The RTE Player went live in April 2009 but was initially limited to viewers in Ireland. Enabling the service to other countries is a great move. There are some restrictions which prevent streaming of certain programmes, and blocks some territories, however RTE have stated they will continue to add more content as they acquire new rights.

The service is easy to use and well laid out, and you can also catch up with the latest on their rolling news channel. You can use a search box, look for programmes using an A-Z index, or flick through the online calendar, and overall the presentation is quite attractive.

One other thought…

RTE are also obliged to provide an international terrestial service and this has been delayed since 2008. Initially planned for the UK, and latterly Central Europe and North America, hopefully this won’t be put back further as a result of the online presence. There is a large audience out there who are not regular Internet users, and it would be a blow to expectations if there was additional delay, or a switch in direction that excluded many of those who would welcome it.

So, will this be the year that the Irish abroad can also hit RTE TV on the remote?