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

Has the workforce been reduced at all in the 9 months?

Emma O'Kelly hardly does anything. Her position is surely up for redundancy.

Another farce plan today. No action. The government will continue to bail out RTE.

Load of crud….. no mention of paying mediocre presenters huge wedges for NO REASON.

Of course I realise that is not the major problem, but it’s where the rubber hits the road for the consumer.

That’s where any sensible DG would start.

From the press release "Implementing the strategy over the next five years is contingent on a resolution of the funding of public service media by Government, expected to be confirmed in 2024."

No that "Implementing the strategy over the next five years is to move RTÉ passed the the problems that faced the organisation over the last number of years. RTÉ hope for the support of the government in helping to change the funding of public service media over the next number of years, but we will aim to make RTÉ a better organisation regardless of funding."

Last time I heard him was about a month ago.

Must be no ‘climate conferences’ anywhere around the world these days.

And I read the first page which states : -

Introduction

Paragraph 1: RTÉ aims to do what would normal be done by the organisation over the next five years and also clear changes required inside RTÉ.
Paragraph 2: A dual focus - Relevant and engaging content for audiences of all kinds and development of streaming and on-demand.
Paragraph 3: Proper funding is required to make this plan work, something which is in the hands of the government. They want to go From main Broadcaster to main Streamer.
Paragraph 4: Organisational will be streamlined and improved with new ways of working internally and with partners externally. Higher quality content and more impactful. Unique Irish stories, national moments and shared experiences.
Paragraph 5: Building on the progress made on Goverance and improving communication in the organisation. Continutity of what is working e.g. increase leader ship on ESG issues through goals and initativews. Leadership in examining and contributing to policy debate and legislation especial on prominence codes, net neutrality and AI.

2024 Laying out the changes

The focus has been on laying foundations for change and the delivery of this strategy, adding to the activities achieved. Over 24 will show early progress on: -

1. Launching a verification mark to aid audiences navigate mis/dis information
2. close 4 digital radio stations for the new audio app and content strategy
3. Sign-in for RTÉ player, to improve audience personalised features
4. Finalising commissioning roadmap for broader portfolio of genres and programmes from 25
5. Engaging with CnaM as they consider minimum statutory spend as recommended by the FOMC
6. Participate in the Comprehensive review of the provision of Irish language services in line with the FOMC's recommendations
7. Appointing people to critical roles, including Directors of Audio and Video
8. Reviewing staffing and developing new production models for video and audio.
9. A new restructured commercial team to strengthen ad sales
10. 40 people to exit
11. Highlight what we need to modernize RTÉ physical infrastructure
12. Publish a new governance framework based on reports of recent months.

Those items in bold really aren't up to RTÉ.

I'd hope this would have always been the case.

A lot of the other stuff is what most organisation are doing so I suspect that RTÉ would have done them anyway, much of this should be cost neutral TBH.

Page 5: Sorry my page numbers were off (lots of glossiness)

Goals and Initiatives

Goal 1: Engage with Audiences with high-quality impactful content
a. Video content strategy addressing audiences streaming preferences
b. Audio strategy
c. Enhancing Digital news and CA
d. Expanding Live cultural and public events coverage

Goal 2: Provide excellent streaming products and services
a. quality products providing personalised experiences
b. RTÉ Player as a destination like that of Netflix
c. New ways to listen to RTÉ Audio and via the News app
d. More access to archive

Goal 3: Diversify production and support sectoral development across Ireland
a. Increase commissioning, diversity of content and origin
b. new Cork based production facility
c. De-centralisation from Dublin (re-balance)

Goal 4: Ensure robust financial management
a. transparent reporting
b. control and reduce operating costs/ drive efficacies
c. commercial success based on digital revenues
d. capital plan for Montrose

Goal 5: Build a sustainable, trusted and responsible organisation
a. Re-skill, smaller and agile workforce
b. positive work environment
c. DIE policies
d. best in class governance framework.

IMO this is mainly business babble that you've read every year from the organisations you probably work in. It's all about marketing little to do with content.

The Toy Show mentioned a couple of times in the report, they still think it is great.

I'm still dying to know what happened to all the unsold Toy Show The Musical merch 😂

It's on Temu.

The section on how people access media is interesting and it seems that RTE is finally taking notice. Whether it can do all those wonderful things involving streaming and digital audio remains to be seen. It should have been paying attention to these things about ten years ago. Streaming and podcasts get a mention so RTE might want to up its game on these things. The problem is that it is still RTE.

Regards…jmcc

to BOIL ALL DOWN - just imagine that RTE had the finances available to do all of this back through the years and look at the debacle re the management it had over that time - a lot of them have resigned , ‘moved on’, gone out sick, let go, etc. SO when we look at what is left ( between management and presenters) I AM COMPLETELY FAiLING TO SEE HOW RTE IS GOING TO ACHIEVE IT’s PLAN’s GOALS WITH THIS LOT?

And the morale is so low within the station who would be bothered applying for a job there?

I was going to continue reading and updating here but 2 things came to me

1. All of the management babel and all of the digitization expansion would have all happened anyway.
2. Their decision to increase funding comes down to the move of Fair City and The Late Late Show to the independent sector this is at least 15million of that extra 40m they are planning, throw in The Daytime show today and that would at another 5 million, perhaps give over Nationwide another 5 million, with 15 million to then add to that, I wonder where that will come from Sports programming? Which in reality means there is no change in this plan what so ever.

Purely to increase their commitment to Indepenent production.

The moving of a soap opera to studios outside the city in which it is set is not unprecedented, i.e. EastEnders is filmed in Hertfordshire.

Could they please in the name of jaysus fix the RTE player?