RTÉ report €13m defecit. Time to properly fund Public Service Broadcasting.

Ursus Horribilis · 25-06-2019 04:14PM

Close 2FM. The reason for having a youth radio station no longer exists. It was needed in 1979 and for the next decade or so. Until the new legal radio stations started broadcasting.

2FM offers nothing different to the many commercial stations that are out there now. Not to mention online radio stations, YouTube, podcasts and streaming music services. All 2FM is now is a better paid version of iRadio.

JohnnyFlash · 25-06-2019 04:15PM

Cienciano wrote: »

It's unfair on the thousands of people who never watch and have absolutely zero interest in RTE. It needs to be subscription based, if you want it, you pay for it.

What about the people who don't have access to the internet, or a choice of channels? The elderly for example. Should they be denied access to current affairs, sport, and entertainment that they currently get access to via RTÉ, just because others decide they don't want to pay for it?

The salary thing is yet another populist mouthpiece that doesn't stand up to even 5 minutes of scrutiny. People like Sean O'Rourke, Marian, Tubridy bring in multiples in what they are paid through advertising. They contribute positively to the bottom line. The fact of the matter is that public service broadcasting - documentaries, election and referendum coverage, Irish language content, in-depth Prime Time Investigates sort of material will never make money. But it needs to be paid for.

So what's it to be? Pay less than 200 quid per household for that, or leave it up to a subscription or entirely advertiser funded model? And if that's the preferred method, then how do you account for vested interests being able to influence public discourse by simply paying to broadcast what they want the peons to hear?

People should appreciate RTÉ, and pay for the service. Through deduction from source.

tayto lover · 25-06-2019 04:16PM

Close all of RTÉ.
Useless and full of completely overpaid people.

fritzelly · 25-06-2019 04:19PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

What about the people who don't have access to the internet, or a choice of channels? The elderly for example. Should they be denied access to current affairs, sport, and entertainment that they currently get access to via RTÉ, just because others decide they don't want to pay for it?

The salary thing is yet another populist mouthpiece that doesn't stand up to even 5 minutes of scrutiny. People like Sean O'Rourke, Marian, Tubridy bring in multiples in what they are paid through advertising. They contribute positively to the bottom line. The fact of the matter is that public service broadcasting - documentaries, election and referendum coverage, Irish language content, in-depth Prime Time Investigates sort of material will never make money. But it needs to be paid for.

RTE's core viewership is a dying breed - 20 years time they are likely to have lost most of their viewers as people have far better choices out there that they can decide to pay for.

And what is stopping someone else on a fraction of their wages doing the same job and still bringing in all that advertising revenue - its not the presenters pulling in those advertisers it's prime time slots on radio and television.

Back over to you Joe or is it Ray?

lotmc · 25-06-2019 04:20PM

RTE is a failed business model. They operate a very high cost, inefficient, operation (prime Dublin 4 land, on-site restaurant, on-site creche, huge surface car park that bizarrely was refused permission recently for being too big, fat salaries to underworked workers, etc etc). Yet all they can do is claim that they are doing a super job and demand increased funding from people who never use their services.
Look at the competition - Virgin (TV3) operating from an industrial unit in Ballymount (and no creche / restaurant on-site!); TG4 operating from an industrial building in Galway.

Their plan seems to be to trade recklessly, by continuing to "burn" their funds (state funds) whilst not attending to their trading problems, and pretend that the only thing that is wrong is that they dont get enough public funds.

There is a misplaced superiority complex in RTE that needs a very swift correction.

jelutong · 25-06-2019 04:20PM

GarIT wrote: »

They need to make an effort to show more Irish sports. Cut out the highlights of the Premier League and start showing LOI matches.

Show every time an Irish national team in any sport competes in anything.

All content should be required to be primarily made in Ireland.

Cut down on all the tacky "entertainment" and reality TV. RTE should be an information service and a service for promoting Irish arts and media not primarily for entertaining people.

Cap the number of chat shows to 1. We barely have enough talent for one and the rest all seem to be "interview the canteen".

Keep full time presenters on civil service pay scales. i.e. capped at around 113k for the few absolute top people and capped at either 44k, 66k or 88k depending on qualifications and experience for everyone else.

RTE don't show Premier League highlights.

Elmo · 25-06-2019 04:21PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The salary thing is yet another populist mouthpiece that doesn't stand up to even 5 minutes of scrutiny. People like Sean O'Rourke, Marian, Tubridy bring in multiples in what they are paid through advertising. They contribute positively to the bottom line. The fact of the matter is that public service broadcasting - documentaries, election and referendum coverage, Irish language content, in-depth Prime Time Investigates sort of material will never make money. But it needs to be paid for.

