What do I know, that RTÉ doesn't?

Our man in Havana

Mossy Monk wrote:

tough **** so

Indeedy!

Elmo

I think we should all get over the Bill. I don't want to watch either old or new episodes.

You will notice that RTE where quick to put the bill on at 5:30 as soon as they lost Corronation Street. And quick to buy in Neighbours, EastEnders, Crossroads, Doctors and plenty of other soaps to compensate for the lose of Coronations Street.

They get a tiny bit - the license fee pays for RTE News and Current Affairs, who produce Nuacht, Timpeall na Tire, Féilte etc for TG4 at no cost to TG 4.

The also get some from the sound and vision fund.

fly_agaric

DublinWriter wrote:

I could live with that considering I'd be €147 better off a year.

The question is how would you like to see RTE funded anyway? Would it get any tax money at all? Would it become a private company?

DublinWriter wrote:

RTE produce minimal drama...can you even name three productions they've produced in the last 5 years off the top of your head?

The "Irish" programs on RTE are mostly bought/ordered from small producers rather than being made by RTE aren't they? They will have less money to do that without the licence fee, won't they?

DublinWriter wrote:

If you think they're impartial to political influence then explain why Bull Island and Scrap Saturday were cancelled at the height of their runs?

If you think they're impartial to commercial influence then explain why RTE has never had a investigative consumer affairs programme such as BBC's Watchdog?

I don't believe I ever said anything about RTE's impartiality, did I?

They may be less wary about what the govt. thinks if they are not getting a licence fee (basically a sort of tax) but my argument was that they'll care even more about commercial realities.
So, the more ads the better. Cheap and nasty programs that are still reasonably popular. Minimal news + current affairs or sensationalist + distorting news and current affairs if that will attract viewers.

DublinWriter wrote:

RTE are like the Aer Lingus of the airwaves. Fat, bloated, top-heavy with all the worst working traits of the Civil Service.

Starving RTE of money could make it more efficient. And with the licence fee gone (+ assuming it gets no other govt. funding) you will have saved some money. That seems to be all that matters isn't it?

Who cares if RTE's output is worse due to the starving process because we can all pay for SKY (with the money we save maybe?) or watch the BBC instead.:rolleyes:

DublinWriter wrote:

Instead of comparing to TV3, look at what TG4 do on a shoestring.

But as you pointed out, they are still getting govt. money rather than relying entirely on ads aren't they? They couldn't survive otherwise could they?

Elmo

But as you pointed out, they are still getting govt. money rather than relying entirely on ads aren't they? They couldn't survive otherwise could they?

TG4 are on a shoestring budget yet they have the same operating budget as TV3 (TV3 prob has more).

TG4 invest their budget across the board equally, 3million on foreign imports, 3million on sport, 5million on drama (exception), 3million on Childrens TV, 3million on factual TV, 3million in house/running costs. 3 its a magic number

TV3 spend 6.8 million on staffing TV3, as most of their programming is in house I cann't see them spending much more money on home produced shows save the odd hype yearly e.g. Dunphy, The Box, Cortney, Haunted House and weakest Link. The rest is spend on imports and investors dividends. $$$$$$$$$£££££££££ Their add rev is at least 30mil.

Their is no reason that TV3 (or RTE Two for that matter) couldn't have done what TG4 do and now be close to RTE One's audience and have just the same amount of money going to their investors and on foreign imports. Remember one of the main reason TG4 doesn't get viewers its because it is in Irish, hence its tiny advertising revenue.

iguana

I can't believe there's been no mention of that class blend of "this life," "friends" and "sex in the city." 2003's Big Bow Wow Club!!!!!:D

nlgbbbblth

superdudeman007 wrote:

VCRs are dead.

Not true.
VHS as a format for rental / sale is practically extinct aside from children's movies and sports / exercise productions.
However for making timeshift recordings from television, VCRs will be around for a long time yet. Everybody I know still owns a working one and they are still sold in the shops.

Dixons do not speak for all retailers in this country.

nlgbbbblth

superdudeman007 wrote:

Lastnight's was copyrighted 2001

Doesn't sound right.

