RTÉ One TV - Any plans to relaunch the channel?

AwaitYourReply

Is it my imagination or is RTÉ One TV overdue a relaunch of the channel's branding? I was under the impression some time ago that it would eventually follow the rebrand of RTÉ TWO > RTÉ 2 but the exact timeframe of any such change in respect of RTÉ One TV was never actually confirmed and it's now quite a while since it's sister channel was rebranded. Maybe the idea was since abandoned due to a lack of marketing funds available as I know RTÉ has been reigning in it's costs and trying to lower overheads where possible.

I just would have thought it would go from RTÉ One > RTÉ 1 to bring some uniformity to it's tv channel idents with a number as part of the channel name but the channel needs a refresh too at this stage in this rapidly changing multi-media world. RTÉ TV should be capitalising on UTV Ireland's slow disappointing start in the past 12 months.

JDxtra

Some of the idents RTE One are using before shows are well past their use by date. They look badly upscaled and cropped. It even looks like the logo is on top of one with a slightly different font maybe.

eeguy

If they changed anything the grey brigade would be up in arms wondering where Rte One had gone and what this new Rte1 was all about. Similar to the UTV / UTV Ireland fiasco.

I want my Angelus!!

Elmo

eeguy wrote: »

If they changed anything the grey brigade would be up in arms wondering where Rte One had gone and what this new Rte1 was all about. Similar to the UTV / UTV Ireland fiasco. !

I think the OP is just talking branding/logo

The branding/logo has changed a new logo implemented about 4 years ago, however the continued with many of the same background images.

topmanamillion

To quote my mother "ye all have little to be bothering ye"

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

Maybe they could call it Network 1, or go the eircom route, chop half the name off and rebrand as 'TE'

Tim Reilly

It's some of content that needs a revamp, Why on earth is the voice of Ireland back again this year ? Not one winner from that show has become successful.

Tim Reilly

Second Toughest in_the Freshers wrote: »

Maybe they could call it Network 1, or go the eircom route, chop half the name off and rebrand as 'TE'

Well rumour has it that 2fm is to be rebranded 2

StreetLight

Tim Reilly wrote: »

Well rumour has it that 2fm is to be rebranded 2

Makes sense that a station should drop the FM identifier if they are on DAB!

lertsnim

Tim Reilly wrote: »

It's some of content that needs a revamp, Why on earth is the voice of Ireland back again this year ? Not one winner from that show has become successful.

They don't care about what becomes of the winner. It's who is watching the show.

icdg

StreetLight wrote: »

Makes sense that a station should drop the FM identifier if they are on DAB!

They remained on MW for the best part of two decades after becoming 2FM - the name change was always more about distancing themselves from the RTE brand than promoting the FM waveband. I'm surprised it didn't go back to RTE Radio 2 in 2003 when they reinstated the RTE branding on the station.

As for RTE One, they refreshed everything except the idents last year. Yeah it's getting long in the tooth, but I can't see any change for another year or two.

Elmo

Tim Reilly wrote: »

Well rumour has it that 2fm is to be rebranded 2

What? so RTÉ 2fm will be known as just 2 or RTÉ2? What?

To quote my mother "ye all have little to be bothering ye"

And as I say back to my mother "sure if I have other worries, I might stop bothering".

Tim Reilly

Elmo wrote: »

What? so RTÉ 2fm will be known as just 2 or RTÉ2?

Just 2.. Thread about it in radio forum with slightly blurred pic of new logo which was posted by 2fm on.Twitter

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

I think the OP is just talking branding/logo

The branding/logo has changed a new logo implemented about 4 years ago, however the continued with many of the same background images.

Correct - I just thought that if you are going to look at updating your corporate image in a large organisation, RTÉ seems to do it in way that screams we cannot afford to do it properly across all sections much as we would have liked. Who suffers in the end, the RTÉ organisation,the viewer who is also TV Licence Fee payer, the advertisers not to mention our pride as a nation.

As weall know only too well, RTÉ One is Ireland's premier national public service broadcasting channel and along with RTÉ 2 and TG4 is now also broadcasting across the whole of Northern Ireland as well courtesy of The Good Friday Peace Agreement in 1998. I don't think it is just about branding and image all on their own either. However; if a channel such as RTÉ One is to remain relevant and avoid stagnation when there is a lot of competition for hearts and minds out there it needs to stay fresh while not alienating it's existing loyal older/mature audience.

