RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

RoTelly

https://www.irishtimes.com/media/2023/10/17/government-doing-everything-to-distance-itself-from-job-losses-at-rte/

The media lovies just don't get it.

“Voluntary” can have many shades. If RTÉ, its hand forced by the Government, was to announce a shutdown or a hollowing out of certain services or a decentralisation of others, a voluntary exit package would quickly start to seem like a targeted one. Memories are fresh within RTÉ of a 2019 proposal by Bakhurst’s predecessor Dee Forbes to shut down Lyric FM’s Limerick base to save money. The move prompted much alarm among staff, as well as a political backlash, before it was abandoned.

Who you shouldn't look for advice from? Dee Frobes. What should you not do? Everything Dee Frobes did.

Dee Frobes wanted to complain about the cost of RTÉ services, she cut here there and everywhere, while getting a €50k moving fee, getting a €25k car allowance, get an new office worth €16k and making a sure that Tubs didn't take a pay cut while cost RTÉ more money if she'd just agreed a straight foward contract.

alzer100

I have stated this before but RTE would be very reluctant to target the 25-45 year age group via 2FM. I don't think the broadcasting act forbids it but as a public service broadcaster RTE would be called out for concentrating radio programming on a lucrative advertising market, a market which is already served by RTE Radio 1.

They could radically change the 2FM format to an aggressive type of CHR or preferably Hot AC format that is focused on music and although having presenters, is not presenter led. Again, they would need to radically overall 2FM from a programming/format perspective to an extent that the station would offer something different to the other countless CHR radio stations that are littered across the country and if it is done right a CHR/Hot AC format can be very successful. Although folks have access to their own music libraries such as Spotify, radio wil always be "Theatre of the mind" and can be very engaging and exciting.

Unfortunately I don't think RTE have the will or the balls to do anything radical on FM and 2FM will always have the same sound now and for years to come.

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121246947#Comment_121246947

Agree. Dobson is a politics and elections nerd with a vast and detailed knowledge of both topics, spanning back decades. That's why he's worth the big bucks.

Sharon by comparison appears to have a grasp of detail only slightly better than the majority of the RTE News viewership. She's by no means the worst interviewer of politicians I've seen but her line of questioning is always fairly superficial and rote. Usually softballs for anyone who spends their days in Leinster House. That's why she isn't worth the big bucks.

But of course in todays climate, any shrewd operator can see how the wind is blowing and RTE paying big bad men more money than the ladies is just no longer tenable, despite the fact they may be far better at doing a similar job, in some cases.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121249653#Comment_121249653

Lot of generalities there ,horse….

Edit

On mature reflection I think I misinterpreted your post.

My apologies.

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121249653#Comment_121249653

Agreed. Was at an event wher Dobson was handling the q&a and he was really excellent.

Sharon definitely not worth it though I do like the fact that she doesn't see herself as a 'celebrity' and is never plastered all over the Sindo.

podgeandrodge

Anyone that would like to express their thoughts on the Irish Farmers Journal getting 150KTubs as a speaker at the women in agriculture event on 25th October, can email subs@farmersjournal.ie

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121249653#Comment_121249653

Couldn't agree more. There have been some great female presenters in the past, including Olivia O'Leary, who would would wipe the floor with Sharon and Clare Byrne.

If we had good female presenters to rival likes of Dobbo and others, the likes of Sharon Ni B and Clare Byrne would not be able to look for "equal wages" despite not doing an equal job, as they'd be far down the food chain .

RTE has lost its way a small bit in recent years and I think the experience does show the worth of top talent. Michael Lyster has never been adequately replaced on the Sunay Game, nor Bill O'Herlihy on soccer or Tom McGurk, Hook and Pope on rugby.

Now Ryan is gone from the Late Late and the radio and it's an unnecessary own goal. If Ryan is a success independently it opens up another worrying vista for Kevin, his most talented people might see RTE as a mere stepping stone.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258159#Comment_121258159

I think think you equating things differently to most.

I don't think we can honestly say that Tubs has been missed. He's Radio show and his TV show are continuing without him, if there is a massive exodus of an audience you might have a case for Tubs, but currently from what we know this is not the case.

