Broadcasting Forum

dmeehan

How will this broadcasting forum affect digital tv??
The indo said yesterday that it will be looking at rte's public broadcasting remit and gave an example that it might sell off 2fm. Will this lead to a seperate public broadcasting channel when rte goes digita.?

DMC

Well, its a good idea to have a look into RTE. After all, the BBC is reviewed each time its charter is renewed, so I think it is about time.

Now, I don't have much time for Sile Dev, she claims that 2FM is not public service. It is and/or it should be. Imagine the ructions that could occur if Radio 1, the BBC's popular music network was privatised.
2FM does have public service remits, its the national broadcasters popular music network, and if that then is sold off (family silver scenario here) then RTE will not be reaching that sector of the population effectively. Bad news. RTE could be seen as fuddy-duddy.

If this forum gave the opportunity to look into 2FM's programming and made a difference, it would be welcome, as I think voices like Gareth O'Callaghan, Toooooooooneeeeeeeeeee Fenton and Gerry Ryan are all middle-aged and are not reaching their target audience. (But leave Larry alone, he is a broadcasting genius)

For TV, they have wondered about the PSB commitments of Network 2. Again, for the same reasons as 2FM, alienating the youth audience etc. a bad mistake in years to come.

Dmeehan, I don't think it will affect Digital TV at all, that has been legislated in such a way that RTE don't own or are in charge on the infrastructure, this review will look on the programming and structure of RTE primarily (that's why I moved the thread to Irish TV, btw...) All of RTE's programming has to be PSB, not just one particular channel.

DMC

Just to add, this article was in yestedays Sindo, but todays Irish Times concise it well here....

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2002/0311/2840824218HM8RTEFORUM.html

Just so you follow what we are talking about

Sile Dev and Sindo. Favourite sports? Knocking RTE.....

icdg

Personally I believe that while 2FM is for the most part not really public service broadcasting, in an evironment where the licence fee clearly will not cover PSB, 2FM is a good way for RTE to make money to augment the licence fee and support programmes which are PSB-led. Perhaps there is a case for 2FM to be run by RTE CEL as a commercial service rather than in the licence fee division. (There should also be stronger ringfencing of CEL to ensure that no licence fee money goes towards the division. Any of RTE's activities which are clearly not public service should be run by CEL).

As for N2, well it seems to have lost its way somewhat. Most of the new RTE programmes introduced with the new N2 have disappeared, only News 2 and Podge and Rodge remain of the hip new N2 from 1997. Right now N2 is back where RTE Network Two was in 1996, tired and unsure of which way it is going. A revamp of N2 and an examination of its public service remit is certainly needed.

mike65

N2 and 2FM can't in any meaningful way be described as public service, N2 is just the place that US sitcoms go and "FM has nothing apart from Dave Fanning that is'nt bog standard top40 or golden oldies. Today FM is more interested in breaking new acts and playing indy stuff.

As for the forum well its a good thing but I doubt if its conclusions make any difference to anything. The media evironment is in very poor shape here.

Mike.

Elmo

I have to agree with what most of you say about RTE in relation to its public service remit.

I would agree that N2 and 2fm should be run as comercial companies for RTE.

However i would disagree with the sale of either of them.

2FM should be kept and made profitable so that the public don't have to here about the licence all the time.

N2 should be kept because if it was let become a private sector broadcaster it would just be another TV3.

N2 have shown the guts to produce irish drama at a time when irish drama other then Fair City is needed.

TV3 don't even have their own Soap, TG4 have.

And TG4 have a lot less money then TV3.

I think TV3 should get of its backside and make some real TV other then the news and The Weakest Link. (Oh yeah and that Breakfast show). and they should also stop relying on Granda for its out put.

DMC

Interesting views so far, most of you don't want to see Network 2 or 2FM severed from RTE, but see the PSB deficits in both.

At the moment, 2FM is profitable by itself, generating all its own revenue. That's great but as its part of the national broadcaster, its PSB commitments should be tightened, somewhat. I like the idea of a news/music led programme that Ryan Tubridy will be doing from next week. That has great possibilities. If anything, that will even out the critics of 2FM who say that they are not on a level playing field with the Indies with the commitment to news, that the local and national stations are tied to.

As Network 2 is seen as the sport and youth station, its output certainly needs to be looked at, and a new look (that doesn't date as quickly as the current one does)

My main point is that at the end of this forum, RTE should have some system, like the BBC charter, in place so that its PSB commitments are set out, but flexible in such a way that as it is a tiny national broadcaster that cant rely on a licence fee alone, it can make commercial judgements for the good of the audience.

