Global communications giant Liberty Global, owner of television cable company UPC Ireland, has struck a deal to buy broadcaster TV3 for €87m, a development that will stiffen competition for RTÉ and the troubled fledgling station UTV Ireland.

THE Irish people have beaten off an army of bishops carrying croziers by saying ‘Yes’ in the same-sex marriage referendum. For the first time, they have made up their own minds.

An exceptional gain from the buyback of its former Anglo Irish Bank debt, resulted in TV3 recording a net profit of just over €7.4m last year.

If last year’s new TV and radio schedule launches were dominated by RTÉ’s shadow-boxing with Newstalk over the Pat Kenny affair, fast forward 12 months and another station is throwing just as many shapes in a bid to defend its position.

The chief executive of TV3 yesterday insisted the station’s success in winning the primary rights for broadcasting next year’s Rugby World Cup had nothing to do with the Ballymount operation losing out to Sky in the latest GAA TV deal.

Competition in the Irish television market is set to intensify after UTV announced it will launch a station in the Republic in early 2015.

UTV has vowed to go head-to-head with RTE and TV3 in a battle for Irish television viewers with a new station based in Dublin.

The head of TV3 has called on the Government to end the “failed dual-funding mechanism” which allows RTÉ to earn revenue from both advertising and the TV licence fee.

An Irishman and a British woman accused of engaging in sexual activities in a Dubai taxi have been sentenced to three months in prison and then deportation, their lawyer said.

An Irishman has pleaded not guilty to having sex in a taxi in Dubai.

TV3 RETURNED to profitability and grew its revenues by 6% last year, according to latest annual accounts filed with the Companies Office.

RTÉ is to stop using its dominant position to effectively force advertisers to give it more business after an investigation into alleged market abuse by the Competition Authority.

TV3 has declared war on RTÉ in a battle for ratings as well as a challenge to end the state broadcaster’s access to dual funding from advertising and the TV licence fee.

THE Ken Hogan managed Coolderry demolished old rivals Kinnitty in a one-sided Offaly SHC semi-final at O’Connor Park yesterday.

TV3 is aiming to cement its position as the country’s second favourite TV channel and close the gap on RTÉ 1 with a new autumn schedule which sees a record number of home-produced programmes by the station.

CORRIE fans throughout the country can relax — their favourite soap is set to be part of TV3’s schedules for the foreseeable future.

DAVID McRedmond, Eircom’s commercial director is to quit the company.

David Clerkin

SINCE the end of June, 50,000 customers have left Eircom as a result of competition in the fixed line telephone market.

PHONE company Eircom was at the centre of a fresh storm over the weekend as it dismissed criticism it was generating millions of euro each year in revenue by charging customers for equipment and services they did not use.

EIRCOM were yesterday accused of ripping off their customers following the latest hike in phone line rental charges to over €24 a month.