RTÉ pushing for a "Netflix" tax to boost their coffers and stifle competition

Jeremy Sproket

Apologies, this is the only link I could find. The main news outlets don't seem to be running the story and obviously RTÉ won't.

RTÉ want to introduce a tax to encourage the growth of their indigenous "talent". Their logic is that consumers of Netflix content are watching foreign programming and with no obligation to invest in Irish content from Netflix.

If such a tax is introduced, it might spell the end of Netflix, Amazon TV etc. in Ireland.

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

https://extra.ie/2021/05/21/entertainment/movies-tv/rte-netflix-tax

Shebean

I don't see what business it is of RTE's what Netflix and the like do. Also Netflix has a reputation for investing in local talent and producing it's own films and shows.
RTE on the other hand spends a lot of money buying up American shows and a few British and Australian. Maybe they should become a 100% Irish produced network?

Buddy Bubs

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Apologies, this is the only link I could find. The main news outlets don't seem to be running the story and obviously RTÉ won't.

RTÉ want to introduce a tax to encourage the growth of their indigenous "talent". Their logic is that consumers of Netflix content are watching foreign programming and with no obligation to invest in Irish content from Netflix.

If such a tax is introduced, it might spell the end of Netflix, Amazon TV etc. in Ireland.

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

Bit of a dramatic post don't you think? Should be a tax on dramatic posts

mikemac2

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

You kind of ruined your post with that

RTE are money grubbing sure but that has nothing to do with censorship

Ubbquittious

I hate RTE and their overpaid poshies as much as the next fella but the concept of the "TV license" is outdated and will have to be implemented as a tax on streaming services at some point. RTE license fee goes to a whole lot of other things beside useless gits like Joe Duffy, like the archives and orchestra.

The other option would be that you're required to pay an annual fee having a roof over your head or owning a mobile phone and they send that to RTE

Jeremy Sproket

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Apologies, this is the only link I could find. The main news outlets don't seem to be running the story and obviously RTÉ won't.

RTÉ want to introduce a tax to encourage the growth of their indigenous "talent". Their logic is that consumers of Netflix content are watching foreign programming and with no obligation to invest in Irish content from Netflix.

If such a tax is introduced, it might spell the end of Netflix, Amazon TV etc. in Ireland.

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

https://extra.ie/2021/05/21/entertainment/movies-tv/rte-netflix-tax

Godwin never said it would be the first post.

TallGlass2

Oh right, so like VAT on the subscription fee or maybe something like a licence fee for owning a TV and the fee distributed across Irish television providers and producers. But, I thought we had both last time I checked....

Samsonsmasher

RTE can open a youtube account and produce content like everybody else. If people want to smack that bell and subscribe and support them on patreon more power to them. The world has changed and RTE are dinosaurs.

sxt

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Apologies, this is the only link I could find. The main news outlets don't seem to be running the story and obviously RTÉ won't.

RTÉ want to introduce a tax to encourage the growth of their indigenous "talent"[/url]

We have Tg4. The only channel that will ever encourage local talent, and that produces quality Irish programs.

Tg4 employs 80 people compared to the thousands in RTE

Alot of the top stars in RTE arent even employed by RTE, they are contracted to RTE to avoid taxes which is a not often talked about disgrace in itself

Signore Fancy Pants

RTE, a big bunch of fcuking **** piss, so they are.

Signore Fancy Pants

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

RTE, a big bunch of fcuking **** piss, so they are.

Beautifully put.

Atlantic Dawn

Netflix doesn't have adverts, RTE has adverts, tv licence money, government funding, sponsorship, premium rate text competitions, teleshopping and product placement yet can't break even, time to cut back on their operation substantionally.

What next a €1 levy on cinema tickets to fund Fair City?

Jeremy Sproket

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

Yes Kent, it is a slippery slope. The parallels are striking. I think we could be headed for full on World War within the decade.

