CEO of Virgin Media in Ireland Tony Hanway spoke at an IFTA Industry Breakfast yesterday morning at the National Concert Hall about the evolving industry in Ireland.
Part of Hanway’s reflections on Virgin Media’s contributions to the sector over the last number of years of course includes its acquisition of TV3.
Virgin Media’s acquisition of TV3 has seen a multi-million euro investment the broadcaster’s studios and equipment. This has seen a full HD upgrade for Studio 1 with all technology such as audio desks, cameras – in other words the works - fully replaced with brand new equipment.
He has described the investment in Studio 2 has a means to increase its general capability and resilience, with a focus on increased storage, better lighting and better interconnectivity with other TV3 technology.
TV3’s transmission system has, in turn, been replaced with a state-of-the-art, fully scalable technology to enable HD and SD transmission on all TV3 channels. Its overall connectivity is also in the process of being enhanced through deployment of enhanced Virgin Media fibre infrastructure.
On future plans for these enhancements, Hanway stated:
“TV3 is using this new connectivity to develop HD services to Sky Go and to NowTV (by agreement with Sky), to live-streaming, to support incoming OB and news camera signals on LiveU, to launch a Kids TV service, to prepare for the launch of 3eHD, and to receive delivery of acquired programming via rapid file-transfer. TV3 is an ideal example of how broadband technology is increasingly becoming key to media delivery across a range of platforms.”
