RTE Gold discussion thread

Expunge wrote: »

If I was the owner of an independent franchise, I'd be roaring down the phone to the BAI to tell these clowns at RTE leave this type of broadcasting to the private sector.

The independent franchises who largely target the 18-30 market you mean? Or the local stations that have chat shows on this time of the morning?

Oh and if you want to rant, learn the difference between losing and loosing.

You people do realize that sponsorship & ads are inevitable if the channel gets an audience???

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

The independent franchises who largely target the 18-30 market you mean? Or the local stations that have chat shows on this time of the morning?

Oh and if you want to rant, learn the difference between losing and loosing.

Thank you for your kind spelling advice. I hope you'll do a full spelling inventory of all posts on Boards.ie since 2003, when you get a chance. You are doing a valuable public service. Keep it up!

Fact is, the market is deciding nothing here.
Messers Leahy and O'Shea are not being paid from anything other than licence fee. It is already being subsidized. It is a genre of programming that could easily be done by the private sector.
As already mentioned, if this thing has a viable audience, Sponsorship and Promotion is inevitable.

Also, the issue of most other presenters on RTE DAB stations being unpaid, with these two very well paid misfits waltzing in is a great stain on RTE and the Trade Union group there. (Not the fault of the two gents, granted)

[Deleted User]

Expunge wrote: »

Fact is, the market is deciding nothing here.
Messers Leahy and O'Shea are not being paid from anything other than licence fee. It is already being subsidized. It is a genre of programming that could easily be done by the private sector.

But it's not being done by the private sector. The private sector is skewed towards the youth market. There's very little for those who don't want to listen to today's music.

Thank you for your kind words.

The thing is, the private sector isn't catering for this market. I live outside Dublin so there are no commercial stations which cater for my age group (late 30s). 2FM and Today FM now target a younger demographic and I find them mostly unlistenable. IRadio, Beat and Spin are for a young audience too. The local radio stations vary wildly in what they play. If you live in some areas you'll be served up hearty doses of Declan Nerney and Dickie Rock if you tune in. Or chat shows with local news.

You could argue that RTE Gold is providing a public service for a demographic that the commercial stations have little interest in. One of the things I noticed about Will Leahy's show this morning was people mentioning how they're tuning in. When you're needing to use Sairview or an App to tune into a radio station, you're not in the mainstream.

But it's not being done by the private sector. The private sector is skewed towards the youth market. There's very little for those who don't want to listen to today's music.

You're right, it's not. But are you telling me a service like RTE Gold could and should not be provided by some entity other than RTE if they had the same light touch regulation?

E.g. No news service, no speech and current affairs requirement.

If I could get a broadcasting franchise for a mostly automated Gold station with only two paid on-air staff from the BAI, I'd sign for it now. This minute. And I'd bet the Bank would lend me what I need to get going, because the risk for them would be pretty low.

RTE is increasingly threadbare in running what it already has on TV and Radio, has a fantastic news online presence that its competitors in the national newspapers complain about bitterly and is constantly rattling the tin for more money from households across country.

And now RTE Gold? RTE has no business getting involved in this with public money, in my view.

If you take that logic, you could argue that RTE has no business running 2fm either.

My guess is that private operators don't want the 35+ audience because they're the ones with less disposable income. The negative equity generation who got their pay cut during the recession and are now raising families.

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

If you take that logic, you could argue that RTE has no business running 2fm either.

Welllll, yes. Is that type of programming not well covered by regional 'yoof' music services like Beat etc.? Get rid, if it is. I don't listen much, so I don't know.

If 2FM taking more risks with new music and unsigned artists during the 7-7 hours that the private sector would not do, well then great. It is justified.

Anyhoo, I don't wish to derail the thread. RTE Gold is indeed a very good listen. I just object to the fact that it is now, de facto, being enhanced with public money. In the current climate for RTE, I feel that is wrong.

Once again, the regulator is letting itself be violated like a starstuck actress at a theatre audition in an unnamed Arts Council funded theatre.

reg114

Had a listen today. Sounded recorded before 8 then live after 8. Very subdued was my take. Jingles were a bit amateurish and Will read the news and weather himself!!

