Is RTE a real national gem?

Rabelais

I sat down this evening and decided I'd watch some television. Flicked through the channels and it was a continuous stream of repeats: Friends, Deadly Catch, QI, Top Gear and Bull's Eye (which I was tempted to watch out of nostalgia).

Watched The Summit on RTE. A magnificent documentary that would be confined to BBC2 or BBC3 across the water. Which brings me to my next point - why do we compare RTE to the BBC? The BBC is the largest publicly-funded broadcaster in the world, one of the last great Public Service Broadcasters in the world. RTE is a minnow compared to it. Yet most people are happy to pay for such a service.

I'm beginning to think RTE is a gem. From their sports coverage; through current affairs, the RTE Doc on One Series, The Hamilton Series on Lyric on a Saturday, Late Date.

Are you an overall fan of RTE? Or would you see it replaced? And what would you see it replaced with? How would that be funded? Public service broadcasting with a remit to entertain.

Mr. Incognito

With all their nonsense about talent being poached they are crap. Over paid nepotism. maybe one or two would make it in the UK or a larger market and the rest would wash out. The market gain Tv3 made so quickly showed that

LordSutch

RTE is like an acquired taste IMO.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

most people are happy to pay for rte?

u wot m8?

Frosty McSnowballs

Really Terrible Entertainment

deadybai

i am a massive fan of rte.they have everything you want really. Ive feeling your going to get a lot of people saying its terrible somehow. But yeah my family has decided to get rid of sky digital completely because most of the stuff on it is pure rubbish. Like how many channels show Friends and CSI repeats? Have to say though was extremely dissapointed when they got rid of the Premiership

Banjo String

I say make them a subscriber only channel.

Let's see exactly How many would 'be happy to pay' to watch it.

It has been proven time and again, RTE are merely a mouthpiece for whatever shower of incompetent gombeens we have in Govt at the time.

The Glass Key

Whats RTE? Only have FTA satellite so don't watch it and don't miss it either.

The Backwards Man

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

The Golden Miller

Some decent oversea imports, some sh!t. Their output is average. I have no time for their current affair shows since they became Eoghan Harris orientated

osarusan

I sat down to watch a programme on RTE on Christmas day about 2 years ago. It was billed as a compilation of some of the best of their 'candid camera' programmes, which had actually been pretty good.

Instead it was just the actors sitting round talking about the show, and some of the better set-ups they'd done. They'd talk for 5 minutes or more about a particular set-up, how well it had worked, and so on. "Do you remember how......?" "Oh, yes, that was gas."

They never even showed the episodes they were talking about FFS.

That, and their willingness to let their football pundits talk any old crap at all as long as it's controversial, under the guise of 'telling it like it is', are my memories of RTE from afar.

twowheelsonly

Overall they provide a decent enough service IMO with a fairly good spread of programmes and documentaries - far better than some of the commercial channels which feature repeats and rehashed shows day after day.

The big problem I have with them is their overpaid 'stars', both on Television and Radio. The wages that they command are absolutely ridiculous.

The major annoyance for me in their programming is the chat shows where they seem to spend half the time just interviewing other RTE personalities that are promoting their own shows. Drives me nuts!!

I'd hesitate to call it a national gem but it is in my opinion a good station, up there with some of the best.

Benteke

If you like it then pay for it, If not you don't pay, Sadly it's forced on us to pay because if given the choice the majority would be more than happy to leave it behind, Then you get told we live in a democracy :pac:

Banjo String

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

Passport control (i think it's called)
And I think there's a cop one (highway patrol or something)

Wonder if many kiwis could name any rte shows all the same?

tommyboy2222

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

Shortland Street mutha****a !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Backwards Man

Banjo String wrote: »

Passport control (i think it's called)
And I think there's a cop one (highway patrol or something)

Wonder if many kiwis could name any rte shows all the same?

The Clinic, Love/Hate and Mrs. Brown's Boys, for starters.

The Backwards Man

tommyboy2222 wrote: »

Shortland Street mutha****a !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

High end?:pac:

murpho999

RTE comes in for a lot of criticism.

Some deserved and some unwarranted in my opinion. Some may come from some who expect a BBC type service whist forgetting the massive budget differences.

