Rte

Bodan · 30-11-2004 1:06am #1

If you were in charge of RTE , what would you do to improve it .Leave out the mass sackings for a bit

. How would you improve the general output quality of our "favourite" national broadcaster ..

Ruffty^ · 08-12-2004 3:02pm

Its doin great as it is; my interest are all taken care of on rte 2. perhaps a program like "tonight with trevor mac donald" thats on itv, or something like horizon thats on bbc. but all suggestions are only for that persons tastes. you need to get out on the streets and survey with different types of pograms !

BolBill · 08-12-2004 3:06pm

Stop paying Gay Byrne 200 grand a year for not actually working. Then use the money we've just saved by making a few new programmes

Elmo · 08-12-2004 6:47pm

I would stop showing the pseudo-Public-service-broadcast documentaries on RTE 2 from 7 - 9, and allow it compete with the Soap operas. I would give the hours of 7 - 9 over to the Indepenent Productions Unit (IPU) at RTE. Actual Public Service Broadcast such as Read Write Now I would leave on RTE 1.

I would not spend €25,000,000 on imports which are bound for late night on RTE 2.

I would realise that RTE 2 is a commercial station and treat it that way.

I would stop showing the news during thursday night movies because it makes no sence.

I would put a schedule in place on RTE 2.

I would stop showing friends so much (it's over, let it go).

Flamingfud · 09-12-2004 12:15am

Elmo wrote:

I would not spend €25,000,000 on imports which are bound for late night on RTE 2.

I would realise that RTE 2 is a commercial station and treat it that way.

To be fair, the only reason I watch RTE 2 is for the late night American imports. Anyone remember the good old days of The Invisible Man? A worthwhile endeavour.

I think RTE's main problem lies in the fact that the Irish television industry is pretty poor. Apart from rare exceptions (The Panel, The View), Irish production houses are largely incapable of producing decent material (examples: Love is the Drug, Liffey Laughs, Dinner Party). I realise that the struggle to produce worthwhile programming is greater for Irish companies, fighting against smaller budgets, less experience, an inflexible audience, but the fact is that the output is not satisfactory to the vast majority of viewers. What I think may be RTE's only choice is, for a flagship programme at least, to hire a British production company to exclusively produce some kind of general drama, or comedy. Not a permanant solution to RTE's woes, but a stopgap measure.

Elmo · 09-12-2004 1:23am

To be fair, the only reason I watch RTE 2 is for the late night American imports. Anyone remember the good old days of The Invisible Man? A worthwhile endeavour.

Well 25,000,000 on imports that the vast majority of people wont get to see are wasted on Late Night TV. I mean i enjoyed Millenium but only people like me and urself who actually bother to set the recorder (or for me at the time coming in from work at the time) are going to see that TV.

RTE was at war to get Six Feet Under with TG4. TG4 would have at least schedule it.

to hire a British production company to exclusively produce some kind of general drama

Yes they did this in the 80's the out come was Fair City.

Irish production houses are largely incapable of producing decent material (examples: Love is the Drug, Liffey Laughs, Dinner Party

I dissagree with this.
1) Love is the Drug, I like and think it stands up to the best of the british. And is getting good veiwers, and its on RTE TWO where viewers are hard to get.
2) The Liffey Laugh is a stand up show, there is not much you can do with that. Remember The Lounge, that was much better.
3) RTE produced the Dinner Party, what did you expect. Also it reality TV.

Not a permanant solution to RTE's woes, but a stopgap measure.

Come on, and cop urself on. Sure why not get the american's to produce an Irish Show.

A british person would just give his Idea of what Ireland is.

25,000,000 on imports where the vast majority of Irish people won't see is a waste.

Their are many good production house in Ireland. I personally am enjoying Love Is A Drug. And just look at Ros Na Run on TG4, that is far better then Fair City.

I am surprised that u mentioned the View not many people like that show at all. The critics have slated it. I do watch it sometimes.

Capt'n Midnight · 09-12-2004 1:27am

late night RTE2 - maybe show the stuff in the archives

could they remake wonderly wagon, plenty of scope to get imigrants in

is_that_so · 09-12-2004 1:27am

Elmo wrote:

I would stop showing the pseudo-Public-service-broadcast documentaries on RTE 2 from 7 - 9, and allow it compete with the Soap operas. I would give the hours of 7 - 9 over to the Indepenent Productions Unit (IPU) at RTE. Actual Public Service Broadcast such as Read Write Now I would leave on RTE 1.

