Electric Picnic - no RTE coverage. BBC are all over Glastonbury

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123774880#Comment_123774880

No but they would have a plan in place within 6 months of a programme or a suggested programming going out, to investigate such rights. This wouldn't be a daily basis.

I didn't know RTÉ are making 400 people redundant, why is that?

TG4 have supported Kneecap so there is a relationship there already I will admit.

Wanderer78

so why has the site been locked down until the afternoon?

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123774892#Comment_123774892

for someone who has Telly spin their username you either seem to have no knowledge of RTE, what a public service broadcaster entails or you are simply a troll.

RTE previously did EP coverage, it was expensive and useless. Why are you so keen on RTE wasting money on it or wasting money even investigating whether it’s feasible?

The 6 month timeframe is laughable. electric picnic has already locked in its 2026 headline acts. Media rights for those acts would already have to be signed off and agreed by now if a festival was planning to be broadcast on TV or a streaming service

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123774967#Comment_123774967

I have a good knowledge you bring up this whataboutery of RTÉ redundancy and lack of money and you hint at my whataboutery. So yes technically I am trolling you because you seem not to take into consideration why RTÉ are making staff redundant.

How do you know their coverage was expensive? How much did it cost. As I said you seem to think that I want RTÉ to "waste" money on it, I don't and I think my original OP give 3 good "in fairness to RTÉ" for not running the EP, but production costs due to the nature of their general broadcast out put is not one of them.

I said a year to six months, if RTÉ are interested in next year they should have started work on the broadcast rights, I doubt they have even approached the organizers, and possibly for the reason I outlined. Which you agree with!

Finally I assume you work for RTÉ?

worded

TG4 showed that Electric Picnic can work on TV - so why won't RTÉ do it?

The national Irish language public service provider was the only station televising the country’s largest music festival

TG4 IS “REELING” after the success of their Electric Picnic broadcast, with a senior editor at the broadcaster describing it as a “milestone for Irish music and the Irish language”.

.. Click for The Journal article below..

https://www.thejournal.ie/tg4-was-the-only-station-televising-the-countrys-largest-music-festival-as-rte-decided-not-to-televise-the-festival-6804689-Sep2025/

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123777684#Comment_123777684

there is vastly different expectations of coverage between TG4 and RTE2. TG4 covering Irish language artists in a 90 min broadcast is great but RTE couldn’t get away with similar.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123777729#Comment_123777729

Can you name any production on RTÉ2 outside of this that is comparable to anything on TG4 in terms of new programming outside of sport?

So this is how the schedule did for RTÉ2, "because they have much more important things to show"

Friday from 7: Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage …. less than 35k … followed by Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy … less than 35k … Great Costal Railways Jorneys double bill … less than 35k… Those who wish me dead … 41k… Live at the apollo … less than 35k… Apples never fall .. less than 35k.. The Wives … less than 35k …

Saturday from 7: Women's RWC Aus V USA … 71k … Late Letter form your Lover … less than 35k… Rialto … less than 35k … Fake … less than 35k

Sunday from 7: Hilter's Gold … less than 35k… Asia… 36k … Inside the Four Season … 39k… The Report … less than 35k … Super Surgeons … less than 35k… Suspect … less than 35k .. Invisible Boys … less than 35k …

Now in fairness of the prime time shows in the list 3 got into the top 20, but the highest entry is 71K, while the Women's RWC ranges from 36k for analysis to 121K for the Ireland V Spain match over the weekend.

*Figures are adults (+15) does not include +1 channel or RTÉ Player

Fanirish

looks like RTE did well over the weekend with 80k in a field in Laois.
In 2014 EP coverage had 100k average viewers.
From cost perspective an episode of Stanley tucci in Italy costs nothing to the cost of broadcasting from EP. The viewership difference evidently doesn’t offset the costs involved.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778283#Comment_123778283

How do you work that out?

Is the 100K over the course of all EP broadcasts on RTÉ2 that year?

Mr. Tucci had less than 35K audiences for RTÉ2, do you have other info on that figure?

By your analysis RTÉ2 should stop making First Dates, The 2 Johnnies and the DIY make over show they have.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778294#Comment_123778294

it’s called google. RTE issued press release saying the 2014 Saturday EP coverage had 100k average viewership.
you are the one who posted the Stanley tucci viewership figure of 35k.

My analysis says nothing about those shows. A quick google says the 2 johnnies were getting 90k viewers in 2024 for their show. That seems great for such a show.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778436#Comment_123778436

I said less than 35K he didn't even reach the top 20 this week. RTÉ2 numbers have been shocking low outside of sport, they are no more than VMTV FIVE at this point.

