Progress and slide regarding the Setanta Sports News channel
Setanta Sports News was a production of the Virgin Media Television network and Setanta Sports. Launched in November 2007, this channel was a 24 hour sports news provider for Setanta Sports. Setanta Sports News capitalized around the success of Setanta Sports and tried to capture the sports news viewers based in UK and Ireland. A free channel available via satellite tv and also available on the internet, Setanta Sports News was positioned as Sky Sports News primary rival. Even though Sky Sports News became a part of Virgin Media television, Setanta Sports remained with this particular platform and continued to retain its rival position.
Approximately a year after the channel launch, it had been decided that this channel required a different look. Thus came the new look in the show using a widescreen format, headlines were run in the bottom entire screen and many other smaller yet significant changes. The channel however continued to experiment with its looks and format structure over the year incorporating smaller changes to really make it attractive to the viewers.
Setanta Sports was doing very well as a sports channel since its inception in 1990. This channel broadcasted international sporting events from its station located in the city of Dublin in Ireland. Formed with an idea of the Irishmans love for sport, this channel aimed at broadcasting all Irish sports events to its Irish expats. They’ve got a set of individual channels that operate in the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Africa and broadcast competitive sports including hurling, golf, Gaelic football, association football, American football, horse racing, boxing, rugby union and darts.
However after a successful run for over a decade, Setanta Sports began facing financial hardships. The channel operated by Setanta Sports in the UK used to get broadcast just like Setanta Sports entered administration or liquidation during 2009 because of financial issues and insufficiency of funds. The ownership of Setanta Sports Channel Ireland limited changed. The channel then proceeded to be co-owned by Gaiety Investments and Sabloss Limited.
Due to this alteration of fortune, Setanta Sports News ceased broadcasting from 2009. This was also followed by a loss of a number of jobs. However parts of Setanta Sports continued broadcasting sports events in Ireland, Canada, USA and Australia. The only hiccup was that some content remained affected due to the closure of the operations in the UK.
Setanta Sports remained in the news for the various reports that continued to brew regarding its alteration of ownership and prospective buying proposals. There have been several reports by news providers that spoke of Setanta Sports Ireland had been looked over with interest by music producer Dennis Desmond.
Following the ownership change each of the Setanta Channels, the one in Ireland and the one in the United States, are licensed from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. These broadcast rights include airing of club football from counties including Germany, France, Ireland, Brazil and Netherlands, national football games, rugby union games, rugby league games, exclusive rights to the live broadcasting in the USA PGA golf tour along with other championships including Australian Football League, war of the darts etc.