RTE v TG4

Okay I know this has been done before but here I go any way. I was just browsing through the tv guide today when I noticed that there was not a single decent program or film on RTE which I would watch all week, where as there was a number of programs and a film that I intend to watch on TG4.

Monday -- Without A Trace on C4 at 10:30 (Not sure if the time is correct)
Tuesday -- Memphis Belle on TG2 at 10:15
Wednesday -- Without A Trace on TG4 at 10:30 (Not sure if the time is correct)
Thursday -- Oz on TG4 at 10:55
Friday -- Carnivale on TG4 at 9:55
Saturday -- The OC on TG4 at 8:05
Sunday -- Stargate and Enterprise on C4


So where does our tv licence fee go? RTE show a constantnstream of crap. Granted it does show Frasier, ER and The two CSI programs. But what else is there worth watching on RTE? They started showing Six Feet Under at primetime Friday nights only to shift it to after midnight on Thursdays. They got rid of Stargate and numerous other decent programs.

ixoy

RTE has some decent shows - CSI, for example, although it treated that awfully. Then there's two of the Law & Order series that I watch there too. Also it's first airing ER, Scrubs, and Friends.
OK I've run out of shows defending it. Go savage it some more

DMT

Doesn't the license fee go to to TG4 also, seeing as its also part of RTE....?

RTE has some decent shows - CSI, for example, although it treated that awfully. Then there's two of the Law & Order series that I watch there too. Also it's first airing ER, Scrubs, and Friends.

I mentioned CSI and ER as being good programs on RTE. I forgot Law and Oreder which I watch now and again. I prefere Law and Order SVU.

Doesn't the license fee go to to TG4 also, seeing as its also part of RTE....?

I was told that only a very small amount goes to TG4. But come on any channel that calls Z List Celebrity Farm quality entertainment should have its directors taken out and shot.:D

TCamen

RTE has definitely gotten worse over the past few years, but there are a good few series that you can't see anywhere else that they've stuck with, timeslot changes notwithstanding...

Sky One & Hallmark showed one season of 'Once & Again', RTE showed it fully.

Nickelodeon recently started airing 'Gilmore Girls', RTE has had it since it started in the US (though admittedly we're 2 seasons behind at this stage)

Other shows that I can think of off the top of my head that RTE have shown that aren't aired elsewhere, or are years behind on other channels:

NYPD Blue
Felicity
7th Heaven
The Practice
Boston Public

Can't think of anymore at the moment. All these shows considered, TG4 has definitely emerged as a much better channel to find quality US shows, so I don't disagree with that at all

The_Bullman

I think RTE are also showing Third Watch which nobody else is

flogen

its true that RTE have some quality shows like the brilliant scrubs, but most of what i enjoy about the channel is foreign.
They suck up all that ad money and licence money, and fail to make enjoyable home grown TV. sure, some people enjoyed Bachelors Walk, but given the amount of money they get we shouldnt be so surprised at the success of a show.

the best irish made thing ive seen there in some time is the prime time investigates series, which have been very enjoyable. THATS IT.

BBC dont get ad money, and their giving away digital TV (and Im sure losing a hell of a lot of money too), and yet they have had some great (or at least good) shows recently. They can also sustain 7 channels while RTE struggles with 2 and a half (the half being TG4 which I dont think is as much RTE as N2 is). I know BBC has more Tv licence payers, but when you get the TV licence money from here andadd the ad revenue, then get the BBC licence revenue and subtract the cost of freeview then I think the difference in income would be much smaller.

Flogen

aine

Originally posted by flogen
its true that RTE have some quality shows like the brilliant scrubs, but most of what i enjoy about the channel is foreign.
They suck up all that ad money and licence money, and fail to make enjoyable home grown TV. sure, some people enjoyed Bachelors Walk, but given the amount of money they get we shouldnt be so surprised at the success of a show.

the best irish made thing ive seen there in some time is the prime time investigates series, which have been very enjoyable. THATS IT.


Flogen

thats hardly fair, I must admit that RTE viewing isn't exactly spectacular but they have made some decent programmes, Proof thats running at the moment isn't half bad and neither was their medical drama ( the clinic) that ran before the new series of ER, and the foreign shows which you enjoy on the channel do cost money too you know!

aine

having said that I must admit if I had to choose between TG4 and RTE1 I'd pick TG4 anyday, Oz is one of my fave shows!

