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

mgn

elperello wrote: »

Past failures should not inhibit us from starting a process which can deliver the type of Public Broadcasting Service I believe we need.

I would not bother with piecemeal reform of RTE until we have a clearer picture of what we want in the longer term. To use an analogy from construction, you don't start building until you get the foundation in.
In the interim I would provide whatever extra funding is required subject to agreed targets.

My preference is to remove the licence fee altogether and fund the PBS from direct taxation. This would avoid evasion and collection/enforcement costs.

I would like to see a PBS free at the point of use like radio is today.
It would provide news, current affairs and light entertainment. I think coverage of sport is important along with cultural and community matters.

These are just my ideas but obviously the final shape of the PBS will require input from all sectors of society. As long as the process is open and inclusive I will be happy to live with the result.

The first thing you do on a building site is to clear the site first, that's the first thing that should be done with RTE, clear it out and bring in fresh talent.

Was Dee standing over you when you wrote this.

elperello

mgn wrote: »

The first thing you do on a building site is to clear the site first, that's the first thing that should be done with RTE, clear it out and bring in fresh talent.

Was Dee standing over you when you wrote this.

Very funny

Only essential travel outside the county. Why is Catriona in Derry on the 6.1 news?

Elmo

elperello wrote: »

Past failures should not inhibit us from starting a process which can deliver the type of Public Broadcasting Service I believe we need.

Okay, so lets for a moment forget RTÉ's past and look at what it has. I will give you that.

I would not bother with piecemeal reform of RTE until we have a clearer picture of what we want in the longer term. To use an analogy from construction, you don't start building until you get the foundation in.
In the interim I would provide whatever extra funding is required subject to agreed targets.

So lets hear the picture. Not just in terms of platform, because that will change, but in terms of content? So what are the agree targets? And what happens if the targets are not met?

My preference is to remove the licence fee altogether and fund the PBS from direct taxation. This would avoid evasion and collection/enforcement costs.

Okay, but is the money got from the uptake in the licence fee the extra required or are you giving more. I agree with the licence fee regardless of how it is collected, but does the method of collection of the licence fee really make much of a difference to RTÉ? I do not think it does. In terms of how it is run.

I would like to see a PBS free at the point of use like radio is today.
It would provide news, current affairs and light entertainment. I think coverage of sport is important along with cultural and community matters.

How do you mean? Irish TV services are freely available like Radio services.

Okay so there's some content.

To my mind RTÉ do a good job in terms of news and current affairs (I am not saying it isn't bias but they provide a service). What do you think in terms of news content (not what is said on the news) what would you like, arts news? something like Radio1's Arena? International News? Sports News? And in terms of light entertainment how much or what kind of content is required. I mean I would say RTÉ do a relatively good job in sport, culture and the fall down in community, as they do in comedy, satire, children's (what are those targets?)

These are just my ideas but obviously the final shape of the PBS will require input from all sectors of society. As long as the process is open and inclusive I will be happy to live with the result.

So where are we starting from? Will it be inclusive? The make up of the Future of Media is largely academics with one sports guy and a member of the council of state, how is that inclusive?

J_M_G

Irish broadcasting and RTE reform should be very simple.

The only programming should be news bulletins, current affairs and discussion type shows, shows about Irish culture, regional affairs and history and Irish sport.

That's it.

No dramas, no soaps, no movies, no foreign sport, no low brow content like reality tv.

No ads either. Downsize it by 50-75% and fund it via general taxation. Scrap the license fee and all associated collection costs.

News bulletins every 2 hours at 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.
Nice and simple, focused exclusively on national news with international if it's something major and important.

Current affairs shows on politics, culture and social issues of the day. These should be 1-2 hour longform discussion shows. Simple and cheap to produce. Imagine Joe Rogan style conversations and debates. Just a bunch of people sitting around a table talking. Obviously the current manner RTE do things like this is awful and biased toward a liberal agenda and the whole thing needs completely overhauling, but the general idea behind current affairs discussion is timeless.

Irish sport. Self explanatory. GAA, LoI, etc. Nothing fancy. Just show the games and have the odd behind the scenes sport stuff. Easy.

Irish culture and history shows a la Nationwide. Simple regional reporting made by a crew of a half dozen people on interesting things around our nation.

That's literally it. No joke you could probably do all that for about 5% of the current RTE budget.

