TG4 says audience figures are up 92% in a year

TG4 is positioning itself as the alternative public service channel for all Ireland, the station's ceannasai, Mr Pol O Gallaghoir, has said.

Speaking at the announcement of TG4's autumn 2000 programme schedule in the Mansion House, Dublin, yesterday, he said it would provide 19 hours of programming daily, including six hours of Irish-language programmes.

"Over the past year TG4 achieved audience growth of 92 per cent, so our total reach is now in the order of 600,000," he said.

Highlights of the new schedule include documentaries such as Sceal Shane McGowan and Brian Boru i Londain. The latter tells the story of the Brians, London's oldest hurling club, which is attempting to revitalise interest in the game by introducing hurling to multiracial schools.

The station's drama programme continues with Tri Sceal, Ros na Run and Oscailt, TG4's joint initiative with the Irish Film Board to promote original drama in Irish.

Mr Cilian Fennell, head of programming, said it would be screening 30 documentaries by independent programme-makers on all aspects of life in Ireland and abroad.

"What the Government asked us to do was to provide Irish-language programmes and to work with the independent sector, and we are proving that we are doing that," he said.

"Our editorial process is very open, and the challenge of doing something in a different language makes us look at the world in a different way, which is where we get the `suil eile' from. We're engaging with the world with a different set of words."

The head of news, Mr Michael Lally, said it was likely that the merger of TG4's nuacht service with RTE's Irish-language news service would be complete within 12 months. "Negotiations about new working practices are under way and as soon as they are completed we will be merging TG4 nuacht and RTE nuacht into one entity. One staff will be providing two news services."

Ailbe O Monachaain will present nuacht TG4 when the revamped 6.30 p.m. main bulletin starts on Monday week.