Why do people boast about not watching RTÉ?

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 11-11-2019 11:03am

The quality of RTE's news and current affairs coverage is very poor. They seem to aim for a simplified, dumbed-down explanation of everything. For in-depth, nuanced understanding of an economic or political issue such as Brexit, I know that UK and international news sources will provide a level of intelligent, detailed, and insightful commentary that will never feature on RTE.

Turquoise Hexagon Sun · 11-11-2019 11:21am

completedit wrote: »

Every time a discussion about RTÉ comes up, you’ll get the usual types who say ‘I just watch Netflix’, can nobody see how bad this is for society?
It’s important to have an engaged public, a public who cares about what’s happening in the country, whose engaged in some way in public discourse and one important medium this can be achieved is through a national broadcaster.
It was a much more interesting time when people actually were engaged in what was going on, and not just consumed by the latest binge series viewing on Netflix(which is ****e btw)

The irony of us here, engaging in public discourse, on the internet, away from RTE.

RTE, and TV in general is mostly crap. By TV, I mean old-skool format with adverts every 5 or 10 minutes. Shows commissioned by out-of-touch programming directors. More adverts. It boggles the mind why anyone over under 40 still uses old skool television as their main form of entertainment.

Netflix provides feature length documentaries about very specific topics from war to politics to climbing. These are critically acclaimed documentaries that are 1hr30mins (feature length) with no stupid ads. Even if there were ads, I'm sure the quality of ads would at least be targeted to me with precision unlike TV ads which just make general guess at who's watching based on the programming.

Netflix has films. TV shows that I can engage in. TV shows that are world class. I can also watch Italian, Spanish, Turkish TV series with the subtitles and pick up some language skills on the way and discover some new culture.

If you think RTE is culturally enriching, fair enough. I personally don't think so. If I want to stay in touch with national interests, there's Boards.ie, entertainment news sites, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, various news sites etc etc. Or I can just go outside and actually talk to people

Hangdogroad · 11-11-2019 11:50am

completedit wrote: »

Every time a discussion about RTÉ comes up, you’ll get the usual types who say ‘I just watch Netflix’, can nobody see how bad this is for society?
It’s important to have an engaged public, a public who cares about what’s happening in the country, whose engaged in some way in public discourse and one important medium this can be achieved is through a national broadcaster.
It was a much more interesting time when people actually were engaged in what was going on, and not just consumed by the latest binge series viewing on Netflix(which is ****e btw)

If RTE wasn't wall to wall reality shows and cheaply produced rubbish I might watch it from time to time.

Hangdogroad · 11-11-2019 11:59am

TuringBot47 wrote: »

I don't see the value of RTE, apart from the odd hit like "Love/Hate".
There are programs that have local interest, but maybe they should be the equivalent of cable TV in America and on low budget channels maybe even YouTube channels.

In fact, why should the taxpayer even pay for Tg4 ?

Have a referendum to write off the Irish language and switch to English.
It would save hundreds of thousands if not millions to let it go and admit it's a dead language.

TG4 is providing a far superior service to RTE and I don't speak a word of Irish.

sbsquarepants · 11-11-2019 12:03pm

Emery Gentle Babel wrote: »

The quality of RTE's news and current affairs coverage is very poor.

Do you think? I would have thought it was one of their stronger areas.

That being said i haven't watched much of it in a good while, but it certainly used to be fairly decent (albeit a tad biased)

Manach · 11-11-2019 12:10pm

I've not given given any though to RTE for years, as it represents a viewpoint/establshment viewpoint that I have no engagement with. My entertainment/education requirements are based on books without the input of the D4 cliche. This does though respresent a fractionalisation of society, which were once what RTE broadcast was a common topic of discussion, is now met with indifference.

Sir Guy who smiles · 11-11-2019 12:12pm

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Tell us how many hours of RTE you watch per week. Name the programmes you tune into regularly (apart from the news).

Why are you excluding the news?
That's one of the most important parts of a public broadcasting service.

Many here disagree with RTE's editorial stance, but the bare facts are right more than 90% of the time.

(and few news sources get 100%).