That's what a national broadcaster should be about. I bet if RTE did that, because it would cost f**k all to produce, most people would be totally fine with it being funded from general taxation. It would be a rounding error in the national budget if done right.

But we all know it will never happen because it would require a total obliteration of the RTE gravy train and wink wink nudge nudge inner circle of overpaid presenters and management and bureaucracy and nepotism.

appledrop

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Only essential travel outside the county. Why is Catriona in Derry on the 6.1 news?

I've made a complaint about this to rte, I await a response.

fritzelly

appledrop wrote: »

I've made a complaint about this to rte, I await a response.

Good luck with that

Brock Turnpike

J_M_G wrote: »

Irish broadcasting and RTE reform should be very simple.

The only programming should be news bulletins, current affairs and discussion type shows, shows about Irish culture, regional affairs and history and Irish sport.

That's it.

No dramas, no soaps, no movies, no foreign sport, no low brow content like reality tv.

No ads either. Downsize it by 50-75% and fund it via general taxation. Scrap the license fee and all associated collection costs.

News bulletins every 2 hours at 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.
Nice and simple, focused exclusively on national news with international if it's something major and important.

Current affairs shows on politics, culture and social issues of the day. These should be 1-2 hour longform discussion shows. Simple and cheap to produce. Imagine Joe Rogan style conversations and debates. Just a bunch of people sitting around a table talking. Obviously the current manner RTE do things like this is awful and biased toward a liberal agenda and the whole thing needs completely overhauling, but the general idea behind current affairs discussion is timeless.

Irish sport. Self explanatory. GAA, LoI, etc. Nothing fancy. Just show the games and have the odd behind the scenes sport stuff. Easy.

Irish culture and history shows a la Nationwide. Simple regional reporting made by a crew of a half dozen people on interesting things around our nation.

That's literally it. No joke you could probably do all that for about 5% of the current RTE budget.

That's what a national broadcaster should be about. I bet if RTE did that, because it would cost f**k all to produce, most people would be totally fine with it being funded from general taxation. It would be a rounding error in the national budget if done right.

But we all know it will never happen because it would require a total obliteration of the RTE gravy train and wink wink nudge nudge inner circle of overpaid presenters and management and bureaucracy and nepotism.

An extremely parochial view of things there. Why should it only focus on national news? Why should it only focus on national sports?

elperello

Elmo wrote: »

Okay, so lets for a moment forget RTÉ's past and look at what it has. I will give you that.



So lets hear the picture. Not just in terms of platform, because that will change, but in terms of content? So what are the agree targets? And what happens if the targets are not met?


As I said earlier I wouldn't make an big changes until we have agreed where we are going. This should be a relatively short transition phase so keeping to set targets will not be too much of a challenge.

Okay, but is the money got from the uptake in the licence fee the extra required or are you giving more. I agree with the licence fee regardless of how it is collected, but does the method of collection of the licence fee really make much of a difference to RTÉ? I do not think it does. In terms of how it is run.

The licence fee only raises €189m. As you say the amount given should not affect the running of the stations.

How do you mean? Irish TV services are freely available like Radio services.


Sorry I wasn't clear enough there. By free I mean free of licence.

Okay so there's some content.

To my mind RTÉ do a good job in terms of news and current affairs (I am not saying it isn't bias but they provide a service). What do you think in terms of news content (not what is said on the news) what would you like, arts news? something like Radio1's Arena? International News? Sports News? And in terms of light entertainment how much or what kind of content is required. I mean I would say RTÉ do a relatively good job in sport, culture and the fall down in community, as they do in comedy, satire, children's (what are those targets?)


News and current affairs are a strong point. I wouldn't dismiss light entertainment. The mix of programming is important to keep viewers/ listeners engaged. I forgot about children's content which should be part of the mix.


So where are we starting from? Will it be inclusive? The make up of the Future of Media is largely academics with one sports guy and a member of the council of state, how is that inclusive?

I had hoped for more engagement with the public which may not be possible with Covid 19 restrictions. I expect they will make some effort to invite submissions.

At the end of the day I don't expect the result to be tailor made to what I want but hope it will serve the public.

ButtersSuki

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

An extremely parochial view of things there. Why should it only focus on national news? Why should it only focus on national sports?

