Setanta Sports News was a creation of the Virgin Media Television network and Setanta Sports. Launched in November 2007, this channel became a 24 hour sports news provider for Setanta Sports. Setanta Sports News capitalized around the success of Setanta Sports and attempted to capture the sports news viewers based in UK and Ireland. A free channel available via satellite tv and also available on the internet, Setanta Sports News was positioned as Sky Sports News primary rival. Even though Sky Sports News became a part of Virgin Media television, Setanta Sports remained with this particular platform and continued to retain its rival position.
Approximately a year after the channel launch, it had been decided that the channel required a new look. Thus came the new look in the show with a widescreen format, headlines were run in the bottom length of the screen and many more smaller yet significant changes. The channel however continued to test out its looks and format structure across the year incorporating smaller changes to really make it popular with the viewers.
Setanta Sports was doing very well as a sports channel since its inception in 1990. This channel broadcasted international sports entertainment from the station located in the city of Dublin in Ireland. Formed through an idea of the Irishmans love for sport, this channel aimed at broadcasting all Irish sports events to its Irish expats. They have a group of individual channels that operate in the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Africa and broadcast sporting events including hurling, golf, Gaelic football, association football, American football, horse racing, boxing, rugby union and darts.
However after a successful run for over ten years, Setanta Sports began facing financial hardships. The channel operated by Setanta Sports in Great Britain used to be broadcast just as Setanta Sports entered administration or liquidation during 2009 due to financial issues and insufficiency of funds. The ownership of Setanta Sports Channel Ireland limited changed. The channel then proceeded to be co-owned by Gaiety Investments and Sabloss Limited.
Because of this alteration of fortune, Setanta Sports News ceased broadcasting from 2009. It was also followed by a loss of a range of jobs. However parts of Setanta Sports continued broadcasting sports events in Ireland, Canada, USA and Australia. The only real hiccup was that some content remained affected because of the closure of the operations in the UK.
Setanta Sports continued to be in the news for the various reports that continued to brew regarding its change in ownership and prospective buying proposals. There have been several reports by news providers that spoke of Setanta Sports Ireland had been looked over with interest by music producer Dennis Desmond.
Following the ownership change each of the Setanta Channels, the one in Ireland and the one in the USA, are licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. These broadcast rights include airing of club football from counties such as Germany, France, Ireland, Brazil and Netherlands, national football games, rugby union games, rugby league games, exclusive rights for the live broadcasting in the USA PGA golf tour and other championships such as Australian Football League, war of the darts etc.
