Never Mind DAB and Saorview

watty

Is the Content Rubbish for the money spent?

Where is decent Irish Produced Drama, Comedy, History, Documentaries, Political comment?

We get the lowest form of Bar Humour and it's called Comedy and they call 3rd rate Soaps Drama.

As for Politics & Religion?

... since the station's view of research is casual. RTE is ignorant of the multiple sides of most serious political issues and examines them without adequate preparation.

A good example of this occurred with Richard Crowley when he was standing in for Pat Kenny. In an interview he said that "no Arab can be a minister in Israel". He was challenged with details of Arabs in cabinet in Israel. They are not barred.

The programme's response was dishonest, acknowledging that "the presenter mistakenly gave the impression that there was a bar". Mr Crowley's statement was not "an impression". It was just wrong. It was not "greater clarity" that was needed. It was the truth. The listener was thanked for his "comments", not his correction.

Read more
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/bruce-arnold-twitter-saga-shows-rte-needs-to-stop-pretending-it-has-no-agenda-3046565.html

RTE over the last 20 years has consistently shown disdain for Religion (The Sneering of the Late Late), lack of appetite to criticize the Government especially FF and a pro-SF agenda.

They like soft targets... I'm not a Limerickman, though I live here now. The RTE picture of the City is an imaginary Limerick

Also too much secrecy, too many overpaid Managers, Over paid Presenters they try to build Cults around (see RTE Guide cover before last Christmas), nepotism. Lack of public consultation.

We need openness, transparency, honesty, proper research, decent scripts and Presenters that are there just to deliver, not to be fake overpaid "celebrities".

Sam Russell

The current kerfuffle over the Frontline 'debate' in the presidential campaign illustrates much of what is wrong with RTE's approach to debates and public involvement.

1. An attempt to keep pace and drama in the debate for 'good television' at the expense of giving a true representation of what the audience participator is actually trying to express.

2. Missing the point. The problem with the Sean Gallagher tweet was not the tweet but his reaction to it, his look of horror, and the language used to describe the person cited as a criminal etc. He compounded this the following day by attacking another questioner, not realising she could answer back. It was this that caused a lot of people to rethink their voting intentions. Micheal D looked a safer bet to most as seen in the result.

3. The handling of a studio audience is marked by a constant need to control them.

A review is needed and long overdue.

channnels

I am a great admirer of TG4. They manage to produce an innovate, mostly home produced schedule on a fraction of RTE's budget.

Then again they are a younger, leaner organisation and don't have the top heavy legacy of Montrose and their rather inward looking recruitment practices.

There is definitely an "RTE way of thinking". It's left of centre, anti-Israel, negative towards organised religion and yet curiously keeps the Angelus on RTE 1 and Radio 1 every day.

The French dismantled the ORTF in the 70s and replaced it with a number of different bodies - one of which the France Televisions organisation is leaner and provides reasonable quality programming, mostly home produced.

Can we learn something from that?

Jesus Shaves

watty wrote: »

RTE over the last 20 years has consistently shown disdain for Religion

Who gives a rats ass if they have shown a disdain for religion?
Should be be forced down our throats through television too?

Minstrel27

Disdain for religion should be applauded

watty

Only where it's justified. Making stuff up isn't right.

Nor should it be forced on us.
The Angelus should not be on RTE.

RTE religious coverage should not hypocritically force stuff on us, nor deliberately set out to discredit with imaginary "facts". Coverage should be proportionate and honest.

Sam Russell

I think it is a mistake to look at RTE as a monolith. I think, that like political parties and universities, there is a mixture of forces at work at different levels in the organisation, some of which prevail for a period to be overtaken by others. Fortunately, RTE in the early days managed to head off Achbishop John Charles McQuaid in his attempt to control the organisation, and also managed to wriggle free of government political control. Unfortunately, Ray Burke and others have tried their hand to damage and destroy RTE but it has managed to survive more or less intact.

