UTV have signed off on a 10-year contract with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland for a new TV service in the Republic of Ireland.
The channel is to begin broadcasting from January 2015 and will also see UTV be given the rights for ITV programmes like Coronation Street and Emmerdale which are currently only available on TV3.
“Today’s announcement represents a strong vote of confidence by UTV in Irish broadcasting and our investment in the Irish economy” said Group Chief Executive of UTV Media, John McCann.
UTV have also said that they plan to produce a nightly Irish news programme for their television schedule.
It’s said that the company plans to create more than 100 new jobs in Ireland with offices in the capital and work for reporters based in Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick.
