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

2FM is the only music station in the country that can't make a profit, definitely dump that. Maybe RTE2 was necessary when there was limited choice,who watches it now. TG4 is available if there's a clash with sport on 1.

We're five million souls,all we need is RTE1,TG4 and Radio1. The news is available on the Player if anyone is bothered. Don't think those +1 channels cost much to air anyway, they're mainly for scooping up more and revenue I'd say.

This is true but there is nothing stopping RTÉ selling sporting rights to TG4, VMTV and a potential private RTÉ2 when it has clashing sports.

In actual fact RTÉ could put clashing sports on RTÉ1 +1, opting out of the +1 schedule for an hour or two.

BTW the suggested poll option are me reading the room.

1. Defund: Time to stop funding RTÉ, let it stand on its own 2 feet
2. Reform: Time for An Post to collect it better and for RTÉ to make reforms internally (But keep as is)
3. Reduce: the number of services provided by RTÉ to RTÉ 1, RTÉ Radio 1, RnaG and RTÉ News (along with online services such as the player)
4. Wait: for another report that defines what we really want from Public Service Broadcastings

and how I would vote

1. I disagree complete
2. My preferred option, but RTÉ (and An Post) would have to make massive reforms (I don't think how the license fee is collected is really an issue).
3. A second option for me, this would be the nuclear option if 2 did not work.
4. Absolutely not something must be done.

Trouble at de RTE Ranch, whoy,?

Summer Time is official.

RTÉ ONE's main daytime TV show take a 4 month break, to return in "September", Maura's went to a 3 day week due to the work life balance issue that seems to be really hard on RTÉ staff! 2 day a week's Sinéad  never really got that pressure, she's off to Brussels to be with her hubby, she only gets 4 months there, can you imagine the hardship!

But poor Aul Daithi he's got to do the Rose of Tralee, so he's prob busy preparing for the 2 day even in August and then sure its all go after that as he prepares for they return of Today on the 25th of Sept!

Soon the news crew will be off on their extended break, because its sleepy season in politics would and as the former head of news once tweeted in defence

Is there not massive pressure on them to come to some sort of decision at this stage, it's been long-fingered for so long.

This seems to be the currently favored option

I believe the excuse is the Dail isn't sitting.

God bless your faith,but no.

I pay my license and I want a decent service. Blaming the poor mouth for every flaw doesn't cut it.

However the opposite - paying regardless of the quality of RTE's output - has its problems too. Fantastic if you are an employee of RTE, but where is the incentive for RTE to produce high quality content? My worry is the once everyone has to pay for RTE even if they don't watch television, the standard will plummet rapidly.

It would also solve the problem of license fee evasion which RTE are complaining about: thousands of people not paying the license but still enjoying RTE. With the subscription model, if you don't pay the subscription then no RTE for you!

A state broadcaster is necessary,but most of what they do is a folly. The unionised subsidised model is a recipe for laziness.

One channel a plus one and a radio station is plenty for a country our size. Radio1 is a national joke though.

I do find it strange nobody takes them to task for the money they get. The crazy salaries,constant repeats,the nepotism,lack of original programming.

I agree with you on the quality side of things. This is one problem that exists in RTÉ that RTÉ should be able to fix.

My reading of what RTÉ are saying is : -

"We are working really hard to provide the service that we do but that service really needs to be paid for by everyone so that we can maintain the standard of service and the number of services that we currently provide"

This isn't good enough for anyone regardless if they actually use the services that RTÉ provide, its particularly bad for those that do use the service as they will see no gain.

The summer holiday for Today on RTÉ ONE (and all of RTÉ daytime programmes since Live @ 3) is crazy. Where does this come from. I can apperciate that Today is slightly better than Ireland AM but I don't see the value in spending way over the necessary cost for a Daytime or Morning TV programme when you could either

1. Opt for a low cost model for such shows and produced them across 50 weeks of the year and produce more of them. OR
2. Use the money for quality peak time TV, which you can eventually rerun during daytime hours.