Bubble Hits, the digital music television channel set up by young Irish entrepreneurs James Hyland and Lee Walsh, voluntarily ceased broadcasting on Friday February 13 due to a lack of advertising revenue.
Bubble Hits launched in the UK and continental Europe in August 2006, and last May in Ireland with a dedicated service that included Louis Walsh, model Glenda Gilson and former Six member Liam McKenna among its team of presenters.
“Bubble Hits has a proven track record in the UK and Europe,” Walsh told Hot Press at the time. “It’s a music channel that plays music, and not those boring reality shows. It’s just music TV, the right way. At last we’ll have Irish music by Irish bands on an Irish channel.”
Echoing those sentiments, James Hyland said: “We can’t wait to give Irish acts like Fionn Regan, Republic Of Loose, The Blizzards and Bell X1 a platform to showcase their music. Up until now, there has been no reason for upcoming bands to produce a music video. Now they’ll be able to reach a bigger audience and have an excuse to make great videos.”
Despite claims of impressive viewing figures, Bubble Hits failed to achieve commercial lift off, and ceased broadcasting from their Ashbourne, County Meath base at 1pm without prior warning.
The channel’s major investors included MCD supremo Denis Desmond.