nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

RTE want to double TV licence fee

Cee-Jay-Cee

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/its-incredible-value-for-money-rtes-new-director-general-thinks-licence-fee-should-be-doubled-35554991.html

So the director general who earns €250,000 a year which is paid by you and me through out tv licence fee thinks it should be doubled (to €320) a year as its 'terrific value for money' Well the silly old cow would say that wouldn't she but she's having a laugh if she thinks RTE is terrific value for money.

I watch the news at 6 or 9pm maybe 2 or 3 times a week and that's it, RTE have absolutely nothing else of interest to me so I certainly don't think its value for money, it think its a complete rip off considering the shíte they routinely dole out over the airwaves. `

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

mikhail

Manach wrote: »

But if we do not pay double or even triple the current fee the talented people in RTE will be poached by other broadcasters in the U.K. /sarc.

Oh no, they'd make quality programmes with the BBC that we could watch for free. Thank God RTÉ save us from that particular hell.

Bob24

VinLieger wrote: »

RTE disclosed them then broadsheet got someone to try and break them down and that's what the post is about, the breakdown is pretty flawed if you read the comment explaining how much they get wrong and is basically just full of uninformed assumptions

Hopefully RTÉ journalists can learn a lesson or two from this.

Using out of context and misinterpreted raw figures is something I've seen them doing in the past to get a bit of social media buzz. Good for them ot be on the other side of the fence this time.

VinLieger

Rick Shaw wrote: »

I didn't see the comment, but who provided the figures that are being torn apart?

RTE disclosed them then broadsheet got someone to try and break them down and that's what the post is about, the breakdown is pretty flawed if you read the comment explaining how much they get wrong and is basically just full of uninformed assumptions

McMurphy

VinLieger wrote: »

Read one of the comments tearing apart the analysis, as much as I hate RTE and the license fee the break down of figures claimed is quite off

I didn't see the comment, but who provided the figures that are being torn apart?

inforfun

Love it that they try to make it look "smaller" by losing a few 0's.

On another note.... how the **** do you cancel your "membership" to the tv-license.
A few simple mouse clicks on line and you are hooked for life, but get rid of your tv and they want the notification in Morse code ,on uneven days of the week only, during even months between 2 am and 2.07 am.

Wouldn't care too much about cancelling but my LL always paid in my name so they have my name.

VinLieger

Rick Shaw wrote: »

Did anyone else see Broadsheets article about RTE yesterday?
No wonder they want to double the fee.

Nice work if you can get it.

Read one of the comments tearing apart the analysis, as much as I hate RTE and the license fee the break down of figures claimed is quite off

McMurphy

Did anyone else see Broadsheets article about RTE yesterday?
No wonder they want to double the fee.

RTAuthority chair Moya Doherty is paid twice what her fellow directors get paid.

Is Ms Doherty worth 100% more than anyone else? Argue that among yourselves but I would have to state, without any apology, that €3,100 plus mileage etc, per meeting, is outrageous.

And while it pales the other sum of €1,600 per head, €1,600 is still outrageous. It is an abuse of taxpayers’ money in my very humble opinion

And it’s all multiplied by 10.

The sum of €41,000 is also recorded for mileage and subsistence (up ten grand from previous) for directors. This is €41,000 of expenses.

Interestingly, there is good attendance at meetings, but with this kind of stipend per meeting why wouldn’t there be?

Charities and your local credit unions are forbidden from paying their directors any fees so why should RT

Why, in receipt of €179,100,000 from taxpayers, should RTbe allowed pay a multi-millionaire €3,100 to attend a meeting? And, repeat it, month after month for 10 meetings a year?

A hospital would never get away with that.

Also, Aengus MacGrianna is the staff representative on the board, and gets this €1,600 (aka a €16k annual top-up.) Why is this coming from RT Why isn’t his union paying it?

Perhaps the Broadsheet commentariat could decide the answer to this and my other questions between yourselves. But do let me know the outcome.

Nice work if you can get it.

[Deleted User]

Seanachai wrote: »

It is very coercive at the moment, if an employee in a regular job showed the same incompetence in their role as Tubridy does in interview skill and tact, then they would have been let go a long time ago. Then there's the distinct impression that he gives off that being in the chair is like some sort of burden he has to bear! I know we're a small country but there must be somebody with nous and charisma out there that would actually enjoy the job and give people some decent entertainment.

