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

elperello

I don't expect too much from TV over Christmas so I don't get too disappointed.

Short news bulletins, very little current affairs and just generally not the sort of stuff I like.

I'll get stuck in to a few classic comedies on All 4 and hope for the best.

Just on the RTE Guide, sales were up 4% last year to 270,000 plus.

https://about.rte.ie/2021/01/29/record-sales-for-2020-christmas-rte-guide/

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306291#Comment_118306291

I'm suspicious of that reported number.

A circulation figure, according to their site, is just shy of 37, 900. I know last year was pandemic, and thus crazy, but sales of close to 300,000 are suspicious.

https://mediasales.rte.ie/solutions/rte-guide/

Feels like someone fiddled with the numbers. Which is common place for RTE.

fritzelly

Very strange - weekly figures dropping year on year but the Xmas edition increasing, wonder how many are given away.

Haven't used a guide publication since EPG's became a thing

elperello

You know what, even as I posted that comment I could predict the responses.

No evidence just a hunch RTE are lying.

Carry on with the pantomime if you wish.

Oh yes they are.

Oh no they aren't.

At least it's seasonal 🙂.

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118307202#Comment_118307202

As long as we maintain no more than 50 percent capacity, we should be fine.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306750#Comment_118306750

A lot of people buy it at Christmas,wouldnt bother any other week,huge percentage of the population still like to read printed matter, I'd buy a book rather than read it free online, Christmas figure is likely close enough

Saw an ad for the movies they will be running over Chrismas. One of them is Joker. If you've seen it, you'll know what I mean when its really not the sort of movie to be on at christmas.

For those not aware of it, it's an intense psychological drama depicting a mans descent into madness. If you've seen it, and I have, you probably don't want to watch it with RTE's ads inserted into it. If you have not seen it, but want to, you don't want to watch it drizzled with ads either, and if you are completely unaware of it, its a very strange thing for people to stumble upon, especially around Christmas time.

ShamNNspace

^^they just saw the name an said "that'll be grand for Christmas" kill a few hours

RabbleRouser2k

Sure the American remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo came out in cinemas during the Christmas holiday season. It bombed, spectacularly, thus killing off any chance of sequels.

That line of thinking regarding movies isn't just in RTE. But it tells you that many people miss the point entirely when it comes to movies.

Also, Joker is based on a comic book (though more of an Elseworlds, since the Joker's never had a 'definitive' origin). So I imagine RTE just thought 'comic book movie - fun for the kiddies'.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118311155#Comment_118311155

ok

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118313207#Comment_118313207

It bombed mostly for being a terrible movie. and partially changing the ending really didnt help it.

As you say, some RTE exec saw Joker in a menu, and thought "Oh, comic book movie, yes we'll stick that on for the kids".

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118314285#Comment_118314285

I wouldn't say it was terrible. But it certainly wasn't ever going to be a hit during the holiday season. The sequel (Girl in the Spider's Web) was much worse.

David Fincher and co lost interest in returning. So it had an entirely new crew.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118315170#Comment_118315170

Ive read all the books and particularly liked the first. Spiders Web was written after Stiegs death and I couldn't finish it. Saw the movie just a couple weeks ago and couldn't finish that either. I have an english dubbed version of the swedish made-for TV movies and it stays true to the books and is very good. If you can track it down, I'd recomend it.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306671#Comment_118306671

So based on the below claim each copy is read by 8 adults must get pretty tatty by the end of the week. Not too many households with 8 adults in this day and age unless they reckon people are passing copies over the garden fence to multiple neighbours. Maybe forcing RTE to collect the licence fee themselves would improve things.

RTE Guide remains Ireland’s largest selling magazine with a circulation figure of 37,862 (Jan – Dec 2020).

Providing readers with premium entertainment and lifestyle content alongside comprehensive TV and Radio listings, the RTE Guide has become a ‘must have’ weekly buy in Irish Households.

