The new Dublin television station City Channel began broadcasting today.
Carried on the NTL digital platform in the capital, it will form part of the company's standard digital television subscription package.
Broadcasting to 110,000 homes initially, City Channel will have a potential audience of 400,000 people in an area stretching from Dundalk to Greystones.
It will broadcast 24 hours, seven days a week providing information and entertainment specifically of interest to the Dublin area.
Programming will include lifestyle subjects such as motoring, property, local, government, Dublin culture, a what's-on guide, shopping and travel, and transport and weather updates.
Speaking on the first day of live transmission, Chief Executive David Harvey said it was a very exciting time for the channel.
"It is important to stress that this is a local channel, and dedicated to Dublin. The sheer range of topics which we feature in our programmes will guarantee interesting television viewing relevant to local audiences - and this is where we can offer something that other national channels cannot," he said.
Radio presenter Jimmy Grealy and former Big Brotherhousemate Ray Shah are among the new station's presenters.
In a separate development the EuroNews channel has started broadcasting on the NTL network in seven languages; English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.