RTE won't say what its pays to late late guest

lostexpectation

The station spent €108,283 facilitating guests such as Jerry Seinfield and the Sugababes. The majority of guests do not receive any reimbursement for their appearances, particularly if they are trying to promote something.

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/rte-refuses-to-say-just-how-much-it-pays-star-guests-1592366.html

The station said they will not tell viewers exactly how much each guest costs because it is in competition for guests with British broadcasters, who do not come under the Irish Freedom of Information Act.

It is also fears that the release of this information would result in a bidding war between stations.

A statement said it "would not be in the public interest" to do this.

thats rte opinion not the foi's?

can't find on the ruling on the foi's site.

BroomBurner

They have a point, if they're telling the truth

niceirishfella

BroomBurner wrote: »

They have a point, if they're telling the truth

No, if they are spending yours and mine money, it should be public record and FOI'able.

red menace

niceirishfella wrote: »

No, if they are spending yours and mine money, it should be public record and FOI'able.

I don't see why, this would hand a big advantage to competitors and force prices up.

Whats it going to achieve knowing how much is spent, other that giving the newspapers fodder for a slow news day. Every business incurs cost in producing a product whether it be a table or a TV show.

niceirishfella

red menace wrote: »

I don't see why, this would hand a big advantage to competitors and force prices up.

Whats it going to achieve knowing how much is spent, other that giving the newspapers fodder for a slow news day. Every business incurs cost in producing a product whether it be a table or a TV show.

what competitors? They have none here......they have a monopoly FFS.
And before you say the UK Tv co's, NO.
Regardless of a FEE, if someone was being offered 10K to go on the Late Late, and 2k to go on ross, well - they'd go on Ross because he's got millions more viewers, the show is hot and will promote any guess better than the poxy LL.
no brainer. RTE are deluded even thinking they are @ the races.

Stark

They could just not run the Late Late Show and then everyone would be happy.

red menace

Why NO?

The vast majority of people have access to Sky and whatnot now.

Ross has never been anything but a conveyor belt for stars pimping out their crap. At least the LL tries to add a bit of current affairs and debate to the mix

As the OP said anyone that has anything to promote wont pay anything as it is in their interest to get their product out there.

Elmo

lostexpectation wrote: »

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/rte-refuses-to-say-just-how-much-it-pays-star-guests-1592366.html


thats rte opinion not the foi's?

can't find on the ruling on the foi's site.

AFAIK under the FOI act, public bodies do not have to give access to details which they deem to be confidental or could damage their capacity to compete in the market place.

However since TV3 do not have any Chat Shows I do not see how RTE could suggest that they would be creating a bidding war with TV3. I am sure TV3 know how much it costs to get a guest on during prime time.

Also guests may not wish that information to be known. I mean it really isn't any of our business how much private people get paid.

RTE monoploy on Chat Shows orginating in Ireland isn't RTEs fault. TV3 could if it wished produce a prime time chat show.

niceirishfella

Elmo wrote: »

Also guests may not wish that information to be known. I mean it really isn't any of our business how much private people get paid..

No way Elmo my friend....If i'm paying for them in my licence, then it is my business and entitlement.

Elmo

niceirishfella wrote: »

No way Elmo my friend....If i'm paying for them in my licence, then it is my business and entitlement.

Not really AFAIK the late late is paid for by advertising in the main.

They could give a ball park figure. I mean the Jornalist could have requested a figure for Boyzone or some other non-entities.

How much do you want to know? We know how much their top stars get paid and we have access to their accounts we have details on how much the spend on foreign imports, independent productions, in-house productions etc. we know how much they get in advertising revenue.

Should Tyrone production tell you how much they pay for guests on Seoige? I mean Tyrone is a private company.

All of the Independent producers know exactly how much a "star guest" is worth. How much did TV3 pay for Linda Martin to guest appear in School Run? After all TV3 did pay for that out of the licence fee, ditto Raising Children how much was spent on "stars" for a so call public service show?

Look at the Annual Reports of RTE and the BCI and then start to ask questions. Most of what you are asking can be got with a little bit of research and educated guessing.