90K for the 2 Johnnies ? is good ? but 100K for EP is bad?

For supposed top stars in the country 90K is a crazy low number, they should be getting between 150K and 200K. Same for First Date and their DIY show.

And it looks like it could become tradition, as the four-hour programme on Saturday was watched by an average of 104,400 viewers across the country and over one million tuned in to enjoy at least a minute of the TV offering as it aired.

That's the average until midnight 104,400.

That's 4 hours of TV getting 104,400 viewers, that is quite good when you consider that on Saturday night this year they had

WRWC - 71 K

Post Match Analysis - 36K

Between 8 and 9:30

And everything after 9:30 getting less than 35K.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778517#Comment_123778517

90K for the 2 Johnnies ? is good ? but 100K for EP is bad?

How much does it cost to put on an episode of the 2 Johnnies compared to broadcasting EP for an entire weekend?

I can imagine you're looking at at least 10x the cost.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778557#Comment_123778557

How many episodes do they do? What is the cost benefit? Both presenters would be on good money along with the production costs, plus the costs of guests.

And if they are doing so well why aren't RTÉ2 producing more content for the channel outside sport?

Also the argument put for RTÉ not providing coverage of the EP was because they had better things to show… this has now become a cost benefit rather than better things to show as a public service broadcaster.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778517#Comment_123778517

relative to the cost, the 2 johnnies show season of 6 episodes is filmed over two days.
so the cost of a 2 Johnny episode getting similar viewers to EP is plain as why EP is not broadcast.

This thread is going in roundabouts as you cannot seem to grasp that EP coverage is an enormous financial and administrative undertaking and was previously of sub standard quality due to music rights issues.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778577#Comment_123778577

No clue, never watched them but if they average 90k it's up there as one of their most watched shows outside of sporting events.

I reckon I was being ultra conservative there with 10x. There's no way even 10 episodes of a an hour long studio show with no major guests is going to cost anywhere near the level of broadcasting EP for the weekend.

As pointed out by @Fanirish, paying for broadcasting rights to the artists would be expensive, never mind a full crew down there for a weekend.

Not a hope it'd be worth it.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778588#Comment_123778588

If this is the case why are RTÉ not producing more content for RTÉ2?

You've decided that RTÉ is doing a good job, you seem to think that audience of less than 35k is good in prime on a Satuday night, while you also seem to think that 71k is Good for a sporting event.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778591#Comment_123778591

As I say if the 2 Johnnies, First Dates and the DIY shows are doing so well why has RTÉ2 no other programming for the channel?

I would also say I have never argued for EP to air on RTÉ2 but rather to show that money is not the issue, and as a public service broadcaster they have to weigh up Public service broadcasts with commercial ones, clearly RTÉ2's schedule is lacking anything of commercial or public worth.

I would also point out at the very beginning when I came into this thread I had list Rights as an issue.

Rocket_GD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778619#Comment_123778619

When have I ever said they're doing so well? Just that it's one of their highest viewed shows that isn't a sporting event.

Well unless you can advise how much it would cost to broadcast EP for the weekend then you cannot say for sure that money isn't the issue?

And don't send links to other area's RTÉ spends money on, you've discussed that to death and it's been explained to you.

Widescreen

What about all that Women’s soccer RTÉ spend money on?! Never hear any chat about the women’s soccer at the coffee dock in the morning . In fact I have met no woman yet that has any interest in it. They are just showing stuff to be ‘politically correct’ all the time. They could easily do a highlights programme on Electric Picnic with key tracks from main acts. No imagination in RTÉ I’m afraid

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778630#Comment_123778630

True but the fact that its their best show outside of sport, that's not good.

I agree I don't know how much the 2014 edition cost to produce. I believe a half hour of standard TV can be at the lowest 50k but it is a while since I had a figure for that.

Other non-areas of content that RTÉ have spent money? Sorry I don't get that last point.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778619#Comment_123778619

I’m sure if the 2 johnnies wanted to do a dozen episodes a season RTE would jump at it but those lads are busy running their podcast and concert empire.

RTE has to balance its budget between Irish produced content and licenced content from abroad such as Stanley tucci eating pasta. One of those is far more expensive than the other hence a reliance on licensed content from aboard.

sending an Irish celeb to Italy to eat pasta is far more expensive than pay the fee to broadcast Stanley tucci doing it.