I would not spend €25,000,000 on imports which are bound for late night on RTE 2.

I would realise that RTE 2 is a commercial station and treat it that way.

I would stop showing the news during thursday night movies because it makes no sence.

I would put a schedule in place on RTE 2.

I would stop showing friends so much (it's over, let it go).

This why we pay our money, Public Service Broadcasting. There is more to life to soaps but to be honest don't think they do an especially bad job overall. Just look at TV3 :eek: Nuff said

Elmo · 09-12-2004 1:37am

There is more to life to soaps but to be honest

I totally agree. I said Pseudo-PSB. they don't provide quality PSB from 7 - 9, they import most of the nature shows from the BBC, and dub over some South African or Ducht programme with Derek Mooney. :rolleyes:

And for a while back most of the shows where either about dogs, crocodiles or Hitler.

They should provide some orginal Irish wildlife documentries during those hours and something else other then wildlife documentries, they aren't National Geographic.

There is more to life the Friends and the Simpsons and Fr. Ted.

John R · 09-12-2004 8:43am

Elmo wrote:

Well 25,000,000 on imports that the vast majority of people wont get to see are wasted on Late Night TV. I mean i enjoyed Millenium but only people like me and urself who actually bother to set the recorder (or for me at the time coming in from work at the time) are going to see that TV.

Buying the imports is not a waste, putting them out post 12am with no regular time and often inaccurately listed is the waste.

Elmo wrote:

1) Love is the Drug, I like and think it stands up to the best of the british. And is getting good veiwers, and its on RTE TWO where viewers are hard to get.

I think you have an un-naturally high tolerance for RTE dramas. Nothing RTE has ever produced comes close to the best of British Drama output, it might just be able to compete with the low-rent formulaic derivitave schedule fillers that show up on itv with increasing regularity these days.

Elmo wrote:

2) The Liffey Laugh is a stand up show, there is not much you can do with that. Remember The Lounge, that was much better.

All that can be done with that simple ready-made programme is to fcuk it up by slicing the source material up into tiny chunks and edit it together in an apparently random way interspersed with long rambling links that have nothing to do with the material, well done RTE.

Elmo wrote:

3) RTE produced the Dinner Party, what did you expect. Also it reality TV.

If that is reality can someone please tell George W to push all the red buttons at his disposal NOW.

overdriver · 09-12-2004 9:33am

I would endeavour to sack anybody in Fair City who acts with a fake Dorsh accent. Fruit is not pronounced "Fruish"! They're so concerned with their accents, their acting is wooden and self-concious. Brutal.

They'll harp on about the resources British stations have, but if their drama was in ANY way good, surely other countries would license it from them? There's no point in producing crap, and then whinging that if they had more money it would be better.

I'd sack every member of the Old Boys Club out there in Montrose. Ryan, Kenny, B*stard Byrne ( all 3 of 'em, come to think of it,Ed, Gay, and Jason). We can make shows without those idiots in them, can't we?

Blisterman · 09-12-2004 1:53pm

Well At least RTE spend their money better than BBC. Since BBC don't have ads, they don't care wether people watch it or not, so you get some really strange programs here.

Elmo · 09-12-2004 3:08pm

Buying the imports is not a waste, putting them out post 12am with no regular time and often inaccurately listed is the waste.

Yes, Schedule needs to be sorted out and programmes put in prime time. Sorry thats what i have being saying. Late Night TV can be for repeats of older shows such as friends etc.

Nothing RTE has ever produced comes close to the best of British Drama output

Well myself and 200,000 like the show. unlike the big bow wow which no one watched.

If that is reality can someone please tell George W to push all the red buttons at his disposal NOW.

George would prob think that it was a highly intellectual political show.

But then i would ask George to press the red button as soon as BB5 is on.

overdriver · 09-12-2004 3:35pm

Blisterman wrote:

Well At least RTE spend their money better than BBC. Since BBC don't have ads, they don't care wether people watch it or not, so you get some really strange programs here.

Great! Commercial isn't always good! If that were so, we wouldn't have Ron Sexsmith or Elvis Costello, only Will Young...

Flamingfud · 09-12-2004 8:03pm

John R wrote:

I think you have an un-naturally high tolerance for RTE dramas. Nothing RTE has ever produced comes close to the best of British Drama output, it might just be able to compete with the low-rent formulaic derivitave schedule fillers that show up on itv with increasing regularity these days.

I'd agree. I don't think you could put Love Is The Drug into the category of well-made drama. Admittedly, it's a lot better than we're used to, but that says more about the quality of programming we usually get than anything.

