How to Fix RTE?

Laois_Man

So Independent.ie are breaking a story tonight about an internal RTE employee who has written a 4,000 word statement to 11 members of the Oireachtas and included documents purporting to be internal RTE documents detailing how RTE intentionally gave bias coverage in favour of Michael D Higgins in the 2011 Presidential Election campaign.

Not a peep on the RTE website so far - not even to discredit the claims - Yet.

Whether they succeed in discrediting him/her or not, these types of claims are not new following other complains such as those on the lead-up to the abortion referendum and not limited to the realm of politics. Everything from the coverage of the visit of Pope Francis to the choosing of Ireland's Eurovision entry, to the weekly miserly slot on The Late Late Show, to the way issues are consistently handled by the host of Liveline are just some of the examples that suggest an agenda.

Has your trust in RTE's impartiality been eroded in recent years (if it ever existed in the first place) and if so, what can be done to clean up this organization?

Liamario

The only way to fix RTE is to get rid of it. If they insist on keeping the fee, it should be used as a fund for those who wish to make Irish programming and put on a channel totally free of advertisement.

Irish Kings

Close it down, sack everyone ever associated with it, and open an unbiased public media service, that just reports all the facts without opinion (not just selective facts and slanted opinions) and let people make up their own minds, instead of telling people what they are allowed to think.

beertons

Just turn off it's power so it can't broadcast.

Samsgirl

Make it a subscription service only.

Laois_Man

Liamario wrote: »

The only way to fix RTE is to get rid of it. If they insist on keeping the fee, it should be used as a fund for those who wish to make Irish programming and put on a channel totally free of advertisement.

Is that realistic?
Even if every single occupied dwelling in Ireland had a TV and paid a TV license, the total income amounts to well below 300 Million Euro

Good luck trying to fund a national broadcaster for a year on that budget (whether it's RTE or something else). Even if you did, the problem with policing, enforcing and demonstrating impartiality remains the same.

Irish Kings

Laois_Man wrote: »

Is that realistic?

About as realistic as thinking anything about RTE will be fixed.

vicwatson

Stop paying those “top 10” exhorbitant amounts of our cash for starters. Rte think they are the national broadcaster of america ffs

Liamario

Laois_Man wrote: »

Is that realistic?
Even if every single occupied dwelling in Ireland had a TV and paid a TV license, the total income amounts to well below 300 Million Euro

Good luck trying to fund a national broadcaster for a year on that budget (whether it's RTE or something else). Even if you did, the problem with policing, enforcing and demonstrating impartiality remains the same.

I’m all aboard the shut this **** down train. I’m just trying to be diplomatic

lawred2

Reduce it to RTE one radio and tv. Restrict it from engaging in programming that has any sort of commercial basis.

It should not be competing with commerical operators. Should be a proper public service channel.

Silentcorner

Move it out of D4 into one of the regional cities. D4 is one of the most insular parts of Ireland.

valoren

Feic News.

bodice ripper

Nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Bob24

Irish Kings wrote: »

an unbiased public media service, that just reports all the facts without opinion (not just selective facts and slanted opinions) and let people make up their own minds

Agree RTÉ is not doing its job and extremely one sided, but I think you are looking for something which doesn’t exist.

No media is unbiased and IMO any media claiming they are unbiased because they only report the facts is not to be trusted. Simply because there are a lot of factual things to talk about in the world meaning that a media can only present a small selection of them, and there is necessarily a bias in the way that selection is made.

I would rather watch/read content from journalists who are upfront about their personal opinions - regardless of me agreeing with them or not - rather than from journalists who are claiming to be unbiased. So to me a good public broadcasters should give balanced airtime to the various opionions which exist in the country and maintain ideological variety in its editorial team, rather than being (falsely) unbiased because fact-based. And yeah sadly RTÉ is clearly not doing that and I have no hope of it happening anytime soon. So while my preferred option would be to have a national broadcaster which is playing the role I described, if it’s not happening I would lean towards getting rid of it altogether.

uck51js9zml2yt

bodice ripper wrote: »

Nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

We'll ask Donald when he's over if he or him friend Kim can help.

Jimmy.

Stop putting Miriam on the RTÉ guide every week anyway.