Bad:

Showing English Soaps
RTE celebs on Late Late Show
Influence of religion on station, Angelus, interviewing priests on the news etc
Scheduling of good shows like Mad Men at crazy hours.

Good

Only station that you can get proper Irish news
Documentaries about Ireland, eg recent River Shannon documentary and Ronan O'Gara one was very good. Shows like Reality Bites are entertaining and show a side of Ireland that you won't get anywhere else.
Drama like Love/Hate.

I think people compare it to other stations with big budget dramas and American imports, whereas I would regard RTE as a station to inform me of stuff going on in Ireland.
Plenty of other stations can provide the "entertainment"

kneemos

Banjo String wrote: »

I say make them a subscriber only channel.

Let's see exactly How many would 'be happy to pay' to watch it.

It has been proven time and again, RTE are merely a mouthpiece for whatever shower of incompetent gombeens we have in Govt at the time.

Market is too small for a subscription service.

Always strikes me as old fashioned and scared of change.
Unlike TV3 and Newstalk who whatever you think of them can consistently find natural and comfortable presenters RTE insist on hiring and sticking with nervous types who are completely unsuited to the job.
Seldom watch it.Still pay the license though.

Mint Aero

Rabelais wrote: »

Watched The Summit on RTE. A magnificent documentary

:rolleyes: The first half decent programme on RTE in decades :rolleyes: calm your tits :rolleyes: RTE is still sh*t.

Benteke

Just because one person likes certain shows does not mean others like them, That's why people should have a choice but sadly that will never happen because they would lose so much money they would probably end up closing down, That pretty much sums up what people think of our national broadcaster

Courtesy Flush

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

With all their nonsense about talent being poached they are crap. Over paid nepotism. maybe one or two would make it in the UK or a larger market and the rest would wash out. The market gain Tv3 made so quickly showed that

Which is weird cause TV3 is trash of the worst kind

catallus

Agreed, TV3 is bad bad bad tv station and an indication that we should be grateful for RTE!

murpho999

Mint Aero wrote: »

:rolleyes: The first half decent programme on RTE in decades :rolleyes: calm your tits :rolleyes: RTE is still sh*t.

Seriously what is with all the stupid :rolleyes:?

To say that "The Summit" is the only half decent programme broadcast on RTE in decades is ridiculous.
Wonder what you term to be a decent programme.

I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here, Top Gear and X Factor probably

Pretzill

It's our national broadcaster it has some good points and some bad ones. Bad points for me is the lack of promotion of quality drama, comedy and innovation - (I mean without mimicking other formats badly - which they do often) also their scheduling is all over the place. But that's just TV Rte radio across all it's dial can be really good and streets ahead of other commercial stations if the TV was half as good as the radio docs etc it would be a better set-up imo.

Btw it's the television licence fee not the RTE licence fee a percentage of that goes to indies et al who are responsible for some of the better content not just on RTE but TV3 aswell.

Rabelais

Mint Aero wrote: »

:rolleyes: The first half decent programme on RTE in decades :rolleyes: calm your tits :rolleyes: RTE is still sh*t.

I thought the Colm Connolly doc was lovely, sad and engaging. That was last year.

One day TV3 will decide to make a doc based on one of their most well-pronounced and exuberant sport presenters; as the presenter struggles through an illness that will eventually kill him. And do it in a most rational and engaging style.

Mint Aero

murpho999 wrote: »

Seriously what is with all the stupid :rolleyes:?

To say that "The Summit" is the only half decent programme broadcast on RTE in decades is ridiculous.
Wonder what you term to be a decent programme.

I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here, Top Gear and X Factor probably

No, Ireland's Next Top Model actually from few years ago. Yeah no seriously the summit is something you couldn't balls up making a documentary of....yet....they kinda did, didn't they.

Bit too long. Generic cinematography. Storyboard was a bit muddled and I'm not sure but I think they mixed up feet and metres in their opening graphics.

murpho999

Mint Aero wrote: »

No, Ireland's Next Top Model actually from few years ago. Yeah no seriously the summit is something you couldn't balls up making a documentary of....yet....they kinda did, didn't they.