I agree 100%. Of course there are plenty of people out there who would do a better job than Tubridy and co. It wouldn't be difficult to improve on their performance. Tubridy has no ability to think critically and spot interesting lines of inquiry in interviews, he just spouts the trending opinion and sticks to the obvious. He really has nothing insightful to say or anything interesting or original to offer. He is unable to have any genuine craic with guests and gets sensitive and childish when anyone pokes fun at him. The list goes on. Add to all that his unbelievable snobbishness and you have a disgusting mix. He dismisses people who criticize him as "people in bedsits watching star trek". This really shows how disconnected from reality he is. It's regular people who want a decent service that criticize him, not just reclusive oddballs. The reference to "bedsits" demonstrates his attitude towards people who are less privileged than himself and his disconnect from serious social issues. Also, how can he insult people who watch Star Trek when he goes out of his way to construct a nerdy image for himself? He is a very false person. There is also an interview with him in the independent recently about his new children's book on JFK (disturbing carry on in itself!) and it shows what a vacuous fake he is. He has nothing to offer and symbolizes many of the problems in RTE and this country as a whole.

We are churning out graduates from many disciplines who want to get into media and there is nowhere for them to go. Many are talented, passionate, well-informed and capable, but they don't have a chance because RTE's doors are closed to anyone outside of the existing circle of cronies. There is no sign of any of this changing, which as I said before, is a bit sad.

Seanachai

mistersifter wrote: »

This argument that the licence fee "is good value" is really all they've got in their attempts to justify it. However, it does not hold up at all because "value" is subjective. Value does not exist unless the person who is purchasing the item perceives it. If a person is being forced to pay for something that they do not want, it cannot truly be considered "good value".

Hypothetical situation: I happily spend 10,000 euros on a new, top of the range guitar and think it's great value. My girlfriend batters me because she thinks I've wasted a load of hard-earned cash. What if I were to re-sell the 10,000 euro guitar to you for 5,000 euros? You're not interested, you say!? But I'm forcing you to buy it off me - so, HA! Now, listen, you can't re-sell it to someone else ok? Cos that's the law! It doesn't matter that you have no interest in learning to play. But dont worry because it's an amazing guitar and you're getting a great deal because you're getting it for below the average market price. So, do you think you're getting good value , or, do you think are you getting screwed over?

If RTE think that the fee is such "good value", why don't they put into place a system where people can CHOOSE whether or not they want the service? Putting such a system in place is not a technically difficult feat obviously. Surely, if RTE heads have confidence in the excellence of their "deal" , they would not fear customer choice. Surely, people would continue to pay them to get this brilliant service RTE are offering!? Good value? Go away outta that!

The observation that overall RTE salaries are WAY higher than we are led to believe highlights an issue that needs to be discussed more. I say this because the RTE's "top talent" are usually defended by saying that their salaries , although high, are only a drop in the ocean of costs and that reducing them would not make any real difference. This is obviously not the case and even if it were, there is a moral issue here. No civil servant should be earning half a million quid per year when it takes the average person a decade to make that sort of money. Especially not sh*t civil servants. I have never heard anybody outside of RTE say that the wages of the likes of Ryan Tubridy are justified at approximately 500,000 euros per year. Even those that do listen to him could not and probably would not attempt to justify this expense. Same goes for the other "stars". I cant even comprehend how people think his salary should be capped at 150,000. This is still a huge amount of money. Maybe it doesn't seem so when considering what half a million quid will get you. I would like wages capped at far less because the current situation is sick, unfair and actually a bit sad.

The other argument that "increases are necessary because so many people are dodging the fee", is bull****, too. If all the dodgers paid tomorrow, would we see a decrease? I don't think so. Would we see wage increases? It wouldn't surprise me. Maybe the best way to get the dodgers on board is to offer fair deals to the public and clean up what is in many ways a rotten organisation.

I hope a serious protest takes place against this carry on soon because the licence fee problem is clearly only going to get worse.

It is very coercive at the moment, if an employee in a regular job showed the same incompetence in their role as Tubridy does in interview skill and tact, then they would have been let go a long time ago. Then there's the distinct impression that he gives off that being in the chair is like some sort of burden he has to bear! I know we're a small country but there must be somebody with nous and charisma out there that would actually enjoy the job and give people some decent entertainment.