I think Kevin has other issues. As you know RTÉ has been mismanagement for the last 20 years. He now has to sift through a mountain of bad decisions that his predecessors made (indeed some of those decision were made while he was Deputy DG 7 years ago).

Tubs is a small part of the picture and largely the scandal has move on from that to the ultimate conclusion that RTÉ was mismanaged over the last number of years and that the direction that the company was taking to continually call for more money to do little more than what they currently do while spending vast amounts of money is incidentals or ill advised strategies.

I am sure you can see the state that RTÉ has put itself in.

I don't know why you want to ignore the mess that RTÉ finds itself in due to its own actions.

I have always said if any RTÉ Talent want to grow and earn more then they need to move abroad, this is always the case. Look at some of the form 2FM presenters they think they are at the top of their game only to be summarily axed, with only one turning around and arguing that she was simple dismissed, the others went abroad and had to restart their career from the ground up, pretending otherwise. Name the talent I am talking about.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121249575#Comment_121249575

I'm more familiar with the lower end of the 25-45 year age group and in my experience they just don't listen to 2FM. Maybe 40+ do?

RoTelly

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/1019/1411695-line-up-revealed-for-the-2-johnnies-late-night-lock-in/

RIGHT!

Singer Una Healy - She was just on TLLS and she had just been on Ask Me Anything

comedian Seann Walsh - Grand, don't know him but new comedian and all

Marty Morissey - Has this Marty Stich not had its day yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94sywKawc94

The Parish Quiz - From their radio show

NOT A CLUE!

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258482#Comment_121258482

Sorry if I may have caused some confusion on that. So the 25-45 age group is not 2FM's target audience. Generally the 15-25 age group is. When I mentioned the 25-45 age group, I was suggesting a scenario in which 2FM would flip it's format to an AOR/AC (RTE Gold, Classic Hits, Nova, Q102 etc.) type presentation as the 25-45 age group would then would be their target audience for which RTE would be reluctant to do. Now, how effectively 2FM are targeting the 15-25 age group is a different matter.

RoTelly

Also starting tonight is RTÉ/FÍS ÉIREANN's storyland.

Storyland has been a project on RTÉ for at least 16 years.

RTÉ have had a number of other co-funders involved over those years, the last 2 have just been with FÍS ÉIREANN, they may have done the first few alone but I am not fully sure of that.

The idea is to develop Irish TV Drama/Comedy writing.

3 pilot drama's have been developed and produced. Starting tonight with Wrapped.

I am sure Falling for the Life of Alex Whelan, Wrapped and The Cousin will all be well received. And not watch and never heard of again much like all the past Storyland products ... okay I will give them Hardy Bucks and I think one one a few awards last year.

5 other dramas were developed under the scheme.

Shh tell no one!

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121246947#Comment_121246947

She is worth every cent

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258159#Comment_121258159

Can you clarify who his "most talented people" are? I'm curious as to who, and where they would step onwards.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258372#Comment_121258372

Don’t waste your valuable time in that area. RO.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259461#Comment_121259461

Ryan first of all, obviously. I suppose Miriam O’Callaghan next, Ray Darcy, Joe Duffy, few like that. Maybe Marty Morrissey in sport.

JohnFalstaff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258788#Comment_121258788

Disingenuous at best RoTelly. The Storyland scheme has always been aimed at developing talent as opposed to projects, and has fulfilled its remit in that regard. It's also a good example of RTE working as a public service broadcaster.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260503#Comment_121260503

All very disposable and replaceable - no loss.

Next.

Gadgetman496

Hollywood movie legend Jean-Claude Van Damme looks set to lead the Late Late Show line-up this week.

He celebrated his 63rd birthday in Belfast on Wednesday.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260780#Comment_121260780

He is promoting a whiskey he has a stake in apparently.

Loblox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260780#Comment_121260780

Fingers crossed for a Fatal Deviation shout-out.

skimpydoo

We all know the global phenomenon where's Wally/Waldo but there is now an Irish version. It's called where's Joe Duffy?

Duffy has been off RTE radio for the past 5 or 6 weeks and has only been seen on episodes of his prerecorded show The Meaning of Life.

How has NK managed to make sure this is verboten in the media? and Why has Duffy been off air?