This would suggest otherwise.

Elmo

In relation to the Bill ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! why has this point taken over the thread? but anyway.

I could be wrong when I say this since I don't watch the bill, but are RTE dividing hour long episodes into 2 parters for their 5:30 slot?

nlgbbbblth

Elmo wrote:

In relation to the Bill ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! why has this point taken over the thread? but anyway.

I could be wrong when I say this since I don't watch the bill, but are RTE dividing hour long episodes into 2 parters for their 5:30 slot?

sounds crazy if they are doing that.

I have the first two series of The Bill on DVD [1984 and 1985]. Episodes for the first three series were 50 minutes in duration.

Worth a purchase.

RainyDay

The Prime Time documentary on Leas Cross nursing home was worth the entire €147 fee on its own.

Elmo

I have the first two series of The Bill on DVD [1984 and 1985]. Episodes for the first three series were 50 minutes in duration

Maybe ITV will axe this show and all the others and come up with something new. No show should be on the air for more then 10 years IMO.

superdudeman007

fly_agaric wrote:

The question is how would you like to see RTE funded anyway? Would it get any tax money at all? Would it become a private company?

RTE News is probably the only part of RTE that we really depend on anyway. One RTE channel - news, current affairs and Dáil feeds - could get by on ad revenue. Any other channel could show imports etc.

If Irish people really wanted to see Irish productions that badly, private stations would make them.

superdudeman007

nlgbbbblth wrote:

Doesn't sound right

"Copyright (c) MMI" beside the old ITV end board. Wikipedia has nothing to do with it.

superdudeman007

So anyway, What do I know, that RTÉ doesn't?

byte

superdudeman007: You don't need to post after yourself, just edit the previous post.

Elmo

If Irish people really wanted to see Irish productions that badly, private stations would make them.

It is cheaper and easier to buy in shows then to produce them, and you make a load of money, It has nothing to do with what viewers want.

Nearly all of RTE's top shows are Irish Shows.

Wheels

superdudeman007 wrote:

RTE News is probably the only part of RTE that we really depend on anyway. One RTE channel - news, current affairs and Dáil feeds - could get by on ad revenue. Any other channel could show imports etc.

If Irish people really wanted to see Irish productions that badly, private stations would make them.

What rubbish, as a PSB RTE should of course be required to make Irish Productions. Private stations would not make them, and if they did they wouldn't have half as much money or quality behind them. Look at the drivel the "private" TV3 produces. Or just check any of the "private" channels on Sky. Orinigal content there consists of a home shopping or imported shows.

With regards to VCR's, RTE were never "telling you" to buy a VCR. While the channels scheduling cannot be built around every viewer. There are only so many hours in the day and if you miss a show, you miss a show. Just because you pay a license fee doesn't mean you have a bigger right then anyone else to demand when a show is on.

Elmo

With regards to VCR's, RTE were never "telling you" to buy a VCR. While the channels scheduling cannot be built around every viewer. There are only so many hours in the day and if you miss a show, you miss a show. Just because you pay a license fee doesn't mean you have a bigger right then anyone else to demand when a show is on.

The scheduling of shows on RTE is ****. Lets just look at what they do with shows like CSI and Law and Order which RTE have viewers for. 24 is another example.

Showing new episodes of shows at 3 in the morning, while repeating plenty of shows during prime time.

Look at the drivel the "private" TV3 produces.

TV3 produces shows to fit in with its requirements. They could have innovation if they wanted but are to scared to rock the boat.

seamus21514

superdudeman007 wrote:

I've heard that Veronica Mars was huge in the US, but don't have a chance to check out a single episode because RTÉ are showing it at 3pm rather than in prime time, or when they're showing 5-year-old half-episodes of The Bill

It's not huge. it's a good show that was on upn, and is now on the CW. And it still exists. You can watch the first episode of the 3rd season on myspace.

Elmo

After watching two episodes of the bill on RTE One I have concluded that RTE are showing the first half of the show one day and the second half of the show the next day.

I suppose it goes with their schedule.

They are currently showing the 2002 series of the show.

Dreadful muck it is too.