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RTE in the money (they even mentioned to P word!)

  • 18-06-2006 01:28PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭


    So then RTE is doing very nicely from increased advertising revenues turning in a profit - sorry, surplus of €16.5m using thier new accounting standard or €9.3m using the previous system - a rise of about 33%. And this with a licence avoidence level of about 16%. The total income of RTE is about 370 million euro.

    As an aside on one RTE radio report they actually used the dreaded P word but it was 'surplus' after that. I suspect a producer yelled something in the newscasters ear!

    How should the revenue be used? Programming or technology? They mention HD but they may just be sop to expectation with the UK chanels now starting
    Hi-Def broadcasts. My own view is that they have to invest in the quality of production, its sad that in 2006 many shows have the feel of 1986.

    Mike.


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Comments

  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    I'd rather see it go to programming than tech tbh; obviously RTE should ensure that they aren't decades behind the rest, but what's the point in having lovely HD broadcasts when you can't stand watching their shows?
    I'd be happy enough if it took them another year or so to get HD going, and at that it will be a slow pace; they've had some recent successes with homegrown content (probably due to last years pro..surplus) and a lot of misses but they should keep pumping money into it.
    I'd also like to... nay expect to see some additional radio stations coming out on DAB over time; not sure what but it's bound to happen (RTÉ Sport radio, perhaps?)

    edit: I must look at their report, does it say how much they made from TV licences as compared to advertising revenue and product sales? This year saw an increased effort to flog off DVD's on the RTE website, which I'm sure payed off to some degree.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    The income is split nearly 50/50

    Mike.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    I'd rather have better programming. Who cares if it is WS or HD if it is so rubbish content you never watch it?

    In 1970s till 1983 I had only 4 UK channels. Now I have 1500 channels FTA and about what ever is in two Sky Mix packs. There is much less TV I am interested in watching.

    I almost never watch Films on TV either now as if it is any good I have bought the DVD before TV release.

    Ultimately TV & Radio are about CONTENT. I'd rather watch a decent B&W 4:3 film or show than HD "reality TV" Junk.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭Round Cable


    Perhaps they could use their PROFITS for some basic things first, like a FTV card scheme, a few Euro for fixing the DOGs and stop increasing the licence fee!


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,180 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    I heard somewhere that RTE may start getting taxed on their Licence fee income.

    Would seem like a good excuse for the next hike. :(


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 28,128 ✭✭✭✭Mossy Monk


    so the government will be taxing a tax?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,372 ✭✭✭The Bollox


    a few Euro for fixing the DOGs
    ah not come on, Anne Doyle isn't THAT bad


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,581 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    mike65 wrote:
    How should the revenue be used?
    As usual, for shoring up the financial basket-case that RTE Radio 1 has become, losses increased between 2004 to 2005 to 20%, with RTE Radio 1 draining about 6 million out of the accounts.

    However, figures for RTE Radio 2 aren't in yet, but it's been rumoured widely that Gerry Ryan's figures went through the floor and will continue to do so.

    He's been the cash-cow for Radio 2, and it will be interesting to see if he can still command his €460,000 contract in future years.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    I was thinking about 2FM, the station has no future in its current incarnation, or it should'nt anyway. Gerry Ryans gone from being the stations best asset to its biggest problem. He a middle-aged fella gabbing through 3 hours on a music channel and loosing listeners. Yet he is still the channels biggest listener draw so can they get rid? No. Can they shift him sideways to Radio 1, er no cos there is no slot availible for him.

    If RTE has any balls, they'd simply "close" 2FM and revamp the whole thing turning it into something modeled after BBC radio 2 ie essentially grown-up music and arts/entertainment. Then the radio controller could turn radio 1 into a pure talk station.

    Mike.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,732 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    byte wrote:
    I heard somewhere that RTE may start getting taxed on their Licence fee income.

    Would seem like a good excuse for the next hike. :(
    Corporation Tax, yes, it was on the front of the Irish Times late last week.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,581 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    mike65 wrote:
    Then the radio controller could turn radio 1 into a pure talk station.
    True, I thought about this myself, but I don't think even GR could survive the transition to R1. He's fast becoming an albatross to the whole network.