It does have its own agendas and its own favoured sons [and daughters] and should be required to find a new approach, losing much of nepotism and inward looking self-serving agendas, and perhaps replace most all of its high paid 'celebrities'.

It is strong on Irish culture, but not as good as TG4 on this. It has never mastered comedy, and it very repetitive. It used to be a leader in live broadcasting and perhaps go back to that. Live radio is better than scripted and recorded chat. Live is immediate and has its own drama, as long as contributors respect each other and not all speak at once.

Perhaps RTE should be split into two operations, or even more, with the campus in Montrose used as a facility for hire by the various production companies in the way RTE NL operate for broadcasters.

However, we cannot afford a BBC type operation. [I'm not sure the UK can, or should]. We could not live with a TV3 type station as our national broadcaster either.

Perhaps we should keep tight hold of nurse for fear of finding worse.

Well, thats my few cents worth.

watty

Ray Burke may be the reason for a lot of the political cowardice.

I'm sure internally there are factions.

Hotblack Desiato

watty wrote: »

RTE over the last 20 years has consistently shown disdain for Religion (The Sneering of the Late Late), lack of appetite to criticize the Government especially FF and a pro-SF agenda.

SF can't stand RTE, going right back to the 70s and Section 31 and, (like FF) they deeply distrust RTE. I've no time for SF and would certainly have noticed seeing a pro-SF bias on RTE. Traditionally in the 70s RTE was decidedly 'sticky' so it'd be some reversal if they were 'pro-provie' today.

If by 'religion bashing' you mean the recent regrettable incident involving a particular missionary priest, it's unfair to tar the whole station over one mistake in one programme (however bad that mistake was) and claim it's proof of an agenda at work.

If anything, RTE throughout its history has been far too deferential to religion - did the archibishop get his opening night spake in before Dev or after? They've produced at licence payers' expense a fair number of religious series (Radharc, Would You Believe) - not to mention Sunday mass / services and the daily Angelus - I can't recall ever seeing a programme on RTE TV that really questioned religious belief in a serious way never mind doubted the existence of a god. Nonetheless, everyone has to help fund this uncritical broadcasting of religion.

Why aren't they questioning the over 1 billion donation from the taxpayer to RCC to pay for child abuse? Why are they not questioning the continued control of 93% of primary schools by RCC (and most of the rest are CofI), or that religion is mandated as part of the school day even in non church-run schools, or that it's allowed to take up up to 20% of the school day while we continue to fall behind in numeracy and literacy?

They did produce some good documentaries on religious child abuse and institutional abuse, but too little and far too late. Arguably this was the greatest and most shameful scandal in the history of our state, it was well known by all media outlets including RTE for years but none dared to speak out.

As for Gay Byrne stirring it in relation to the RCC on the Late Late - that was the 60s and 70s and you can see on Reeling In The Years how tame it really was, the 'bishop and the nightie' incident FFS... it only appeared so scandalous because most Irish people were thoroughly brainwashed by the RCC. GB wasn't an atheist or (worse) a Prod, if he was he'd have certainly been out of a job!

The RTE picture of the City is an imaginary Limerick

I live in Dublin, same there. TV's picture of anything is never the same as reality.

Also too much secrecy, too many overpaid Managers, Over paid Presenters they try to build Cults around (see RTE Guide cover before last Christmas), nepotism. Lack of public consultation.

Yes indeed but in fairness things could have been far worse. FF in particular have always been paranoid RTE have been out to get them, some in FG are convinced RTE are out to get them, SF ULA etc. are convinced RTE are out to get them, not sure about Labour, but if most political parties are unhappy with them they must be doing something right

Elmo

Really the 1970s was unfortunately RTÉ was ruled by the likes of Pat Cox.

RTÉ does need a radical change. Firstly TV is not just about current affairs and news. As pointed out by Watty where are the Irish dramas, comedies and documentaries over the last 50 years?

