Teilifis na Gaeilge prepares for opening

SPENDING on independently made Irish television programmes is due to treble in 1996. The UTV backed TV3 will invest heavily in commissioned programmes and RTE has announced plans to spend £7 million on independent productions.

But perhaps the biggest impact will be made by the Irish language channel Teilifis na Gaeilge (TnaG). This station does not plan to make any programmes itself and plans to spend £7 million on independently made shows this year.

One of the biggest commission in the next three years is expected to be TnaG's multi million pound contract to produce an Irish language daily soap opera, "Ros na Run".

"There will be a huge upsurge in independent productions in both languages," said Mr Cathal Goan, chief executive of the new channel. There will be just 20 people directly employed by TnaG which will be a "publisher/broadcaster" mostly at Baile na hAbhann in the Connemara Gaeltacht. Administration overheads will be kept to a minimum. At least 150 jobs will be created indirectly by the station.

It estimates that 500,000 people are available to watch an Irish language channel and hopes to attract up to 120,000 viewers on a regular basis. It goes on air next October.

Television is a very powerful advertising medium but many businesses are feel excluded from it because of the high rates charged. TnaG believes it can attract local advertising, which larger national channels cannot.

The capital cost of building the new station will be £16 million and the annual running costs will be about £10 million. Much of this money will come from the Government, as well as £6.4 million from money accumulated by RTE in excess of the revenue limit imposed by the Broadcasting Act 1990. Over 90 per cent of homes through out the State will be able to receive TnaG from its first day on air.

Transmitters are being purchased and a transmission network is being installed. Headquarters are being constructed and fitted out in Baile na hAbhann. Editorial facilities have been installed in RTE at Donnybrook, in Dublin. The station will have links with the Gaeltachts in Donegal and Dingle.

TnaG will begin transmitting for three hours each day between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. and between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. TnaG has spent a large sum on market research and has identified young people as a major part of its target audience.

Mr Goan promises that there will be "no hint of the classroom" in TnaG's youth programming. Children between the ages of six and 14 will be particularly catered for in the schedule.

RTE is to provide one hour of programming per day to TnaG, free of charge. Independent producers will also provide one hour of programming per day. During TnaG's "downtime", the wavelength could be used by other channels for home shopping, for example.

TnaG is currently talking to television firms and data companies who want to make use of the infrastructure as a "signal delivery mechanism" around the country.

News and drama will be the most costly parts of TnaG's schedule. A more "people driven and pictures driven" news service, is promised on TnaG. As the channel is technically a subsidiary of RTE, it may be able to piggyback on some of the national channel's sporting contracts and showcase sports fixtures, which are not currently covered.

Over 90 per cent of TnaG's programmes will be of European origin. A policy decision has been taken not to re voice material which is already available in English.

Much of the channel's acquired material will be programmes from continental Europe, previously unseen in Ireland. Negotiations are underway to acquire a Dutch drama series "Called to the Bar" about the law in Amsterdam.

European Union funds are available for re voicing, subtitling and television exchanges. Co productions with the Welsh, Scots and Bretons could provide economies of scale.

All recorded material on TNaG will be subtitled in English on Teletext. There may also be subtitles available in Irish for those learning the language. Over 45 per cent of television sets have Teletext now and the proportion is rising. TnaG is working with Forbairt to assist small companies around the country in the creative, marketing and business development areas. Training courses for technicians have been run in Gaeltacht areas.