    The best they could do is revamp the Radio network along BBC lines:

    R1: Modern Music
    R2: Tuberby, and MOR music, little chat
    R3: Classical
    R4: The bulk of R1's current output, no music, all spoken word.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,732 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    You missed out on our mother tongue network :)

    RTÉ have 4 national frequencies, and thats all it will ever be allowed on FM.

    I think music does have a place on Radio 1, I do enjoy Ronan Collins show when I get the opportunity to listen to it. But it is obvious that there is a national 30-65 age group radio station needed. BBC R2 also works, in that it doesnt have a fixed playlist, unlike so many commercial stations.

    It could work on DAB, though, if RTÉ are serious about it.

    I think I'm getting a few people behind my thinking that Gerry Ryan must go from 2FM before it can be reshaped.
    Hey Gerry, there's a vacancy for a morning jock on a new national station! ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,581 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    DMC wrote:
    You missed out on our mother tongue network :)

    I was going to shove them into the fifth Radio Station, but I think they'd do better if they were forced to survive T na G style.
    DMC wrote:
    Hey Gerry, there's a vacancy for a morning jock on a new national station! ;)
    I think auld Gerry has had his chips career-wise. Let's bring him down the vets and give him a 'humane' send off.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    mike65 wrote:
    I was thinking about 2FM, the station has no future in its current incarnation, or it should'nt anyway. Gerry Ryans gone from being the stations best asset to its biggest problem. He a middle-aged fella gabbing through 3 hours on a music channel and loosing listeners. Yet he is still the channels biggest listener draw so can they get rid? No. Can they shift him sideways to Radio 1, er no cos there is no slot availible for him.

    If RTE has any balls, they'd simply "close" 2FM and revamp the whole thing turning it into something modeled after BBC radio 2 ie essentially grown-up music and arts/entertainment. Then the radio controller could turn radio 1 into a pure talk station.

    Mike.

    Good idea.

    There is far too much music on RTE1.


    2FM and BBC R1 in current form are fairly pointless in current form. R1 was invented to fill a demand getting filled by Pirate radio in 1960s. Records were bulky, not portable and very expensive in real terms compared with today's content. There is little argument for a Public service broadcasting service continuing to broadcast "pop" music now there is universal cheap portable availability. Unless they are going to concentrate on new unheard unsigned bands, live gigs, innovative music, niche music not available on Commercial Radio or High Street shops etc.

    My three adult kids and two teenage kids think ANY pop music station is a waste of space. They buy CDs and make up their own MP3 playlists.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    It begins:
    http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/0621/rte.html
    RTÉ has today announced that it will seek a licence to begin a DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) radio service on the east coast from Dublin to Louth later this year.

    The announcement follows a successful six-month trial of DAB along the east coast involving RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ Radió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ lyric fm, Today fm and WRN.

    The new digital radio service will mean that RTÉ can provide listeners with a greater choice of programming.

    No mention of what the new licence will cover... or if it will just be DAB licences for existing channels for now?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭lawhec


    2FM, as I understand it, receives no licence fee money and is run as a pure commercial operation. Its strongholds have always appeared to be in rural areas, it has never really performed that strongly in Dublin.
    2FM and BBC R1 in current form are fairly pointless in current form. R1 was invented to fill a demand getting filled by Pirate radio in 1960s. Records were bulky, not portable and very expensive in real terms compared with today's content. There is little argument for a Public service broadcasting service continuing to broadcast "pop" music now there is universal cheap portable availability. Unless they are going to concentrate on new unheard unsigned bands, live gigs, innovative music, niche music not available on Commercial Radio or High Street shops etc.
    I disagree. BBC Radio 1 is very much two seperate stations, popular in the morning and afternoons and specialist in the evening. Many bands own their livelyhoods to the late John Peel, for example. The station remains very popular not only in the UK but also in Ireland, partially thanks to its ad-free nature but also that it has DJs in the mornings and afternoons that have some personality in them, something that is hard to find in commercial stations outside of the big cities and while quite a few people are happy with back-to-back hits either all the time or just some, a good disc jockey can warm to a listener. The I-Pod generation is growing, but I think it'll be a long time yet before it gets even close to threatening the structure of radio as we know it.