Bit too long. Generic cinematography. Storyboard was a bit muddled.

RTE didn't make it. They only broadcast it which is quite a coup seeing as it was only in the cinema before Christmas.

Storyboard was a bit muddled? It's a documentary you know?

http://thesummitfilm.com/

Mint Aero

murpho999 wrote: »

RTE didn't make it. They only broadcast it which is quite a coup seeing as it was only in the cinema before Christmas.

Storyboard was a bit muddled? It's a documentary you know?

http://thesummitfilm.com/

So why we discussing it then? yea durh it's a documentary, delivery wasn't great.

Manach

A carbuncle.

Teyla Emmagan

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

Top of the lake?

I hate RTE and even thinking about having to pay good money to enable it continue making complete ****e brings me out in a rash. The only time I watch anything on it is when I'm in my granny's and I'm continually horrified by how rubbish it is. Lotto, up for the match, reality tv and talk show garbage.

Burn it with fire!!

Norma_Desmond

RTE is terrible, they have produced little of note in recent years.
When the best show you are putting out is the news, your station has some issues.
Even then, the news is too long and they rarely have enough content/news to fill
it properly and are reduced to nonsensical U.S. style news segments.
The Six-One news yesterday was almost entirely dedicated to people talking about the stormy weather,
with reporters/politicians standing next to fallen walls.

A few episodes of Love/Hate were also decent enough,
but they've ruined that by hyping it up and putting too much pressure on the writer/creator,
causing the show to fall flat in the 4th season.

The RTE Player is also a ball of dirt and rarely works properly.

It's a station that has more negatives than positives.
Considering how much the 'stars' are paid, I worry about how much top brass etc. are being paid,
as the strange Celtic Tiger mentality there would have me believe that they are on massive salaries.

Daqster

My Dad used to love watching Nationwide and I have taken the baton from him on that and watch it whenever I can. I used to hate the thought of it but now I quite like it. It's a very positive show and regularly has episodes dedicated to people who started their own businesses and stuff like that.

What? It's good.

I'm getting old amn't I

Thanks very much

No.

Rte with their very carefully vetted presenters are traitorous and do not represent and never have represented the ordinary people of Ireland.

RTE represent the elite and their views. RTE are enablers and highly paid enablers at that. They are of course not unique in this. They are standard for the course in all national media organisations worldwide. There is no integrity within RTE and they are certainly not a national gem.

marienbad

My biggest bugbear with RTE is their pay.

Possible the biggest scandal in Ireland today is the remuneration packages of the higher public service, quangos , charities, politicians but how can the premier news outlet do a expose on this when Miriam O'Callaghan is paid more than the Taoiseach

suicide_circus

Joe Duffy alone justifies the 160quid to me

Thanks very much

These people are very highly paid not to ask the right questions, can't you see that?

signostic

suicide_circus wrote: »

Joe Duffy alone justifies the 160quid to me

:eek:

Sir Arthur Daley

RTE produce brilliant soaps, Fair City for example - coronation street eat your heart out.

Bipolar Joe

I hate RTE. Don't own a television, refuse to give them money, and I will refuse to pay any charge for having a laptop if that happens. They don't have the budget? Balls they don't. They get advertising, the license fee and Government help. Fuck 'em. The reason they don't have the budget is because their "Talent" gets paid a stupid amount to be the megaphone in front of whoever runs the country at the time. Stop trying to shill bullshit to me, stop paying pandering, nepotistic little lick-arse presenters, use the talent already here to craft decent television of all sorts. It's a sham. What should it be replaced with? Either a decent station or a potato.

househero

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

It's a sham. What should it be replaced with? Either a decent station or a potato.

Can we vote on this?

I'm with the potato


RTE should ONLY make the news.

Cookie_Monster

The Backwards Man wrote: »

The Clinic, Love/Hate and Mrs. Brown's Boys, for starters.

wtf are the first two and the third is pure ****e of the highest order. For some bizarre reason it seems to be popular over here though

The only world class programme RTE produces is reeling in the years

Sir Arthur Daley

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The only world class programme RTE produces is reeling in the years

And that is because it is based on fact.

Mr Pseudonym

Most documentaries are commissioned from external production companies.