Proper ring-fencing.

(now, how does one get on this forum? )

Elmo

I quite like the n2 symbol, I dont think it dates as much as the TV3 one AND THE AWFUL 2FM SYMBOL the should have just kept the simple one.

I think they have put alot of good work and efford into that symbol. much better then their previous efforts.

As for their youth out put, Its non existant.

Note:- RTE cut its irish output last year(with their cut backs and all), yet N2 lost 2TV, The movie show, cut FISH in half, Later on 2 disappeared, DFTG, 2 Phat. WHY?

Elmo

I thought that 2fm do not have to keep any news if it doesnt want to as the BCI does not control RTE?????????

Elmo

Just to say that I ment that all the programmes that disappeared from N2 were previous to the cutbacks at RTE.

icdg

Originally posted by Elmo
I quite like the n2 symbol, I dont think it dates as much as the TV3 one AND THE AWFUL 2FM SYMBOL the should have just kept the simple one.

I think they have put alot of good work and efford into that symbol. much better then their previous efforts.

Indeed, but its dated now. The previous one was part of a corporate look for RTE devised in 1995, hence it was an attempt to make Network Two look the same as RTE ONE. As for the one previous to that, it was a classic! Remember that it made its debut in 1988, it was still going strong eight years later...

As for their youth out put, Its non existant.

Note:- RTE cut its irish output last year(with their cut backs and all), yet N2 lost 2TV, The movie show, cut FISH in half, Later on 2 disappeared, DFTG, 2 Phat. WHY?

Later on 2 is/was still around, albiet on RTE ONE. The View is the reinarnation of the John Kelly segment, while Later with O'Leary has only recently been axed due to the cutbacks - it was moved to RTE ONE. The Clare McKeon strand never really worked (well, they did give Julian Simmons his RTE debut, for which we can't forgive them. )

As for DFTG, it was a good idea (so good they stole it from the Beeb) when it started, but never really recovered after changing its format in the third season, while losing Sean Moncrieff was the last straw.

2TV had been around for a long time - it was basically the Beatbox under a different name, and that had been on since the mid 1980s. I guess the idea of a simultanious radio/TV show was past its time.

What RTE need to now is come up with a reinvegorated N2. New programmes, a revitalised mission for a new decade. New idents and presentation will help, but they can't be the be all and end all. The success of the 1997 relaunch can't be measured in the presentation changes - important as they were - but the amount of new programmes and new scheduling also introduced at the time.

byte

I say bring back 2TV! I did enjoy Dave Fanning and what's-her-name on Sunday mornings. It has been a long time since it was simulcast with 2fm. It was a fantastic home-grown show and couldn't have been that expensive to make?

DFTG was great during it's first 2 seasons but when it changed the format, it was rubbish.

"I'm Monica Lewly, and I'm calling from a little town in the wesht of Ireland, called Ahasgra (spelling)"

DMC

http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0322/rte.html

Forum on Broadcasting members announced

Broadcasting forum
To examine role and funding of public service broadcasting
The members and terms of reference of the Forum on Broadcasting, set up by Arts Minister Sile� de Valera, were announced this evening.

Chaired by the former Governor of the Central Bank, Maurice O'Connell, the Forum will include John Horgan, Professor of Journalism at DCU, Jean Kallanan, Director of Sales and Marketing at Waterford Crystal, and Donal Kelly, former Political Editor of RTE

Also in the Forum will be Declan Kiberd, Head of the English Department at UCD, Gillian Bowler, Chairwoman of Budget Travel and a former member of the Independent Radio and Television Commission, and Patricia Quinn, Director of the Arts Council. The forum will make recommendations to the Minister by the end of July.


They will consider whether there are distinct roles for public and commercial-independent broadcasting services in the light of the increasing range of programme services available and likely to become available to Irish viewers and listeners via cable, satellite, and other outlets.


If there is such a role for public service broadcasting, the will address the issue of what arrangements should exist for determining and managing the allocation of public funding to support the desired services.


Among other subjects, the forum will also be asked whether there are distinct roles for public and commercial-independent broadcasters in the provision of services at national, regional and local services, and what responsibilities should broadcasters have for broadcasting in Irish and for cultural content.


The Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, Conor Maguire, welcomed the establishment of the forum. RTEs Director General, Bob Collins, said the organisation looked forward to contributing to the forthcoming public debate, and he believed the Irish people wanted and deserved a secure public sector broadcasting service.

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