Drama and Chilren's content like many you forgot them as do RTÉ.

I have looked at the presenters fees and have come to the conclusion that they are not worth the money that they get.

Take D'Arcy as a prime example. 450,000 in 2016 and 400,000 in 2015. Reason for the increase because he did twice as much TV as he did the previous year, so he gets 100,000 for TV and 350,000 for Radio! unlikely they could breakdown that way.

While Moya Doherty pointed out in the Oireachtas that sponsorship had already paid for him (via his radio show sponsorship), she failed to reflect on the risk, He lost viewers from the Saturday Night show, and TV advertising is worth far more than Radio advertising so it is likely that that 500,000 in sponsorship he got for the radio show was wiped out by the losses in TV audience.

I am not a huge fan of bring up the wages of their talent but they aren't worth it, you put anyone in on TLLS you expect an audience, and even TLLS's audience is massively down.

Odyssey 2005 · 25-06-2019 04:24PM

JeffKenna wrote: »

Salary cap is needed.

They're contracted in. Cut the contract.

vriesmays · 25-06-2019 04:56PM

Republic of Ireland was in the world darts final last month, did RTÉ screen it live. Now they're screening the women's football world cup and Ireland ain't in it.

Beechwoodspark · 25-06-2019 05:05PM

lotmc wrote: »

RTE is a failed business model. They operate a very high cost, inefficient, operation (prime Dublin 4 land, on-site restaurant, on-site creche, huge surface car park that bizarrely was refused permission recently for being too big, fat salaries to underworked workers, etc etc). Yet all they can do is claim that they are doing a super job and demand increased funding from people who never use their services.
Look at the competition - Virgin (TV3) operating from an industrial unit in Ballymount (and no creche / restaurant on-site!); TG4 operating from an industrial building in Galway.

Their plan seems to be to trade recklessly, by continuing to "burn" their funds (state funds) whilst not attending to their trading problems, and pretend that the only thing that is wrong is that they dont get enough public funds.

There is a misplaced superiority complex in RTE that needs a very swift correction.

Very true. A huge amount of their output is rubbish.

Beechwoodspark · 25-06-2019 05:07PM

Elmo wrote: »

Which other operators Virgin Media?

Couldn’t give a riddlers once it’s not out of joe Publics pocket

James Brown · 25-06-2019 05:08PM

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Close 2FM. The reason for having a youth radio station no longer exists. It was needed in 1979 and for the next decade or so. Until the new legal radio stations started broadcasting.

2FM offers nothing different to the many commercial stations that are out there now. Not to mention online radio stations, YouTube, podcasts and streaming music services. All 2FM is now is a better paid version of iRadio.

I found that funny with Gerry Ryan like a grumpy old man who might say 'flatulence' from time to time, which in itself was not funny.

Harry Palmr · 25-06-2019 05:11PM

jelutong wrote: »

RTE don't show Premier League highlights.

and they do show LOI matches! I think the poster is rather out of touch.

How Soon Is Now · 25-06-2019 05:11PM

Rte are a joke. There is sweet **** all on for most people. There was a time when they had plenty of entertaining shows most nights and at least they put effort into there kids television as well. I mean jesus id watch the den now if it was still on ha.

It's also a disgrace that they don't properly cover the gaa anymore it's our national sport ffs we should be showcasing it!

I'm sure the women's world cup didn't cost them an awful lot but it's a bit of a joke to be showing every single game of a tournament most won't watch!
Yet hurling and football games where being played in our own country and no one could see them unless they where at the game!

Kivaro · 25-06-2019 05:29PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

.....

However I believe they do a very good job in difficult circumstances.

I would say that the majority of people in Ireland would disagree with you for various reasons.
I believe RTE management exhibit the same arrogance as our current government, with grandiose views of themselves.
Their management, presenters, and staff are vastly overpaid.

However, they would have a good deal more support from the worker on the street if they did not exhibit an overwhelming liberal bias in their news reporting and current affairs programs. They never ask the hard questions on topics like Travellers, failed asylum seekers, free forever home entitlements, non-EU migration, anti-social activity by social welfare recipients etc. etc. All of these topics are presented in a biased and partial manner; with only one view being presented by the State broadcaster.

Just saw Dee Forbes on the Six One news blaming the lack of government action as the cause of their financial problems. She is so detached from reality that she cannot see the real cause of their issues.

I would prefer if RTE were disbanded and replaced with a more pragmatic organisation with realistic broadcasting services. Then I would pay the €20 yearly subscription fee to fund that new organisation.

super_furry · 25-06-2019 05:30PM

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

It's also a disgrace that they don't properly cover the gaa anymore it's our national sport ffs we should be showcasing it!
!