You have to go back to 1960s for such programming (much of it lost). RTÉ was producing a huge amount drama in the 1960s per head of population. Come the 1970s and 1980s RTÉ had been reduced to a paupers broadcaster due to political fears at the time, meaning that little programming other than studio programming could be produced. Often it becomes in-studio productions which lead mainly to Current Affairs.

The editor of the newspaper is unwilling to look at the past, in relation to his TG4 comment that they are obsessed by IRA. (A huge part of Irish History) He asks

A strange, amorphous and slanted 'canteen culture' prevails in RTE. It shapes programming. One cannot easily identify the culprits. Who, for example, is responsible for the TG4 obsession with IRA themes in its unending series of documentaries? Having worked for 50 years in Irish newspapers writing about politics, I cannot see what the researchers, producers and presenters read each day, but speculation would suggest volumes of Chomsky, Fisk and Pilger. Do they vote Sinn Fein? Should they be called 'Narrow-casters' rather than broadcasters? Should they be state-owned or state-funded at all?

He fails to realize that TG4 is not owned or operated by RTÉ and many of their documentaries are co-commissioned with the BAI. And in reality how many IRA documentaries there are from the channel, often repeated, can for example Ealú be considers an IRA documentary because it deals with prison escapes?

He paints RTÉ as a very schizophrenic type of political culture, which is pro-Sinn Féin and yet pro-EU at the same time.

Transparency in his own writting by not giving a by line (It may not be the main Editor of the newspaper, they often have guest editors).

Public Service Broadcasting needs to change in Ireland. The licence fee needs to be equally divided between RTÉ and TG4, with TG4 taking on the responsibility for Irish Film on TV and Children's programming (RTÉjr, RnaG moving to TG4). (while also funding the preforming groups). RTÉ NL should take on Montrose as a type of national broadcasting network and studio centre. RTÉ Two, 2FM, 2XM, Pulse need to be made separate and commercial and later sold. (Other studios being divided evenly between the 3 companies RTÉ, TG4 and the New RTÉ Two).

While also not forgetting the NSO and other performing groups. <<Perhaps these need to be paid by the Exchequer directly.

We need to look at RTÉ not just from a News and Current Affairs point of view but also from all the other genres they and newspapers systemically forget about.

watty

We are engaging in open and honest debate. But will RTE engage with anyone or debate internally?

Well maybe 20% to 33% for TG4. Unless TG4 is going to run radio channels and another TV Channel. Who does run RnaG?

I agree the newspaper article is flawed, but it does raise some points and provoke thought.

Elmo

watty wrote: »

Well maybe 20% to 33% for TG4. Unless TG4 is going to run radio channels and another TV Channel. Who does run RnaG?.

My suggestion is for TG4 to takeover RnaG and RTÉjr and perhaps the Irish Film Channel.

RTÉ would receive ~40% for TV: RTÉ One, RTÉ NN, RTÉO*/RTÉ Gold (replacing +1) Radio: RTÉ Radio 1, Extra, Lyric FM, Choice and Gold.

TG4 would receive ~40% for TV: TG4, RTÉjr/IFB Channel (English Language), Cula4, and another service to sit beside Cula4. Radio: RnaG, RiRa (now RTÉ Chill), RTÉjr (English Language).

Both RTÉ and TG4 carry advertising on all channels except RTÉjr.

Commercial run RTÉ Two, TRTÉ, 2FM, 2XM and Pulse. (with 12mins of advertising and no Licence Fee). Sold when possible. Broadcast Licence based on Children's programming for the over 6s during the day.

RTÉ NL to become The National Broadcasting Studio and Network (HQ Montrose).

Exchequer funding goes to National Performing Groups, from Dept of Culture.

Sound and Vision Fund also remains ~10% of licence fee.

Of course this is far to radical.

*RTÉO = RTÉ Oireachtas.

Markdub2000

Surely RTE is a symbol of our irishness?

Surely ur not Dissing Ireland's got talent??
U wouldn't deprive little johnny from Kerry his chance to sing for his nannie on the telly agghhh now here!!

