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

Considering he had to hire Gerard Kean, he was in some deep doo-doo.

If the rumours are true in relation to CB's new wage, why are we giving any tax money to independent broadcasters and media?

https://www.businesspost.ie/uncategorized/business-post-view-claire-byrnes-move-from-rte-to-newstalk-is-about-more-than-money/

You'd have to wonder about media types.

How to excuse greed. Newstalk could invest in 10 researchers and Journalist and build on these people, instead the choose Claire Byrne to retain Pat Kenny's audience while hoping that Pat Kenny can bring an audience to Weekends.

At least they admit this isn't totally about "a new challenge".

The writer seems to think that Byrne should have been given the view that she was "indispensable"… why? Should RTÉ treat her, or any of their stars, as they have done in the past, to baby them to their every need.

Not only do you need money but Post believes you should be cherished. What a bizarre idea.

The post says "This is not simply about filling a chair; it is about the symbolic loss of talent to the commercial sphere at a time when RTÉ can least afford further erosion."

Seriously, you'd think the sun shone out of Claire and she was the shining light of RTÉ. When did this happen? I'd argue that when both Sean O'Rourke and then Claire Byrne took over from Pat Kenny it was simple as they put it about David McCullagh “keep calm and carry on”, and they both largely did it with dignity, until well the problems started to arise.

O'Rourke when ever I heard him speak seemed perplexed by the scandal, he really wanted to whitewash it and not being fully part of RTÉ he really could not help, but when he got the opportunity he was quick to suggest it was a "nothing burger".

While, Claire was clearly annoyed at the suggest that she works outside RTÉ and if she did what business would it be of anyones, she seemed to forget the Quiz Show she got after her chat show ended, which would be considered extra work.

"The result is that Claire Byrne, once the future of RTÉ, is now the future of its rival."

Claire has her own future she was never loyal to any one broadcaster, remember when she left TV3 for newstalk?

The editor (I assume) ends with this pomposity

In short: yes, money mattered. But so did strategy, ambition, and the instinct—common to anyone worth listening to—that one does not wish to remain forever in the service of an organisation that confuses decline with destiny.

This is not to get at Claire, well done to her for getting the job in Newstalk. But IMO she's not as much of a loss to RTÉ Radio as many in the media are make out. In fact this is a "nothing burger".

I'm in total agreement here. Byrne is a terrible journalist.

McInerney I consider one of RTE's best, but very underutilized. She should have gotten Claire Byrne's show, but I imagine some folks at RTE were afraid she'd ruffle the feathers of higher ups/ folks in government. Her interview with Ivana Bacik after Bacik was given the Labour leadership role was sublime. She took no nonsense, she took no crap, and she completely destroyed Ivana. Bacik has never recovered, and her tenure as Labour leader has never come back from that moment.

Personally I'd have more respect if they gave us a few 'ANSWERS' rather than questions.

If you were to believe the press it is because of the exodus of "stars" from the broadcaster.

Joe will be play a significant role in RTÉ 100 year celebrations. What will Sean O'Rourke do now, surely Mary Wilson will have to be given her own podcast.

2026 Look forward to The Meaning of life | Insights with | and our new show Insightful Lives with

.. guests such as Cecelia Ahern
, John Boyne
, Vougue Williams
, Paul Howard
, Marian Keyes
, Doireann Garrihy
, Andrea Corr and many more …

And a two speical Insightful Lives where Mary Wilson interviews Joe Duffy and Sean O'Rourke.

You can't keep RTÉ talent retired for too long….

Soon enough RTÉ will have to employ a necromancer to bring back Gay Byrne and Gerry Ryan.

Never was it’s true, however, his retiral shows in sharp relief the lack of talent trying to take over.

Exactly. If you're not interested in discussing what salary you are earning don't take a job at a state broadcaster obliged to disclose such information.

Can he not see the reason why it was done in that way was to avoid disclosing it and to allow under reporting of earnings… and that if it came to light it could impact his future career opportunities. So an entirely selfish reason not to engage in such shenanigans.

I happened to go back to Ireland's Smartest… for no real reason. But a couple of note worthy parts to its production.

While the series was produced by an Northern Ireland production company, almost half of the Question writers and verifiers live in Britain, the graphics was produced by a UK company and the composer of the music was also a British composer.

I see they have a new judge for DWTS and a new host.

They basically got another 2fm presenter to present, the old presenter seems to be able to advertise baby ware and maternity ware, sure next she'll be advertising pensions!

But LarBar did say he would be finding anyone outside Ireland … but the new Judge is from outside Ireland … ah well when you can't have Dermot O'Leary…

It really is the same old stuff coming from RTÉ.

For some reason The Head of Audio was doing multiple interviews across print media to put out the fire, they really think there is a fire to put out.

She didn't say much and pretty much said the same as Jimbo Jennings and Dee Forbes.

Meanwhile over in the Irish Times Laura Slattery, one of their business correspondents corrected herself about RTÉ comedy.

“Comedy is a very tricky genre, not just for us,” he said then. “Most commercial broadcasters have pulled out of it, because it’s too hit and miss, and it’s expensive as well. But this should be part of our offering to audiences, and having the guaranteed level of funding over the next number of years helps us take these risks.”

And now says

This was in the context of the launch of Good Boy, a short-form, low-budget RTÉ Player sitcom starring Tony Cantwell, and the first RTÉ-developed sitcom in several years. The quote from Bakhurst followed a point I’d made, while warming up to something resembling a question, about sitcoms being “perceived as a tricky genre sometimes and maybe even particularly so for RTÉ”.To be unfunnily clear, his position was that, now RTÉ had secured its multiannual funding agreement, it would be able to invest in comedy. Licence-fee payers and the promises of the previous coalition would combine to finance RTÉ-disseminated laughs. Intentional ones.

Sadly, my obligation to file somewhere in the region of my designated word count meant none of this made the published interview, but the gist was that RTÉ is keen to develop a comedy slate because the genre “can really punch through” on linear television “with a relatively low volume of hours” while also enjoying a long on-demand life.

What this really means is that I will defend RTÉ to the hilt and rather than saying, RTÉ has never really tried doing comedy in the past it will now try to do comedy. (Indeed you'd have never guess that Good Boy was low budget short from comedy from her filed report, rather that it might actually get a broadcast if it is lucky… it wasn't… and it wasn't good).

She oddly blames her editor in a roundabout way.

It also means that what RTÉ want is a new comedy that they can repeat for the next 20 years.

A scheme for comedy pilot episodes was also mooted.

Imagine that a scheme for comedy pilot episodes has be mooted… https://www.screenireland.ie/news/rte-fis-eireann-screen-ireland-announce-four-successful-comedy-projects-to

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2020/1021/1172987-rte-launches-search-for-new-comedy-and-drama-series/

In fairness to her the article is largely tongue in cheek, at least I hope it is. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2025/10/18/rte-quest-to-find-the-next-derry-girls-young-offenders-or-mrs-browns-boys/

Meanwhile the Sunday Times had a grave warning for RTÉ

https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/rte-newstalk-battle-irish-radio-dominance-3fggrswzc

Thing is that we've seen that exodus and really makes little difference to RTÉ, while Baure may get itself in the newspaper what areas of Baure are there to temp "talent" to? Unless they drop both their Lunch Time show and Moncrieff Baure has little to offer on their 2 stations. Other indpendents are too small and VMTV has one show to fill, with The Tonight Show, does anyone think that VMTV would go after Doireann to host either Ireland AM or The Six O'Clock Show?