What? Every weekend it's pretty much wall to wall GAA. There'd be even more if the GAA hadn't sold half the games to an English private subscription channel.

Baron Kurtz · 25-06-2019 05:35PM

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

Rte are a joke. There is sweet **** all on for most people. There was a time when they had plenty of entertaining shows most nights and at least they put effort into there kids television as well. I mean jesus id watch the den now if it was still on ha.

It's also a disgrace that they don't properly cover the gaa anymore it's our national sport ffs we should be showcasing it!

I'm sure the women's world cup didn't cost them an awful lot but it's a bit of a joke to be showing every single game of a tournament most won't watch!
Yet hurling and football games where being played in our own country and no one could see them unless they where at the game!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbu88CKkEzI

GarIT · 25-06-2019 05:48PM

super_furry wrote: »

What? Every weekend it's pretty much wall to wall GAA. There'd be even more if the GAA hadn't sold half the games to an English private subscription channel.

I think we actually need an RTE sport channel. They could even show non mainstream stuff without commentary during the unpopular hours for virtually free content and to give Irish sports a platform for growth. RTE 2 could probably be mostly cut out if we stopped buying foreign content.

GarIT · 25-06-2019 05:51PM

We don't need more than one English and one Irish national radio station. Keep music and entertainment for private radio stations.

The Irish radio station needs to be more nationally focused too. I listed to it once and ended up hearing all the local news for Galway and which small road in the middle of nowhere had traffic.

Atoms for Peace · 25-06-2019 05:54PM

Pay the useless shower the same as their colleagues in Virgin media and tg4.

How Soon Is Now · 25-06-2019 05:56PM

super_furry wrote: »

What? Every weekend it's pretty much wall to wall GAA. There'd be even more if the GAA hadn't sold half the games to an English private subscription channel.

They have a limited amount of games they can show under the current deal and basically up until last weekend they took preference to the hurling. They should be showing an even amount of both.

What would they normally show at that time of day at the weekend? Some rerun of random ****e which no one watches!

Atoms for Peace · 25-06-2019 05:57PM

Why do rte 2 buy foreign shows and then show them at ungodly hours?

vriesmays · 25-06-2019 05:59PM

We need RTÉ television - who else will brain-wash with feel-good news stories on 3rd-world chancers enriching small Irish towns.

James Brown · 25-06-2019 05:59PM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Why do rte 2 buy foreign shows and then show them at ungodly hours?

Fills time and saves hassle. Your tax dollars at work.

salmocab · 25-06-2019 06:05PM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Why do rte 2 buy foreign shows and then show them at ungodly hours?

Often shows that 95% of the country could already watch elsewhere if the wanted.

Cryptopagan · 25-06-2019 06:07PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The salary thing is yet another populist mouthpiece that doesn't stand up to even 5 minutes of scrutiny. People like Sean O'Rourke, Marian, Tubridy bring in multiples in what they are paid through advertising. They contribute positively to the bottom line.

This was the excuse for paying Pat Kenny so much for years. He’s a top broadcaster who brings in the listeners! Then he moved to Newstalk: without the production and research team he had at RTÉ backing him, he suddenly sounded like a fairly poor broadcaster with a limited grasp of current affairs (remember how he was supposed to be totally on top of that?), and the audience didn’t migrate with him. Same thing with Jonathan Ross in the UK—the biggest TV host in Britain, paid millions by the BBC, then upped sticks to another broadcaster and was soon forgotten about. The broadcaster makes the stars, not the other way around.

For Forks Sake · 25-06-2019 06:07PM

GarIT wrote: »

They need to make an effort to show more Irish sports. Cut out the highlights of the Premier League and start showing LOI matches.

They axed the premiership coverage in 2013.

They do show LOI matches. Though the clubs then grumble that having the matches shown live affects the attendance, and thus their revenues.

Cryptopagan · 25-06-2019 06:08PM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Why do rte 2 buy foreign shows and then show them at ungodly hours?

They probably cost buttons

For Forks Sake · 25-06-2019 06:08PM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Why do rte 2 buy foreign shows and then show them at ungodly hours?

Primarily to annoy TV3/Virgin I'd imagine.
Not like RTE are known for financial prudence.

Atoms for Peace · 25-06-2019 06:12PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Get rid of all their stupid silly garbage entertainment shows.

Slash the budget harshly on 2fm

Concentrate on news and current affairs and let other operators do entertainment.

RTE radio one do some really good music programs, but their all on during off peak times. Maybe bring these shows onto 2fm and let the commercial stations play the top 30 dross.

RTÉ report €13m defecit. Time to properly fund Public Service Broadcasting.

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