If RTE cover too much international events and stories their top contracted talent come under more pressure from the likes of NBC, CNN, the BBC etc to succumb to the enormous sums of money those foreign broadcasters would gladly shuffle towards Joe Duffy, Ryan Tubridy, and Ray D’Arcy.....and then RTE would have to pay them even more outrageous fees to keep them at home. :rolleyes:

J_M_G

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

An extremely parochial view of things there. Why should it only focus on national news? Why should it only focus on national sports?

Reading comprehension bud. I said international if it's something major is totally fine. How many scoops of ice-cream Trump had for dessert wouldn't count. EU policy decisions that impact Ireland would.

There's plenty of other sources available to people for international news. The role of a national broadcaster should be to stay focused on issues of national importance and to excel at that. It would also keep costs down which is obviously an issue facing RTE as it stands.

salonfire

Deleted User wrote: »

Only essential travel outside the county. Why is Catriona in Derry on the 6.1 news?

Because journalism and media is considered essential industry.

What kind of stupid question is that to ask? Your answer is in your question.

Stovepipe

So she goes all the way to Derry to interview a fellow RTE journalist? It probably cost a few thousand euros just to shift her and the cameraman there and back, for a five minute slot. that's pissing money away.

salonfire

salonfire wrote: »

Because journalism and media is considered essential industry.

What kind of stupid question is that to ask? Your answer is in your question.

Well, my point is that it wasn’t essential for Ms Perry to be transported to Derry. Tommie Gorman is perfectly well able conduct any interview. Journalism may be considered essential, which I understand, but her fronting it up from Derry isn’t. In fact, it’s unnecessary and, dare I say, stupid behaviour.

bigroad

Perry is pushed to the top at every chance.
She and her family are connected in the right circle s you can be guaranteed of that.

political analyst

J_M_G wrote: »

Irish broadcasting and RTE reform should be very simple.

The only programming should be news bulletins, current affairs and discussion type shows, shows about Irish culture, regional affairs and history and Irish sport.

That's it.

No dramas, no soaps, no movies, no foreign sport, no low brow content like reality tv.

No ads either. Downsize it by 50-75% and fund it via general taxation. Scrap the license fee and all associated collection costs.

News bulletins every 2 hours at 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.
Nice and simple, focused exclusively on national news with international if it's something major and important.

Current affairs shows on politics, culture and social issues of the day. These should be 1-2 hour longform discussion shows. Simple and cheap to produce. Imagine Joe Rogan style conversations and debates. Just a bunch of people sitting around a table talking. Obviously the current manner RTE do things like this is awful and biased toward a liberal agenda and the whole thing needs completely overhauling, but the general idea behind current affairs discussion is timeless.

Irish sport. Self explanatory. GAA, LoI, etc. Nothing fancy. Just show the games and have the odd behind the scenes sport stuff. Easy.

Irish culture and history shows a la Nationwide. Simple regional reporting made by a crew of a half dozen people on interesting things around our nation.

That's literally it. No joke you could probably do all that for about 5% of the current RTE budget.

That's what a national broadcaster should be about. I bet if RTE did that, because it would cost f**k all to produce, most people would be totally fine with it being funded from general taxation. It would be a rounding error in the national budget if done right.

But we all know it will never happen because it would require a total obliteration of the RTE gravy train and wink wink nudge nudge inner circle of overpaid presenters and management and bureaucracy and nepotism.

I don't think Fair City takes up as much of RTÉ's budget as EastEnders does of the BBC's.

As for sport, RTÉ can't not show World Cup and European Championship (not to be mixed up with Champions League) football - nothing to do with wanting to preserve a 'gravy train' but everything to do with public opinion.

As for alleged bias, I don't think RTÉ could be accused of letting the government off the hook, given its coverage of the long-term historic crisis in the health service.

sligojoek

political analyst wrote: »

I don't think Fair City takes up as much of RTÉ's budget as EastEnders does of the BBC's.

As for sport, RTÉ can't not show World Cup and European Championship (not to be mixed up with Champions League) football - nothing to do with wanting to preserve a 'gravy train' but everything to do with public opinion.

As for alleged bias, I don't think RTÉ could be accused of letting the government off the hook, given its coverage of the long-term historic crisis in the health service.

The sports crew could easily be halved at the minute. There is little or nothing going on. And with the second wave there will be less. I always had Saturday or Sunday sport on. You'd have hurling, gaelic, soccer, golf, rugby etc on a loop. You'd get interspersions of matches going on in other places, John Keith giving updates on soccer. Marty Morrisey reporting a recent goal at Semple stadium. I wouldn't have an interest in all those sports but it was still always very exciting whether at home or in the car. Now it's alll doom and gloom and mental health.

