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RTE Gold discussion thread

Joe Duffy.

With the news yesterday that Will Leahy and Rick O Shea are joining rte gold on weekdays, is there actually a plan for the station or is it just the new dumping ground for jocks too old for 2fm ? What type of service is RTE Gold offering that isn't already available from Classic Hits 4fm, Q102, East coast Radio ? It seems to play an awful lot of generic 80s stuff.

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alzer100

leoXX wrote: »

It never made sense to me that RTE direct the Gold audience (aged 45+?) to digital platforms and have their youth station on old-fashioned FM. Moving Ireland's biggest jukebox from FM to digital made zero sense as most of it's target audience wouldn't really like fiddling around with apps while making the Sunday roast just to hear a radio show.

2FM, it's position on the FM platform and it's target audience will never change IMO. I think the way RTE see it is that they cater for the 15/25 - 45 year old demographic through 2FM and the older audience 45+ is catered for by RTE Radio 1. So I think in their view that after 45 you don't listen to popular music anymore, you now just have an appetite for talk radio and classical music! (Lyric FM).
RTE management consider music stations like Gold as "fringe" or "niche"

As a public service broadcaster they need to at least demonstrate that they are attempting to cater for all ages (whether we agree to how they do that is a different matter). There are many reasons, but one example of why they will not remove 2FM from the FM platform and replace it with Gold is because the organisation's radio output maybe then viewed as leaning towards a specific target audience and totally neglecting another.

As time goes on though, I think older audiences will be more tech savvy and will not be intimidated by technology and will explore alternatives. RTE should bare that in mind.

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Anyone know why RTE dropped the MP3 stream for Gold? It’s only available as a HLS stream now - since about last Wednesday - and can’t be played on Google Home devices as a result.

alzer100

Elyse Stocky Caviar wrote: »

Anyone know why RTE dropped the MP3 stream for Gold? It’s only available as a HLS stream now - since about last Wednesday - and can’t be played on Google Home devices as a result.

I maybe coming across as being a bit dim and for that I am truly sorry but does that mean you are unable to cast it lets say from a smartphone to let's say a TV using Chromecast?

un5byh7sqpd2x0

alzer100 wrote: »

I maybe coming across as being a bit dim and for that I am truly sorry but does that mean you are unable to cast it lets say from a smartphone to let's say a TV using Chromecast?

No, that much works. I mean from a Google Home speaker like a Home Mini, Google’s versions of Alexa speakers which you may be familiar with

channelsurfer2

leoXX wrote: »

Keeping these digital stations online and on Saorview would cost almost nothing, the DJs are all rte staff so they'll have to put them somewhere and pretty much every radio station these days has spin off online streams. Furthermore the radio lineup on Saorview would be extremely empty without the digital stations. DAB is the elephant in the room though, the problem with it is, RTE are never going to roll it out any further so why should licence fee payers in Dublin/Limerick/Cork get DAB but not licence fee payers in Donegal or Galway

this is the thing.. the only cost saving is closing DAB. the DJ's are not contract staff apparently they are all rte employees even Will Leahy. So they will still get paid one way or another.

lertsnim

Elyse Stocky Caviar wrote: »

Anyone know why RTE dropped the MP3 stream for Gold? It’s only available as a HLS stream now - since about last Wednesday - and can’t be played on Google Home devices as a result.

They're directing any queries towards TuneIn. It wasn't that long ago that Radio 1 wouldn't work on smart speakers, again a TuneIn problem. It's a pity they don't have their own streams on smart speakers like the BBC does.

alzer100

Well Keith Walsh is finishing up on RTE Gold this week.
Only reason sofar is because of the lockdown ending.
Is this the beginning of the end for Gold?
Has anyone heard anything more?

ford fiesta

alzer100 wrote: »

Well Keith Walsh is finishing up on RTE Gold this week.
Only reason sofar is because of the lockdown ending.
Is this the beginning of the end for Gold?
Has anyone heard anything more?

I doubt it is. remember before the lockdown it was just Will and Rick on the station.

CUCINA

I'd be a fan of RTE Gold...the absence of mind-numbing adds is a real plus, and even better when there is no DJ waffle. I notice, though, that they get great mileage from certain quarters, like Phil Collins and Paul Young.
Over time, you see a pattern of repetition and it's only when you tune into other "oldie" stations that you realise that there are many songs that you'd never hear on Gold (e.g., "There's a Ghost in my House" by R.Deane Taylor, "I don't like Spiders and Snakes","I love the Sound of Breaking Glass" etc.
That said, if the station was suddenly taken off the air, I'd definitely miss it...

channelsurfer2

so what now for rte gold. sports saturday and sunday will be back to full hours in the next few weeks meaning no gold on rte1 at those times. will this mean that they will slowly start to wind it down again.

alzer100

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

so what now for rte gold. sports saturday and sunday will be back to full hours in the next few weeks meaning no gold on rte1 at those times. will this mean that they will slowly start to wind it down again.

Unfortunately I think that is exactly what is going to happen eventually.

I think the only reason Aidan Leonard is on weekends is because they don't have any other job in RTE to allocate to him yet. If the weekday 7 to 7 schedule is phased back to Will Leahy and Rick O'Shea...
If this happens it's back to station wind down status as it was as of March/April this year.
Interesting to see what happens to the Michael Cahill slot from here on in.

