ARCHIVE: The TV Room
The first twenty minutes or so of Channel 9 from its launch night.
Video content
Apologies for the poor picture quality on this recording.
This launch night footage was recorded in Derry-Londonderry, at a location within sight of the transmitter. Given the reasonable proximity to the transmitter, it’s a fair assumption that the channel was being radiated at lower power.
[00:00:00] TELETEXT IN-VISION: a test page from Channel 9’s teletext service, 9 Text, informing viewers that the channel will come on air at 7pm.
[00:06:12] ADVERTISEMENT: for Dunnes Stores.
[00:06:42] ADVERTISEMENT: For Derry City Council’s Hallowe’en Carnival.
[00:07:02] ADVERTISEMENT: for P. C. Friendly.
[00:07:12] ADVERTISEMENT: for McCormick Properties.
[00:07:22] ADVERTISEMENT: for Grove Furnishings. Seems to have been broadcast without sound.
[00:07:32] ADVERTISEMENT: for Allied Carpets.
[00:07:42] ADVERTISEMENT: for City of Derry Airport.
[00:08:13] PROGRAMME: News on 9, presented by Jimmy Cadden and Katrina Doherty.
Includes a report on the launch of Channel 9.
[00:19:42] ADVERTISEMENT: for SuperValu.
[00:20:12] ADVERTISEMENT: for the Richmond Centre.
[00:20:41] ADVERTISEMENT: for Rosemount Taxis.
[00:20:48] ADVERTISEMENT: for Sean Furey – auctioneer, valuer and estate agent.
[00:20:58] ADVERTISEMENT: for Allied Carpets.
[00:21:08] ADVERTISEMENT: for P. C. Friendly.
[00:21:18] ADVERTISEMENT: for Redcastle Hotel.
[00:21:38] PROGRAMME: a portion of part two of News on 9. Includes a technical glitch at the start.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: 9 Text. COPYRIGHT: UC Business Ltd.
Poor Channel 9. I remember it well. They launched at just the wrong time for television – they were an analogue TV service in a new emerging digital age. I was 14 when this channel launched and it did offer some local programming. However within a year, a lot of those programmes were dropped, and Sky News simulcasts of around 5 hours per day also filled the schedules. I think initially the station was on air from 6pm until midnight, however come 2000 it went close to 24 hours.