[Deleted User]

This argument that the licence fee "is good value" is really all they've got in their attempts to justify it. However, it does not hold up at all because "value" is subjective. Value does not exist unless the person who is purchasing the item perceives it. If a person is being forced to pay for something that they do not want, it cannot truly be considered "good value".

Hypothetical situation: I happily spend 10,000 euros on a new, top of the range guitar and think it's great value. My girlfriend batters me because she thinks I've wasted a load of hard-earned cash. What if I were to re-sell the 10,000 euro guitar to you for 5,000 euros? You're not interested, you say!? But I'm forcing you to buy it off me - so, HA! Now, listen, you can't re-sell it to someone else ok? Cos that's the law! It doesn't matter that you have no interest in learning to play. But dont worry because it's an amazing guitar and you're getting a great deal because you're getting it for below the average market price. So, do you think you're getting good value , or, do you think are you getting screwed over?

If RTE think that the fee is such "good value", why don't they put into place a system where people can CHOOSE whether or not they want the service? Putting such a system in place is not a technically difficult feat obviously. Surely, if RTE heads have confidence in the excellence of their "deal" , they would not fear customer choice. Surely, people would continue to pay them to get this brilliant service RTE are offering!? Good value? Go away outta that!

The observation that overall RTE salaries are WAY higher than we are led to believe highlights an issue that needs to be discussed more. I say this because the RTE's "top talent" are usually defended by saying that their salaries , although high, are only a drop in the ocean of costs and that reducing them would not make any real difference. This is obviously not the case and even if it were, there is a moral issue here. No civil servant should be earning half a million quid per year when it takes the average person a decade to make that sort of money. Especially not sh*t civil servants. I have never heard anybody outside of RTE say that the wages of the likes of Ryan Tubridy are justified at approximately 500,000 euros per year. Even those that do listen to him could not and probably would not attempt to justify this expense. Same goes for the other "stars". I cant even comprehend how people think his salary should be capped at 150,000. This is still a huge amount of money. Maybe it doesn't seem so when considering what half a million quid will get you. I would like wages capped at far less because the current situation is sick, unfair and actually a bit sad.

The other argument that "increases are necessary because so many people are dodging the fee", is bull****, too. If all the dodgers paid tomorrow, would we see a decrease? I don't think so. Would we see wage increases? It wouldn't surprise me. Maybe the best way to get the dodgers on board is to offer fair deals to the public and clean up what is in many ways a rotten organisation.

I hope a serious protest takes place against this carry on soon because the licence fee problem is clearly only going to get worse.

nice_guy80

If most of their 'stars' were out of a job next week would many people actually miss them?

just hire younger, equally as capable presenters

gargargar

Is there any of talent in RTE? Miriam/Tubs/Darcy ... not in my opinion. Cap the salaries and let those who want more leave the country. There would be a line of people to take their jobs.

foxtrot101

flutered wrote: »

with dubious stars on unreal dosh, what are middle and upper management on, what about the internal set up of the workforce, are archanic work practices in place

From 2015...

• Some 83 staff members on pay of more than €100,000.

• Eighteen were paid over €150,000.

• Three had basic salaries of more than €200,000.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-pays-80-staff-10m-on-top-of-3m-for-star-broadcasters-29166095.html

flutered

Calypso 1 wrote: »

So see Forbes wants to double the licence fee, the quality of programmes has declined so much, what with numerous cookery programmes, Daithi o Shea an absolute embarrassment,etc, etc it's not worth the current fee
Perhaps they should reduce the outrageous salaries they pay, their presenters, no wonder they are in financial difficulty

with dubious stars on unreal dosh, what are middle and upper management on, what about the internal set up of the workforce, are archanic work practices in place

TheQuietFella

BlinkingLights wrote: »

RTE should be banned from using public funds to chase big names.

I support public service programming but i don't support using public funds to engage in bidding wars for 'talent'.

Maybe it's just me but what big names or even talent is at RTE?

I don't watch a lot of T.V. an odd sports programme maybe and a small bit of radio!

BlinkingLights

I think you need a situation where you've a cap on the public contribution to salleries.

RTE should be banned from using public funds to chase big names.

A huge part of their role ought to be developing new talent and those who are staff presenters and producers have much better terms of employment and far more scope to do creative non commercially driven programming. It should be a very attractive place to work for a creative programme maker.

I support public service programming but i don't support using public funds to engage in bidding wars for 'talent'.