Spanish Eyes

RTE should confine itself to current affairs and public service announcements only. The rest of their stuff is chewing gum for the eyes. Oh and apologies for my cynicism, but encouraging indigenous talent most likely means boosting those who have RTE connections. Apart from a few poached from Newstalk, who are they encouraging right now? The place is fossilised, and the lifers are even complaining that they have to retire at 65.

The TV license is enough. Off with their heads.

Atlantic Dawn

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Netflix doesn't have adverts, RTE has adverts, tv licence money, government funding, sponsorship, premium rate text competitions, teleshopping and product placement yet can't break even, time to cut back on their operation substantionally.

What next a €1 levy on cinema tickets to fund Fair City?

Why do they never think of cutting costs like they would if they were a private sector? They are such a joke. Bunch of nepotistic spongers. RTE to me is old Ireland. All about who you know, not what you know. They don't give the people what they want, they give the people what RTE thinks the people should want.

Time to pull the plug or downsize massively. One TV channel and one or two radio stations, maybe keep the website. Everything else - shut it down.

Jeremy Sproket

Why not let RTÉ 2 be a subscription service where the consumer has a choice whether or not to pay (Fairly Shitty, Home and Away ...etc). and RTÉ1 funded from general taxation which is only for news, weather and ministerial bulletins, crimecall etc.

Strumms

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Netflix doesn't have adverts, RTE has adverts, tv licence money, government funding, sponsorship, premium rate text competitions, teleshopping and product placement yet can't break even, time to cut back on their operation substantionally.

What next a €1 levy on cinema tickets to fund Fair City?

Exactly this.

Rte has no shortage of revenue streams... advertisement slots 24/7 365 days of the year, tv license cash and everything you are saying..

2019 salaries :

Ryan Tubridy 495,000
Ray D’Arcy 450,000
Joe Duffy 392,494
Sean O’Rourke 327,988
Marian Finucane 358,013
Miriam O’Callaghan 320,000
Claire Byrne 250,000
Brendan O’Connor 220,000
Bryan Dobson 209,282
Mary Wilson 196,961

^^^^ that is a fûcking joke..

The fûck I’d be paying a cent more to own a tv to be facilitating that sort of pay for those lot.

The J Stands for Jay

If this tax is to pay for indigenous programming, then the funds should be available to Netflix if they produce Irish content. It'd be better than letting rte waste it.

machiavellianme

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

RTE should confine itself to current affairs and public service announcements only. The rest of their stuff is chewing gum for the eyes. Oh and apologies for my cynicism, but encouraging indigenous talent most likely means boosting those who have RTE connections. Apart from a few poached from Newstalk, who are they encouraging right now? The place is fossilised, and the lifers are even complaining that they have to retire at 65.

The TV license is enough. Off with their heads.

Chewing gum is actually decent and has a purpose, unlike the majority of Rté programming.

whisky_galore

One minute it's a sub standard late late show, next a Final Solution. Why didn't we see it coming?

Swindled

RTÉ could easily provide an Irish sports channel. The amount of sport being played at a decent level in this country is unreal, and yet next to none of it is televised. It would cost them next to nothing to have a channel dedicated to sports in Ireland.

lawred2

Jeremy Sproket wrote: »

Apologies, this is the only link I could find. The main news outlets don't seem to be running the story and obviously RTÉ won't.

RTÉ want to introduce a tax to encourage the growth of their indigenous "talent". Their logic is that consumers of Netflix content are watching foreign programming and with no obligation to invest in Irish content from Netflix.

If such a tax is introduced, it might spell the end of Netflix, Amazon TV etc. in Ireland.

Starting in 1934, Nazi Germany began censoring all media they didn't agree with. Slippery slope?

https://extra.ie/2021/05/21/entertainment/movies-tv/rte-netflix-tax

Hilarious that anyone in rte would voice anything about local talent given how much content they source from outside these shores

banie01

Buddy Bubs wrote: »

Bit of a dramatic post don't you think? Should be a tax on dramatic posts

Wait until netflix gets the rights to the OP's estate planning thread
It's a drama for the ages.