SEPT 23 1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121261151#Comment_121261151

he is either sick or thrown all his toys out of the pram

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121261151#Comment_121261151

And has the LL listenership gone off a cliff - I highly doubt it, so come next pay negotiations...(that pay was always a travesty for a phone in show)

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121261170#Comment_121261170

It appears he won't take a pay cut so he has thrown a strop.

SEPT 23 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0MVaCOIfQI

...

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260556#Comment_121260556

I agree, but I think the scheme has largely never worked to develop any of the series that were produced. I thought the last 2 years they were well produced, and last night that the actors were good, even if it was a bit iffy and at time there was production over substance in the episode. But these would be mild criticisms of a 30 minute episode trying to quickly introduce characters and settings etc.

I would however point out that as a project RTÉ shouldn't need a co-funder involved.

RTÉ spend very little on independent Drama. Last years I think they spend just 2.2m, and this included Storyland and KIN alone, most of it going most likely to KIN. (I'd have to re-read the commissioning annual report).

I would also point out that the scheme should bring 6 to production not just 3. Along with the series been massively under promoted, unlike the 2 Johnnies.

Also RTÉ's commitment to "Great Local Drama" is nil when they still have an Acting Head Of Drama for the last 2 to 3 years.

RoTelly

So just a few thoughts on this as I procrastinate over something that I should be doing!

We are not going to see any radical changes. Look through all of the articles relating to this subject there is a perception that RTÉ has been a good public service broadcaster and just because of a few issues surrounding governance and management of the company we shouldn't loose sight of the fact that RTÉ has served the country well for the last 60 years.

I cannot even see minor changes in RTÉ and the running of RTÉ. Honestly, I see nothing changing only that the deals made will be, from now on, made with the rigors of strict governance. For example if you think that RTÉ should move itself away from Dublin, something that has been at least touted, you can seriously forget it, in actual fact I think largely RTÉ will begin a process of entrenching RTÉ in the leafy suburbs of Donnybrook, never shall it be move, after all what about the preservations orders and so on and so forth.

And with that said you can forget about reducing services... which can only mean you bail the broadcaster out of the mess that it got itself in and you blame bad governance on .... the antiquated funding methods.

I hope that other boardsters know that I don't advocated for either reduced services or RTÉ moving out of Dublin... my pipe dream is the complete breaking up of the organization into different areas, but not even the idea of the CO moving out of RTÉ will be pressed.

There was a point in the last Oireachtas meeting where RTÉ slipped back into its old engrained ideas, as one adman said that RTÉ don't even get a fraction of the ad revenue in Ireland, showing he'd no time for change and as if to put it to the PAC, aren't we amazing at the marvelous service that we provide.

And isn't it a marvelous service that is provided by RTÉ? Haven't we been so rewarded with progressive thinking, a questioning organization and a probing organization that has over the years had its battles with all and sundry. But it seems it has not time for any battles with itself.

I suppose at least we have good News and Sports production, because aren't they the true sign of public service broadcasting, forget the rest, at least we have Kinnaskully to repeat (because we never were arsed producing other comedies, and in the new regime you can kick comedy up Bishop Brennan's arse).

Do you ever remember any staff member not defend RTÉ with "Well you just can't compare us to the BBC" or "It cost so much money to produce a TV show" or "You don't seem to understand the costs involved"?

Yet the media and politicians all seem to be lining up to save RTÉ. They seem to believe that everyone is happy with the service that RTÉ has provided over the last century (though I think most would question any independence it had as a Radio service for the first 40 years). But the last 60 surly RTÉ is the only option and let them make their changes so that they can continue as they are.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/media-minister-expects-significant-changes-31241025

 “significant changes” in the governance and management of RTÉ

She expects "the combination of the initial reforms already in progress… coupled with reforms that will be introduced on foot of the recommendations of reviews in progress will lead to significant changes in the governance and management of RTÉ"

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/10/20/rte-is-in-enough-trouble-without-politicians-feasting-on-its-carcass/

Keep it as it is, but just deal with the governance.

The Nothing Burger exists, basically it is the cook is letting you look at the beef patty cooking on the grill, but has decided that you can look, hear and smell the glory of the beef being cooked ... but you won't get to chow down, and the cook will say ... "you know the substance of the burger is actually in the lettuce, if you get governance lettuce right you get the best burger ever!"

alzer100

Nice post Ro!