Entertainment TV channel to target under-35s
The planned formula for success of Channel 6 is a mix of music, movies, drama and comedy, alongside a range of home-grown shows, when it goes live at the end of the month.
Station founder and director Michael Murphy suggested kids, sports fans and news junkies will have to look elsewhere for their TV fix.
Aiming for a modest 3% share of the under-35 audience, Channel 6 chiefs have lined up a string of ageing hit shows including The Sopranos, Dawson’s Creek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
New award-winning shows The American Office, hospital drama House and comedy My Name is Earl have also been secured.
Outlining the programming schedule, Mr Murphy revealed Channel 6 would go live to around 600,000 homes from March 30 on basic NTL and Chorus packages.
Talks are continuing, he said, to have it listed on the Sky service beside other Irish stations.
Theme nights are also planned, with young women targeted with ‘chick-flicks’ and double bills of Sex and the City while men will be offered a good measure of crime with CSI specials and hit comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Upwards of 25 staff will be employed and about half of the station’s €14 million budget will go on local programming with about one-third of output home-produced.
Movie review show Screen 6 and fashion programme Catwalk 6 will be shown once a week.
Music will feature heavily with daytime show Popscene aimed at teens, late night alternative Dream Scene for older viewers and chart show Mus:Six given a prime time slot.
Mr Murphy said: “We believe there is a huge appetite to see the likes of Damien Rice and others who get no support here.
“We are offering an exciting mix of never-before-seen comedy, drama and movies mixed with newly minted home- produced programming in the most entertaining package to appear on Irish screens. This will open up the market in a way that has not been experienced to date.”
The station is also developing a chat show, again aimed at under 35s, which could be on air in the autumn. However, Mr Murphy insisted it was not designed to rival RTÉ’s Tubridy Tonight.
“We would not go head-to-head with any other chat shows.
“We are about providing choice in the Irish marketplace.
“From a programming point of view, it would be silly to go head-to head.”
The new station plans an intensive €2m advertising campaign.
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