It took RTÉ quite a while to update the RTÉ News Now tv channel on Saorview (it has still not appeared on Sky Digital as of yet AFAIK) when it had stopped showing a similar resemblance to the RTÉ.ie/News site online. It was eventually done but both should have happened at the same time or both should have waited until the required marketing budget was available to do both live together. There is a feeling it was done in a half-baked way and it deserves more as the premier channel in the country.

Does RTÉ have figures about how much the public actually uses RTÉ Aertel which went from an analogue to digital teletext service on Saorview versus similar information from RTÉ website Online? Can RTÉ afford the cost of maintaining the cost of Aertel nowadays or maybe other things at RTÉ have been delayed or stopped as financial resources are so tight given that the have had to cover too many additional functions such as Aertel, The Arts, Orchestras and so on in a way that other broadcasters like TV3 do not have to worry about. RTÉ can't continue to fund everything on an old-fashioned funding model if it is to remain relevant while other competitors from home and abroad are waiting in the wings to cream off the popular stuff that will entice viewers.

AwaitYourReply

StreetLight wrote: »

Makes sense that a station should drop the FM identifier if they are on DAB!

Remember although Digital Audio Broadcasting in the Republic of Ireland is available in the country's three urban population centres namely: Dublin, Cork City & Limerick City, I would not like to irritate listeners in other cities/large towns who are sometimes frustrated at not having the ability of picking up DAB in places like Galway City, Waterford City, Kilkenny City, Tralee, Sligo, Castlebar, Killarney, Clonmel, Athlone, Mullingar and so on.

RTÉ One TV should look back at their glory days at relaunches in times past when faced with new competition.

I remember the famous re-branding in the lead-up in the move from RTE Radio 2fm (the did not insert the fada in the abbreviation for RTE in those days) to become simply known as "2FM" in March 1989 - "The Key To The Sound of 2FM" was the slogan (voiced to the sound of a drumbeat in the background) and they had a long busy campaign. This was all in advance of independent commercial radio which was about to launch for the very first time that Summer and the ill-fated national commercial station Century Radio would also go on air in September 1989 with Marty Whelan as Presenter of The Breakfast Show. I think it also marked the start of 2FM running 24Hrs a day (up to then Radio 2 had closed at 1:50am nightly) even though RTÉ Radio 1 used still close for the night in those years.

RTÉ One TV can and should be careful not to lose too much ground and they need to take a good long hard look at home produced TV programmes both created in-house and among Irish indigenous producers outside. Tubridy, D'arcy, Miriam O'Callaghan and Kathryn Thomas are sometimes ok but overused and overrated at times. Tubridy earns most of his wages on the Annual Christmas Late Late Toy Show and I realise there is a lot of work done for months in advance but the weekly show remains a concern. D'arcy on his Saturday Night Chat Show was a pointless repeat of Brendan O'Connor just with a new set containing light bulbs. Ray D'arcy's interviewing technique and presence on screen has not worked at all - Whoever thought that Ray was Mr Weekend Chatshow host got it badly wrong not to mention allowing it to launch while TV3 were showing LIVE World Cup Rugby at the same time!

RTÉ One TV needs urgent attention or it risks becoming old and irrelevant just like 2FM had become on radio some years ago!

Elmo

In the late 1980s with competition looming RTÉ rebranded both RTÉ Radio 2 and RTÉ2. Which both drop RTÉ, up until 2004.

I like the RTÉ ONE logo but idents need up dating. In terms of schedule, I think you can over do change on RTÉ ONE and it a major risk.

RTÉ ONE IMO need to focus on quality prime time drama (like Rebellion and Love/Hate) but to only get 10 hours of Drama from RTÉ ONE in 2015 is pathetic. They also need to consider actual comedy not just Mrs. Brown's Boys RTÉ ONE had just one Scripted comedy in 2014, a Christmas special of Mrs. Brown's Boys. Nothing slated for the rest of 2016, a New Year special of that show I haven't ever mention before.

This along with Family entertainment like Ireland's Fittest Family and The Voice, plus its News and Current Affairs.

Identity relies more on content than just expensive marketing.

The 2 think is daft. And the logo looks like RTE back in 1970s.

AwaitYourReply

Tim Reilly wrote: »

Just 2.. Thread about it in radio forum with slightly blurred pic of new logo which was posted by 2fm on.Twitter

It may not necessarily result in an actual name change.

I recall many people (including myself at the time) were up in arms about turning the shamrock emblem slightly at an angle and changing the green colour in the logo to a much darker shade of green when Aer Lingus spent millions on a rebrand some years ago. Aer Lingus was still a semi-state company at the time so people felt we cannot have the national airline wasting tax payers money in this way. Looking back now in hindsight, it was probably the right move as the airline is still doing relatively well despite Ryan Air on it's doorstep when so many countries national airline carriers have disappeared altogether.

