The BBC has secured an EU broadcast licence for the recently re-launched BBC Three channel. It means BBC Three can now be made available to pay TV platforms in the Republic of Ireland.
It means the BBC Three will be available from Tuesday 17th May through Sky Ireland on channel 169. The channel will be HD by default, with the SD version occupying channel 845.
Prior to Brexit, a UK broadcast licence would have been sufficient for BBC Three to be available in the Republic. Now that Ofcom broadcast licences are no longer valid, the BBC is now licensed through Luxembourg’s media regulator ALIA.
Additionally, inclusion of BBC TV channels in the Republic of Ireland is also subject to commercial arrangements, including carriage fees to be paid to the BBC.
This doesn’t stop viewers in the Republic of Ireland receiving overspill signals through free-to-air platforms, such as Freesat or Freeview.
The BBC outside of the UK
EU licences for BBC domestic channels are issued by Luxembourg’s broadcast regulator ALIA. BBC Three qualifies for a Luxembourg licence as the BBC, as well as all the other main UK broadcasters, use Luxembourg-based SES Astra for satellite distribution.
BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four, BBC News and the BBC’s children’s channels already hold Luxembourg licences to allow them to be offered to platforms in Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium.
All three countries fall within the zone of the BBC’s satellite spotbeam footprint. This is a zone that the BBC has to secure broadcast rights and licensing deals for. The income from platform operators in these neighbouring countries helps to offset the costs of the BBC.
The satellite footprint also restricts the availability of BBC services outside of countries immediately bordering the UK. The costs of securing wider broadcast rights would be prohibitive for the BBC. Switzerland makes BBC domestic services available thanks to local legislation permitting the retransmission of such services, subject to compensation being paid to rights holders.
The version of BBC Three being made available on Sky Ireland contains the same audio and video feed for BBC Three. However, it doesn’t include Red Button access and DVB subtitles.
BBC Three’s EU licence also paves the way for other operators in Ireland to add BBC Three in due course.