Elmo

There are several sad things about this tread:-

1. It should be title RTE V TV3, but Darko has hit it on the head TG4 is more competition and worthy to be in the title.

2. Everyone is speaking about american programmes, its not just the great acquisions (sp) team at TG4 (who i am sure have a tiny budget), but also the great number of Irish Indo Producers who continue to entertain and innovate, plus the mangagement at TG4 for giving the go ahead for these great Irish Programmes.

3. TG4 dont have a budget that comes close to that of TV3 or RTE's

Doesn't the license fee go to to TG4 also, seeing as its also part of RTE....?

No TG4 is not fully part of RTE and gets only 365 free hours of TV from RTE. Most of its money comes from the exchequer. Oh and then there is some advertising.

Big Chief

people actually watch that CSI junk?

its decent for scrubs / friends and ive sat up some late nights where its showing that 70's show (which should be aired earlier if you ask me, think it was 2:30 or 3am i seen it and that was on a work night...)

only thing i watch on TG4 is Oz and the occasional old crappy movie. (and "that" hot weather girl when im channel surfing)

1. It should be title RTE V TV3

TV3 is a joke of a channel. The only program I watch on TV3 is Law and Order SVU. They seem to be showing all the same films on a six month rotation.

Everyone is speaking about american programmes, its not just the great acquisions (sp) team at TG4 (who i am sure have a tiny budget), but also the great number of Irish Indo Producers who continue to entertain and innovate, plus the mangagement at TG4 for giving the go ahead for these great Irish Programmes.

I must say, there are quiet a few decent Irish programs on TG4. Hector for one can be very funny.

GerardKeating

Originally posted by ixoy
RTE has some decent shows - CSI, for example, although it treated that awfully.

CSI (Las Vegas) return to RTÉ on monday Feb 2nd at iit usuall 21;30hrs slot.

ixoy

Originally posted by GerardKeating
CSI (Las Vegas) return to RTÉ on monday Feb 2nd at iit usuall 21;30hrs slot.

I know - I was the one who posted about it! Doesn't change the fact they took it off for months, without warning. That's poor ignorant treatment.

GerardKeating

Originally posted by ixoy
I know - I was the one who posted about it! Doesn't change the fact they took it off for months, without warning. That's poor ignorant treatment.

I wonder if RTÉ will get CSI: New York when it come out...

luckat

RTE has a few good things on at the moment: Proof, of course; Vets on Call, about vets in Mayo, funny and horrific and, dare say it, heartwarming; Ear to the Ground; EcoEye; the repeats of the Patterns series about crafts; Ceili House. And of course the American stuff.

TG4 wins on documentaries, with the magnificent bought-in and remastered Seidean Staire series, plus An Tuath Nua, the useful repeat on how to make poitin, sorry history of poitin making; fabulous traditional music coverage; innovative travel programmes from Hector to Aoife; the excruciatingly fascinating Cleamhas. And it has certainly brought babeage, both male and female, on to our screens, with luscious-lipped babes newsreading, weatherforecasting and fronting programmes. Plus it has the best films, whether they're corny old westerns, abstruse Swedish and French and Italian flicks or American bang-bangs.

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by flogen
BBC dont get ad money, and their giving away digital TV (and Im sure losing a hell of a lot of money too),

BBC license fee is way higher than ours - and they have a much larger population base etc. Also BBC figured out it was cheaper to pay for broad cast rights to all of the British Isles than it was to pay SKY for the encryption.

RTE aren't great - but they beat most channels on SKY..

TG4 - like the curates egg, about 5-10% of it is unmissable.

DEG viper

the only things i watch on TG4 are OZ and survivor

emertoff

I my view the remit of RTE should be the production of quality IRISH programming be it drama,current affairs,sport,or whatever for the Irish people. I'm not knocking some of the US/British sitcoms and dramas, but in my view that sort of output would be more appropriate to TV3. I think TG4 does an excellent job given its resources and I must say that I like Ros na Run particularly.