THE launch of a Christian TV channel which plans to begin broadcasting from its UK base in Bristol into Ireland from October was announced in Dublin yesterday.
ARK2, will include programming with a Christian perspective but has a target audience of those who are not actually Christians.
A spokesperson for TV cable company Cablelink said that although the company had consultations with the new channel, it would not be allocating a space for it among the 10 new frequencies it is bringing on stream later this year. The channels it will be providing include Teilifis na, Gaeilge, TV3, which plans to begin broadcasting next year, and a new English station, Channel 5.
It will also provide "premium stations such as Disney and Discovery, for which viewers would pay extra. ARK2 would "probably be looked favourably upon in a few years time", the spokesperson added, but was not as yet seen as being a popular enough possibility with subscribers.
A spokesperson for ARK2 said yesterday evening that its Director of Programmes, Mr Alan Rogers, had an understanding with Managing Director of Cablelink, Mr Kevin Windle, about broadcasting the station. He had received a very positive response about plans for ARK2, she said.
Another religious television station, UNITAS 2000, hopes to use Teilifis na Gaeilge's frequency when it is off the air but ARK2 is not interested because this would mean broadcasting at night.
The station would have to seek permission for broadcasting from the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, through whichever cable or satellite company would be broadcasting it. That would not happen until negotiations with the company were complete.
Mr Rogers said in Dublin yesterday that the new station intended to commission Irish made programming and was in consultation with Maynooth based TV producer Father Mick Melvin, of Kairos Communications who was also present at the launch. Other independent Irish producers would be involved he said.
The station would remain perceptive to religious situations such as that in the North, Mr Rogers added. There would be, some programming on other religions such as Judaism, but not the Muslim faith which he termed a proselytising religion, one whose members are obliged to attempt to convert others. Late night programming would feature Christian rock bands for a teenage and young adult audience.