Cookie_Monster

Fire, lots and lots of fire

10000maniacs

Get rid of the liberal left commentators some of whom are on 0.5 million plus p/a (shameful) and replace them with more balanced commentators. Start representing the people for a change. Applies to the news as well. RTE should not be allowed to have an agenda or political slant.
Privatize the orchestras.
Whatever happens don't increase the license fee.

CFlat

Maybe you haven't got it tuned in properly?

gandalf

How to fix RTE? Mass P45's and shut them down!

Pretzill

A small proportion of the licence fee goes towards funding independent productions many of which are broadcast on rte. More funding should be set aside for Indies with no affiliation to rte.

Our national broadcaster needs to start behaving like a private entity and not a-job-for-life public one. They need some good homegrown drama (cull fair city) and talent and stop relying on current affairs (one sided and increasingly propaganda led)

howdoyouknow

Blast it with piss or burn it with fire. Nothing else can or will work. Just be sure not to blast it with piss then burn it with fire because it will be hard to get it to light when it's doused in piss. Also if it does catch fire after being doused in piss the heat generated by the fire will create a steaming piss scented smoke which couldn't possibly help anything

KungPao

I think a modest and fair salary increase for the big names should help. I, and I’m sure I’m not alone here, would happily pay more for the TV licence to ‘fix RTE’.

end of the road

10000maniacs wrote: »

Get rid of the liberal left commentators some of whom are on 0.5 million plus p/a (shameful) and replace them with more balanced commentators. Start representing the people for a change. Applies to the news as well. RTE should not be allowed to have an agenda or political slant.

get rid of the people you don't agree with, essentially? no media is ever going to be truely balanced, it's not realistic.
the criticism of partiality aimed at rte is the same thing as the bbc, the right think it's far left and the left think it's far right. those on the opposing side of an argument think it's unbalanced against them.

10000maniacs wrote: »

Privatize the orchestras.

i presume the point of that would be to stop it from being publically funded? that's unlikely to happen.

hatrickpatrick

vicwatson wrote: »

Stop paying those “top 10” exhorbitant amounts of our cash for starters. Rte think they are the national broadcaster of america ffs

They get four time the pay, times the pay, of the United States President.
Times the pay!
This woman here - times the pay!
Who is a minister. Times the pay!
And anything she does - times the pay!
Who is elected - times the pay!
Well she'll be removed from office. Times the pay!
You've lived your high life. You have had your day, Pat!

'Kay. Thank you very much - you're RTE.
'Kay. Thank you very much - not ABC...
'Kay. Thank you very much - you're RTE.
'Kay. Thank you very much - not ABC...

quintana76

The blatant bias of it's news output needs to be addressed. It takes it's lead from the BBC and throws in a south county Dublin sanctimonious spin.
If kept it should be removed to Athlone. See how Miriam likes being in the Midlands. Marian might finally retire before the fags get her. Joe wouldn't be able too get home to Clonarf by 15:30 every day.
Mass retirements would ensue.
As for the salaries. It was worked out that if Tubs had worked for the BBC and was paid proportionally he would be on 13 million. Get rid of the self-employed scam for a start as the BBC were forced to do. But when you have a uniform, complicit media as in Ireland the issue will not be highlighted.
Slash those salaries.
RTE should be rebuilt from the bottom up. It is a scam on the Irish people to the benefit of an interconnected, priveleged few.

DavidLyons_

Cap the salaries of its “stars” at €150k tops. If they don’t like it, they can take their “talent” elsewhere.

One tv channel showing news and homegrown current affairs shows and documentaries. One radio station for news and another for music covering all genres.

Either that or make it a subscription service. They’d soon realise how in-demand their service is.

Paying obscene amounts to people like Tubridy, Finnucane, Duffy, O’Callaghan etc. is a joke. And as for talentless assh*les like Nicky Byrne....

It’s a scandal that such a poor service is being funded by the taxpayer under threat of jail should you not pay up to keep wretches like “man of de people “ Duffy in the lifestyle to which he is accustomed.

OneEightSeven

end of the road wrote: »

get rid of the people you don't agree with, essentially? no media is ever going to be truely balanced, it's not realistic.
the criticism of partiality aimed at rte is the same thing as the bbc, the right think it's far left and the left think it's far right. those on the opposing side of an argument think it's unbalanced against them.