And Fair City you say? You mean, the only programme apart from the Late late Show that can be relied on to bring in viewers for years? yes, what a BAD move by RTE. And frankly, you can't blame them that Irish actors and writers now produce this tripe. Should have been dumped years ago, but the basic idea was good.

And as for The View...it's not the most innovative, most enthralling, or the most educated culture show on television...but an IRISH show, with real opinions from IRISH cultural figures, about the arts in Ireland? It's about the only thing RTE have gotten right in many years.

Elmo · 09-12-2004 8:27pm

the basic idea was good

The basic Idea isn't good, it's just another Soap.

I don't think you could put Love Is The Drug into the category of well-made drama.

Prehaps it is better then what I expect from RTE, but like everyone else I do expect alot more then what RTE do provide. I think that the show is good. Perhaps I have no taste in Drama. I agree with many that The Big Bow Wow was far worse, I certainly don't like the Choose which RTE put out at Midnight because it was so BAD, far worse then anything you will ever see on any channel. If you get a chance to see some really bad TV DRAMA I suggest you take a look at that RTE production.

Again personnally I think I've just got into The Clinic for RTE to take it of the air, thus IMO I don't think it will ever have a truely great following when each season you have to be reintroduced to each of the characters and storylines 12 months later. I am looking forward to the new season of ER.

prehaps I have given these shows a chance before i made up my mind that everything that we produce in Ireland is a load of crap.

John R · 10-12-2004 1:00am

Blisterman wrote:

Well At least RTE spend their money better than BBC. Since BBC don't have ads, they don't care wether people watch it or not, so you get some really strange programs here.

I would challenge anyone to provide the name of a broadcaster that produces better output than the BBC across all genres, particularly in the factual areas. Just because they do make some rubbish does not take away from the huge amount of top quality produced every year.

In fact I reckon you couldn't combine the output of any five broadcasters throughout the world that would equal the BBC. And that is not even taking into account the radio services.

TBH If I was given the option I would happily pay my tv licence fee to the BBC instead of RTE.

pork99 · 10-12-2004 11:29am

Blisterman wrote:

Well At least RTE spend their money better than BBC. Since BBC don't have ads, they don't care wether people watch it or not, so you get some really strange programs here.

RTE tends to spend our money on sh!te (not always but mostly)

The BBC takes risks and innovates (eg the Office, Little Britain) consequently the BBC has a healthy export market for its programmes - BBC America for example. This gives them another source of revenue and ROI. How many countries abroad buy RTE programmes?

Some explanation for RTE's poor performance comes from the fact that it enjoyed a monopoly position for most of its history. The BBC has had to compete with ITV since the 1950s.

Elmo · 10-12-2004 1:03pm

Some explanation for RTE's poor performance comes from the fact that it enjoyed a monopoly position for most of its history. The BBC has had to compete with ITV since the 1950s.

RTE have always had to compete with the BBC and ITV.

RTE now continue to compete with ITV through TV3. It is just an extention of that competition. Did RTE ever have 100% of the audience? Since the 1980's RTE have been at between 60% and 40%. It's currently running at 44%, TV3 has 15% and TG4 has 3%, giving all others 38% share of the market. That share has reduce significantly because of the TV3 granada deal.
Fine RTE was at one stage able to pull in 1,000,000 viewers for the late late and Glenroe but they where big show in their day.

RTE has always, in every programme that it produces, had to make sure that it was near enough to the BBCs standard, lets face it RTE would by 5 times as bad if it where a main land europe TV station.

Sherifu · 10-12-2004 1:06pm

If RTE were any good they'd have made Father Ted.

Half-Bicycle · 10-12-2004 1:08pm

Unfortunately I cannot get RTE these days but if I did, I would have more home-grown dramas, more current affairs, and ditch the Angelus.

And bring back Wanderly Wagon, naturally.

Elmo · 10-12-2004 1:12pm

In fact I reckon you couldn't combine the output of any five broadcasters throughout the world that would equal the BBC.

I agree, and unfortunately for RTE most people in Ireland have access to the BBC.

I mean lets face we get to see the top of the Range American shows. Anything outside the shows we get over here aren't half as good as even an RTE show.

pork99 · 10-12-2004 2:30pm

Elmo wrote:

RTE have always had to compete with the BBC and ITV.

RTE now continue to compete with ITV through TV3. It is just an extention of that competition. Did RTE ever have 100% of the audience? Since the 1980's RTE have been at between 60% and 40%. It's currently running at 44%,

"RTE have always had to compete with the BBC and ITV." Er, no I can remember a time when it was otherwise.