TallGlass2

Swindled wrote: »

RTÉ could easily provide an Irish sports channel. The amount of sport being played at a decent level in this country is unreal, and yet next to none of it is televised. It would cost them next to nothing to have a channel dedicated to sports in Ireland.

Stop talking sense, next tonight on RTE, another generic movie we have played 5 times in the last month.

odyssey06

Rent seekers doing what they do best and suckling at the public purse.
Inevitably leads to cronyism a focus on lobbying rather than your audience.

Always easier than actually doing your job and producing stuff than people choose in an open market.

Strumms

Paying the likes of Joe Duffy, a professional whinger almost 400,000 ? Wtf ? It’s not like if RTÉ offered him 150,000... he’s going to be courting the opposition so why the fûck is he being paid that cash ? He is a niche broadcaster, limited in the scope of his ability... he wouldn’t get a moments thought by the top brass at ITV, bbc, Virgin media, today fm, lyric etc..

Homelander

To be fair to the likes of Joe Duffy I think his earnings reflect what he brings into the station rather than what he'd be given elsewhere.

He's extremely valuable to RTE, even if he has no value elsewhere. I'm personally indifferent to him but he's hugely popular and has great ratings, so I can see why they want to keep him sweet and they can somewhat justify the pay internally.

I assume Tubridy and D'arcy are the same, though it sickens me to see D'arcy earn €450K, he's utterly atrocious. I don't like Tubridy but he at least is good at what he does.

It's a case of we pay you X but you bring in Y. We could pay someone else half what we pay you, but we lose that brand recognition and realistically probably a tonne of listeners as well. Now I'm not convinced that would happen in the case of D'arcy, but probably would with Duffy.

Having said all that, **** am I paying a cent more to RTE.

Strumms

But do people tune in because of Duffy or because of the show, format etc...

I don’t think people listened to liveline because of Marian Finucane either, she just was a hell of a lot better. The show and foremat appeal to people..the presenter is just a facilitator.

RulesOfNature

On the way to Portugal, I will drop by RTE office and brick a window.

bassy

won,t bother me as i don,t have netflix

Swindled

Homelander wrote: »

To be fair to the likes of Joe Duffy I think his earnings reflect what he brings into the station rather than what he'd be given elsewhere.

He's extremely valuable to RTE, even if he has no value elsewhere. I'm personally indifferent to him but he's hugely popular and has great ratings, so I can see why they want to keep him sweet and they can somewhat justify the pay internally.

It's a phone in moan show, not Richard Attenborough's planet Earth.
"Ordinary man" Joe Duffy on 400k for being "Ordinary"

RandomViewer

Samsonsmasher wrote: »

RTE can open a youtube account and produce content like everybody else. If people want to smack that bell and subscribe and support them on patreon more power to them. The world has changed and RTE are dinosaurs.

Bit unfair to Dinosaurs, Amoebic cells in mud would be a closer time

punisher5112

Don't ye forget they sold off a sh1t load of public owned land, to make a killing.... Only issue is that only gives them that money for a year, what next ah we will sell another ⅓ etc etc etc....

SeaFields

Swindled wrote: »

RTÉ could easily provide an Irish sports channel. The amount of sport being played at a decent level in this country is unreal, and yet next to none of it is televised. It would cost them next to nothing to have a channel dedicated to sports in Ireland.

To be fair to TG4 they've once again blown rte out of the water in terms of sports coverage. I know what you're saying about a dedicated one but TG4 doing a great job showing sport with their limited resources

y0ssar1an22

RTE just need to produce stuff that people will watch...its such an easy concept. we dont want to see your 65 year old go off on a jaunt to america under the guise of reality TV.

and this increased tax...makes no sense. we pay a license so you can do exactly that, you just piss it away on nonsense.

go after youtube as well. there are irish youtubers with more subscribers than the population of ireland. tax them so you can have a cut of their revenue.

just improve your product or you will be passed out.

punisher5112

Rte didn't move with the times, pretty much like the gubernment, Garda pretty much anything here.....

Everything is at least 10 years or more behind the rest

Atlantic Dawn

Homelander wrote: »

To be fair to the likes of Joe Duffy I think his earnings reflect what he brings into the station rather than what he'd be given elsewhere.