Funding for most media outlets are voluntary. RTE and BBC are involuntary, this is why state broadcasters should be impartial. I've also yet to hear of anyone describe RTE and BBC as far-left, unless the real motive of TV licenses is to redistribute the wealth to people like Gary Lineker and Chris Evans, in which case they have it arse backwards because they're both loaded.

kneemos

Anyone who watches RTE for news coverage wants their head massaging,not because it's biased,but because they do such a piss poor job of relaying events.
They're a headline service at best.

As for bias,unless they make the 6.01 five hours long and cover every angle they'll be accused of that.

Corb_lund

Move their offices to Tyrellstown. I'm sure they'll love the increase in diversity they keep preaching

quintana76

OneEightSeven wrote: »

Funding for most media outlets are voluntary. RTE and BBC are involuntary, this is why state broadcasters should be impartial. I've also yet to hear of anyone describe RTE and BBC as far-left, unless the real motive of TV licenses is to redistribute the wealth to people like Gary Lineker andChris Evans, in which case they have it arse backwards because they're both loaded.

They find it very useful to virtue signal the liberal agenda as a way of disguising their blatant greed and privelege. Example: they are very pro-refugee. How many have been settled in south county Dublin. Close to zero I would say.
It is a very useful tool for elites to maintain their privelege whilst sounding caring at the same time. It distracts from the main issue which is the blatant rip-off of the public that RTE is.
If they cared as much as they pretend, surely there is plenty of room at Montrose for a halting site or refugee centre, or both.
Not a chance as it is not the point.

Cabaal

Liamario wrote: »

The only way to fix RTE is to get rid of it. If they insist on keeping the fee, it should be used as a fund for those who wish to make Irish programming and put on a channel totally free of advertisement.

Totally free of adverts?
So you want an increased license fee then?

I know we all would like RTE to be like the BBC but we don't have the massive population to fund it from the license fee, lets be realistic.

VinLieger

Cabaal wrote: »

Totally free of adverts?
So you want an increased license fee then?

I know we all would like RTE to be like the BBC but we don't have the massive population to fund it from the license fee, lets be realistic.

Why do we need to increase the license fee? There is no need to keep rte running in any way close to its current format, it should be used for funding and showing homegrown programming only which would massively reduce the costs of it having to purchase syndication for the other garbage it shows.

kneemos

VinLieger wrote: »

Why do we need to increase the license fee? There is no need to keep rte running in any way close to its current format, it should be used for funding and showing homegrown programming only which would massively reduce the costs of it having to purchase syndication for the other garbage it shows.

Homemade programming is extremely expensive. Which is probably why they buy in foreign made programmes.

Cabaal

VinLieger wrote: »

Why do we need to increase the license fee? There is no need to keep rte running in any way close to its current format, it should be used for funding and showing homegrown programming only which would massively reduce the costs of it having to purchase syndication for the other garbage it shows.

You think 300million odd will run all of RTE..this includes radio stations, RTE1, 2, TG4, online services and create homegrown content as well as improve all these services?
:rolleyes:

Remember, the person above that I responded to wants no adverts too so the only revenue stream would be the license fee.

If you think 300million odd will do everything then you don't live in the real world.

Hector Bellend

A good start would be to stop Ryan Tubridy reading movie reviews from the Irish Times on his radio show.

Second step would be to deliver a very hard kick in the bollix for him.

Third step would be to tear up his contract and stuff it into his mouth.

Final step would be to grab him by the scruff of the neck, throw him out on to the street and tell him that his broadcasting career with RTE is over and that he will have to survive in the commercial radio sector on his merits as a broadcaster.

Lets see how he survives.

Lets put some tax payers money to better use.

machiavellianme

1. Cut at least one, if not both orchestras.
As important as supporting the arts, they are still a frivolous luxury to maintain.
2. Cap all pay at 100k. They aren't doing anything mentally or physically challenging or working unsociable hours. There's no need for rigorous training or university doctorates. Literally anyone who can speak can do it.
3. Ban all new hires who are related to any past or current employees in any way. The same applies for anyone related to any political person or party.

the-island-man

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

vicwatson wrote: »

Stop paying those “top 10” exhorbitant amounts of our cash for starters. Rte think they are the national broadcaster of america ffs

They get four time the pay, times the pay, of the United States President.
Times the pay!
This woman here - times the pay!
Who is a minister. Times the pay!
And anything she does - times the pay!
Who is elected - times the pay!
Well she'll be removed from office. Times the pay!
You've lived your high life. You have had your day, Pat!

