October 1988 - September 1995
Idents 1
At 2.20pm on Monday October 03 1988, RTÉ Network 2 was born. Well, actually, it was referred to on-air, visually and verbally, as simply Network 2. The channel's ten-minute start-up sequence preceded the first programme of the day, 'Bosco', at 2.30pm.
Budgetary issues during the 1980s left the RTÉ Two schedule somewhat lacklustre. The money diverted for RTÉ's hosting of the 1981 and 1988 Eurovision Song Contests certainly didn't do any favours for the channel. At one stage, in the early-1980s, RTÉ threatened to pull the plug on RTÉ Two; however, it managed to stagger on, with a limited, five-hour-a-day schedule, populated with repeats and cheap imports. However, change was on the way.
The changes in the channel's identity were brought about by a six-member team of RTÉ's top executives. Headed by Liam Miller, head of programme services, television, the task force began working on the project in May 1988. In June, a draft outline and recommendations were submitted to the RTÉ Authority, receiving their full support. Between June and September 1988, the review group fine-tuned the schedules for the new-style channel, researching prospective channel identities and preparing new presentation styles.
"We set out to look at the two services - especially the second channel, since it carries the majority of our international programming," says Liam Miller.
"RTÉ Two has done better than most second channels in both the UK and Europe. In that sense, it hasn't been a failure, but at this stage we had to ask ourselves if that service was relevant to what viewers want today. Through professional research, we discovered that the audience had changed and had different demands.
"As a result, we set out to supply a service that provides what an audience might expect in the 1990s rather than the 1970s. It's not tabloid TV, but it is certainly responding to some of the choices, demands and lifestyles that this audience has.
"There will still be opera and classical music on the channel, and a reinforcement of Irish language programmes. After all, our audience is a highly articulate and literate group, with a wide variety of programme demands. But the presentation doesn't have to be stuffy and conservative.
"We're not saying that this first schedule ideally meets the needs of this audience group. But this whole initiative has the flexibility to look at itself and change if necessary. Once it's on air, we'll be asking people if they like it, and if not, we'll be finding out why not.
"RTÉ One's channel identity has also changed. We decided that it was important to look at it too, when making such a major presentational change with the second channel. So, RTÉ One will have a different look, and a slightly different feel.
"While each channel is intended to serve different needs - they are neither hierarchical or equal - together they carry RTÉ's public service mandate. I believe that today, more than ever before, we are fulfilling that mandate, by offering a wider range of programme choices than ever."
The new Network 2 schedule had a strong emphasis on leisure and sports programming, especially at weekends.
At launch, Network 2 offered viewers clearly-defined programme segments - such as sports on Saturday afternoon, and young peoples' programmes every afternoon from 2pm to 6pm. The majority of sports, young peoples' and Irish language programming, as well as weekend movies, all featured on Network 2. Another advantage of the new-style second channel was that programmes on both channels were now scheduled to run in tandem - finishing in half-hour or one-hour slots.
The channel's new look was certainly a radical departure for RTÉ. Its ident and logo - designed in-house by Hilliard Hayden - were very stylish for the time. RTÉ believed that the new identity reflected the 1990s feel of the channel.
The presentation package was actually quite limited; there wasn't much to it beyond the ident and programme menu captions. Commercial breaks were punctuated by a silent version of the Network 2 ident.
Budgetary issues during the 1980s left the RTÉ Two schedule somewhat lacklustre. The money diverted for RTÉ's hosting of the 1981 and 1988 Eurovision Song Contests certainly didn't do any favours for the channel. At one stage, in the early-1980s, RTÉ threatened to pull the plug on RTÉ Two; however, it managed to stagger on, with a limited, five-hour-a-day schedule, populated with repeats and cheap imports. However, change was on the way.
The changes in the channel's identity were brought about by a six-member team of RTÉ's top executives. Headed by Liam Miller, head of programme services, television, the task force began working on the project in May 1988. In June, a draft outline and recommendations were submitted to the RTÉ Authority, receiving their full support. Between June and September 1988, the review group fine-tuned the schedules for the new-style channel, researching prospective channel identities and preparing new presentation styles.
"We set out to look at the two services - especially the second channel, since it carries the majority of our international programming," says Liam Miller.
"RTÉ Two has done better than most second channels in both the UK and Europe. In that sense, it hasn't been a failure, but at this stage we had to ask ourselves if that service was relevant to what viewers want today. Through professional research, we discovered that the audience had changed and had different demands.
"As a result, we set out to supply a service that provides what an audience might expect in the 1990s rather than the 1970s. It's not tabloid TV, but it is certainly responding to some of the choices, demands and lifestyles that this audience has.
"There will still be opera and classical music on the channel, and a reinforcement of Irish language programmes. After all, our audience is a highly articulate and literate group, with a wide variety of programme demands. But the presentation doesn't have to be stuffy and conservative.
"We're not saying that this first schedule ideally meets the needs of this audience group. But this whole initiative has the flexibility to look at itself and change if necessary. Once it's on air, we'll be asking people if they like it, and if not, we'll be finding out why not.
"RTÉ One's channel identity has also changed. We decided that it was important to look at it too, when making such a major presentational change with the second channel. So, RTÉ One will have a different look, and a slightly different feel.
"While each channel is intended to serve different needs - they are neither hierarchical or equal - together they carry RTÉ's public service mandate. I believe that today, more than ever before, we are fulfilling that mandate, by offering a wider range of programme choices than ever."
The new Network 2 schedule had a strong emphasis on leisure and sports programming, especially at weekends.
At launch, Network 2 offered viewers clearly-defined programme segments - such as sports on Saturday afternoon, and young peoples' programmes every afternoon from 2pm to 6pm. The majority of sports, young peoples' and Irish language programming, as well as weekend movies, all featured on Network 2. Another advantage of the new-style second channel was that programmes on both channels were now scheduled to run in tandem - finishing in half-hour or one-hour slots.
The channel's new look was certainly a radical departure for RTÉ. Its ident and logo - designed in-house by Hilliard Hayden - were very stylish for the time. RTÉ believed that the new identity reflected the 1990s feel of the channel.
The presentation package was actually quite limited; there wasn't much to it beyond the ident and programme menu captions. Commercial breaks were punctuated by a silent version of the Network 2 ident.
Above: RTÉ Network 2 ident [1] [1988 - 1994]. The '2' logo here did not accurately reflect the design that appeared on programme menus and in printed media such as the RTÉ Guide. The ident was revised in 1994. The soundtrack was updated in 1992.
Above: RTÉ Network 2 ident [2] [1988 - 1994]. A second ident was produced for junctions leading into Irish language programming. The soundtrack was slightly different, and the word 'Network' disappeared from the background towards the end of the sequence.
Above: RTÉ Network 2 ident [3] [1992]. In 1992, for the duration of the Barcelona Olympics, Network 2 became 'The Olympic Network'. Virtually all of the channel's output centred around the Barcelona Games.
Above: RTÉ Network 2 ident [4] [1994 - 1995]. In 1994, the ident was revised. the brush stroke logo was more solid than before. The special ident for Irish language programming was dropped.
Above: RTÉ Network 2 clock [1988 - 1995]. The size of the clock was adjusted slightly c. 1993; note that the image from 1992 [left] shows a slightly smaller clock face than the images from 1994 [middle and right].
The clock featured as part of the channel's daily ten-minute start-up sequence, appearing for the final sixty seconds leading up to the ident into the first programme of the day. It was also used at closedown. Occasionally, due to a recurring software problem, the hands were not aligned with the number positions on the clock face. Incidentally, Network 2 did not have a clock when it launched in October 1988; it was some months later before it appeared.
