Dee Forbes banging the RTE TV licence drum again 60m uncollected fee *poll not working - pl ignore*

Deleted User wrote: »

Im actually praying a TV licence inspector calls. He'll get an earful and I'll let off some steam built up from 6 days stuck at home.

Maybe cough in his face at the culmination of your rant:p

Elmo wrote: »

That’s why I suggest they go straight to RTÉ!

I agree with you, we all need to speak up - not in an aggressive or nasty manner, but to be very clear about what we want from OUR publicly owned state broadcaster...

I suggest that we also email the Minister for Communications, insisting that they act in our national interests and take charge of RTE, to whip it into shape. No harm copying your FF / SF TDs also, given Richard Bruton is the outgoing Minister and may not get the gig again, when we finally get a new government.

Here are the contact details, so everyone can start emailing :

https://about.rte.ie/contact/contact-details/

https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/about-us/contact-us/Pages/Minister's-Office.aspx

Shefwedfan wrote: »

TUPE, not sure what Ireland call it, the staff move with the station. RTÉ won’t have to give any redundancy

It's also TUPE here...

But the big question is, will a buyer want a load of overpaid staff? Redundancies may be the out way to deal with some of the staff - but they could then apply for jobs with the new owners.

garrettod wrote: »

It's also TUPE here...

But the big question is, will a buyer want a load of overpaid staff? Redundancies may be the out way to deal with some of the staff - but they could then apply for jobs with the new owners.

any restructure of RTÉ2 and 2FM to be sold there would be very few staff moving.

RTÉ2 is really just a play out system at this point, no live programming, and few independent productions. Children's TV would move from the channel and the new owners would largely be paying for UEFA Champions League and International programming from RTÉ and not much else can see a new RTÉ2 being interested in GAA rights.

2FM would be cut cut cut if sold, which is what RTÉ should be doing now.

Elmo wrote: »

any restructure of RTÉ2 and 2FM to be sold there would be very few staff moving.

RTÉ2 is really just a play out system at this point, no live programming, and few independent productions. Children's TV would move from the channel and the new owners would largely be paying for UEFA Champions League and International programming from RTÉ and not much else can see a new RTÉ2 being interested in GAA rights.

2FM would be cut cut cut if sold, which is what RTÉ should be doing now.

The new owners may just run out the current deals, or the broadcast deals may not be sold along with the actual TV station. The broadcast licence and the right to broadcast different TV programmes are different issues, when all is said and done.

It's the actual broadcast licence that's valuable, rather than their current programming. Sure, there may be a couple of exceptions to this, but they are very few, as RTE2 doesn't have a lot of highly sought after, exclusive broadcast rights.

Staff may or may not go as part of a deal to sell a TV channel, or 2FM etc. If they do, they probably transfer on existing terms and conditions (TUPE), if they don't, they are made redundant. Either way, it cuts the number of staff and helps deal with the overall problem at RTE.

garrettod wrote: »

Hi,

My comments, in response to various posts above :

* TV Broadcast licences are worth money, so selling the likes of RTE2 would raise decent cash. To a lesser extent, radio licences are also valuable. Have a look at what was paid for radio and TV channels with national broadcast licences previously, just search for things like sale of FM104, TodayFM etc.

* If we sell some of the radio stations and RTE2, some of the staff go too - either as part of the deal, or get made redundant (eh, on "normal" redundancy terms, not extra generous RTE golden handshakes)

* A smaller RTE is easier to manage, and cheaper to run, in terms of a smaller staff.

* I see TG4 as more of a public service broadcaster, then RTE2, given its offering programming in the Irish language.

* I agree that we need a public service broadcaster, to provide decent local news, current affairs etc. I'm happy to pay something each year for this - but I'm not happy to pay for it, when I'm also being forced to pay for RTE's significant number of overpaid staff / contractors. We don't need to pay some plank close to €500k pa to host a chat show. That's just insane.

to be fair, what was paid for previous fm licenses would be unlikely to have any baring on what would be paid now or even in the future for them. i would expect that as time goes on, the value will actually decline due to the ever so slow decline of listeners, and i believe advertising may be declining also.
i don't believe rte can actually sell a license anyway, or even a transmission network, and that is about all that could have the potential to be sold, all though selling a transmission network rather then renting it out would be stupidity, as the most likely buyer if any, would be a company who would end up doing that anyway, as i believe stations tend to choose to rent their transmission facilities rather then own outright.
not to mention that removing the likes of rnag and lyric means public service content being removed, which will rightly mean objections.
it's not as if the private national stations that exist in ireland are exactly setting the world alight anyway, and it's unlikely you would get an operation providing something different to what is already being provided, so there wouldn't be anything worth while achieved apart from some short term cash each year from rent, when instead the networks can be used to provide the current ps programming, or in the case of 2fm, change it to programming that would meet a ps remit.

garrettod wrote: »

I agree with you, we all need to speak up - not in an aggressive or nasty manner, but to be very clear about what we want from OUR publicly owned state broadcaster...

