Ireland’s TV3 adds to local line-up

Ireland’s TV3 has unveiled its autumn schedule, revealing an increase in the number of locally made programmes.

TV3’s new programming includes Doctor In The House

The Dublin broadcaster now airs more than 45 hours of its weekly schedule live, while more than 55% is set to be home-produced.

Among TV3’s new programmes is in-house documentary strand Disclosure, which looks at topics including Ireland’s homeless crisis, and the drama Smalltown, which follows two students who leave Ireland for London.

Other shows new to TV3’s schedule include Ireland’s Animal Rescue, Doctor In The House, Adoption Stories, Geriatric Mums, Thelma’s Communion Girls, Ireland’s Problem Pets, Conor Pope’s Dodgy Dealers and A Rough Guide to the Future.

TV3’s group director of content Lynda McQuaid said: “In 2016 I and my team want to lead us into a new phase of cementing our position as Ireland’s leading commercial broadcaster by finding, producing, commissioning and acquiring the very best content for both our advertisers and audiences.”

The broadcaster, which airs soap opera Red Rock and a local version of UK format Gogglebox, also has the broadcast rights in Ireland to the forthcoming Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on September 18.

TV3’s new schedule comes after it lost key soap operas Coronation Street and Emmerdale to newcomer UTV Ireland at the beginning of the year, a blow that hit its market share significantly.

In July, UPC Ireland, owned by US cable giant Liberty Global, agreed to buy TV3 in a deal worth up to €87m (US$96m).