I see tonight was the last night of RTE Gold filling in the blanks. A premature move, I think. If things stay going the way they are there will be another shutdown in sport very soon. That slot was one of the best things RTE ever did. I spent many a summer Saturday evening in the car with my 19 yr old daughter listening to music she'd never heard.

garrettod

How can so many of us see exactly what's wrong with RTE, and yet the Government ignore it?

Is long past time that we all put massive pressure on the Minister to act.

garrettod

Long past time that we all started putting some pressure on the Minister, to take action here and force RTE to cut costs.

A simple email or letter from everyone here, would be a great start - so come on everyone, let's go for it...

Minister's Office
Minister

Email: Minister.Ryan@dccae.gov.ie​

Telephone: +353 1 678 9807 or fax +353 1 678 2029

Address: Minister's Office, Department of Communications, Climate action and Environment, 29-31 Adelaide Road
Dublin D02 X285

Real Donald Trump

garrettod wrote: »

Long past time that we all started putting some pressure on the Minister, to take action here and force RTE to cut costs.

A simple email or letter from everyone here, would be a great start - so come on everyone, let's go for it...

Waste of time trying to reach him, the dozy gimp is never awake.

ButtersSuki

bigroad wrote: »

Perry is pushed to the top at every chance.
She and her family are connected in the right circle s you can be guaranteed of that.

Don’t forget ger agent Noel Kelly - of course it’s Noel Kelly, who else would it be? :rolleyes:

Good article in the Sunday Indo by Eoghan Harris, behind a paywall unfortunately

Headline

RTÉ is feeding Covid panic by failing to give good news

I hope Dee reads it. And changes the current adverts for the truth from RTÉ News

Hangdogroad

Deleted User wrote: »

Good article in the Sunday Indo by Eoghan Harris, behind a paywall unfortunately

Headline

RTÉ is feeding Covid panic by failing to give good news

I hope Dee reads it. And changes the current adverts for the truth from RTÉ News

Eoghan "are we rerecording this?" Harris.

AndrewJRenko

buddabelly wrote: »

Fact is next to no one would pay 52 quid a year for a RTE subscription, its pure rubbish, the nerve of them running a advertising campaign with them as the provider of Real news and facts, do they think we are that dumb to not remember the lack of RTE coverage of the IMF coming in to bail out the country?
Not a peep on RTE news and it was the main story on EVERY satellite station, i even got a phone call from a relation abroad asking what the story as it the main story on the news in the country they are living in.
RTE are nothing but a mouth piece of the government and a golden circle for those in the clique.

Is this the same RTE that brought Patrick Honahan onto Morning Ireland to tell us what was going on with the IMF?

mikemac2

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

Won't he have to be pushed out soon? He's near the retirement age, RTE have a 'retire at 65'... so won't he be out in a few months?

fritzelly wrote: »

He's a contractor so no

Joe Duffy has moaned a few times that he is not permanent staff. Said he was lied to and told he would earn more as a contractor and now feels hard done by

‘The reason RTE have given me a contract like this is they want to be able to get rid of me tomorrow if needs be,’ he said.

‘If they decide I’m not flavour of the month. I know if RTE drops me tomorrow, I’m gone

https://extra.ie/2019/10/15/entertainment/celebrity/joe-duffy-defends-rte-salary

Also says he has sleepless nights before they publish the radio listenership figures in case Liveline tanks down the ratings.

Poor Joe. "Pinned to his collar" with stress as he does be saying de time o time

ButtersSuki

mikemac2 wrote: »

Joe Duffy has moaned a few times that he is not permanent staff. Said he was lied to and told he would earn more as a contractor and now feels hard done by



Also says he has sleepless nights before they publish the radio listenership figures in case Liveline tanks down the ratings.

Poor Joe. "Pinned to his collar" with stress as he does be saying de time o time

De great salt of the earth working class man of the people with the working class work ethic as he likes to say himself. And by “working class” he means a millionaire, and by “working class work ethic” he means working 75mins a day for approx. 40 weeks per year. And like all “salt of the earth”s he’s more handsomely rewarded for his services than the leader of the country, paid fees rather than subjected to the PAYE system, has an agent, employs a high-level accountant to facilitate tax avoidance, and has a holiday home in a gated community near Bergerac in France.