I thought RTE gold was dedicated to yesterdays music, so it was weird when the stunning came on to plug their new album and then Will plays the new song from Keanes lead singer.

A golden oldies station on a platform that most people in its target audience which id guess is 45+ aren't even aware of. The only reason Rick and Will are on Gold is because they are veing paid a salary as they are staff, waste of taxpayers money but thats RTe all over. Will they make a difference to numbers listening to RTe Gold? Doubt it based on the fact its digital and not fm.

Schorpio

Expunge wrote: »

You're right, it's not. But are you telling me a service like RTE Gold could and should not be provided by some entity other than RTE if they had the same light touch regulation?

E.g. No news service, no speech and current affairs requirement.

If I could get a broadcasting franchise for a mostly automated Gold station with only two paid on-air staff from the BAI, I'd sign for it now. This minute. And I'd bet the Bank would lend me what I need to get going, because the risk for them would be pretty low.

RTE is increasingly threadbare in running what it already has on TV and Radio, has a fantastic news online presence that its competitors in the national newspapers complain about bitterly and is constantly rattling the tin for more money from households across country.

And now RTE Gold? RTE has no business getting involved in this with public money, in my view.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your main gripe with RTE Gold is that it is costing RTE, and thus, the taxpayer more money when private entities could provide a service instead?

Right, well firstly private entities could very well provide a service. However, the fact of the matter is they don't. Various posters have given potential reasons why this may be the case, but whatever the reason may be RTE are filling that gap in the market. Yes, it may be a low-interest station (only time will tell), but it's the same reason 2XM, Junior, and even Lyric FM exist. In my view it is absolutely the job of a public broadcaster to provide for interests outside of commercial interests.

Regarding the money RTE spends on Gold, it's pennies by comparison to the wider financial structure within RTE. There's a lot of other fat to be trimmed before you'd reach RTE Gold.

Also, would the Bank give you the money to produce a station without any advertising? Of course they wouldn't. And for me, not being bombarded with ads and sponsors is half the reason I listen to Gold.

FFS if they are playing new music on it, it's already jumped the shark

Phat Dick wrote: »

FFS if they are playing new music on it, it's already jumped the shark

Unless there's a plan to reposition the station as an equivalent of BBC Radio 2? Perhaps they should. 2FM's audience will have zero interest in a new album from The Stunning or Keane but people who are that bit older might.

reg114

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Unless there's a plan to reposition the station as an equivalent of BBC Radio 2? Perhaps they should. 2FM's audience will have zero interest in a new album from The Stunning or Keane but people who are that bit older might.

Playing new music on a station which is basically a Golden Oldies station is totally confusing, either that or change the name from Gold.

The station's playlist is a bit messed up anyway so maybe there is room for both? Oldies shows and ones that have newer music from older artists.

JoeA3

I listened to it for a bit. It was OK... Will seemed to be making as good a fist of it as he could, given probably a tiny budget and not much to work with (reading the news himself ffs!). And playing "new" music. Is it an oldies station or what is it?

I just think the listener pool will continue to be tiny. There's no real awareness of it out there. Virtually no cars have DAB, so if you really want to listen to it on your commute you'll be faffing around with streaming it via Bluetooth from your phone. Hardly ideal and beyond the ability / effort level of most people I think.

I just wonder how long they'll give it? How do they even measure its listenership? How long will Leahy/o'shea stick at it for 3 hours every day with a few dozen tuned in? Has Will jacked in the day job?

And when Will's show finishes at 10am, is it back to pre-recorded stuff until Rick comes on later? That's hardly going to help retain an audience...

private entities can't legally operates an rte gold type service, they would be required to have a bare minimum 20 percent news and current affairs

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

The station's playlist is a bit messed up anyway so maybe there is room for both? Oldies shows and ones that have newer music from older artists.