Sir Guy who smiles · 11-11-2019 12:25pm

_Brian wrote: »

If people want “public service broadcast”, one tv station and one radio station would easily cover that.

I do agree with the OP about his basic premise; we need public broadcasting, and many give out about RTE because it's not cool/want to get out of paying the licence fee.

However I also agree that a lot of current RTE programming isn't public broadcasting, imported comedies for example. I don't think you need to cut it down to one TV station and one radio station, because now all broadcasting is digital I don't think broadcasting extra channels is the expensive bit, it is generating (or buying) the content that costs money.

Limit RTE TV to News/current affairs, Irish sport, Irish made programmes both one-offs and serials, documentaries. Irish made movies, especially on bank holidays and Xmas. Use judicious repeats to fill in the midnight-8am slots instead of bought-in programmes.

I would keep TG4, it may cost a bit but is much better value for money than RTE.

As for Radio, I agree with a lot here that 2FM is hard to justify! Perhaps there is room here to give airtime to documentary makers and musical programming that might not fit into the fairly regimented daily schedule of RTE radio 1.

I would like to keep RTE jnr, there should at least be some local options for what kids watch.

Sir Guy who smiles · 11-11-2019 12:27pm

joe40 wrote: »

I was switching between Sean Moncrieff and Ray D'arcy the other day and the difference in quality was pronounced.

I think that may reflect the difference in talent between the presenters, and maybe their researchers. Moncrieff is head and shoulders over a lot of Newstalk shows.

sbsquarepants · 11-11-2019 12:48pm

Sir Guy who smiles wrote: »

I do agree with the OP about his basic premise; we need public broadcasting, and many give out about RTE because it's not cool/want to get out of paying the licence fee.

.

I think there's a general perception that the money given to RTE is just pissed away without a care in the world for the consequences, and to be honest it's easy to see why that perception arises!

Someone on newstalk the other day was making the point, that if you gave Dermot Desmond 190 million of a hand out each year and told him to run along and set up his own version of RTE there's not a snowballs chance that he'd loose money, yet RTE can never seem to avoid doing just that.

€50,000 a day for orchestras? Come on now!

RTE is just a gravy train

Shefwedfan · 11-11-2019 1:35pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I think there's a general perception that the money given to RTE is just pissed away without a care in the world for the consequences, and to be honest it's easy to see why that perception arises!

Someone on newstalk the other day was making the point, that if you gave Dermot Desmond 190 million of a hand out each year and told him to run along and set up his own version of RTE there's not a snowballs chance that he'd loose money, yet RTE can never seem to avoid doing just that.

€50,000 a day for orchestras? Come on now!

RTE is just a gravy train

The Orchestra serves a purpose I would say.....

Lots of other things in RTE doesn't

EmmetSpiceland · 11-11-2019 2:03pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

The Orchestra serves a purpose I would say.....

Lots of other things in RTE doesn't

Isn’t there two? And we have to pay to see them play.

I don’t know how many of their performances are played on RTÉ radio but wouldn’t hurt to show some on television either.

riclad · 11-11-2019 2:24pm

Theres probably people have no cable tv or sky tv who watch most tv on rte1,2, tg4 .
there are many rural area,s where broadband is not avaidable ,
so there s no way of watching netflix or other streaming tv services .
the only choice is to watch rte through saorview,

rte shows many high quality drama,s ,comedy from america and the uk.
Its not just news, sport and reality tv .

end of the road · 11-11-2019 2:28pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Someone on newstalk the other day was making the point, that if you gave Dermot Desmond 190 million of a hand out each year and told him to run along and set up his own version of RTE there's not a snowballs chance that he'd loose money, yet RTE can never seem to avoid doing just that.

of course he wouldn't, he would most likely just fill it with imported cheap content.

sbsquarepants · 11-11-2019 3:29pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

The Orchestra serves a purpose I would say.....

Lots of other things in RTE doesn't

What purpose does it serve?

To my mind it's just elitist crap. Why do we need 2 state funded orchestras? Why don't we have state funded rappers, or rock bands?

What is so special about orchestral music that the tax payer needs to pony up 50k a day?

