Press

TG4 HD available for Saorview customers in Ireland

02.12.22

 
TG4 and Saorview are delighted to announce that television viewers will be able to watch TG4 in high definition as the channel is now available in HD on Saorview.

TG4 HD will provide a better viewer experience and will be enjoyed in particular for sports and live events, films, high-end entertainment and documentary programming. Saorview is Ireland’s free-to-air national digital television service. TG4 has been available on Saorview in standard definition on the service since it was established in 2011.

Television audiences have a large choice of platforms and devices which they can watch television. Today’s announcement will give TG4 audiences increased choice in how they choose to watch TG4. TG4 is now available in high definition across all viewing platforms, including Saorview, Sky, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Eir.

Saorview is Ireland’s free-to-air DTT platform with 626,000 Irish television households using the service, of which 198,000 are Saorview-only homes. Saorview is owned and managed by RTÉ and is the brand name for the two national television multiplexes that RTÉ is required to provide under the Broadcasting Act 2009. The infrastructure required to transmit the Saorview service was constructed and is operated by 2rn (a wholly owned subsidiary of RTÉ).

TG4 Director General Alan Esslemont welcomed the announcement saying, “I would like to thank Minister Martin and her officials in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media for their supplementary allocation to provide TG4 in HD on Saorview. Provision of HD services for public service media on a free to air platform such as Saorview is essential as HD has become established norm in broadcasting. Audiences now expect high quality across all platforms and TG4 viewers will now enjoy excellent pictures and increased engagement in high-quality content that TG4 continues to deliver to its audiences.”

Saorview Business Development Manager, Jim Higgins said “We are pleased to note the availability of TG4 in High Definition on Ireland’s free-to-air digital TV platform, and we expect to see a good reaction from our audience to this welcome development.”