RTÉ Aertel
RTÉ Aertel Digital was an interactive service broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Two in Ireland, and also available in its entirety on the Internet.
History
The teletext service began development in the mid-1980s (with tests as early as 1985) and was formally launched on 22 June 1987. Originally called simply Aertel, it gained the RTÉ prefix along with RTÉ's other activities from September 2003. The rte.ie news service used to simply wrap Aertel's output into their web pages, and the service is also available on WAP.
A selection of RTÉ Aertel pages are broadcast in-vision on rotation overnight on RTÉ Two after normal programming, under the title Nightscreen.
In 2003, RTÉ signed a deal with SysMedia to develop a MHEG-5 based version of Aertel for use on the Sky Digital platform. To date, this project has yet to materialise into a working service. However, an MHEG-5 based Aertel has appeared on the digital terrestrial service Saorview.
In April 2018, it reported that RTE has asked the Minister for Communications for permission to reduce the Aertel service on the grounds that it had been superseded by more recent technology.[1] For legal reasons, RTE has to get permission from the Minister to make significant changes to Aertel.[1]
In November 2019, it was announced that Aertel would be shut down as part of cost-cutting measures at RTÉ.[2][3] The RTÉ Aertel internet homepage now merely acts as a series of links or site map of the wider RTÉ website.
List of pages
RTÉ One and RTÉ Two
- 102 News
- 130 Business
- 150 National Lottery
- 160 Weath
- 170 Television
- 200 Sport
- 888 Subtitles
RTÉ One
- 300 Entertainment
- 350 TV Extra
- 500 Travel
RTÉ Two
- 440 Children's
- 500 Local Sport
RTÉ Aertel Digital
RTÉ Aertel Digital is currently broadcast on the Saorview service on RTÉ One, RTÉ Two HD, and RTÉ News Now. The service is the same on each channel. RTÉ have proposed providing more improvements with the service over the coming years. It is also proposed that the text service is carried on their radio services which broadcast on Saorview. RTÉ also plan to replace their test page on Channel 7 with RTÉjr/RTÉ Plus.[4]
References
- "Hundreds of thousands still use it - but RTÉ has asked Minister if it can reduce Aertel service". TheJournal.ie. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- "TV Wrap - A requiem for Aertel and Page 220". The 42. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- "Widespread RTÉ cuts: 200 jobs to go, digital stations scrapped and top presenters hit with 15% pay cut". The Journal. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- "PVT Consultation Document" (PDF). Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Ireland). p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2010.