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Do isn’t there two? And we have to pay to see them play.

I don’t know how many of their performances are played on RTÉ radio but wouldn’t hurt to show some on television either.

It's hard to argue that you run a tight ship when you have a spare orchestra lying around somewhere:D:D

riclad · 11-11-2019 3:36pm

rte are under pressure due to falling advertising revenue,
there are more people out there using online streaming ,pcs or laptops to watch tv.
so license fee revenue is also decreasing .
they could close down some radio digital stations ,
Turn tg 4 into a station that shows old programs or programs that are on rte 1 ,2 a week later and just sports events ,hurling,gaa .

RobertKK · 11-11-2019 3:45pm

The problem with RTE is this: It is the state broadcaster but it is used as a means to push certain opinions by presenters and this is why the Primetime Investigates got the 'Mission to prey' program so badly wrong that it was bordering on criminal.
Imagine doing a program based on lies and deciding they knew the truth about the priest. The priest being totally innocent was portrayed by RTE as a sex abuser.
This went all the way to the courts before RTE settled on the steps of the courts as it was just telling us a load of lies.
The thing is I think this bias which caused this most disgraceful and horrific event - imagine being innocent and you are put on prime time TV without any say and the TV station tells the nation lies about your character...
There is no evidence this bias has gone away, people in RTE think they know best, are smarter and wiser than the people watching.
This is why we get people like Ryan Tubridy fawning over war criminals like Hillary Clinton who voted for every war going and pushed for more war as secretary of state.
Of course Tubridy did not ask her why she laughed at Gaddafi being murdered by being stabbed through his anus and is she ashamed that her actions in regards to Libya has made it a haven for terrorists and slave traders.
Instead it was love in, this is why RTE is not worth watching most of the time.
Rather than being balanced it would rather tell us people like Hillary Clinton is great and if a Republican, they are somehow worse.
Maybe war is good for TV viewership when it comes to the RTE news...

Loafing Oaf · 11-11-2019 4:00pm

riclad wrote: »

Turn tg 4 into a station that shows old programs or programs that are on rte 1 ,2 a week later and just sports events ,hurling,gaa .

TG4 is an entirely separate operation

Andreas77 · 11-11-2019 4:08pm

I'd ride her like a bucking bronco. I'd put a saddle on that pony and ride her bareback, pump, pump, pump, pump, I always fancied her from my Harry potter days, gee up, I want to move my hand through the fine light hair on her arse

Hangdogroad · 11-11-2019 4:10pm

Andreas77 wrote: »

I'd ride her like a bucking bronco. I'd put a saddle on that pony and ride her bareback, pump, pump, pump, pump, I always fancied her from my Harry potter days, gee up, I want to move my hand through the fine light hair on her arse

I think you might have posted in the wrong thread.

Loafing Oaf · 11-11-2019 4:35pm

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I think you might have posted in the wrong thread.

Unless he's talking about Hillary Clinton:eek:

sbsquarepants · 11-11-2019 4:51pm

Andreas77 wrote: »

I'd ride her like a bucking bronco. I'd put a saddle on that pony and ride her bareback, pump, pump, pump, pump, I always fancied her from my Harry potter days, gee up, I want to move my hand through the fine light hair on her arse

Now this is just the kind of programming RTE needs, not Daniel O'****ingDonnell touring around shítty B and B's with his fag hag:D

11-11-2019 6:59pm

Andreas77 wrote: »

I'd ride her like a bucking bronco. I'd put a saddle on that pony and ride her bareback, pump, pump, pump, pump, I always fancied her from my Harry potter days, gee up, I want to move my hand through the fine light hair on her arse

oh my!!! that would be a more interesting show than the Crap they pedal on RTE Daily

Airyfairy12 · 11-11-2019 9:45pm

RobertKK wrote: »

