Sky clinch another TV rights deal

This morning, the Independent can confirm that Sky Television has purchased the rights to the Sunday Mass. Although a staple of RTE for the past 40 years, the weekly Mass was poached by Sky in a negotiating coup understood to be worth several million euro.

Reached for a comment last night, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told this newspaper, "Ah, Jayzus, I'm gobsmacked." A source close to the Taoiseach said he hopes to put pressure on the Catholic Church to ensure that the Mass will be available to all TV viewers, not just those who subscribe to Sky, "at least on Christmas Day". A senior Catholic Church source said that the Church was quite entitled to make a commercial decision and to achieve the best deal possible. "We live in a market society. Only the politically correct would expect us to turn down a chance to maximise our earnings. This money will be used to develop our local parishes throughout the country."

It's understood that part of the package negotiated with Sky involves TV3. According to sources, the Angelus will transfer to TV3. A spokesman for the station said, "We're delighted. This alone will represent a 30 per cent increase in our home- produced programming." It's understood that TV3 intends to make the most of the move by increasing the Angelus from one minute to 10 minutes. "And," said the TV3 spokesman, "unlike bloody RTE, we'll be putting out the Angelus in prime time."

It's understood that TV3 will move the Angelus to 8.30pm, in order to attract a bigger audience. And there will be a 70-minute omnibus edition on Sundays.

RTE will retain the rights to cover Papal visits and canonisations. The Catholic Church source told the Sunday Independent that the move represents a new strategy.

"Given the fall in vocations, we anticipate that it won't be long before live attendance at Mass will be untenable it'll all be done over television. We've been assured that Sky will bring proper production values to the job, with no more than three advertising breaks per Mass. They've also promised to provide a first-rate commentary team."

Asked about the disappointment of young people whose parents can't afford Sky, the Church source said, "Sure, they can always go to Mass at a nearby pub and see it on the big screen."

RTE was unable to provide a spokesperson. It's understood that the executive responsible for negotiating the renewal of the Mass contract is on his holidays.