Again RTÉ One TV please take note as UTV Ireland (it may do better under new ownership by itv this year), TV3, 3e, TG4, Sky 1 and others at the expense of RTÉ One becoming lazy and too predictable.

Elmo

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Again RTÉ One TV please take note as UTV Ireland (it may do better under new ownership by itv this year), TV3, 3e, TG4, Sky 1 and others at the expense of RTÉ One becoming lazy and too predictable.

Problem is TV3 and 3e look more lazy than their original logos.

Sky is a big brand and much more than Sky 1.

Bord Failte was a bigger debacle AFAIR

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

In the late 1980s with competition looming RTÉ rebranded both RTÉ Radio 2 and RTÉ2. Which both drop RTÉ, up until 2004.

I like the RTÉ ONE logo but idents need up dating. In terms of schedule, I think you can over do change on RTÉ ONE and it a major risk.

RTÉ ONE IMO need to focus on quality prime time drama (like Rebellion and Love/Hate) but to only get 10 hours of Drama from RTÉ ONE in 2015 is pathetic. They also need to consider actual comedy not just Mrs. Brown's Boys RTÉ ONE had just one Scripted comedy in 2014, a Christmas special of Mrs. Brown's Boys. Nothing slated for the rest of 2016, a New Year special of that show I haven't ever mention before.

This along with Family entertainment like Ireland's Fittest Family and The Voice, plus its News and Current Affairs.

Identity relies more on content than just expensive marketing.

The 2 think is daft. And the logo looks like RTE back in 1970s.

Oh I agree the rebranding is a very tricky one where a channel like RTÉ One is concerned. As part of a case study on making the wrong type of change in an individual programme on the same channel I would recommend they research National Lottery game show Winning Streak hosted by Marty Whelan Vs Nicky Byrne's Million Euro Challenge or an attempt to replace Met Éireann weather forecasters with weather presenters on RTÉ One after main RTÉ News bulletins some years ago. Needless to say in both of the above cases RTÉ were forced to abandon their original proposed changes and revert to more original format and presenters and the channel was RTÉ One TV! It can be done but it must be mindful of the existing audience demographic where any new changes are planned but they have rebranded down through the years - the question is getting the tone and content right without alienating your audience in an attempt to gain a younger audience as otherwise; you may end up losing RTÉ 2 viewers in the process!

News, Current Affairs, Arts > Drama etc; is hugely important for RTÉ One and I would applaud TV3 for being so brave with it's Irish drama serial RedRock when they were really up against it this time last year as UTV Ireland first went live. TG4 is also quite innovative and brave. RTÉ One needs to research widely and come up with a future blueprint that keeps RTÉ One safe but also relevant for many more years to come rather than avoiding any risks in case it does not work out. Some projects will fail but we must encourage new ideas and fresh faces too and then develop the rebranding around it. I would never imagine a rebranding of visual idents alone would work effectively without accompanying it with major investments in new programming strands.

I would also look at stopping too much duplicity between how RTÉ News and current affairs programmes like Prime Time currently deals with the same subjects - I would also stop Main News hijacking sports coverage from Sports News section when it could be mentioned as a taster for Later in Sport in this bulletin where major headlines are involved.

I recall for many years in the '80s/'90s we would be bombarded with heavy investments in New Season/Autumn schedule changes (like mini channel re-launches done on an annual basis on both TV & Radio) that would not go to air until the first week of October in those days. Now they are a damp squib and have little compelling material to broadcast or showcase.

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

Problem is TV3 and 3e look more lazy than their original logos.

Sky is a big brand and much more than Sky 1.

Bord Failte was a bigger debacle AFAIR

Yes, fair point - I forgot the complete mess they made of Bórd Fáilte
Tourism Ireland - Discover Ireland
I'm confused if the name Bórd Fáilte is still used at all these days...

Other notable re-brand examples include following:

Dingle > An Daingean > Dingle and An Daingean
Charleville > Rath Lúirc > An Rath > Charleville
Marathon > Snickers
Opal Fruits > Starburst
Vim > Jif > Cif
Datsun > Nissan
Sealink British Rail > Sealink British Ferries > Sealink Stena Line > Stena Sealink, Stena Line
Dept. of Post & Telegraphs > P&T > Bórd Telecom Éireann plc. > eircom > eir
Telefís Éireann > RTE > RTE1 > RTÉ One > rté 1 (in eir mode ;-)

> RTE2 > Network 2 , RTÉ TWO, RTÉ 2

[/CENTER]

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

Problem is TV3 and 3e look more lazy than their original logos.