Calypso 1

So see Forbes wants to double the licence fee, the quality of programmes has declined so much, what with numerous cookery programmes, Daithi o Shea an absolute embarrassment,etc, etc it's not worth the current fee
Perhaps they should reduce the outrageous salaries they pay, their presenters, no wonder they are in financial difficulty

Shurimgreat

I think eventually RTE management will have to face reality, much like with BE, that RTE now exists in a very competitive market. With a decline in viewers and listeners, they will take in less revenue from advertisement. This means they rely more heavily on the licence fee.

I have no problem with a fee for consuming content on laptops or various other screens. But why should RTE then hoover up this fee?

RTE is yet another protected monopoly whose days I think are numbered. When we see the major "stars" take a significant paycut, then there might be an argument for a licence fee increase. But we well know, 5 minutes after a licence fee increase, the big "stars" will get a pay rise and very little of the new money will go towards new content.

Joshua J

masculinist wrote: »

The great lie keeps rearing its' ugly head that ''RTE does investigative journalism and news well'' . Its a favored lie of vested interests and morons.

The reality is all breaking news gets to the internet first and thats where I always see it first. RTE often never covers an important story at all. Not at all.
I learned about the Cologne New Years Eve rapes on the internet.
I learned the truth about President Trump on the internet and about the corruption of Hillary Clinton, about the Clinton Foundation , and about the EU failing always to balance their budget , Le Pen , Wilders , Merkel , and so on.

RTE continues to censor current scandals in the same way it never exposed Charles Haughey until he had one foot in a coffin. And it genuflected to the child abusers in the church and kissed their rings. I dont' expect change decades later [in some cases over 60 years later] from that incestuous organization therefore I demand it liquidates. Ireland lacks investigate journalism and RTE does not impartially and independently provide them despite being funded by so much public money for so long. The public interest is not served by RTE.
I learned about the IMF coming to Ireland on the internet . It wasnt on RTE. RTE had a news story at 6 pm back then about a potato farmer ''entrepreneur''. Good thing there was plenty of manure from RTE to help this businessman out. And of course we apparently ''had the most solvent banks in Europe'' according to the wafflers in Montrose. You could stand those wafflers out in front of wind turbines and power the country.

Do you really think anyone has time these days to sit around while a bunch of overpaid professional liars waffle on about their vested interests dressed up as personal opinions as though their opinions were more important than anyone elses ? We are too busy slaving away to pay the thousand of small bills and tax increase which feed the parasitical class above us.

The future of media is interactive with huge dollops of libertarian free speech which treats its audience as adults instead of as commodities and subjects. RTE's function is to reflect a false consensus to the individual viewer who will take the easy path of not opposing a fake reflection of society, one which puts RTE on a pedestal and demoralize the righteous despite the TV licence being universally hated

RTE is the propaganda wing of the Government. It's useful in so far as to ascertain what agenda the Government are running at a given time. As for truth/facts/unbiased journalism?. Please.

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.”

-Mark Twain

Kivaro

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

RTE is not the public broadcaster, Its the state broadcaster.

RTE's job is to tell you what the state wants you to hear,not whats in the public interest.

Nothing really to add here .............. just wanted to quote your username.

Wabbit Ears

masculinist wrote: »

The great lie keeps rearing its' ugly head that ''RTE does investigative journalism and news well'' . Its a favored lie of vested interests and morons.

The reality is all breaking news gets to the internet first and thats where I always see it first. RTE often never covers an important story at all. Not at all.
I learned about the Cologne New Years Eve rapes on the internet.
I learned the truth about President Trump on the internet and about the corruption of Hillary Clinton, about the Clinton Foundation , and about the EU failing always to balance their budget , Le Pen , Wilders , Merkel , and so on.

RTE continues to censor current scandals in the same way it never exposed Charles Haughey until he had one foot in a coffin. And it genuflected to the child abusers in the church and kissed their rings. I dont' expect change decades later [in some cases over 60 years later] from that incestuous organization therefore I demand it liquidates. Ireland lacks investigate journalism and RTE does not impartially and independently provide them despite being funded by so much public money for so long. The public interest is not served by RTE.
I learned about the IMF coming to Ireland on the internet . It wasnt on RTE. RTE had a news story at 6 pm back then about a potato farmer ''entrepreneur''. Good thing there was plenty of manure from RTE to help this businessman out. And of course we apparently ''had the most solvent banks in Europe'' according to the wafflers in Montrose. You could stand those wafflers out in front of wind turbines and power the country.