    Also, if it wasn't for radio stations, where would people hear music for the first time? While music downloads are becoming popular, unless you're using (Cough!) you have to pay to get the track. A few artists have used free downloads and the internet to make themselves get noticed (Artic Monkeys and Sandi Thom the most noticable) from which word of mouth spreads but it is ultimately radio or television, in either broadcast or internet streaming, is where most people still pick up hearing new music.

    As RTÉ are now actively seeking to broadcast on DAB, it may now be time for them to look at their structure for broadcast radio. Allowing for reasonable funds, there's a case for a fifth station to be launched which could be focused on broadcasting on DAB with say a MW simulcast, maybe like the following...

    RnaG: For obvious reasons, stays like it is... (FM, DAB)
    Lyric FM: A possible case for the arts programmes on Radio 1 to be moved on to here, taking it to a similar path as BBC Radio 3 (FM, DAB)
    2FM: Drop Gerry Ryan and to focus on commercial music only during "peak" hours. (Slightly controversial...) drop complete dependence on commercial activities for funding, allowing for between 20-25% of budget to come from licence fee which in return drops number of advert breaks during specialist programmes. (FM, DAB)
    Radio 1: Split into two services - the current Radio 1 would become a more serious focused station for news, documentaries, serious interviews and factual entertainment (arts having been moved to Lyric FM) on FM & DAB. Another station would take have its own identity, but would "opt out" as such from Radio 1 with more lighter programming including sports commentaries, phone-ins, and some music programmes based on specialist themes on MW and DAB, which at other times would simulcast Radio 1, with possible room to expand in the future.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Well you don't know whats going to be happening come september if Joe Duffy goes to NewsTalk.

    Liveline could be hosted by Jerry Ryan and Ray D'arcy on 2FM.

    Or maybe Jerry Ryan on Today FM and Ray D'arcy on NewsTalk.

    Dave Fanning will be missed from RTE 2FM.

    Unlike other channels (avoiding going into a rant about TV3) RTE must spend all of the money that it gets, its "surplus" will be used next year to fuel RTE rather then going in to corporate pockets (avoiding going into a rant about TV3).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,190 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Money should really go into programming. Any costs to setting up HD/Digital should come out the budget of the Dept. of Communications. After all, they're infrastructure costs.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,565 ✭✭✭JohnC.


    Elmo wrote:
    Dave Fanning will be missed from RTE 2FM.
    Fanning is going/gone?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,732 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    To Radio 1, after 7pm, in September.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 550 ✭✭✭Telefís


    A BBC Radio 4 format for Radio 1 has been flagged for a long time now, notably by Gerry McCarthy of The Sunday Times, only again last week proposing that 2fm be transformed into a Radio 2 equivalent, also aborbing the music element of Radio 1. I largely agree with this, only that as always the problem is the transition phase - it takes a heck of a long time to shift and carefully fragment such an established and loyal audience as that of Radio 1 to their respective new slots across two stations.

    Grerry Ryan is certainly the elephant in the room that everyone's seeking to ignore - from a housewive perspective he does sort of fill the role of Wogan in the UK, but simply doesn't fit into the rest of what 2fm's doing, not that it really knows what it's at either...


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,180 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    DMC wrote:
    To Radio 1, after 7pm, in September.
    I think Fanning will still have a Sunday evening show on 2FM.

    I used to listen to Fanning a lot in the evenings, until I started listening to Matt Cooper.

    Fannings weeknight shows, a lot of topics being discussed he seemed out of his depth, or didn't really care. EG, talking about mp3 players and techie stuff, he's clueless.

    But in saying that, when it came to new music etc, he is very good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    I think Fanning will still have a Sunday evening show on 2FM.

    Yes he will remain on sunday nights on 2FM.
    A BBC Radio 4 format for Radio 1 has been flagged for a long time now, notably by Gerry McCarthy of The Sunday Times, only again last week proposing that 2fm be transformed into a Radio 2 equivalent, also aborbing the music element of Radio 1. I largely agree with this, only that as always the problem is the transition phase - it takes a heck of a long time to shift and carefully fragment such an established and loyal audience as that of Radio 1 to their respective new slots across two stations.