'Kay. Thank you very much - you're RTE.
'Kay. Thank you very much - not ABC...
'Kay. Thank you very much - you're RTE.
'Kay. Thank you very much - not ABC...

Always cracks me up....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu6d0ns-JJU

kneemos

machiavellianme wrote: »

1. Cut at least one, if not both orchestras.
As important as supporting the arts, they are still a frivolous luxury to maintain.
2. Cap all pay at 100k. They aren't doing anything mentally or physically challenging or working unsociable hours. There's no need for rigorous training or university doctorates. Literally anyone who can speak can do it.
3. Ban all new hires who are related to any past or current employees in any way. The same applies for anyone related to any political person or party.

Why are RTE lumbered with the orchestras anyway?
The Arts Council or some such could surely be responsible.

Bob24

machiavellianme wrote: »

1. Cut at least one, if not both orchestras.
As important as supporting the arts, they are still a frivolous luxury to maintain.
2. Cap all pay at 100k. They aren't doing anything mentally or physically challenging or working unsociable hours. There's no need for rigorous training or university doctorates. Literally anyone who can speak can do it.
3. Ban all new hires who are related to any past or current employees in any way. The same applies for anyone related to any political person or party.

Agree with points 2 and 3, even though 3 would probably be hard to enforce.

I can’t agree with banning *both* orchestras though. Yes they cost money but IMO it’s money better spent than pretty much anything else RTÉ is doing as it’s promoting arts and culture and is not really a political/ideological enterprise. I wouldn’t have any issue if they were taken away from RTÉ and managed by another public entity though, but not scrapped altogether.

SEPT 23 1989

kneemos wrote: »

Why are RTE lumbered with the orchestras anyway?
The Arts Council or some such could surely be responsible.

How are family members with musical talent meant to survive in the real world without them?

Cabaal

For those claiming both orchestras should be shut down,
Complete disregard for good music and culture, shame on you.

Its not just about some music, its support arts, they entertain and engage children and adults, wanting to scrap them altogether shows a high level of ignorance

Sephiroth_dude

Samsgirl wrote: »

Make it a subscription service only.

All the "talented" gowls would have to take a pay cut then though, they wouldn't happy with that.

CeilingFly

vicwatson wrote: »

Stop paying those “top 10” exhorbitant amounts of our cash for starters. Rte think they are the national broadcaster of america ffs

But their top ten are top ten for a very good reason - they bring in the revenue and each and every one of the top ten contribute handsomely to RTE profits.

Where the big costs are, is in outside broadcast of sports especially GAA and Horse Racing, children's programming, news, other minority programming and orchestras.

But as usual its easy to whine off at the "top ten"


Look at the indo - they got rid of many of their better journalists to "save money". Its now absolute and utter rubbish and they have seen a huge drop in readership, well above the market decline and there's little chance of people paying for the rubbish they spout online.

New management have now realised this but its probably too late.

valoren

Keep the Late Late but stop producing the Saturday Night Ray D'Arcy show.
It's just butter spread over too much bread.

When you see D'Arcy making a skype call to a family and having them run around the house looking for items in order to win €300 to fill air time, then you can see why RTE is a loss maker.

The over time being paid for this show must be ridiculous, redressing the same set to boot. (Weekend + unsocial hours etc).

Saturday night should show a film premiere to occupy that same slot.

machiavellianme

Cabaal wrote: »

For those claiming both orchestras should be shut down,
Complete disregard for good music and culture, shame on you.

Its not just about some music, its support arts, they entertain and engage children and adults, wanting to scrap them altogether shows a high level of ignorance

Where's the national industrial metal band or the national synthpop band? Plenty of artists in those genres engage children and adults.
If orchestral music can't stand on its own two feet the same way as any other genre, then it clearly isn't thriving. Bar a handful of workings by Handel and a few others on these shores, we haven't exactly set the world alight in composition.
Dispensation might be made for one orchestra, but two?

Bob24

CeilingFly wrote: »

But their top ten are top ten for a very good reason - they bring in the revenue and each and every one of the top ten contribute handsomely to RTE profits.