I never said RTE is doing a good job, I never said that 35k is a good audience for a show or that 70k for a sporting event.

most people are well aware that terrestrial tv live viewing figures have nose dived everywhere as they themselves rely on streaming services etc. so RTE, bbc, itv, channel 4 performance has be viewed in that context.
It’s not the 1980’s we’re there was only 5 channels and no internet.

RTE remit includes providing entertainment to the Irish population : light entertainment such as first dates, 2 johnnies or Stanley tucci meet that definition.

Money and rights is the issue with EP coverage. Not sure why you cannot understand that.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778653#Comment_123778653

A public service broadcast for sport, I see no real issue TBH. TG4 provide live LoI games for women. As I say for the audience that RTÉ2 gets women's sport have been so what of a life saver for them, as they have really invest little in other programming content.

The cost of Euros, World Cups production is largely with the rights holders, RTÉ coverage of any large international sporting events is largely anaylsis, rights, broadcast and commentary. This is a reason why VMTV had no interest in the All Ireland's as they would foot the bill for the broadcast of those national games.

Dodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778653#Comment_123778653

They get the rights to the women’s football for nothing. RTE choosing to cover them has literally no impact on their decision not to cover Electric Picnic

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778680#Comment_123778680

There others outside of the 2 Johnnies, I am not suggesting more of their episodes. Other similar programmes.

Yes but as I say look across the schedule RTÉ2 could just be Stanley munching on some paste and a nazi documentry on repeat.

I am not suggesting that RTÉ produce that type of show. Though why not?

Ah now we are into the issue of audience for Terrestrial TV and how they are on the way down. But RTÉ2 has been massively effected by this much more so than others.

I don't believe that the tiny number of Irish entertainment shows or any Irish programming meets an requirement that could be set out for RTÉ2. As I say you compare TG4 coverage of EP to that of RTÉ2 but you can clearly see that over all outside of sport TG4 do far more than RTÉ2 in terms of Irish Programming, and its not because they have a bigger budget.

I don't understand no matter how much I say I agree with you on Rights, you seem to want to ignore that part of anything I have said, you don't even acknowledge this.

RoTelly

I can only assume that in the annual report of 2014 their coverage of the EP was put down under the sub heading of Music, page 116 if your interested.

RTÉ2 spent a total of 454K on music programmes that year that is up from 108K in 2013, in 2015 it was up again to 564K, with a drop in 2016 to 414K

They covered the EP in 2014, 15 and 16.

In 2017 music cost RTÉ2 626K and in 2022 €374k, not sure why it is so high in either year compared to 2013 considering coverage of music on the channel and the one or two music programmes it produces.

But either way RTÉ are not spending any more for music on RTÉ2 than they did in 2014, 15 or 16.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778769#Comment_123778769

so it cost between 200k -300k for 4 hours of EP coverage in 2014 and similarly for other years.

Clear as day so why RTE not touching it with a barge pole. 50k -60k per broadcast hour

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123778862#Comment_123778862

I wouldn't be so confident on that, as subsequent years are not much different but it does raise the question what did RTÉ do on RTÉ2 that would make them spend as much in years when they did not broadcast the EP, its not like RTÉ2 has many home produced music programmes airing on the channel.

That's about 50 - 75K per hour for EP or any live one day event, also I had said 50K to 60K on a half hour of broadcast, but I am open to correction on that.

RoTelly

So this is my final thoughts on the whole Issue

If EP broadcast rights are available: -

1. Is EP important on a cultural level? 5/10, on balance it wouldn't be high on my list
2. Is EP going drive revenue? 2/10, no little to nothing, it might provide a return in marketing for RTÉ, but little else
3. Is EP going to provide RTÉ with some good critical response? 5/10, who's to say but likely no, from past experience, but then RTÉ is often criticized when they produce anything.
4. Is RTÉ2 doing anything else? 0/10, RTÉ2 is doing little culturally and look like they have no want to do so, based on the last decade of programming (and the announcement of their programmes for the year)
5. Is RTÉ spending money elsewhere that is unnecessary or have you done so in the past? Yes, there are plenty of examples of waste that the audience and general public can see and on this I don't see the waste in paying for EP, unless things change. I suppose if 10 people in RTÉ can get 25K in car allowances I don't see why unless you cut this spend and/or spend it on content.
6. Finally on the above would you consider EP for broadcast/streaming? It remains 50:50 for me. But RTÉ's discretionary spending is more wasteful.

But that is just my view.