Sky is a big brand and much more than Sky 1.

Bord Failte was a bigger debacle AFAIR

3e was the name change for Channel Six after TV3 bought that channel
They were trying to cash in on the popularity of E4 at the time
"E" is meant to stand for "entertainment" as far as i recall
Most recent example is itvbe channel name = itv British Entertainment
Sky Television plc. > British Sky Broadcasting (BSKYB) > Sky UK Limited

icdg

I'll be disappointed if 2FM get away with dropping "RTE" from their station name, it will mark the end of a 12 year period when RTE had (finally) got their branding relatively in order and stations finally weren't afraid to present their connection with the national broadcaster. (Believe it or not, in 2002 only one of RTE's then two TV stations and one of their four radio stations used the RTE name).

Tim Reilly

icdg wrote: »

I'll be disappointed if 2FM get away with dropping "RTE" from their station name, it will mark the end of a 12 year period when RTE had (finally) got their branding relatively in order and stations finally weren't afraid to present their connection with the national broadcaster. (Believe it or not, in 2002 only one of RTE's then two TV stations and one of their four radio stations used the RTE name).

It's already happened quietly on 2fm, for awhile now the newsreaders say 2fm news with..... instead of RTE News on 2fm with....

Elmo

Always though RTÉ 2fm was as bad as RTÉ Network 2

AwaitYourReply

icdg wrote: »

I'll be disappointed if 2FM get away with dropping "RTE" from their station name, it will mark the end of a 12 year period when RTE had (finally) got their branding relatively in order and stations finally weren't afraid to present their connection with the national broadcaster. (Believe it or not, in 2002 only one of RTE's then two TV stations and one of their four radio stations used the RTE name).

I would agree with you 110% here! You would think it was fairly obvious to stress the RTÉ concept across all of the station's own branding especially from 1989 onward when independent commercial TV & Radio first came on the scene in the Republic of Ireland after the forced closure of the pirate radio station scene by the end of 1988. One of the things I used often admire about BBC is that they never missed a trick in showcasing their idents very prominently even at the start and end of their own shows (even on their own tv channels) for many years. RTÉ took a long time to cop on to this clever form of marketing from BBC in that respect. Programmes that have been successfully exported internationally include Love/Hate or The Lyrics Board (some years earlier) which should have the RTÉ corporate logo in giant capital letters as the programme credits roll and finish. When you see the closing credits of Mrs. Brown's Boys which I gather was first commissioned for it's TV series by the BBC (although some of us will recall the Mrs. Brown's Boys Show radio series back in mid '90s as part of "Gareth O'Callaghan in the Afternoon" show on 2FM Radio) it annoys me where the RTE name is not displayed in it's official corporate ident as part of the end credits. RTÉ should insist that their name cannot be portrayed unless it is shown in it's current corporate logo ident. BBC would never allow their logo to appear in a casual inappropriate format I suspect - Sorry that sounds very "Keeping Up Appearances" and Hyacinth Bucket ;-) (I mean Bouquet!!) but advertising/marketing/promotions needs to be done right once you have a quality product or service in place. It helps to create the right tone and ambience but sloppy use of your logo/livery/idents etc; can rightly or wrongly give an impression that they make it up as they go along depending on the mood and budget available on a given day!

The other thing that often has me wondering is this: Why did we have RTÉ RnaG but when TnaG (later renamed TG4) was set up for TV in 1996 it was never officially an RTÉ service just like it's radio counterpart. One would think both Irish services should either fall within RTÉ's remit or else both RTÉ RnaG and TG4 should be independent of it but the current arrangement seems rather odd. Surely there are shared resources and synergies for things like selling advertising for both these services. NewsTalk & Today FM are both based at Marconi House and now also come uder the one sales department AFAIK.

However; I wonder if the BBC made an error with their new ident planned for BBC Three Online as their new look logo has drawn widespread criticism as it's release has already caused some confusion with the "Pause exclamation mark" logo. How does this relate to the numeral "three" and other similar negative reactions to it's new brand concept unveiled recently. Again I hope RTÉ is taking note of how not toget it wrong when you do launch your brand refresh to an eagerly awaiting audience.

Elmo

I think RTÉ overt branding of their channels has put them at a disadvantage.

Certainly RTÉ2 as Network 2 or N2 was a better channel. 2FM logo under RTÉ is a huge dissappoint. But that leads to if they drop FM from the name what happens to 2XM? remember when Dublin's 98FM became Dublin 98.

