RTÉ is to launch a new TV station targeting an Irish audience in Britain, which will be a hybrid of RTÉ One and RTÉ 2, with some additional programming from TG4. The new station, RTÉ International, will be broadcast for 12 to 14 hours a day on free-to-air satellite service Freesat. As well as carrying the One, Six-One and 9 o'clock news bulletins live, the station will broadcast current affairs programming and lifestyle content, which will be of interest to Irish communities abroad.

Freesat is a free-to-air satellite service – led by the BBC and ITV – that will be available throughout Britain and across the Astra satellite footprint. Copyright issues with the GAA, however, mean the new station will be unable to show Gaelic games.

The service is the outcome of 2006 legislation which mandated the broadcaster to extend its service to the Diaspora. It should be in operation by the end of the year.

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