Setanta Sports News was a production of the Virgin Media Television network and Setanta Sports. Launched in November 2007, this channel was a Round-the-clock sports news provider for Setanta Sports. Setanta Sports News capitalized on the success of Setanta Sports and tried to capture the sports news viewers situated in UK and Ireland. A free channel available via satellite television and in addition available online, Setanta Sports News was positioned as Sky Sports News primary rival. Even though Sky Sports News became a part of Virgin Media television, Setanta Sports remained with this platform and continued to retain its rival position.
Approximately a year following the channel launch, it had been decided that the channel required a different look. Thus came the new look of the show with a widescreen format, headlines were run at the bottom length of the screen and many other smaller yet significant changes. The channel however continued to test out its looks and format structure over the year incorporating smaller changes to really make it popular with the viewers.
Setanta Sports was doing very well as a sports channel since its inception in 1990. This channel broadcasted international sports entertainment from the station located in the city of Dublin in Ireland. Formed through an understanding of the Irishmans love for sport, this channel targeted at broadcasting all Irish sports events to its Irish expats. They’ve got a group of individual channels that operate in the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Africa and broadcast sporting events including hurling, golf, Gaelic football, association football, American football, horse racing, boxing, rugby union and darts.
However following a successful run for more than ten years, Setanta Sports began facing financial difficulties. The channel operated by Setanta Sports in the UK used to be broadcast just like Setanta Sports entered administration or liquidation during 2009 because of financial issues and insufficiency of funds. The ownership of Setanta Sports Channel Ireland limited changed. The channel then proceeded to get co-owned by Gaiety Investments and Sabloss Limited.
Because of this change in fortune, Setanta Sports News ceased broadcasting from 2009. This was also followed by a loss of a number of jobs. However parts of Setanta Sports continued broadcasting sports events in Ireland, Canada, USA and Australia. The only real hiccup was that some content remained affected because of the closure in the operations in the UK.
Setanta Sports continued to be in the news for the various reports that continued to brew regarding its alteration of ownership and prospective buying proposals. There were several reports by news providers that spoke of Setanta Sports Ireland had been looked over with interest by music producer Dennis Desmond.
Following the ownership change both of the Setanta Channels, the one in Ireland and the one in the USA, are licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. These broadcast rights include airing of club football from counties such as Germany, France, Ireland, Brazil and Netherlands, national football games, rugby union games, rugby league games, exclusive rights for the live broadcasting of the USA PGA golf tour and other championships including Australian Football League, war of the darts etc.
