSkyB's Sky Sports News, [5] 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. [6]

On 1 September 2008, the channel was given a new look. The format was changed from 4:3 to Widescreen. Viewers could 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, which also included the vidiprinter moving to a different part of the screen.

Over the course of the remainder of the year, channel producers experimented with different format designs, including removing the side bar over midweek.

Closure

On 23 June 2009, it was announced Setanta Sports had been placed into administration after rescue talks to secure new funding collapsed. Setanta Sports News closed on the same day, at 18:00, with 60 staff made redundant. [7]

International coverage

From 1 January 2008, Setanta Sports News was broadcast live in one hour blocks on their domestic international stations in the Republic of Ireland (at 18:00 on Setanta Ireland), Australia, and the USA. In Australia, Setanta Sports News was shown live daily at 7am and 6pm EST (changing to 9am & 6pm EDT) and in the USA was shown live at 1am, 5pm, and 10pm ET.

On air team

PersonPosition at SetantaCurrent position(s)
Matt Teale PresenterCo-presenter on ITV News Meridian
Lisa KnightsPresenterFreelance broadcast journalist with Sky News
Andy KerrPresenterPresenter beIN Sports USA and Asia
Kelly Cates PresenterPresenter for ESPN's Football Coverage
Rachel BrookesPresenterReporter for Sky Sports News
Murray Dron PresenterFreelance broadcast journalist
Charlotte Jackson PresenterPresenter for Sky Sports News
Rhodri Williams PresenterPresenter for Al Jazeera Sport FA Cup Europa League Matches
Ali Douglas PresenterFreelance broadcast journalist ITV News London
Ashley House PresenterSports Presenter, Al Jazeera English
Mark McQuillan Freelance Reporter ITV News
Amelia HarrisFreelance PresenterSports Presenter, BBC News channel
Alexandra Hill Freelance PresenterFreelance broadcast journalist
Jackie Kabler Freelance Presenter
Sangeeta KandolaFreelance PresenterPresenter, 5 News and ITV News
Sue Thearle FreelanceNews Presenter, BBC News channel/BBC World News
Faye Barker Freelance PresenterPresenter, ITV News London and ITV News
Steve Clamp Freelance PresenterPresenter, ITV News Central
Steve Gaisford Freelance PresenterRuns online company
Chris FordReporterFootball news reporter, Premier League Productions / Freelance broadcast journalist
David ChisnallReporterReporter, Now at ITV News Granada
Andrew ToftReporter
Jamie WeirReporterReporter, Sky Sports News
Katie BaileyReporter
Natalie PirksReporterSports Reporter with BBC News
Zoe GoughReporterReporter for BBC Points West
David WarrinerReporter
Steven GoddenReporterReporter, BBC Scotland

References

  1. Setanta Sports News to shut down tonight Digital Spy, 23 June 2009
  2. Setanta Sports News launch date announced Digital Spy, 5 November 2007
  3. "Sports News is about to get an exciting new look". BroadcastNow. 12 September 2007. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 12 September 2007.
  4. "Setanta UK goes into administration". Irish Times. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  5. Gibson, Owen (29 November 2007). "Setanta sports news trains its sights on Sky". London: Guardian Unlimited . Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  6. Tryhorn, Chris (24 July 2007). "Setanta plans sports news channel". London: Guardian Unlimited . Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  7. Setanta goes into administration The Guardian, 23 June 2009