BTW Aidan Leonard is scheduled for Keith Walsh's slot for this coming Friday anyway.

ford fiesta

Keith Walsh was not right for the usually positive sounding RTE GOLD in the afternoon....any time I tuned in, he seemed to be broadcasting from home, moaning or making us aware of his personal situations.

If Aidan Leonard is taking over his slot: Mon to Thur/Fri
..well that's just great!!!

un5byh7sqpd2x0

ford fiesta wrote: »

If Aidan Leonard is taking over his slot: Mon to Thur/Fri
..well that's just great!!!

It’s a one day only thing.

alzer100

Don't know if it was Keith Walsh's decision. More concerned for the reasoning behind it. No real clarification as to why.

I think it's really a case of uncertain times at RTE Gold.
Don't know for sure but the streaming numbers are probably dropping off with the lockdown essentially (nearly) finished.

Kilboor

Loved hearing RTE Gold lately. Wish it was on FM.

maxwell smart

I thought Keith Walsh was pretty good on the station. A few quirky items and some decent tunes. He's so much better than the majority on RTE2 but I'd say he is a victim of the gender balance equation they use. I mean Jennifer Zampadoodle is terrible.

ford fiesta

alzer100 wrote: »

Don't know for sure but the streaming numbers are probably dropping off with the lockdown essentially (nearly) finished.

I doubt listeners will stop listening to the statoon

un5byh7sqpd2x0

I’d say RTE breaking Google Home devices for 2 or 3 weeks drove away a lot of streaming listeners.

alzer100

Apparently it's back to just Will Leahy and Rick O'Shea from this Monday.

tv3tg4

A nationwide roll out of dab offering a wider range of stations

Eg. They managed it in the UK -

djemba djemba

maxwell smart wrote: »

I thought Keith Walsh was pretty good on the station. A few quirky items and some decent tunes. He's so much better than the majority on RTE2 but I'd say he is a victim of the gender balance equation they use. I mean Jennifer Zampadoodle is terrible.

I thought he was good too. I like his something borrowed, something new, something deacon blue. One thing did annoy me though was him joining in with the rte gold: the greatest jingle

alzer100

Unfortunately it looks like RTE are going ahead with their plans to close the station. And of course, I'm sure that they will get the backing from the current minister.

JDxtra

alzer100 wrote: »

Unfortunately it looks like RTE are going ahead with their plans to close the station. And of course, I'm sure that they will get the backing from the current minister.

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action, Environment and Power Naps.

Tork

It's an easy "win" to close it, isn't it? There'd be an outcry if they actually went ahead and closed Lyric FM. 2FM appears to be immune to any cutbacks. I find it hard to believe that RTE Gold costs much to run. My understanding is that an organisation like RTE pays an overall royalties fee every year, which means the amount of music played on the station is irrelevant. The people working on the station are RTE employees anyway - where will they be going when the station goes? Was online only ever considered once DAB goes?

I think the station not working on the Google Home smart speakers recently was a clear sign that it's on its way out. Whether it was deliberate or nobody noticed, we'll probably never know. Pity though.

alzer100

JDxtra wrote: »

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action, Environment and Power Naps.

Richard Bruton was quite happy to let the station go to the wall, I can't see this minister being any different. Really hope I'm wrong.

I understand that there is a process involved and RTE may not be able to just shut Gold down tomorrow irrespective of the DAB network. Unless RTE gets a replacement director general, (I'm sorry have to say it, that doesn't want to share the same brain cell that seems to be allocated to RTE upper management) then Gold is heading for the chop.

alzer100

Tork wrote: »

It's an easy "win" to close it, isn't it? There'd be an outcry if they actually went ahead and closed Lyric FM. 2FM appears to be immune to any cutbacks. I find it hard to believe that RTE Gold costs much to run. My understanding is that an organisation like RTE pays an overall royalties fee every year, which means the amount of music played on the station is irrelevant. The people working on the station are RTE employees anyway - where will they be going when the station goes? Was online only ever considered once DAB goes?

I think the station not working on the Google Home smart speakers recently was a clear sign that it's on its way out. Whether it was deliberate or nobody noticed, we'll probably never know. Pity though.

Deliberate, I would say. The less streaming figures would somehow justify their actions.

radioguru02

Is there any actual evidence that Gold is to be shut down?

alzer100

pirateradiohed wrote: »

Is there any actual evidence that Gold is to be shut down?

They have officially applied to minister to shut down the DAB network.

As RTE Gold is a "service", they can close the DAB carrier for RTE Gold but apparently the minister needs to approve the closure of the RTE Gold "service". This is something that RTE management are pursuing.

Tork

They have to be seen to do something. We all know RTE's in deep trouble and closing something like Gold is about as useful as asking Ryan Tubridy to take a pay cut.

Elmo

alzer100 wrote: »

They have officially applied to minister to shut down the DAB network.

As RTE Gold is a "service", they can close the DAB carrier for RTE Gold but apparently the minister needs to approve the closure of the RTE Gold "service". This is something that RTE management are pursuing.

So I am worried about this "officially" applied to the minister. I have been informed by RTÉ that they are "currently" applying, that is 2 months ago at this point. I wonder if they actually have. I think they'll just close and the Minister and BAI will ignore what needs to be done under the act.

Write to info@rte.ie and ask has RTÉ applied to the Minister for Media to close the RTÉ Digital Radio stations (RTÉ 1 EXTRA, RTÉ GOLD, RTÉ 2XM etc) and if so when was the application made.