The problem with RTE is this: It is the state broadcaster but it is used as a means to push certain opinions by presenters and this is why the Primetime Investigates got the 'Mission to prey' program so badly wrong that it was bordering on criminal.
Imagine doing a program based on lies and deciding they knew the truth about the priest. The priest being totally innocent was portrayed by RTE as a sex abuser.
This went all the way to the courts before RTE settled on the steps of the courts as it was just telling us a load of lies.
The thing is I think this bias which caused this most disgraceful and horrific event - imagine being innocent and you are put on prime time TV without any say and the TV station tells the nation lies about your character...
There is no evidence this bias has gone away, people in RTE think they know best, are smarter and wiser than the people watching.
This is why we get people like Ryan Tubridy fawning over war criminals like Hillary Clinton who voted for every war going and pushed for more war as secretary of state.
Of course Tubridy did not ask her why she laughed at Gaddafi being murdered by being stabbed through his anus and is she ashamed that her actions in regards to Libya has made it a haven for terrorists and slave traders.
Instead it was love in, this is why RTE is not worth watching most of the time.
Rather than being balanced it would rather tell us people like Hillary Clinton is great and if a Republican, they are somehow worse.
Maybe war is good for TV viewership when it comes to the RTE news...

One of the biggest problems with RTE is that none of the presenters or broadcasters are relatable anymore, theyre all upper middle class D4 heads.
Its also very Dublin centric and has no interest or focus on anything outside of Dublin city. It looses interest from people outside of the capital.

_Brian · 11-11-2019 9:51pm

Had a look at the stats on the player there.
2/5 stars on App Store
1.5/5 on play store.

Play store one is based on something like 10,000 reviews.

Seriously bad form they can’t even produce an app that is even slightly functional.

Aidric · 11-11-2019 10:09pm

_Brian wrote: »

Had a look at the stats on the player there.
2/5 stars on App Store
1.5/5 on play store.

Play store one is based on something like 10,000 reviews.

Seriously bad form they can’t even produce an app that is even slightly functional.

It's symptomatic of a wider malaise within RTE. They are about five years behind the curve with no clear vision on how they propose to remedy this. The buck has to stop with the DG. She has been in the role for 3.5 years and has done nothing proactively to address the crisis that has been obvious for years.

The RTE player has been an abomination for years. You would expect a DG with their finger on the pulse to make this an immediate priority upon appointment but obviously not. That tells me all I need to know why RTE is in a hole. Placating cardboard legacy presenters like Tubridy and Duffy isn't going to deliver you a profitable future.

Master of the Omniverse · 11-11-2019 10:36pm

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Unless he's talking about Hillary Clinton:eek:

I'm trying really hard not to allow my mind to picture that scenario.

11-11-2019 10:39pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

You don't need RTE to be engaged, informed or involved on public discourse

They are required for quite the opposite if you ask me. A dreadful, government controlled, bias agenda ridden broadcaster and a gravy train for vaccous self absorbed presenters that would not get a job in any other country in the world. Ray f**king D'arcy on 450k a year.....avin a larff really

paleoperson · 12-11-2019 3:45am

I have to say, I agree with OP to an extent. I do get the sense sometimes that some people are just hating on RTE to put themselves on some kind of pedestal.

12-11-2019 5:34am

paleoperson wrote: »

I have to say, I agree with OP to an extent. I do get the sense sometimes that some people are just hating on RTE to put themselves on some kind of pedestal.

You could apply the same old one that people say about not having Facebook.
How do you know someone doesn't watch RTE? Because they'll be sure to tell you they don't.

Sir Guy who smiles · 12-11-2019 12:23pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Someone on newstalk the other day was making the point, that if you gave Dermot Desmond 190 million of a hand out each year and told him to run along and set up his own version of RTE there's not a snowballs chance that he'd loose money, yet RTE can never seem to avoid doing just that.

I don't think Newstalk are in a position to criticise; that station has hardly ever turned a profit in all it's years of existence.

They try to make out they're the radio station of business people, but that is only true if they mean "bankrolled by business people, who made their money elsewhere"

Kimbot · 12-11-2019 12:26pm

When RTE decide to cut wages and produce viewable productions then I might watch it. Until then it can rot.

Stovepipe · 12-11-2019 12:45pm

Bob24 wrote: »

Changing the collection method in itself wouldn’t help with unpaid fees as it wouldn’t solve the problem of identifying who is liable and not paying.

