Deluxe has been tapped by UTV for content preparation for recently launched UTV Ireland channel.
UTV Ireland, which began broadcasting on 1 January, is the first new commercial terrestrial channel for 16 years in Ireland, and has an output deal with ITV to broadcast shows including Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
UTV has held the Channel 3 license for Northern Ireland since 1959, and the new channel is its first move into television in the Republic of Ireland.
Completing the work from its Acton facility, Deluxe prepared 80 hours of content for the launch of UTV Ireland. On a continuing basis, Deluxe expects to complete approximately 50 hours per week of acquired and commissioned material. Work includes R128 conforms, compliance editing and quality control prior to digital file delivery to the channel.
“We needed a content management partner who had the scale and expertise to support our ambitious turnaround schedules,” said Michael Wilson (pictured), managing director of UTV. “Deluxe’s experience with ITV and other major broadcasters and content owners, plus their understanding of the pressures involved in launching new channels, including the need to work to tight turnaround times, gave us the necessary peace of mind that our content was in the best technically capable hands.”
Chris Higgs, managing director of Deluxe Media Europe, added: “We have introduced great efficiencies across our workflows. We were delighted to support the new UTV Ireland channel and look forward to the opportunity to expand our service offering to include access services later this year.”
