Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000
Encyclopedia
Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000 was RTÉ
's coverage of the turn of the millennium from 31 December 1999 into 1 January 2000. Part of the 2000 Today
programming in Ireland
, a series of well-known broadcasters presented various stages of the nineteen-hour broadcast.
celebrations, given the numerical significance of the change from 1999 to 2000.
The programme was produced and televised by an international consortium of 60 broadcasters, including RTÉ and headed by the BBC
in Britain
and WGBH
in the United States
. The BBC provided the production hub for receiving and distributing the 78 international satellite feeds required for this broadcast.
. In all three television studios were utilised while four outside satellite units, forty cameras in twenty Irish locations worked to pull together an array of images from around both the country and globe. As part of a Reconciliation 2000 theme RTE and BBC Northern Ireland
co-operated on several events during the broadcast.
.
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's coverage of the turn of the millennium from 31 December 1999 into 1 January 2000. Part of the 2000 Today
2000 Today
The Millennium Event - 2000 Today was an internationally-broadcast television special commemorating the beginning of the Year 2000. This program included New Year's Eve celebrations, musical performances, and other features from participating nations....
programming in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, a series of well-known broadcasters presented various stages of the nineteen-hour broadcast.
Development
2000 Today was conceived as part of the so-called MillenniumMillennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
celebrations, given the numerical significance of the change from 1999 to 2000.
The programme was produced and televised by an international consortium of 60 broadcasters, including RTÉ and headed by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and WGBH
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The BBC provided the production hub for receiving and distributing the 78 international satellite feeds required for this broadcast.
Production
RTÉ launched their millennium eve programming on 30 November 1999. At the time the programme was described as the largest, single television show in Irish history. Up to 5,000 staff worked on the 2000 Today project worldwide, with 500 workers based at the RTÉ Television CentreRTÉ Television Centre
RTÉ Television Centre is a television studio complex which is owned by Radio Telefís Éireann and has been home to the national broadcaster of Ireland since 1961. It is situated at Montrose, Donnybrook, Dublin 4...
. In all three television studios were utilised while four outside satellite units, forty cameras in twenty Irish locations worked to pull together an array of images from around both the country and globe. As part of a Reconciliation 2000 theme RTE and BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
co-operated on several events during the broadcast.
Programming
| Time | Programme | Description |
| 9:30am | Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000 | Miriam O'Callaghan Miriam O'Callaghan Miriam O'Callaghan is an Irish television current affairs broadcaster, chat show host and radio presenter with Raidió Teilifís Éireann . She has presented the leading current affairs show, Prime Time, since 1996, and her own chat show, Saturday Night with Miriam, since 2005... began the international countdown on RTÉ. |
| 1:10pm | RTÉ News and Weather RTÉ News RTÉ News and Current Affairs , is a major division of Raidió Teilifís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. It is, by far, the largest and most popular news source in Ireland - with 77% of the Irish public regarding it as their main... |
|
| 1:20pm | Millennium Chorus | A special concert featuring Michael Crawford Michael Crawford Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City... , Jennifer Holiday and Kathie Lee Gifford Kathie Lee Gifford Kathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin... . |
| 2:25pm | Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000 | Mark Little Mark Little Mark Little may refer to:* Mark Little , Australian actor, television presenter and comedian* Mark Little , Irish journalist, television presenter and author... and Geri Maye presented further coverage from around the globe. |
| 4:05pm | Millennium Bells | A special broadcast from St. Colman's Cathedral in Cobh Cobh Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island... , County Cork County Cork County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county... . |
| 4:10pm | Last Lights Ceremony | Live coverage of the lighting of the special millennium candles, beginning at Áras an Uachtaráin Áras an Uachtaráin Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:... . |
| 5:00pm | Celebrate 2000 | A programme of song and reflections from the Abbey of Multyfarnham and Áras an Uachtaráin Áras an Uachtaráin Áras an Uachtaráin , formerly the Viceregal Lodge, is the official residence of the President of Ireland. It is located in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin.-Origins:... . |
| 6:30pm | RTÉ News and Weather | The main news stories by Bryan Dobson Bryan Dobson Bryan Dobson is a newscaster with RTÉ in Ireland. He has presented RTÉ News: Six One for almost 15 years. He previously presented RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock.-Early life:... and Úna O'Hagan. |
| 7:20pm | Celebrate 2000 | Pat Kenny Pat Kenny Patrick "Pat" Kenny is an Irish broadcaster and former disc jockey and continuity announcer. He is employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is their highest paid presenter. He presents Today with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning between 10:00 and midday... , Liz Bonnin Liz Bonnin Liz Bonnin is a French television presenter who has worked on television in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. She currently works for the BBC.-Biography:... and Joe Duffy Joe Duffy Joseph "Joe" Duffy is an Irish broadcaster employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann . A Jacob's Award winner, he is the current presenter of Liveline, which is broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1, Monday - Fridays between 13:45 and 15:00.Duffy has a history as a student activist; he was President of the Union of... presented a gala programme of music and chat from Studio 4. |
| 9:00pm | RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the flagship evening news programme for Irish television channel RTÉ One. It is presented by Anne Doyle, and deputised by Eileen Dunne. It is the final comprehensive news programme of the day on RTÉ One... |
The evening main news. |
| 9:20pm | Celebrate 2000 | Pat Kenny, Liz Bonnin and Joe Duffy presented the final leg of the countdown to midnight. |
Ratings
The Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000 schedule reached 75 per cent of the people of Ireland, the equivalent of 2.6 million viewers. At midnight 74 per cent of the available audience were watching RTÉ OneRTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
.