Do you really think anyone has time these days to sit around while a bunch of overpaid professional liars waffle on about their vested interests dressed up as personal opinions as though their opinions were more important than anyone elses ? We are too busy slaving away to pay the thousand of small bills and tax increase which feed the parasitical class above us.

The future of media is interactive with huge dollops of libertarian free speech which treats its audience as adults instead of as commodities and subjects. RTE's function is to reflect a false consensus to the individual viewer who will take the easy path of not opposing a fake reflection of society, one which puts RTE on a pedestal and demoralize the righteous despite the TV licence being universally hated

RTE is not the public broadcaster, Its the state broadcaster.

RTE's job is to tell you what the state wants you to hear,not whats in the public interest.

fiachr_a

Do they still sell 11" monitors?

222233

I pay my netflix subscription because I watch Netflix, why the hell would I pay a licence fee for something I don't use?

It would be like taxing a car you don't have. Why don't they just make everyone pay road tax, makes more sense everyone uses a road in some shape or form.

ItsShane

I know Im late to the discussion and someone has already mentioned it.

RTÉ have a lot of advertisments on their broadcasts. IMO, that should be sufficient.
If TV3 get on alright without the backing of a large fee and TG4 (with their shoestring budget) can make quality programming, then it's clear the problem lays with RTE and how they use their funds.
They can go and ****e.

Cienciano

I wonder if anything about a subscription service or username and password attached to your TV licence number even been discussed? Or is it just an excuse to get more money for a service many don't want?

Actually, don't bother answering that, I think I know the answer

masculinist

The great lie keeps rearing its' ugly head that ''RTE does investigative journalism and news well'' . Its a favored lie of vested interests and morons.

The reality is all breaking news gets to the internet first and thats where I always see it first. RTE often never covers an important story at all. Not at all.
I learned about the Cologne New Years Eve rapes on the internet.
I learned the truth about President Trump on the internet and about the corruption of Hillary Clinton, about the Clinton Foundation , and about the EU failing always to balance their budget , Le Pen , Wilders , Merkel , and so on.

RTE continues to censor current scandals in the same way it never exposed Charles Haughey until he had one foot in a coffin. And it genuflected to the child abusers in the church and kissed their rings. I dont' expect change decades later [in some cases over 60 years later] from that incestuous organization therefore I demand it liquidates. Ireland lacks investigate journalism and RTE does not impartially and independently provide them despite being funded by so much public money for so long. The public interest is not served by RTE.
I learned about the IMF coming to Ireland on the internet . It wasnt on RTE. RTE had a news story at 6 pm back then about a potato farmer ''entrepreneur''. Good thing there was plenty of manure from RTE to help this businessman out. And of course we apparently ''had the most solvent banks in Europe'' according to the wafflers in Montrose. You could stand those wafflers out in front of wind turbines and power the country.

Do you really think anyone has time these days to sit around while a bunch of overpaid professional liars waffle on about their vested interests dressed up as personal opinions as though their opinions were more important than anyone elses ? We are too busy slaving away to pay the thousand of small bills and tax increase which feed the parasitical class above us.

The future of media is interactive with huge dollops of libertarian free speech which treats its audience as adults instead of as commodities and subjects. RTE's function is to reflect a false consensus to the individual viewer who will take the easy path of not opposing a fake reflection of society, one which puts RTE on a pedestal and demoralize the righteous despite the TV licence being universally hated

Laois_Man

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Now you're saying RTE should ignore world events because they are covered somewhere else. If they did that, they'd be wrong too. A state broadcasters job is not just to report on everything inside that state. I find criticism of RTE's "bias" coverage towards Clinton surprising considering Donald Trump was one of the top news stories on RTE news on a very regular basis throughout the 2016 campaign - and Clinton very rarely was. RTE in expecting Clinton to win were reporting on the opinion polls of virtually every single poll carried out in America - which is their job - unless you are expecting them to carry out their own polls on the electorate of another nation.

The US presidential election was only one example anyway (introduced by you)

For other examples such as the Bus Eireann dispute, I've seen Ray Hernan (CEO of Bus Eireann) interviewed on RTE recently given the opportunity to put forward his case is a very strong manner. He was given the other side of the argument and asked to respond and did so unchallenged. Willie Noone from SIPTU got the very same opportunity - there was absolutely no bias. Also given air time were the actual employees intervied on he picket lines. The videos would still be there on the RTE website for you to look at.