Our latest research shows that 312,000 adults read an average issue and have said that they spend 2.6 hours per week reading magazines. (Source: TGI 2021)

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118319781#Comment_118319781

How many magazines would you need to buy to fill 2.6 hours?

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118319781#Comment_118319781

My wife figured it out, its the doctors, dentist and other waiting rooms which is the only way to make sense of their reader vs circulation numbers

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320965#Comment_118320965

Given waiting rooms are more or less a thing of the past with Covid I'd say the figure has fallen off a cliff since March 2020.

RandomViewer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320965#Comment_118320965

Dentist and doctors waiting room magazines could be classed as antiques,

Potential-Monke

I never understood magazines and papers in doctor waiting rooms. Sure, let's all handle the same things and pass it around, not like anyone in the waiting room is sick or anything... Just like RTE, makes no sense.

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118322121#Comment_118322121

It's a clever business tactic. Someone sick handles a magazine, then several other people handle that same magazine.

Fast forward a few days later, those people are back in the doctor's office having caught the virus from the previous individual.

Then they handle that magazine, and more people handle that magazine... and the circle continues. :)

AndyBoBandy

Just seen an ad there for ‘The Toy Show’ (not the Tubridy show), a show that looks to get kids interested in toys etc……… so a show for kids…..

when is it on?

Next Wednesday at 9:30pm

Archeron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320965#Comment_118320965

I reckon they count people who glance at it on the shelf while standing in a queue in a shop. You know that moment when you see it on the shelf and there's a picture of some horrible rte person on the front, and you think to yourself, what a wanker, who buys that crap.. ...

That's a read.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118327251#Comment_118327251

I noticed that and meanwhile at a reasonable hour we get repeats.

NIMAN

We are coming up to that time of the year when all of the big earners in RTE will get their customary fortnight off for Xmas. Some may not even be seen for 3 weeks.

Atlantic Dawn

RTE love in story around folk turning up in Dublin Airport arrivals welcoming relatives despite the airport running 24/7 loudspeaker announcements saying only travellers or staff are allowed within the terminal building to combat that oul chestnut Covid we have been fighting for near 2 years, thank you for your crooked service from an unfit for purpose organisation so to speak.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/1219/1267672-dublin-airport-christmas/

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118349978#Comment_118349978

Sure arent they immune to covid/regulations/criticism when they provide such a critical service? Same as how they had a jolly in the rotunda filming a show and fathers to be had to wait outside in the car

RoTelly

ABC are based on the number of readers. Not sure if they provide the number sold, though I think RTÉ may provide that in their annual report.

ABC research is looking at the widest possible readership.

E.g. If Family are mainly made up of 2 adults and 2 children and 10000 Family buy the Family Magazine then the magazine has a potential audience of 40000. Then they look at how many outlets buy the magazine for their customers to read, e.g. Starbucks provide it free in their stores, That 73 outlets across the country.... and so on. This helps the magazine sell advertising.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306291#Comment_118306291

Other the Christmas Day, Stephen's and New Years RTÉ News (VM News) Should be on the air. I think the only time VM News air on Stephen's was to announce the Minster for Finance's personal health problems, on a day that they would usual are, even at the time they had cut their Saturday and Sunday News Programmes.

When is RTÉ News back on the air full time the 14 of Jan or something? Not even a Review of the Year. But they'll happily edit highlights of the Today Show for the summer months!

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118349620#Comment_118349620

Does that mean that it is safe to listen to Lyric FM in the mornings now? No more banal DJ wibbling from Marty Whelan just Classical music? It's a Festivus miracle. :)

Regards...jmcc

CONSI

Looked ahead to the Christmas Eve and Christmas day schedules. Oh my Sweet baby J*sus and the wee donkey...the offering this yeah is shocking, now I know christmas day isnt about watching TV per say but once the kids have run themselves to a standstill and the grandparents have fallen asleep it is nice to put something on and just relax...you really have to wonder what the licence fee is going towards...If not for Netflix, Disney, Prime there would literally be nothing to watch, but when I'm having to subscribe to those services for entertainment why am I still being forced to pay a licence fee...