    Grerry Ryan is certainly the elephant in the room that everyone's seeking to ignore - from a housewive perspective he does sort of fill the role of Wogan in the UK, but simply doesn't fit into the rest of what 2fm's doing, not that it really knows what it's at either...

    You do realise that RTE might be better doing something different rather then following the BBC, which when they do (which is alot) we give out about them copying the BBC.

    But I can see them continuing with their branding exercise.

    RTE Radio 1
    RTE Radio 2
    RTE Rádio á 3
    RTE Radio 4

    RTE ONE
    RTE TWO

    And spend alot of money doing just that Re-branding, because when you want to sell **** its best to rebrand it until everyone realises it is **** again. And then its time for another rebranding exercise.

    1FM
    2FM
    3FM
    4FM

    Network 1
    Network 2

    Seems like a good Idea to me :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 28 Phen


    Elmo wrote:
    1FM
    2FM
    3FM
    4FM

    Network 1
    Network 2

    :D LOL

    But seriously I don't think RTÉ will rebrand 2fm to Radio 2 because they changed 2fm's logo only a few months ago. If they were going to change its name wouldn't they have done that instead of changing the logo?

    I think they should use the surplus money to introduce a free-to-view system in 2008 when their deal with Sky runs out. When are negotiations on a new deal due to start? What do people think RTÉ will do in 2008?


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,180 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    I don't think RTE know themselves what they'll do in 2008!

    I was sort of surprised they didn't change 2fm to RTE Radio 2, same as what they done to Network 2/RTE2.

    Though, maybe the identity crisis needs to be addressed, which will never happen with both Gerry Ryan and Marty Whelan there.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Phen wrote:
    I think they should use the surplus money to introduce a free-to-view system in 2008 when their deal with Sky runs out. When are negotiations on a new deal due to start? What do people think RTÉ will do in 2008?

    Well 2008 should see the start of a national DTT service (although it probably won't be until 2009, even though the 2 year trial will end in mid-late 2008... either way I'd say by then we'll know what services RTÉ are going to launch on DTT if any.

    They should perhaps put some of the money into red button interactivity too... would be nice to see something


  • Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,180 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    I think they've already invested in a digital text application, that will make it easy for operators to make it write stuff simultaneously to Aertel? That was about 2 years ago now though.

    Maybe, just maybe, they'll introduce a FTV satellite scheme too for those that will inevitably be unable to get DTT.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,082 ✭✭✭lostexpectation


    shouldn' rte have some sort of international news analysis tv prog ala newsnight?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 28 Phen


    byte wrote:
    Maybe, just maybe, they'll introduce a FTV satellite scheme too for those that will inevitably be unable to get DTT.

    Are you saying that RTÉ will only be FTV on satellite for those who won't be able to recieve DTT? I thought people would eventually be able to choose whether to recieve RTÉ digitally through DTT or satellite like the BBC.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,732 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Phen wrote:
    I thought people would eventually be able to choose whether to recieve RTÉ digitally through DTT or satellite like the BBC.

    The problem with that is the degree of payment required.

    As we know, we can't watch RTÉ digitally for free. We have to pay a service provider to access RTÉ in digital widescreen etc.

    The problem here is, DTT will be probably be a "freeview" type service, so then, people can access RTÉ, in digital, for a little outlay and no ongoing running costs. You can see that there is a conflict there, between a "free" and subscription access to RTÉ. Most people will be able to get a free DTT signal, but those who can't, could face the prospect of only getting RTÉ in digital, by subscription.

    Its a situation really that should be avoided, but because RTÉ are protective about their rights to foreign programmes, its not going to be easy. An FTV system is possible, but then that marries RTÉ long term to BSkyB, and the need for Sky digiboxes, paying NDS for encryption etc.

    The BBC really went off on its own when it went FTA in 2003. We can be thankful that they did. ITV have followed, and who is to say that Channel 4 won't follow too. The BBC's version of Freesat has cooled considerably over the last while, while we couldve had it by now, in H1 2006, they and ITV are waiting until next year at the earliest, but given that that has happened, are some people beginning to question if it will ever occur?


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