RTE also has a program called "The Meaning of Life" which would be an unusual name chosen for it by an organization if they were intentionally and pro-actively against pro-life views....but more to the point, they certainly wouldn't have had people like Martin Sheen on it promoting his own pro-life views UNCHALLENGED. But the complaints brigade never notice it when it happens in favor of the pro-life side of the debate do they?

Speaking of which, if you find RTE are in breach of the BAI's code of fairness, objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs, you have the same opportunity as anyone else to launch a formal case.

While I know Sky shows a little GAA and Irish soccer games, I don't find their coverage of anything to be any better )I'm sick of hearing about the over-hyped Premier League every single day) and it's a hell of a lot more expensive. And TV3 have the odd game, but they are worse - they made a haymes of the 2015 Rugby World Cup coverage. Their current affairs is complete ****e. And I do not want to see, nor would it be in our interests to see Irish politics covered by stations that are owned by Virgin Media, the British public, Rupert Murdoch etc etc. Sky News have already tried launching an Irish news station and couldn't sustain it. Their coverage of the Westminster attacks last week was bizzare so they can't even be trusted to do their own news well. If you think them or BBC or ITV are going to put any more than an apologetic 2 minute insert into their productions to cover Irish viewers, you're mad. That's all it would be....2 minutes, at the end of 58 minutes of UK political coverage which few in Ireland would be interested in whatsoever.

As to the point of the thread, you obviously do actually watch RTE's coverage of these current news items - So they must be doing something right and their service must be of some value to you.

Walter H Price

Lt Dan wrote: »

Again, TG 4 have traditionally shown more League of Ireland games, especially when Galway United are doing well.

Horse racing too is scarce bar the big Irish Festivals, still that is a fair bit of coverage to be fair. TV 3 have a great coup with ITV for the big British races or some of them. There was a time when RTE would do some coverage of Cheltenham

i'd actually have far less issue paying a reduced licence fee to just keep TG4 going (with RTE with shut down or gone to Subscription based) given it does more cultural stuff in a night then RTE does in a week.

Lt Dan

Walter H Price wrote: »

That's exactly it , Take the sport out because it would easily be picked up else where in fact they have already lost the 6 Nations to private non license funded TV3 for the Next 4 years 2018 - 2021 , some GAA to Sky and some Soccer Internationals to Sky. They show more English clubs in the champions league than Irish League football purely for ad revenue which is not the point of a national state funded broadcaster.

The programming they are buying and receiving ad revenue for are not culturally related, informative or educational their re runs of american TV shows or cheap spin off's like that Dancing with the stars crock of Sh!t. Cringe worthy attempts at TV production like Fair City , that Rebellion thing and Operation Transformation with a few bad chat shows chucked in to round it out.

They 100% want their Cake and eat it too

Again, TG 4 have traditionally shown more League of Ireland games, especially when Galway United are doing well.

Horse racing too is scarce bar the big Irish Festivals, still that is a fair bit of coverage to be fair. TV 3 have a great coup with ITV for the big British races or some of them. There was a time when RTE would do some coverage of Cheltenham

Walter H Price

Bob24 wrote: »

Yes for these things surely they would and we don't need a national broadcasters to have them available to the public. It is more cultural/educational stuff or representing Irish society as a whole which it can be useful for as this is not necessarily profitable financially but can still serve a purpose for the country.

But indeed, if RTE doesn't deliver these it doesn't have much of a purpose any-more vs private broadcasters and we might as well do away with it.

That's exactly it , Take the sport out because it would easily be picked up else where in fact they have already lost the 6 Nations to private non license funded TV3 for the Next 4 years 2018 - 2021 , some GAA to Sky and some Soccer Internationals to Sky. They show more English clubs in the champions league than Irish League football purely for ad revenue which is not the point of a national state funded broadcaster.

The programming they are buying and receiving ad revenue for are not culturally related, informative or educational their re runs of american TV shows or cheap spin off's like that Dancing with the stars crock of Sh!t. Cringe worthy attempts at TV production like Fair City , that Rebellion thing and Operation Transformation with a few bad chat shows chucked in to round it out.

They 100% want their Cake and eat it too