Twi Pulls Out Of Setanta Sports News Project

The proposed launch of Setanta’s new 24-hour sports news channel, Setanta Sports
News, in collaboration with Virgin Media, has hit trouble after production
partner TWI pulled out of the project.

TWI, the TV production arm of IMG Media, stated that it had been unable to
agree terms on the project with Virgin Media who are helping fund the launch of
Setanta Sports News.

The service, billed as an alternative to Sky Sports News which is not
available on the Virgin Media platform as a result of the ongoing carriage row
between the two broadcasters, was scheduled to launch on 29th September but this
date has now been postponed.

Virgin Media has run a number of high profile adverts promoting the launch of
Setanta Sports News in the run-up to the new FA Premier League season but now
its promise that the channel would be available ‘very soon’ looks unlikely.

Virgin Media and Setanta both remain committed to the new channel and are
understood to be in talks with other potential production partners.

It was proposed that the new channel would be available exclusively, and at
no additional cost, to all of Virgin Media’s 3m digital TV subscribers.

Setanta Sports News was to offer sports fans a dedicated feast of breaking
news, comment and analysis from across the world of sport leaning on Setanta’s
extensive library of broadcast rights.