I suggest that we also email the Minister for Communications, insisting that they act in our national interests and take charge of RTE, to whip it into shape. No harm copying your FF / SF TDs also, given Richard Bruton is the outgoing Minister and may not get the gig again, when we finally get a new government.

Here are the contact details, so everyone can start emailing :

https://about.rte.ie/contact/contact-details/

https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/about-us/contact-us/Pages/Minister's-Office.aspx

ultimately that is what is needed, however there would have to be an absolute concensus in relation to what is wanted from rte for this to be effective.

end of the road wrote: »

probably most of them i would expect, given they would fit the format which the new owners would likely bring, most likely pop and a bit of banter.

I wouldn’t think so, a new owner would most likely need a new format.

Full clear out it’s almost certain, along with the ‘back room lot’.

Get the whiff of unions off the gaff.

end of the road wrote: »

ultimately that is what is needed, however there would have to be an absolute concensus in relation to what is wanted from rte for this to be effective.

I think even if there isn't consensus the politicians should be able to respond with there own view and their parties view on how they see the future of broadcasting.

My own experience has been they largely ignore the emails and fail to understand PSBing.

It's up to them to decide if the licence fee goes, up to them if RTÉ is spit up or sold.

But they should be able to hear and accept the views of the audience on the content that is provided. and their views on the licence fee and on wages at RTÉ.

They should be asking

Why does RTÉ 2fm cost more to produce than Lyric FM?
Why did RTÉ cut funding from Children's content when they said they would not?
Why have there been no cuts to imported programming?
Why did RTÉ2 see at 30m cut and 2FM see its licence fee funding increase and little to no cuts?

And there are more questions that RTÉ need to be asked.

end of the road wrote: »

so what format do you propose they bring that would be commercially viable?

I'd say it would just be a case of reducing costs. RTÉ are unable to explain there spend on 2FM. This would largely mean the dropping of some "talent" for example is there a need for 2 presenters on the Morning show? (was there ever a need for 3?) Jennifer Z possible got a big pay increase she can go, Game On can be dropped again is there a need for 3 presenters, one of whom is a former rugby player he'd have to be on good money.

Also as a private entity 2FM would increase advertising. But the above still goes for RTÉ2FM.

take a read of this ****! Listen FG ballsed up the chance they had to tackle the likes of this the first time around, they take a hiding in election. Well lads, here it goes, here is the second chance at salvation and to deal with the likes of this CANCER!

https://www.herald.ie/news/rte-executives-claim-822k-in-car-allowances-as-staff-on-lower-grades-fight-plans-for-pay-freeze-39059782.html

It has emerged that RTE executives are receiving €822,218 a year in car allowances while the station tries to drastically reduce its costs.

The allowance being paid to 70 managers is worth almost as much as the organisation plans to save by imposing a pay freeze on its staff.

It is the single highest amount in a list of allowances claimed by the station's workforce, which is worth a total of €4.1m.

Details of the allowance, described as "car/travel", appear in a confidential internal document drawn up during talks on the broadcaster's plan to save €60m over three years.

RTE director general Dee Forbes received a €25,000 allowance on top of her €250,000 pay, according to recent figures - although she took a 10pc pay cut along with other executives at the start of the year.

Sources said the allowances paid to 70 employees related to staff in management grades and ranged from around €5,000 to €25,000. They said many may also be able to claim expenses for taxi use.

The value of the allowances - which are worth an average €11,745 each - is likely to anger lower-paid staff at the cash-strapped station.

It is understood that they get less-costly mileage rates rather than an allowance, although many are required to be on the road regularly in the course of their duties.

"If there are any non-managers among the 70 they would be a very small number," said a source.

Sources also revealed that a recent decision by the station to withhold incremental wage increases due to almost 500 workers would save in the region of €1.1m.

Redundancies


Talks on a range of cost-cutting measures as part of a plan that includes 200 voluntary redundancies have broken down.

RTE said it was not in a position to pay incremental wage increases to any of its staff as its financial situation remains "grave".

Almost 500 workers are affected by the decision.

The RTE Group of Unions said in a statement that management had suspended talks "to facilitate the station's commitment to dealing with the consequences of Covid-19".

When asked for a comment on the allowances, RTE said it had a variety of allowances available to both managers and staff alike, "as with many complex organisations".

"Such allowances vary by function and role," it said in a statement.

It said allowances were among a number of measures which are currently part of wider discussions about reform of the organisation as it faces the future.

"RTE does not believe it is appropriate to comment on any one allowance or measure in what is an integrated and confidential discussion between RTE and it's trade union group," it said.

"Discussions have been paused by RTE to allow RTE and its staff to focus on maintaining crucial public services during this hugely challenging time.

"That is our priority."

RTE's financial difficulties led to the announcement of cost-cutting measures before Christmas as part of efforts to save €60m over three years.

They included plans to cut 200 jobs and impose 15pc salary cuts on some of its best-paid talent.