Ireland’s public broadcaster RTÉ has taken its content international with a new app aimed at the hundreds of thousands of Irish people living overseas.
The new service, RTÉ Player International, which has launched on iOS, offers around 500 hours of free and paid-for Irish television content, including just-aired television content refreshed daily.
Some of Ireland’s most popular shows, such as The Late Late Show, Six One News, Prime Time, Nationwide and The Saturday Night Show, which will be free, and Callan’s Kick’s, Second Captains Live, The Meaning of Life, which are part of the paid-for content offering.
Kevin Bakhurst, Deputy Director General, RTÉ and Managing Director, RTÉ News and Current Affairs, said: “RTÉ remains a very important connection point for Irish people living abroad. Both at home and abroad we are seen as a trusted source of quality news and entertainment content. The app not only greatly strengthens our offering to international audiences, providing them with a new way to connect to home, but also serves as an important new international platform for Irish content creators.”
Despite an apparent demand for Irish programming, RTE has struggled to reach its large overseas catchment. Tara TV, ran between 1996 and 2002, and was a joint venture between RTE and what is now Liberty Global.
The app is being promoted in an international campaign by RTE personality Ryan Tubridy.