So then you'd have a situation were rte gold would be playing Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan and people would say it sounds like any other ten a penny music station on the FM Band

No. Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan are played on the youth stations. What I had in mind was older artists such as the aforementioned The Stunning and Keane. People who would have been played on 2fm back in the day but not now. It'd be like BBC Radio 2

Schorpio wrote: »

Yes, it may be a low-interest station (only time will tell), but it's the same reason 2XM, Junior, and even Lyric FM exist. In my view it is absolutely the job of a public broadcaster to provide for interests outside of commercial interests.

Regarding the money RTE spends on Gold, it's pennies by comparison to the wider financial structure within RTE. There's a lot of other fat to be trimmed before you'd reach RTE Gold.

Also, would the Bank give you the money to produce a station without any advertising? Of course they wouldn't. And for me, not being bombarded with ads and sponsors is half the reason I listen to Gold.

Gold has far, far more listener potential than the other mentioned stations - especially with the lack of news/current affairs requirements currently required of a commercial operator.

Don't care if it is pennies or not. RTE are now engaged in spreading public costs into an area not touched before.

As for the Bank stuff, with a business plan and projections, a licence and a freuency from the BAI and a lovely small cost base, there's every chance they would.

As for not being bombarded with ads and the like.... I hope it keeps fine for you on Arrrr Teeee Eeeeee Gooold!

Dan Healy was recently appointed head of "all radio strategy" at rte so believe me, it won't be long until Gold is full of annoying sponsorship stings

The secret RTE Producer seems to know why this is being undertaken - and it has fack all to do with servicing an underserved area of Irish radio. From Twidder, as they say on gold.....

secret rte producer‏
@rtesecretpro

"1/People have asked me what the story is behind Gold the radio station that's going to a full schedule. Thats not complicated, Lyric is full
2 rte is stuffed full of radio presenters. When they try to get them off air they make them producers. Which just means you
3 end up with disgruntled producers. Then they came up with Lyric, but now that is full. So now we have Gold, and for staff djs
4 that they want off 2 fm. I think it will do well, middle aged djs plying middle aged pop. I just hope that the 2 fm update
5 is more successful than all the ones since Gerry died."

If true, even more shame on the BAI for not getting stuck in to this sham.

You could argue that RTE should be spending more on their stations and on spreading DAB nationwide. If you look across the water, the BBC runs six national stations on varying platforms. 2fm is the only one that has a solid identify. Radio 1 is a mongrel cross between BBC Radios 2-5.

RTE Gold is the poor relation of the RTE family (as is 2XM) and has been little more than a glorified Spotify playlist. Would using some presenters and mixing things up really be so bad? It probably costs buttons to run. I can think of many other places where RTE is spending its money badly.

In an ideal world we'd have DAB nationwide and a better selection of radio stations. Neither has happened so I'm happy that Gold, imperfect as it is, is on the air.

Expunge wrote: »

The secret RTE Producer seems to know why this is being undertaken - and it has fack all to do with servicing an underserved area of Irish radio. From Twidder, as they say on gold.....

secret rte producer‏
@rtesecretpro

1/People have asked me what the story is behind Gold the radio station that's going to a full schedule. Thats not complicated, Lyric is full
2 rte is stuffed full of radio presenters. When they try to get them off air they make them producers. Which just means you
3 end up with disgruntled producers. Then they came up with Lyric, but now that is full. So now we have Gold, and for staff djs
4 that they want off 2 fm. I think it will do well, middle aged djs plying middle aged pop. I just hope that the 2 fm update
5 is more successful than all the ones since Gerry died.

If true, even more shame on the BAI for not getting stuck in to this sham.

It's pretty obvious that Leahy and O Shea are permanent staff who can't be got rid off, they got rid of all the contractor djs who were too old for 2fm, Ruth Scott, Colm Hayes etc

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

In an ideal world we'd have DAB nationwide and a better selection of radio stations. Neither has happened so I'm happy that Gold, imperfect as it is, is on the air.

I'd agree with that. I'm just uneasy about a basket case semi-state company being allowed to further spread it's wings with little said or done by the regulator.

Having a Gold station for Ireland like RTE Gold is, of course, a good thing. It's who is doing it and why is my problem.