As for the “I could be let go tomorrow” line, there hasn’t been a single profile broadcaster in RTÉ ever let go. Pat Kenny left for more money, but that was his choice. And despite what Dee Forbes would let you believe amazingly RTE didn’t shut down after Pat left. :rolleyes:

garrettod

Real Donald Trump wrote: »

Waste of time trying to reach him, the dozy gimp is never awake.

The only way anything changes, is when we force change

If left to his own devices, God knows what our current ejit might conclude, so tell him what you want to see done with your state owned broadcaster, that you pay for, and put the pressure on!

An email that just takes a couple of minutes from each of us, would be a big step forward, rather than us all just giving out here, and doing nothing more.

Email: Minister.Ryan@dccae.gov.ie







.

Elmo

ministers.office@chg.gov.ie Catherine Martin is now minister for media, broadcasting has moved to this Dept

garrettod

Elmo wrote: »

ministers.office@chg.gov.ie Catherine Martin is now minister for media, broadcasting has moved to this Dept

Oh, sorry, I hadn't realised that.

Thanks.

Elmo

J_M_G wrote: »

Irish broadcasting and RTE reform should be very simple.

There should be reform but it sounds to me like what you are suggesting is exactly what RTÉ provide.

The only programming should be news bulletins, current affairs and discussion type shows, shows about Irish culture, regional affairs and history and Irish sport.

Bizarrely, RTÉ have cut down on their news bulletins, yet they created a full time 24 hour news channel! RTÉ ONE's main schedule is news and current affairs, then hour long docs, Nationwide, history and Sport all exist, rarely does RTÉ stray into non-Irish sports with the exception of Champions League. But really there is not much else on RTÉ.

That's it. No dramas, no soaps, no movies, no foreign sport, no low brow content like reality tv.

Why not, it's unlike that any other broadcasters will pick up the tab for local drama, soap is soap, imports outside of movies need to go, as I say there is little foreign sport on RTÉ, why not low brow content? Just because you think its low brow, how about a quiz show, or some satire or comedy. RTÉ do little in this regard in any case, bar the annual muppetry that is DWTS.

No ads either. Downsize it by 50-75% and fund it via general taxation. Scrap the license fee and all associated collection costs.

News bulletins every 2 hours at 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm.
Nice and simple, focused exclusively on national news with international if it's something major and important.

I'd love to see RTÉ have news bulletins at the times you suggest, as I say RTÉ have cut down on those, suggesting online first. Is it not very narrow to only examine your own national news, why not have some reports from other Euro nations on RTÉ also. When you say bulletin do you mean 30mins or 10mins or just 5mins? Because on TV RTÉ don't have any news before 1pm!!!

Current affairs shows on politics, culture and social issues of the day. These should be 1-2 hour longform discussion shows.....

Yeah, I agree, TV3 really allowed this happen with The Tonight Show with VB, though I think 2 hours might be a bit long for talking heads, only so much an audience can take. Largely RTÉ do this with TWIP, Claire Byrne and Prime Time. But could easily add culture programs like that of Arena to their service.

Irish sport. Self explanatory. GAA, LoI, etc. Nothing fancy. Just show the games and have the odd behind the scenes sport stuff. Easy.

Actually brings people to a sport, the fanciness. People would be up in arms if RTÉ dropped their analysis, and why should they? In terms of Irish Sport, largely RTÉ don't show other sports, save for Champions League which they don't hold the full rights to, and they have agreement with EBU for big events like Olympics and WC.

Irish culture and history shows a la Nationwide. Simple regional reporting made by a crew of a half dozen people on interesting things around our nation

You seem to be describing RTÉ to me, RTÉ don't really do much else.

That's literally it. No joke you could probably do all that for about 5% of the current RTE budget.

Perhaps but reform would help, though do you really want an IRISH TV type channel? Should we not aim for more?

That's what a national broadcaster should be about. I bet if RTE did that, because it would cost f**k all to produce, most people would be totally fine with it being funded from general taxation. It would be a rounding error in the national budget if done right.

Low cost and cheap would be complaint, the lack of other programming on the channels or channel.

But we all know it will never happen because it would require a total obliteration of the RTE gravy train and wink wink nudge nudge inner circle of overpaid presenters and management and bureaucracy and nepotism.

I agree reform needs to happen but I'd rather see RTÉ's budget work than slash it for what we already have.

Oh! all the ad revenue with head to English broadcasters, but I've mention that before.