Ofcom: geo-blocking of Irish content in Northern Ireland could get worse

Ofcom, the UK media regulator, has warned that the geo-blocking of Irish television content in Northern Ireland could become more common. It happens when people in Northern Ireland cannot watch a programme from the Republic of Ireland online, even though they may live close to the border. According to the description of a BBC News Northern Ireland report of 27 October 2026, the problem also affects Irish sporting events.

What Ofcom found

The report was completed in September 2026 at the request of Northern Ireland's Economy Minister, Caoimhe Archibald. Ofcom spoke to representatives of the broadcasting and telecoms sectors in Ireland and Britain. The Department for the Economy published the findings on 26 October 2026.

The regulator identified two related constraints that drive the blocking. The first is territorial content rights, meaning licences sold separately for individual countries. The second is the limits of using IP addresses to identify viewers in Northern Ireland, which makes it hard to tell precisely who is on which side of the border.

Ofcom noted that viewers increasingly watch television over the internet rather than through traditional terrestrial broadcasts, so the problem may grow. It also said the Irish and British governments might consider reviewing the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding on digital television services, to assess whether it still suits changing viewing habits.

The minister's response

Caoimhe Archibald has written again to the British and Irish governments asking for their cooperation. As a first step, she proposed a review of the objectives of the 2010 memorandum. She also recently met the new chair of the Ofcom board, Sir Ian Cheshire, in Belfast and asked for continued engagement on the issue.

The minister described the blocking of content from the Irish broadcaster RTÉ in Northern Ireland as "completely unacceptable" and said it must end. The department announced her position on 22 October 2026.

What this means for you

The news mainly concerns people living in Northern Ireland, including Belfast, who watch Irish channels and broadcasts online. For now this is a report and an appeal to governments, not a change in the rules. The available sources do not suggest that concrete solutions are planned in the near future or that access to this content will change.