How would the late late pianist get his piano class on the telly - no room on BBC for such shinanagins

Where else would uncle Brian get a job, everywhere else has realised he's useless!!

RTE serves 99% of the population with programmes that suit them - its not it's fault that ur that 1% it doesn't cater for, just because u have developed opposable thumbs and have no over bite doesn't mean they should down tools and start developing programmes just for u

Markdub2000

This was a big issue a few years back for sky digital when it first launched - we had quantity over quality - anyone remember ukplay filler upon filler upon ads for nothing...

But you can't apply this to rte, they only have two stations!!

Their dryness seems to be rubbing off on the younger generations in that there's very little intelligent banter on any of the programs.

They're full of pseudo suspense moments - how much air time is given to pauses in "and the winner is........"

They should have a morning news program, similar to NBC today - from the top of grafton st, where people are constantly passing by going to work, starting the day - lively - it needs traffic reports with cameras on major junctions, and cut aways to Galway, cork, Limerick, Waterford, etc to give regional weather and brief local stories

Quiz shows are afternoon restricted -

Rte radio needs to be updated too - radio one needs to be commercial free, it needs to buy in programs from other radio networks - like the beeb - they have to restrict discussions on political, economic issues to no more than 5 mins a piece -

watty

Some Political / Economic things need 30min and 1hr. Programs and variable length slots. But on the general news no one item should dominate.

Elmo

Markdub2000 wrote: »

This was a big issue a few years back for sky digital when it first launched - we had quantity over quality - anyone remember ukplay filler upon filler upon ads for nothing...

But you can't apply this to rte, they only have two stations!!

All about money you can certainly apply it to RTÉ when you think of the amount of money Sky or the BBC have.

Their dryness seems to be rubbing off on the younger generations in that there's very little intelligent banter on any of the programs.

They're full of pseudo suspense moments - how much air time is given to pauses in "and the winner is........"

Ah! your watching too much reality TV, TBH what annoies me more about all TV, not just RTÉ, is the reading out of phone numbers. Chat show competition lines should be restricted to ad breaks rather then having the presenters call out phone numbers every 10 mins, winners announced live on air fine.

They should have a morning news program, similar to NBC today - from the top of grafton st, where people are constantly passing by going to work, starting the day - lively - it needs traffic reports with cameras on major junctions, and cut aways to Galway, cork, Limerick, Waterford, etc to give regional weather and brief local stories

Quality over Quantity NO NEED FOR A MORNING SHOW, certainly not one that imitates an american show which probably spends a fortune each day.

Quiz shows are afternoon restricted -

They need more Quiz Shows, but they should look towards a number of daily ones, mainly because they are repeatable. Unlikely that RTÉ or TV3 could ever repeat 2004 eps of their daytime tv programming, yet you can repeat programming like The Weakest Link, Pointless etc.

Rte radio needs to be updated too - radio one needs to be commercial free, it needs to buy in programs from other radio networks - like the beeb - they have to restrict discussions on political, economic issues to no more than 5 mins a piece -

RTÉ Radio One at night does have a number of bought in programmes. Its mix is working, while not a fan, I have no problem with a mixed genre radio station. It would be better if they weren't just about chat during the day.

Perhaps RTÉ Radio 1 Extra needs to merge with RTÉ Choice.

The suggested restructure of RTÉ would iron out many of these problems. RTÉ would not have to fund Children's programming (OR RTÉ TWO) but Children's programming would have its own dedicated department within TG4. This would mean that RTÉ One could be focused on in terms of TV, again RnaG moving to TG4 would provide economies of scales for the services. As would putting Cula4 and RTÉjr under one organisation. (Animation 1 commissioned for RTÉjr, Animation 2 commissioned for Cula4, and then re-dubbed the following year for the each channels i.e. RTÉjr takes Cula4 animation but in English, while Cula4 takes RTÉjr animation but as Gealige.).

watty

Not more quiz shows nooooooo.....

Elmo

watty wrote: »

Not more quiz shows nooooooo.....

What quiz shows?