New learning channel will bring education into home
AN INDIGENOUS national learning channel could be beamed into every home in Ireland by 2010, after the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) granted a licence to the service earlier this week.
Dubbed 3LC, the station's programming will include lectures from local third-level institutions, documentaries and open university-style distance education shows.
The licence was granted to University College Cork, which plans to set up the station as a joint venture will neighbouring Cork Institute of Technology.
"The aim is to have other universities involved as well, so the whole body of third-level providers can contribute to distance education," added 3LC chief executive Professor James Bowen.
The station has already secured coverage on UPC's NTL and Chorus's cable networks. Prof Bowen said the ultimate plan, however, was to go on RTE's digital platform once Digital Terrestrial TV comes in in 2009 or 2010. RTE's platform will allow it to broadcast about eight channels, including RTE1, RTE2, TV3 and TG4.
UCC staffer Stephen Bean has been working full time on the project for several years, along with a number of part-timers. Mr Bean said it would be "12 to 18 months" before 3LC had built up the bank of programming it would need ahead of its launch.
3LC will initially be funded to the tune of €2m, Mr Bean said, which will be sourced from grants.
The station's licence proposal provides for some sponsorship and advertising revenue; Prof Bowen said only "content appropriate ads" would be carried.
The proposal stresses that 3LC will be a "not-for-profit enterprise" with all commercial income "used to improve the quality and range of programming".
- Laura Noonan