If you are suggesting to make every household liable no matter what, then it is not a discussion about collecting unpaid fees anymore, but one about extending liability it a new ground of people - very different.

the alternative of collecting via the Revenue was rejected, especially by the Revenue, because it would add a huge workload for a small return. The existing collection system is flawed because it involves the punter getting off their holes and going to pay it, so they won't if they can avoid it and the TV license inspectors system is a joke because they won't go into rough housing estates or apartment blocks to collect it, either, so the best way to collect it is as a part of the property tax, as it is done in France or Germany. You don't pay that in those countries and the Tax Police will come for you and they're not afraid of going into rough housing estates.

Gamer Bhoy 89 · 12-11-2019 12:58pm

In today's world we can watch what we want, when we want, wherever we want - TV shows/films have never been so convenient. If I have the option to watch either RTÉ or pretty much anything else, I know what I'd do.

It goes beyond preferring to watch "the latest binge shows".

The one thing I do not follow at all is politics of any kind. A vast majority do, and RTÉ shows it a lot - it's in top news stories nearly all the time. If it's not that, it's depressing news about a tragic death. I can do without that, TBH.

I know nothing about politics and I'd rather not, either.

I watch the things that keep me happy. RTÉ has never done this for me.

Master of the Omniverse · 12-11-2019 1:01pm

Stovepipe wrote: »

the alternative of collecting via the Revenue was rejected, especially by the Revenue, because it would add a huge workload for a small return. The existing collection system is flawed because it involves the punter getting off their holes and going to pay it, so they won't if they can avoid it and the TV license inspectors system is a joke because they won't go into rough housing estates or apartment blocks to collect it, either, so the best way to collect it is as a part of the property tax, as it is done in France or Germany. You don't pay that in those countries and the Tax Police will come for you and they're not afraid of going into rough housing estates.

More tax,how novel,just add it to another tax,problem solved.Personally,I don't like paying to be brainwashed with mindless rubbish,a lot of people apparently arent keen either,so we pay to keep rte going,even though we don't watch it,and the overpaid lackeys take a small pay cut.I wouldn't mind paying if for example the cleaning staff were to get a salary equivalent to say Joe Duffy,and he got a cleaning job wages,but unless I get the DGs job,that will never happen,so either way,we will he forced to pay to keep the gravy train rolling,welcome to Ireland folks.

bladespin · 12-11-2019 1:10pm

I gave up on RTE a few years back, they offer nothing to me that I can see, news wise I've always felt they provided a skewed and biased view, sports wise they don't offer any sports I want to watch (an Irish world champion doesn't get a mention on the sports news

), better movies and series are available on the other platforms so really bar the Late Late toy show there's nothing for us.

Bob24 · 12-11-2019 1:32pm

Stovepipe wrote: »

the alternative of collecting via the Revenue was rejected, especially by the Revenue, because it would add a huge workload for a small return. The existing collection system is flawed because it involves the punter getting off their holes and going to pay it, so they won't if they can avoid it and the TV license inspectors system is a joke because they won't go into rough housing estates or apartment blocks to collect it, either, so the best way to collect it is as a part of the property tax, as it is done in France or Germany. You don't pay that in those countries and the Tax Police will come for you and they're not afraid of going into rough housing estates.

In France it is a separate charge (like here) which is collected each year by the equivalent of Revenue, and any taxpayer can tick a box on their yearly tax return to declare they don’t have a TV in which case the licence won’t be collected. So there also is a need to do inspections if frauds are to be detected (except it would be done by government employees rather than Post office ones, but I doubt they would be more brave in terms of going into a rough apartment block).

It is definitely neither bundled with nor connected with property tax (impôt foncier). You might confuse it with the fact that if someone is exempt from local housing tax (taxe d’habitation, a different tax which is on property occupancy rather than ownership and for which we don’t really have an equivalent) due to low income, it also triggers a TV licence exemption, and that both these taxes are collected at the same time.