One of the good thinks about BBC Radio has been its ablity to have different logos but also keeping the 3 box BBC logo intact.

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

Always though RTÉ 2fm was as bad as RTÉ Network 2

Looking back you had 2FM then later RTÉ 2fm
When RTE2 became Network 2 > n2 (RTÉ logo ident/name never appeared anywhere within that station's branding for a number of years) but when the Network2 and/or later n2 concept was dropped we saw a return to the inclusion of the RTÉ name with the rebirth of the RTÉ TWO channel name/ident. I have a feeling they may have dropped the RTÉ name for one main reason and that was possibly because the then government minister (Ray Burke FF TD was Minister for Communications around the same time as the Independent Radio & Television Commission (IRTC) came into existence (a body that pre-dated the BAI) for all the new commercial tv & radio stations)

I have a hunch that RTÉ was informed that the then RTÉ Radio 2fm and RTÉ2 tv should be prepared for the possibility of privatisation hence the removal of RTÉ from these two channels - they never left RTÉ in the end but the policy of not necessarily using RTÉ in new services seem to continue when lyric fm was first started around 2001/2002 period.

Elmo

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Looking back you had 2FM then later RTÉ 2fm
When RTE2 became Network 2 > n2 (RTÉ logo ident/name never appeared anywhere within that station's branding for a number of years) but when the Network2 and/or later n2 concept was dropped we saw a return to the inclusion of the RTÉ name with the rebirth of the RTÉ TWO channel name/ident. I have a feeling they may have dropped the RTÉ name for one main reason and that was possibly because the then government minister (Ray Burke FF TD was Minister for Communications around the same time as the Independent Radio & Television Commission (IRTC) came into existence (a body that pre-dated the BAI) for all the new commercial tv & radio stations)

I have a hunch that RTÉ was informed that the then RTÉ Radio 2fm and RTÉ2 tv should be prepared for the possibility of privatisation hence the removal of RTÉ from these two channels - they never left RTÉ in the end but the policy of not necessarily using RTÉ in new services seem to continue when lyric fm was first started around 2001/2002 period.

RnaG also never had the RTÉ brand on it until it became RTÉ RnaG !

NETWORK TWO in 1996 include the current RTÉ logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeEt_AybrtY

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

I think RTÉ overt branding of their channels has put them at a disadvantage.

Certainly RTÉ2 as Network 2 or N2 was a better channel. 2FM logo under RTÉ is a huge dissappoint. But that leads to if they drop FM from the name what happens to 2XM? remember when Dublin's 98FM became Dublin 98.

One of the good thinks about BBC Radio has been its ablity to have different logos but also keeping the 3 box BBC logo intact.

The BBC were usually far better at this but I fear even they may lose this edge as they are facing serious cuts right across the board as UK government told them they must fund the FREE TV Licence Fee for the Over 75s out of BBC's own financial resources shortly if it's not already started!

I recall the names for the two main Dublin local stations:
Capital Radio and FM104
Classic Hits 98FM and Rock104

Meanwhile Cork City had Radio South which later became Cork's 96FM
County Sound > C103 for County Cork
RedFM another Cork City station arrived around 2001

Hopefully RTÉ One TV will invest in some better programming and improve the overall schedule and once ready go for a refreshing rebrand - Keep the strong stuff and introduce a few new faces too as we are growing tired of the same old brigade rolled out week in week out - over exposure of too many weak TV personalities/too many repeats is unnecessary and damaging the brand in my view. If I see another repeat of Reeling In The Years during primetime hours, I will not be too happy.

AwaitYourReply

Elmo wrote: »

RnaG also never had the RTÉ brand on it until it became RTÉ RnaG !

NETWORK TWO in 1996 include the current RTÉ logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeEt_AybrtY

I forgot that particular Network TWO logo which came after original Network 2 channel name was first introduced around 1988/1989 period.

icdg

Personally I'm of the view that it is important for all parts of RTE to stress their RTE connection. 2FM may not be formally in recipt of licence fee money, but every news and sport bulletin they air uses resources paid for out of the licence fee, every studio or building they share with other RTE services. Plus any profit they make goes back into public service broadcasting.

In September 2003, RTE took a decision that the RTE brand was to be used on all its service. You'd be amazed at how many people at that point thought 2FM and Lyric FM were privately owned stations. If the new look 2fm really does drop the RTE brand it's inevitable the same will happen. In fact it may be that Ministers will ask themselves why, if 2FM really wants nothing to with RTE, what business it has being part of RTE in the first place and that a quick windfall for the Exchequer might be more desirable.