He's extremely valuable to RTE, even if he has no value elsewhere. I'm personally indifferent to him but he's hugely popular and has great ratings, so I can see why they want to keep him sweet and they can somewhat justify the pay internally.

Have a listen to Liveline next week, you could count on your 2 hands how many fee paying ads are on the entire show (exluding government ads).

Montage of Feck

Just as long as Minister for Propaganda Veradkar gives us all a Volksempfänger.

punisher5112

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Have a listen to Liveline next week, you could count on your 2 hands how many fee paying ads are on the entire show (exluding government ads).

Big money covid is, near all radio, TV are in on it.... Getting paid a lot too.

myfreespirit

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Godwin never said it would be the first post.

Ahh, Godwin likely came up with his probability without taking into account the type of threads on boards.ie

dxhound2005

punisher5112 wrote: »

Rte didn't move with the times, pretty much like the gubernment, Garda pretty much anything here.....

Everything is at least 10 years or more behind the rest

Including the TV licence fee. Last time it was increased was in 2008 when it went up by €2. In the meantime there has been DSO.

odyssey06

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Including the TV licence fee. Last time it was increased was in 2008 when it went up by €2. In the meantime there has been DSO.

Nor was it cut after the crash when so many lost their jobs and prices dropped or stagnated in Ireland. Am sure many private companies would have liked such a solid source of income.

Strumms

SeaFields wrote: »

To be fair to TG4 they've once again blown rte out of the water in terms of sports coverage. I know what you're saying about a dedicated one but TG4 doing a great job showing sport with their limited resources

In terms of live sport though... I don’t really think there would be enough to require a dedicated channel.. most people who watch sports channels do so because of the live sport, how many domestic hours of live sports per week especially in the winter are there in this country, no All Ireland, inter-county GAA aside from the league which has limited interest and limited fixtures,no LOI football that’s summer now... from October - March you’d have horse racing as the only live, weekly regular sport... April - September could be realistic if padded with other programming, say documentaries etc.

Irish production companies have been calling for a levy on streaming services for a while

https://www.todayfm.com/podcasts/the-last-word-with-matt-cooper/calls-for-streaming-giants-like-netflix-to-fork-over-more-tax

Tilden Katz

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

RTE, a big bunch of fcuking **** piss, so they are.

I approve of this post.

dxhound2005

odyssey06 wrote: »

Nor was it cut after the crash when so many lost their jobs and prices dropped or stagnated in Ireland. Am sure many private companies would have liked such a solid source of income.

If everyone paid it could be cut to produce the same return.

punisher5112

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Including the TV licence fee. Last time it was increased was in 2008 when it went up by €2. In the meantime there has been DSO.

And cost of living went up for us, tax increases, minimum pricing, new vat , increases on carbon tax by 130%, etc etc etc....

Paying €160 to go near 100% to rte..... Eh na your grand I'd rather see it shut

Sleeper12

Netflix and prime video are subject to eu regulation where a certain amount of programmes have been made in the eu. It would make more sense to me for the Irish government to try entice these streaming services to produce some of the eu requirements here in Ireland. Possibly RTE could partner with the likes of netflix in making Irish based programmes.

There is absolutely no need to tap my pocket when it could be done in other ways. Bad enough I have to pay for a TV licence and we don't watch any of the 4 Irish channels

dxhound2005

punisher5112 wrote: »

And cost of living went up for us, tax increases, minimum pricing, new vat , increases on carbon tax by 130%, etc etc etc....

Paying €160 to go near 100% to rte..... Eh na your grand I'd rather see it shut

There are probably 100,000 like you. If they all paid then the rest of us could have it cut to €150 and still produce an extra €5 million revenue.

Car99

I think we should sell RTE for €1 . Problem solved.
The void it would leave if it left one could be filled by a blank screen.

odyssey06

dxhound2005 wrote: »

If everyone paid it could be cut to produce the same return.

Except they wont and it wouldnt.
RTE would blow it on more feather bedding.