When I was a primary school kiddy (1970s) - cable was new, trendy & exotic, few people outside Dublin had anything other than RTE (or Rotten Television Everyday as we used to call it

) I grew up in Dublin but we didn't get multi-channel until the mid 80s.

My point was that RTE had a monopoly in their domestic market for 2 or 3 formative decades which BBC didn't have, having to compete with ITV from a very early stage.

Pigman II · 10-12-2004 5:29pm

RTE1
====
5pm - kids tv

6pm - 1 minute of prayer to Allah

601pm - The Daily Propaganda

602pm - Cheap imported soaps for the ladies ... and the intellectually bewildered.

8pm - Daily film(s) (always of my choosing so mainly 70's and 80's stuff here)

11pm - 5hours of retro RTE shows spanning 1962 to 1992.

4am - Token Irish made show (dead end slot where it should be)

5am - Shutdown

5am - 5pm - Test Card featuring Ryan Tuberdy getting kicked in the head by a couple of chavs.

RTE2
====
5minute Computer Generated clip of Sile Seoige pole-dancing which will play on an endless loop for 24hours a day. Featured celebs can be changed on a weekly basis via email and SMS voting proceedure.

TheMurrinator · 05-04-2005 8:14pm

Hey everyone my dad works in rte he's doing morning ireland at the moment while richard downs is away listen out for him his names John Murray when hes not doing mornign ireland he does the biz news!

Sorrry i sound so full of my self there

irishcsifan · 05-04-2005 9:57pm

I totally agree with what your saying about rte. there scheduling is really bad and they lie to you when you want info on a show. :mad: :mad: :mad:

BaZmO* · 06-04-2005 11:12am

rkm wrote:

If RTE were any good they'd have made Father Ted.

That's a myth. RTE were never given a choice to produce the show it was always going to be done by an English production company.

TheMurrinator wrote:

Hey everyone my dad works in rte he's doing morning ireland at the moment while richard downs is away listen out for him his names John Murray when hes not doing mornign ireland he does the biz news! Sorrry i sound so full of my self there

Huh? What has that got to do with anything? :rolleyes:

B.

SprostonGreen · 06-04-2005 11:19am

I would re-run Six Feet Under at a time when people could watch it, ie, not midnight, not 1am and not 2am.

Elmo · 06-04-2005 1:18pm

I would re-run Six Feet Under at a time when people could watch it, ie, not midnight, not 1am and not 2am

I have said it in the CSI forum but it is time to email the Head of RTÉ Two and Head of Scheduleing at RTÉ Andrew Fitzpatrick, so that we can sort of the worst scheduling ever.

Since watching comedy connects and Britians 50 best Sketchs, I have come to realise that the creators of Fr. Ted where working in Britian for a long time before that series started. They wheren't about to offer it to RTÉ.

DublinWriter · 06-04-2005 11:39pm

TheMurrinator wrote:

Hey everyone my dad works in rte he's doing morning ireland at the moment while richard downs is away listen out for him his names John Murray when hes not doing mornign ireland he does the biz news! Sorrry i sound so full of my self there

He's pretty good - does he do a column for the Sunday Business Post too?

irishcsifan · 07-04-2005 8:18pm

I have just written a polite but firm email to andrew fitzpatrick clearly stating rte's problem with scheduling. I hope my point will get through :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Capt'n Midnight · 08-04-2005 6:51pm

Reinstate WINDS
an early DTT add on, the idea being that since everyone would have a high gain antenna pointed at the transmitter you could could have maybe like half a watt transmitter in the Box able to upload at up to 9,600bps.

Interactive teletext etc.
Not having to pay 10p to press the red button.
Was getting near GSM voice quality..
While it would be painful for email - you could use text only or slow browsing.

Wheels · 10-04-2005 2:41am

Have you ever tried recording anything on sky+ from rte? Total nightmare, not only do they put programmes in awful timeslots they move them about never bother to change the EPG. It's sometimes impossible to find shows on RTE too, you have Monday night comedy on RTE2 but that seems to be about the only consistant lineup after 8pm.

Both channels really need better identities. I know RTE2 is seen as a more youth orientated channel but the two of them are really interchangable, the only difference being the news is easier to find one 1.

I gotta say though, while I wouldn't watch it everyday, the big bite is interesting.

simu · 10-04-2005 2:46am

They should launch a 24-hour angelus alternated with "A Prayer at Bedtime" service.

Rte

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