Porn ban a blow to Channel 6

One More Thing:Life doesn't get any better for Channel 6, the struggling Irish entertainment channel.

This week saw the company's investors scupper plans by management to show soft porn programming in the wee hours of the morning.

The move was aimed at shoring up faltering revenues and boosting ratings that have failed to sparkle after 13 months on air.

Pressure is mounting on chief executive Michael Murphy and chairman Pat Donnelly, who were the brains behind the launch.

Donnelly has spent recent weeks lashing out at Sky for dumping cheap advertising in the Irish market and at Nielsen for the quality its TV ratings system.

He might have been better employed drawing up a new business plan and sourcing better programming. Channel 6's problem is that it is indistinguishable from the multitude of general entertainment channels available in digital television land here.

It remains to be seen if the station's backers - the Barry tea family, the Gowan group, Senator Feargal Quinn, venture capitalist groups ACT and Delta and Claret Capital - seek to add fresh blood to the management team. The investors might take heart from the fact that few commercial national broadcasting ventures here have been a success right from the off. Radio Ireland was a flop before being relaunched as Today FM, now work in excess of €100 million.

TV3 only won over viewers after securing Granada as a shareholder and the rights to ratings blockbusters Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Denis O'Brien's Newstalk, meanwhile, racked up losses of €14 million as a Dublin talk station before going national late last year.

Changes are needed at Channel 6 and soon.