The launch of digital-terrestrial television in Ireland is provoking more questions than answers after a final consultation meeting in Dublin last week. Questions include the extent to which the country's two main pay-television operators will be involved in the new platform, the amount of control public-service broadcaster RTE will exercise and how best to provide the main UK terrestrial channels. The latter point has already proved particularly contentious. Cable operator UPC earlier this month filed a complaint to the European Commission over Irish legislation passed in April to facilitate the launch of digital-terrestrial television (NMM April 27, 2007). UPC alleged that this could allow licence-fee money to be used to enhance the platform - for instance, by paying for the inclusion of the UK terrestrial channels -which would contravene European regulations against state aid. Pay-television operators UPC and satellite broadcaster BSkyB both carry the UK channels (BBC 1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) in Ireland. RTE wants to make them available free-to-air over the digital-terrestrial platform.
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