TV3 viewers want more homegrown programmes, so that's what they are going to get.

The number of original programmes on the television channel is to increase significantly. At the launch of its autumn line-up yesterday, station chiefs agreed this is what its target audience wants.

The commercial station has received heavy criticism in the 10 years it has been on air for the large proportion of its schedule bought in from the US or simulcast on ITV.

However, it made its first serious attempt to produce Irish programming this year with shows such as 'Dirty Money' and 'Me and The Big C'. The successes of these shows are reflected in the new autumn schedule.

Along with the heavily hyped Irish version of 'The Apprentice', featuring businessman Bill Cullen, the coming months will see 18 newly-produced series and specials, including the station's first stab at home-produced drama.

"We're two years into our three-year plan to build a schedule that would make TV3 absolutely an alternative to RTE as a national broadcaster," station CEO David McRedmond said yesterday.

"We've got another chunk of stuff that we want to bring on but we're 60pc of the way towards where we want to be, and I think that's pretty good. We've improved 500pc from where we were in terms of the amount of Irish programming. It's a long journey, but I think we're absolutely achieving it."

With the station set to go multi-channel when the €10m purchase of Channel 6 is confirmed next week, and plans for a new website launch in October, the mood at the launch party in the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin was upbeat, with Mr McRedmond confident enough to take a pop at RTE's current 'TV Heaven' promotion.

Sexy

"We're not heavenly, we're earthy," he said. "Our programmes are gritty, determined, sexy, funny -- all the things that reflect the real world."

Among the new programmes highlighted by station bosses are 'School Run', a feature-length comedy drama starring Carrie Crowley, 'Living With Murder', which sees Maura Derrane return to TV3 to examine high-profile cases, and 'Raising Children', a six-part series about parenting.

Model Rosanna Davison will be one of the new presenters. She is set to front a new motor-racing show called 'Accelerate'. Details of the show, which is not expected to begin until early next year, are scant, but it is understood she will present alongside 'Drive' magazine editor Neil Briscoe.

Admitting that the station had some "spectacular failures" last year, such as 'Rock Rivals', which was filmed in Ireland with ITV, director of programming Ben Frow said that the success of shows such as 'Undercover Ireland' had been a wake-up call.

"Programmes of indigenous origination are what the viewer wants," he said.

To that end, news anchors Alan Cantwell and Colette Fitzpatrick are to host a news-led talk show that will be broadcast at midday each day, while there will be documentaries on actor Gabriel Byrne and on Irish comedy. But the hype machine is focused heavily on 'The Apprentice', which is still being filmed.

"I think it's much better than what I expected," Bill Cullen said. "The candidates are very feisty and they're very talented, and more than anything else, they've shown innovation.

"There are 14 of them and every one of them wants the job so they're fighting for it, and that's what I want to see. We're in tough times and we need strong people.

"The winner is going to have a job with me, paying €100,000 a year and a car. I can say that I have seven or eight major companies at the moment and most of them are under pressure because of the economy. I've about 25 projects on my desk, and I want results."

Along with returning favourites such as 'X Factor' and 'Californication', TV3 has secured the rights to anticipated US drama 'Fringe'. Station bosses did not rule out the possibility of popular Channel 6 shows, such as 'House' and 'My Name is Earl', switching to TV3 in the future as it sets about providing a "complementary schedule" for the two channels.

- Jason O'Brien