Also the jornalist isn't very good, they could have done research asked a few people how much they get paid to be on different shows. There was no need to issue an FOI on this IMO.

niceirishfella

Elmo, your wrong in many regards.
Its simple, if i want to know how much RTE spends on Bogroll (or anything else)each year, I should be able to find out......simple. I pay for it.
I reckon its a bit like FAS out there. They need to be held in check.

yamo

You could ask how much they spent on loo roll last year, and they would have to give you an answer. However, as a previous poster mentioned, this type of information would be deemed commercially sensitive, and so, they don't have to give it out. Also, given that RTE has dual funding from advertising and license payers, they wouldn't be subject to the full rigours of FOI in the same way as a fully Government funded organisation would be.

Just to get back to the guests - I know some of them get paid. A lot are on to plug their various warez, so they would have their airfare paid and maybe get a night in the Merrion Hotel or somewhere equally as expensive. As regards the competition - RTE could reasonably argue that TV3 have already tried a weekly chat show with Dunphy - what's to stop them doing it again, and starting a bidding war for guests? Personally, I think there should be a cap on how much people are paid for appearing. The majority of the celebs they get are just trying to hawk something, and other than that, it's mainly (usually reasonably decent) current affairs pieces where the journalists/panellists involved would be getting somewhere between 300 and 800 euro depending on their profile. Or at least, that would be my guess....

Elmo

niceirishfella wrote: »

Elmo, your wrong in many regards.
Its simple, if i want to know how much RTE spends on Bogroll (or anything else)each year, I should be able to find out......simple. I pay for it.
I reckon its a bit like FAS out there. They need to be held in check.

I am glad you mentioned FAS. Unlike FAS, ESB, CIE and other semi-state bodies RTE are looked at far more closely. For example it is the law of the country that RTE either break even or make a profit. RTE are legally required not to lose money !!!!! (AFAIK, I really have to check this one out but I am fairly certain of it). I mean the expenses that RTE paid totaled 130,000euro, I wonder how much was paid to foreign delegates by FAS???? Unlike any of these other semi-state companies RTE know how much they will get in the license fee and plan their year around that, plus whatever they get from commercial revenues. RTE are held in more check then any other organisation in the country. This is due to political fear, FF don't like RTÉ so they constantly stamp on them. Ditto FG.

I amn't saying you shouldn't know these things but much of this is available online and as I said if the reporter had done any kind of investigation they may have got some answers.

Also, given that RTE has dual funding from advertising and license payers, they wouldn't be subject to the full rigours of FOI in the same way as a fully Government funded organisation would be.

No, RTE is open to the full rigours of the FOI system.

Elmo

yamo wrote: »

Personally, I think there should be a cap on how much people are paid for appearing. The majority of the celebs they get are just trying to hawk something, and other than that, it's mainly (usually reasonably decent) current affairs pieces where the journalists/panellists involved would be getting somewhere between 300 and 800 euro depending on their profile. Or at least, that would be my guess....

Agreed, and politicians and employees of the state should be given nothing.

mickoneill30

Would it not create competition amongst the guests? I'm sure they don't all get paid the same amount. Big names are going to get more but there are a lot of B type guests that might think they're big names and look for more money.

ben bedlam

I think that RTE spends its money very wisely in getting great guests for every exciting edition of the Late Late show. I for one absolutely love what pathetic washed-up former soap stars peddling their second rate autobiographies have to say

niceirishfella

ben bedlam wrote: »

I think that RTE spends its money very wisely in getting great guests for every exciting edition of the Late Late show. I for one absolutely love what pathetic washed-up former soap stars peddling their second rate autobiographies have to say

+1. and Tom O'Connor (that olde washed up english comedien)to me represents excellent value for licence payers money when he's on.:p

Freddie Cork

niceirishfella wrote: »

what competitors? They have none here......they have a monopoly FFS.

Eh, TV3, numb-nuts.

niceirishfella

Freddie Cork wrote: »

Eh, TV3, numb-nuts.

Freddie, TV3 don't do Live chat shows. Whose the numb nut now?:D