Don’t forget RTÉ is a public entity though. And if the goal was to bring as much revenue as possible from high audience time slots, there would be better ways of doing it than hiring these people.

In the context of delivering a public service, saying their higher salaries are justified because they bring in more revenue than other types of broadcasts - and weaker time slots! - is like saying it would be justified to pay civil servants working for the revenue commissioner more that those working for the HSE because the first group brings in revenue and the second costs money.

So either RTÉ sees itself as a public entity with a public service mission and pays employees in a way which allows it to deliver the best public service (it currently isn’t but what is good public service in this context should be defined clearly and imposed upon RTÉ’s management - and while expensive and not very financially rewarding, running an orchestra is definitly more of a public service to me than hosting an entertainment talk show), or it sees itself more as a for profit entity but then it should stop relying on public funds.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think RTÉ shouldn’t care about its cash flow and audience levels. But while applying a purely commercial logic to justify high salaries is perfectly fine (and makes sense) in the context of a privately funded organisation, doing the same for publicly funded one would sound pretty hypocritical to me as it would be a way to set yourself as a direct competitor and equivalent of private broadcasters, while knowing you have an unfair advantage compared to them gifted by the public and none of what you are doing would exist without these public funds.

machiavellianme

CeilingFly wrote: »

But their top ten are top ten for a very good reason - they bring in the revenue and each and every one of the top ten contribute handsomely to RTE profits.

Where the big costs are, is in outside broadcast of sports especially GAA and Horse Racing, children's programming, news, other minority programming and orchestras.

But as usual its easy to whine off at the "top ten"


Look at the indo - they got rid of many of their better journalists to "save money". Its now absolute and utter rubbish and they have seen a huge drop in readership, well above the market decline and there's little chance of people paying for the rubbish they spout online.

New management have now realised this but its probably too late.

Nonsense. The top 10 have prime time slots. Advertisers pay for this regardless of whether it's Miriam, Marty or Marian. The people who watch and listen to these programmes are often victims of circumstance, trapped in waiting rooms, hospital wards, nursing homes or just watch the "late late" because they've always done. Sure, there's a handful of people who might like Ryan Tubridy and /or Ray D'Arcy but I've yet to meet one, however, I've met hundreds who complain about them. These RTE cronies offer neither insight nor entertainment in their textbook interviews. If you put any presenter in those slots you'd see the same level of revenue and possibly even more because the public might be interested to see how a new face might succeed as surely the newcomer couldn't be as poor as the incumbents.

Star Bingo

There’s a lack of adventure in RTE where’s the irish bear grylls. Ireland’s Most Dangerous Roads? Dual Survivor in the comeragh mountains.... why was it down to the BBC to pack Ed n Dara off to Mandalay

BrokenArrows

Top RTE presenters are earning 500k+ which is about 0.18% of the total license income.

Top BBC presenters are earning 1.5million which is about 0.0085% of the total license income.

RTE presenters are paid far too much money for what they produce.

RTE shows generally are not re-sellable. The Late Late doesnt get shown in any other country. BBC talk shows shows generally are always re-sellable and shown around the world.

RTE need to shift focus to creating re-sellable content and moving away from relying on the TV license to support the garbage they create.

If you try and find a list of the top Irish TV Shows most of anything you will find was created by the BBC or other UK channels. Even our beloved Fr. Ted wasnt an Irish created show.

Laois_Man

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Top RTE presenters are earning 500k+ which is about 0.18% of the total license income.

Top BBC presenters are earning 1.5million which is about 0.0085% of the total license income.

RTE presenters are paid far too much money for what they produce.

RTE shows generally are not re-sellable. The Late Late doesnt get shown in any other country. BBC talk shows shows generally are always re-sellable and shown around the world.

RTE need to shift focus to creating re-sellable content and moving away from relying on the TV license to support the garbage they create.

If you try and find a list of the top Irish TV Shows most of anything you will find was created by the BBC or other UK channels. Even our beloved Fr. Ted wasnt an Irish created show.

BBC shows such as Graham Norton are resealable because they get the A-listers. There's almost always at least one heavy hitter on the couch for the duration of the show. Committing A-listers to appear is easy with a potential audience so huge - they're probably turning some away. RTE are lucky to get a current A-lister any more often than once every 4 or 5 months. They're not very interested in the Irish market. It has nothing to do with RTE's focus!