News and Current Affairs output isn't good. Leaving R1 aside, for a moment, Prime Time, Six One News, and Week in Politics are the serious programmes in that category. Prime Time masquerades as real analysis, but rarely digs deeper than the superficial; the hour long Six One News can be tedious in the extreme, with stock 'pan, tilt and zoom' shots illustrating many stories; and Week in Politics is an unimaginative panel discussion which can't attract high profile guests (it should be replaced by an Andrew Marr Show equivalent). The news correspondents are distinctly average (I would exclude Davin-Power and McCullough from that criticism) - Sean Whelan, the Economics correspondent doesn't even have an undergraduate degree in that discipline. Oireachtas Report is packaged in such a way as to make it almost unwatchable.

From an entertainment perspective, Late Late Show has become a farce, with viewership rapidly declining. This is supposedly the land of poets and scholars, yet you wouldn't think it from watching RTE. Why isn't there more serious Arts programming; why aren't university professors given a platform to promote their work? There is relatively cheap stuff that BBC does - Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, for instance - which RTE could easily replicate.

No one expects RTE to compete with the BBC on every level - it shouldn't provide regional Radio services, have a global news gathering division, commission ground-breaking wildlife documentaries in exotic locations. But, it should at least be able to compete when it comes to cheap-to-make studio-based programming.

Returning to R1, it is certainly the most impressive feature of RTE (though it has its flaws). Here is a personal response I gave of it, on another thread:

Radio 1 is one of the things Ireland can be proud of: the balanced and earnest, agenda-setting Morning Ireland; the cultural stimulation of Arts Tonight and Sunday Miscellany; the almost literary excellence of some of the Saturday documentaries; the diversity of the weekend schedule: farming, business, world affairs, history; the debate that is nurtured across so much of its output. It has its flaws, but Irish life would be much the worse in its absence.

Logical Fallacy

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

Not too sure what your point is, as i imagine not too many folk from New Zealand could name any from here. lol

Mr Pseudonym

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

The only world class programme RTE produces is reeling in the years

Regardless of how well it's done (and I'm not sure Reeling in the Years does it especially well), contextualising file footage and giving it a soundtrack could never be considered world class, IMO.

I think Nationwide is an important and generally under-rated RTE programme.

pauldla

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Punch way above their weight in my opinion.

How many high end New Zealand TV productions can anyone here name off the top of their head, for example?

So I asked my colleague, who is from NZ and has never been to Ireland, this very question.

Pause.

"Er....Father Ted?"
"UK production, I'm afraid."
"Really? Oh, OK. Er....that show about the young boy and his imaginary friend..."
"Moon Boy? Is that not a Sky production?"
"Oh. Er, that awful show with the man dressed up as a woman?"

So, he managed to name one. I presume Mrs Browns Boys is an RTE production? (My apologies for my ignorance, I have never seen the show).

kneemos

pauldla wrote: »

So I asked my colleague, who is from NZ and has never been to Ireland, this very question.

Pause.

"Er....Father Ted?"
"UK production, I'm afraid."
"Really? Oh, OK. Er....that show about the young boy and his imaginary friend..."
"Moon Boy? Is that not a Sky production?"
"Oh. Er, that awful show with the man dressed up as a woman?"

So, he managed to name one. I presume Mrs Browns Boys is an RTE production? (My apologies for my ignorance, I have never seen the show).

RTE doesn't produce anything it's all commissioned.

Sir Arthur Daley

kneemos wrote: »

RTE doesn't produce anything it's all commissioned.

Not true they produce a load of rubbish.

Thanks very much

kneemos wrote: »

RTE doesn't produce anything it's all commissioned.

Exactly.

greenflash

WikiHow wrote: »

And that is because it is based on fact.

Or maybe because Reeling in the Years is an exact copy of BBC's Rock and Roll Years.

I cannot stand RTE television beyond Love/Hate and MNS.

RTE radio is woeful, unless it's the late night music shows presented by the likes of Dan Hegarty. Pretty much everything on Radio 1 feels like it was produced by retarded baboons in comparison to BBC Radio 4, which I look forward to listening to whenever I'm near or over the border.

RTE is just so embarrassingly miserable, introspective and amateurish.