The Digital TV Switchover public information and awareness campaign is well and truly underway in local communities across the Ireland. The 26 Digital Outreach Champions appointed by community network, The Wheel and  Irish Rural Link as part of the Digital Outreach programme, are now actively helping create greater awareness and understanding of the switch to Saorview (terrestrial) and Saorsat (satellite) in their local communities.

SAORVIEW, the new free to air digital television service, has now been joined by SAORSAT, a new satellite service provided by RTÉNL. The result is that there is now universal Free-To-Air access across Ireland to public service broadcasting for the first time in the history of the State. SAORSAT is aimed at home unble to receive digital TV through a roof-top aerial.

Ireland’s newest and most innovative online TV channel, MayoTV.ie was endorsed by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny this week in the USA during his official visit to America for the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Broadcasting to a worldwide audience on www.mayotv.ie, www.irishtv.ie and on Sky TV across Europe the pioneering and ground-breaking multi-media TV channel based in Westport, Co. Mayo has captured the imagination of the Irish Diaspora worldwide.

Two years on from the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, Ireland has celebrated National Haiti Week to raise much needed funds for the poverty stricken country.  This week Irish TV got an exclusive interview with Westport native Gena Heraty, Director of Special Needs Programmes with the Charity Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters). 

Community and voluntary groups across Ireland are to help people to switch over to Saorview - the new digital TV service, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte T.D. has announced. The has signed an agreement with national voluntary organisation, the Wheel, to develop and operate a nationwide community outreach digital switchover programme (Outreach Programme). 

Since Saorview was officially launched in May this year, the public appetite for information on how to make the switch to Ireland's free-to-air digital service has remained strong.The latest estimate from AGB Nielsen is that 49,000 homes now have the Saorview service. There is now a very comprehensive range of Saorview approved products available in the market, both televisions and set-top-boxes, to enable consumers make the switch to digital.

Consumers should make sure when buying a new television or set top box that it will receive the new Irish digital terrestrial service, Soarview, that will replace the current analogue TV standard after the change over to digital broadcasting on the 24th October 2012. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources draws the attention of manufacturers, retailers and distributors to the change in the TV standards used in Ireland.

 Ramblers, hikers and walkers from the first ever Foxford Walking Festival will feature this Thursday, October 27th, on ‘Out & About in Ireland’ the IRISH TV produced weekly programme broadcast on SKY TV channel 201 at 9pm. Viewers will experience the wild and wonderful terrain around this quaint rural town in North Mayo as the walkers ramble down country roads, trek the Ox Mountain Trail and stroll the magnificent Callow Loop Walk.

Dipping and dosing, shearing and shepherds and plenty of Mayo rams and winning rosettes will feature this coming Thursday, October 20th on ‘Out and About in Ireland’ the Irish TV produced weekly show broadcast on SKY TV channel 201 at 9pm. This insightful and intriguing programme from Achill Island shines a spotlight on one of Ireland’s oldest and most traditional agricultural sheep shows. 

Wednesday 24th October, 2012 has been delcared the official date of completion of the digital TV switchover when the analogue TV network in Ireland will be switched off, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, has announced. And broadcaster Gay Byrne is to be the the face of the digital TV switchover campaign.