Dee Forbes banging the RTE TV licence drum again 60m uncollected fee *poll not working - pl ignore*

Beta Ray Bill

Dee Forbes is at it again over the TV licence fee.

Whinging the €60m wasn't collected and RTE cannot compete.

That's about 375,00 homes not paying the fee, so evasion is about 15%

The whole TV licence thing REALLY bugs me.
I don't watch RTE, not even for the Soccer/GAA. I might listen to the radio when I drive the car in the morning (which is once a blue moon)
I don't use the service, why the hell should I have to pay for it!

Obviously we cannot get rid of RTE as there are a great many people that do use the service.
That being said massive reforms are needed.
Firstly, do we really need RTE1 and RTE2? One channel would be enough.
Same with the radio stations, we only need one.
Do we REALLY need TG4?

The land they are on as well is ridiculous, some of the most valuable land in the country. They don't need to be there, they could be out in Athlone or somewhere an no one would know the difference.

And then there's the salaries of the bigshots
Ryan Tubridy - €500,000 per year is the biggest Joke of all
That salary puts him on a par with the likes of Claudia Winkleman, Alan Shearer, Fiona Bruce of the BBC.
He is nothing compared to them.
BBC can justify big salaries as it is broadcast around the world, and the content is generally quite good.
No one outside of Ireland know's who Tubb's is.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rte-director-general-calls-for-changes-in-tv-licence-fee-as-60m-uncollected-annually-840770.html

weldoninhio

grahambo wrote: »

Dee Forbes is at it again over the TV licence fee.

Whinging the €60m wasn't collected and RTE cannot compete.

That's about 375,00 homes not paying the fee, so evasion is about 15%

The whole TV licence thing REALLY bugs me.
I don't watch RTE, not even for the Soccer/GAA. I might listen to the radio when I drive the car in the morning (which is once a blue moon)
I don't use the service, why the hell should I have to pay for it!

Obviously we cannot get rid of RTE as there are a great many people that do use the service.
That being said massive reforms are needed.
Firstly, do we really need RTE1 and RTE2? One channel would be enough.
Same with the radio stations, we only need one.
Do we REALLY need TG4?

The land they are on as well is ridiculous, some of the most valuable land in the country. They don't need to be there, they could be out in Athlone or somewhere an no one would know the difference.

And then there's the salaries of the bigshots
Ryan Tubridy - €500,000 per year is the biggest Joke of all
That salary puts him on a par with the likes of Claudia Winkleman, Alan Shearer, Fiona Bruce of the BBC.
He is nothing compared to them.
BBC can justify big salaries as it is broadcast around the world, and the content is generally quite good.
No one outside of Ireland know's who Tubb's is.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rte-director-general-calls-for-changes-in-tv-licence-fee-as-60m-uncollected-annually-840770.html

I'd start smaller. Do we really need two fecking orchestras!!!

kippy

grahambo wrote: »

Dee Forbes is at it again over the TV licence fee.

Whinging the €60m wasn't collected and RTE cannot compete.

That's about 375,00 homes not paying the fee, so evasion is about 15%

The whole TV licence thing REALLY bugs me.
I don't watch RTE, not even for the Soccer/GAA. I might listen to the radio when I drive the car in the morning (which is once a blue moon)
I don't use the service, why the hell should I have to pay for it!

Obviously we cannot get rid of RTE as there are a great many people that do use the service.
That being said massive reforms are needed.
Firstly, do we really need RTE1 and RTE2? One channel would be enough.
Same with the radio stations, we only need one.
Do we REALLY need TG4?

The land they are on as well is ridiculous, some of the most valuable land in the country. They don't need to be there, they could be out in Athlone or somewhere an no one would know the difference.

And then there's the salaries of the bigshots
Ryan Tubridy - €500,000 per year is the biggest Joke of all
That salary puts him on a par with the likes of Claudia Winkleman, Alan Shearer, Fiona Bruce of the BBC.
He is nothing compared to them.
BBC can justify big salaries as it is broadcast around the world, and the content is generally quite good.
No one outside of Ireland know's who Tubb's is.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/rte-director-general-calls-for-changes-in-tv-licence-fee-as-60m-uncollected-annually-840770.html

I don't disagree with the general tone of your post however there are lots of services you never use and may never use that you pay for.

