Sky Ireland customers can now stream TG4 live as well as on-demand through the Sky Go app in an expansion of a recent partnership between the two broadcasters.
TG4's content became available on catch-up through the Sky Q set-top box in June. But the ability to stream the channel live means sports fans will be able to stream events such as GAA Beo, Peil na mBan and the Tour de France through the Sky app.
"TG4 and its content offering is an important part of Irish culture, so we're very pleased to announce this partnership expansion for our Irish customers," said Mark Carpenter, director of regulatory and corporate affairs at Sky Ireland.
TG4 director-general Alan Esslemont welcomed the announcement.
“TG4’s Gach Áit (Everywhere) strategy is focused on prominence and findability of Irish-language content across all TV platforms and we welcome Sky’s commitment to ensuring visibility and prominence for Irish-language content on Sky Q and Sky Go customer offerings,” he said.
New audiences
“We hope the inclusion of TG4 content on Sky will also introduce new audiences to TG4’s programming.”
TG4 was the first broadcaster in Ireland to launch a television player in 2002.
In May, Mr Esslemont told an Oireachtas committee that his attempt to get the player on the Sky Ireland platform had been met with "years of foot-dragging".
Mr Carpenter, attending the same committee, said he was “a little bit surprised” by Mr Esslemont’s remark as there was “a project in place” to get TG4’s content on the Sky platform and that there had been “technical issues on both sides”.
The TG4 director-general responded that there were no technical issues “on TG4’s side” and urged Mr Carpenter to “look at the timescale it has taken”.