We could do the same here but I don’t think it would solve any problem? (the main issue is not how you collect the licence but how you detect evasion and enforce the law, and I don’t think the French system would help with that)

sbsquarepants · 12-11-2019 1:43pm

Master of the Omniverse wrote: »

.I wouldn't mind paying if for example the cleaning staff were to get a salary equivalent to say Joe Duffy,and he got a cleaning job wages,but unless I get the DGs job,that will never happen,so either way,we will he forced to pay to keep the gravy train rolling,welcome to Ireland folks.

You haven't thought this through have you?:D:D:D

Master of the Omniverse · 12-11-2019 2:23pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

You haven't thought this through have you?:D:D:D

Lol..I got to the bit where my plan depended on me getting the DGs job,and realised that we were going to get shafted yet again .....blahde blahde blahhhhh

Sir Guy who smiles · 12-11-2019 3:21pm

Gamer Bhoy 89 wrote: »

The one thing I do not follow at all is politics of any kind. A vast majority do, and RTÉ shows it a lot - it's in top news stories nearly all the time......I know nothing about politics and I'd rather not, either.

Maybe. But politics knows about you.

rob316 · 12-11-2019 4:36pm

The programming has gotten worse as they have tried to capture a younger audience. The actually current affairs stuff I like, sports coverage isn't bad and the pundits are largely than the UK stations.
I don't like the "jobs for the boys" mentality across the platform either. Some of the pet presenters and actors are pure talentless constantly shoved down us. The attempts at home grown comedy and sitcoms are embarrassing.

I wouldn't like to see it gone, I have fond memories of watching the LLS with Gay Byrne, the football presented by Bill O Herlihy. I just find the current programming a cheap imitation of the UK channels.

rob316 · 12-11-2019 4:39pm

If I'm in charge too I'd change the name. The whole thing is so dated and doesn't appeal to the younger audience.

auspicious · 12-11-2019 4:59pm

There's only one or two hours of engaging current affairs per week. That's it.
I was flicking through a tv. guide a couple of days ago and for the laugh I counted the number of repeats ( R ) , on RTE 2 I think it was. I counted 17 throughout the day.
If they weren't paying nonsense presenters like Tubridy and D'Arcy half a mil each they might be able to afford something. Kenny was a big loss.
l

Loafing Oaf · 12-11-2019 5:00pm

rob316 wrote: »

If I'm in charge too I'd change the name. The whole thing is so dated and doesn't appeal to the younger audience.

Tried that with 'Network 2'...

Master of the Omniverse · 12-11-2019 5:35pm

I would watch rte,but only under certain conditions.
The first one being : Gerry Ryan is cloned and brought back to life in all his irreverant glory,take his rightful place on the late late,Ryan tubridy is retired and compelled to either spend a life of austerity as a Buddhist monk,or submit himself to God and spend the remainder of his life attired in Penney's outfits,to the value of 15euros.
Can't think of any more conditions,the above would do nicely!

12-11-2019 6:21pm

If they don't pipe down with all this 'RTE On Climate' rubbish, I might have to join all the RTE haters in switching off. It never quits these days.

Edit - Jesus, nearly every story on the main 6one news has had this shoehorned in. It's more like a special than the bloody news.

.

Mad_maxx · 13-11-2019 7:46am

Charles Leclerc wrote: »

Matt Cooper on Today FM educated me on all this QIH carry on. His show is fantastic. For me, the best broadcaster in Ireland.

Cooper is the biggest WOKE merchant in the country, insufferable wally

Stopped being good years ago and hopped on the PC train

sbsquarepants · 13-11-2019 8:41am

Master of the Omniverse wrote: »

Lol..I got to the bit where my plan depended on me getting the DGs job,and realised that we were going to get shafted yet again .....blahde blahde blahhhhh

If you're already not in the clique man, you'll never get in:D:D

Master of the Omniverse · 13-11-2019 9:19am

Do people actually boast about not watching rte? Maybe boast is the wrong word.Perhaps these people are hoping that by stating they don't,others may wonder why they don't.

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 13-11-2019 9:25am

Master of the Omniverse wrote: »

Do people actually boast about not watching rte?

I've only ever heard people talk about not watching RTE when discussing the TV licence. But that's because they resent being forced to pay a licence for a service they don't use, not because they're boasting.

Why do people boast about not watching RTÉ?

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