Ulysses Gaze

The simple fact is that they need to start cutting their cloth.
Start downsizing the number of admin staff, start cutting salaries of presenters, scrap at least one of the orchestras.

silverharp

I'd collapse RTE down to TG4 and Radio1 and sell off the rest. Get rid of the fee and set up a gov fund for worthy programme making. The licence fee is a real make work scheme for paper pushers

Gannicus

I'd have:

1 or 2 radio stations

RTE 1 & TG4

1 Orchestra

Huge paycuts and reshuffling of the "stars".

ninja 12

grahambo wrote: »

The land they are on as well is ridiculous, some of the most valuable land in the country. They don't need to be there ,

And then there's the salaries of the bigshots
Ryan Tubridy - €500,000 per year is the biggest Joke of all

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

The simple fact is that they need to start cutting their cloth.
Start downsizing the number of admin staff, start cutting salaries of presenters, scrap at least one of the orchestras.

Gannicus wrote: »

I'd have:

1 or 2 radio stations

RTE 1 & TG4

1 Orchestra

Huge paycuts and reshuffling of the "stars".

As above , Keep RTE1 and TG4 .
Keep a couple of radio stations .
Sell the site and relocate .

Slash any excess admin

Why do RTE need two orchestras ? Get rid of one .


The only Irish services I use are TG4 for the rugby and occasionally RTE Gold .

Even RTE Gold has gone downhill since it started .
It used to have minimal waffling by presenters , but now seems to be only broadcast to keep the likes of Larry Gogan etc. on the payroll .

Grayson

weldoninhio wrote: »

I'd start smaller. Do we really need two fecking orchestras!!!

I was chatting with my violin tutor and he thinks most countries have more. I don't mind the country subsidizing them, however they should definitely play more outside of Dublin. Most of the country never have a chance to see them.

As for the TV license, I was one of the dodgers. I bought one a few weeks ago because of all the annoying letters they sent me.

I don't own a radio and only use my TV for my chromecast and xbox. I don't use a single service that they provide.

dolallyoh

Close it down.

lawred2

RTE's arrogance, self regarding nature and it's general pervading air of self satisfaction is summed up in two words

Nicky Byrne

Six figure salary that lad was awarded sans any demand or competition whatsoever for his services

Beta Ray Bill

weldoninhio wrote: »

I'd start smaller. Do we really need two fecking orchestras!!!

Touché...

hmmm

I'm happy to pay a small fee for public service broadcasting, I think it's important we have an impartial news media - but I'm not happy paying RTE presenters half a million quid a year. I don't care if they go somewhere else, if I'm paying for "public service broadcasting" I don't want to be paying people who earn that much.

I think RTE needs to be radically downsized. Keep news, current affairs and some local broadcasting, but "light entertainment" and generic music channels should be private sector only. The license fee should be allocated to other broadcasters if they can provide the appropriate content. RTE should be closer to NPR in the U.S. and they should not be competing for advertisers.

lawred2

Being honest I think that the orchestras are far more worthy public services than 2FM or RTE2

minikin

Scrap the license fee and privatise RTÉ.
It’ll stand or fall on the value it creates.

We have the worst of all options at the moment... dipping their hands in our pockets to pay millionaires, mediocre programming, endless repeats and constant advertising.

Beta Ray Bill

hmmm wrote: »

I'm happy to pay a small fee for public service broadcasting, I think it's important we have an impartial news media - but I'm not happy paying RTE presenters half a million quid a year. I don't care if they go somewhere else, if I'm paying for "public service broadcasting" I don't want to be paying people who earn that much.

I think RTE needs to be radically downsized. Keep news, current affairs and some local broadcasting, but "light entertainment" and generic music channels should be private sector only. The license fee should be allocated to other broadcasters if they can provide the appropriate content. RTE should be closer to NPR in the U.S. and they should not be competing for advertisers.

