Ireland's first 24-hour news channel will officially become available this Friday.
The internet-based service, irelandlivetelevision.tv, is the brainchild of Mr Andy Ruane, the former 2FM DJ, current managing director of Like It Love It Productions and owner of the Anner Media Group.
The "24/7" news channel will be available worldwide but Mr Ruane said its primary aim was to broadcast to the global Irish community of 70 million people.
"This will be the first 24-hour news channel in the history of the State at a time when the State broadcaster is planning to do it in two years' time. And it is not terrestrial," said Mr Ruane.
The channel follows the standard TV news format of news, business, sport and weather in 15 minute segments.
The project has cost nearly €3.8 million (£2.99 million) to set up. In addition, Mr Ruane paid nearly €1.27 million for the post-production company Anner International, which he later rebranded Anner Media Group.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has been appointed financial advisers to the project which is understood to be attracting attention from a number of media organisations.
The 24-hour news channel, which will carry advertising, will form the backbone of a network which will eventually include music, entertainment, sports, politics, business and finance and Irish language programming, according to Mr Ruane.
Mr Ruane's Like It Love It company produces a number of TV programmes for Irish television channels, including: Céol Tire and Pop TV for TG4; Perfect Match for TV3; and Dodge The Question and Top 30 Hits which it makes for RTÉ. Its show, The Lyrics Board, is syndicated in 21 countries.
