[Max Powers]

I have written to RTE stating that any desicion by RTE to close its studios in Waterford will have very poor consequences for RTE support in the South east. The south east has a larger population than the West of Ireland and has much smaller resources with the west havign Radio na Gaeltachta and TG4


info@rte.ie

[Max Powers]

Originally Posted by Max Powers

I have written to RTE stating that any desicion by RTE to close its studios in Waterford will have very poor consequences for RTE support in the South east. The south east has a larger population than the West of Ireland and has much smaller resources with the west havign Radio na Gaeltachta and TG4


info@rte.ie

There is also 2 other RTE locations in the West. Castelbar, sligo and galway.

Completely ridiculous that they thinking about closing Waterford/Sout east

[mike65]

Call me crazy but the concept of having a studio complex is increasingly "retro", I imagine with the right gear Damo could work out of a cupboard in WLR.

[yankadi]

they probably need the extra money to pay the very underpaid mr Tubridy ... he'sonly paid more than the US president, a little more wouldn't hurt..

[Max Powers]

Originally Posted by mike65

Call me crazy but the concept of having a studio complex is increasingly "retro", I imagine with the right gear Damo could work out of a cupboard in WLR.

I suppose i should change studios to offices. They dont make any program in the south east AFAIK but closing the offices would mean massive decrease in publicity for south-east and no correspondent for SE

[mike65]

Has anyone been inside the RTE "space" in City Square?

[yankadi]

Originally Posted by Max Powers

I suppose i should change studios to offices. They dont make any program in the south east AFAIK but closing the offices would mean massive decrease in publicity for south-east and no correspondent for SE

Probably not though, they slimmed things down a good while ago, if you look at the quality of some of the OB stuff it's not the usual TV quality, more of a youtube quality, as most of it is sent back to RTE via web rather than broadcast

[MitchKoobski]

As far as I know, 1-2 people max currently operate it. Damien Tiernan gets the most use out of it, so it is needed for him.

One of the lads had stuff recorded in there when he was younger for the Den.

WLR are set up for recording, not video editing.

Between Paschal Sheehy and Damien Tiernan I think the studio is needed, but they could be getting a lot more use out of it.

[TheGormog]

I can't see RTE having any regional studios in the near future.

This is the 21st century we're living in, the equipment needed for TV standard high definition recording would fit in your arse pocket.

RTE are victims of their own excess.

[MitchKoobski]

Originally Posted by TheGormog

This is the 21st century we're living in, the equipment needed for TV standard high definition recording would fit in your arse pocket.

The professional editing equipment and live broadcasting wouldn't.

[TheGormog]

Originally Posted by MitchKoobski

The professional editing equipment and live broadcasting wouldn't.

Back office operations. Surely to be consolidated to Dublin.

[Trick of the Tail]

I'm not sure what WLR has to do with the subject, if RTE wanted to use their place they'd have to rent space, and WLR uses all its facilities constantly so it probably wouldn't be practical.

I think RTE should have a presence in the regions, but it doesn't need the space it has. It has a full TV studio and radio studio; No need for that to edit TV reports recorded out and about, a Mac on your desk will do that. And they rarely if ever do radio from there - if they did they could bring a mobile unit down.

They're probably paying a good bit of rent and rates, and especially the latter is making it not a viable thing to maintain.

A single office somewhere is all they need.

A.

[Max Powers]

If RTE were closing down all their places except Dublin (maybe Cork too), then that would be fair enough but it singling out one region stinks of the usual political Irish bull especially when you consider 3 locations in the west serving a smaller population. Its important that we dont get singled out again. I have posted off a letter to the director general of RTE, contacted reps and sent e-mails. We should all do our bit or we will be complaining soon about no Waterford TV coverage for Spraoi, Patricks day parade, sports etc

[Silverado]

Perhaps its now time to start paying Pat Kenny(€729,000), Marianne Finucane (€513,000), Joe Duffy (€290,000) et al sensible salaries instead of these ridiculous amounts. If they were all (and I mean the entirety of RTE reduced to something realistic like €50,000 per annum or even less it might help the coffers of the state broadcaster and these regional studios might be able to stay running. They seem to be like the crowd in Dail Eireann who feel they are above consideration.

When I hear Joe Duffy etc. simpering to a caller/viewer about their finances it makes my blood boil. They couldn't possibly empathise with their listeners while living in these bubbles.

[mike65]

Mayor of Waterford Pat Hayes says he is “appalled” over any suggestions RTÉ might close its studio in the city and cover the southeast region from Dublin. Mr Hayes has called for RTÉ to retain its studios and its correspondent in the southeast, Damien Tiernan.