I agree with everything you said. However, when it comes to international news RTE is not impartial. I feel it's very propaganda orientated. (But then again so is every other country)
I also think there might be someone pulling the strings on what is and what is not reported. IE there is an agenda.
RTE have also been caught in the past altering the sequence in which news clips are played relative to the timeline in which those clips were actually recorded. IE who threw the first punch

SEPT 23 1989

Sell off the rest of the Montrose holiday camp and move the inmates to a purpose built studio in an industrial estate in west dublin

fergiesfolly

At this moment, TG4 is showing Little House on the Prairie. Not dubbed. No subtitles. So, what's the point. Today's schedule is mostly foreign imports and repeats.
RTE television could be condensed into one channel, without any loss of domestic programming.
RTE should be channelling their energy into digital/online services, reducing their staffing levels and eliminating the excess fat( orchestra s, etc)

whisky_galore

lawred2 wrote: »

Being honest I think that the orchestras are far more worthy public services than 2FM or RTE2

Unless they start touring they are fcuk all use to anyone outside of Dublin.

whisky_galore

fergiesfolly wrote: »

At this moment, TG4 is showing Little House on the Prairie.

TG4... sometimes half decent documentaries, rest of the time Westerns, sh1t home produced 'comedy' and dramas that hardly anyone watches, cartoons etc.

foxy farmer

https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/rte-to-pump-proceeds-of-montrose-sale-into-upgrades-452397.html

weldoninhio

lawred2 wrote: »

Being honest I think that the orchestras are far more worthy public services than 2FM or RTE2

Anyone in the country can listen to 2FM or watch RTE2 at any time. They also bring in advertising revenue. How many people can see the RTE orchestra's yearly if all of their events are sold out?, i'd guess its less than 5% the amount of people who'd watch a big Ireland rugby international or CL final on RTE 2.

Mackerel and Avocado Sandwich

I didn't know we had 2 orchestras but I like the idea of having state orchestras, but maybe it should be paid for via the Dept of Arts Culture and Gaeltacht and not through licence money.
If you look at original programming shown on the two RTEs you'll see that one channel would be more than enough. I've never listened to 2FM but if the likes of Newstalk can operate independently then why do we need to throw so much money at a radio station?
If anyone wants to form an angry mob with pitchforks etc and march on Montrose, I'm down.

Varik

No poll option for just scrapping the licence and any public funding, and then letting do whatever they want.

ChikiChiki

Come back and look for the money Dee when you restructure your organisation.

Its not like its not your job or anything....

GavRedKing

RTE is the absolute pinnacle of nepotism in this country.

Some of the people on 6 figure salaries is an absolute joke.

Was it someone form RTE that said they have to pay these prices because they'll go elsewhere, where and who would pay someone like Ray D'arcy.

Its not just D'Arcy, RTE has a plethora of below average presenters hanging on to huge pay packets.

If they looked inwards (they wont) they coudl make huge savings, stop paying these people 500k a year and see if C4, BBC, ITV, Sky etc come in to give them equally large or more money across the pond, I'm willing to bet none of them would be picked up by "rival" broadcasters, they're all sub standard.

vicwatson

The more of our money they get the more of our money they will waste, simples.

lawred2

weldoninhio wrote: »

Anyone in the country can listen to 2FM or watch RTE2 at any time. They also bring in advertising revenue. How many people can see the RTE orchestra's yearly if all of their events are sold out?, i'd guess its less than 5% the amount of people who'd watch a big Ireland rugby international or CL final on RTE 2.

you don't think that RTE couldn't move them to RTE1?

Mackerel and Avocado Sandwich

Have they given Lottie f**king Ryan a job yet by the way?

Eponymous

Typical RTE, pushing forward the Dee Forbes media agenda.

trixiebust

They should be looking to reduce the fee, not increase it. OP is right - valuable land, vastly overpaid stars, tired formats, a catch up service which is terrible.

I'd be happy to pay a basic €50 per year, & the rest on a pay per view basis or something.

CJhaughey

4166 people have to pay for their license just so Ryan Tubridy can have the salary he enjoys.
Thats a mind boggling figure for just one substandard presenter.