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

It's not a financial issue. It's related to the wider issue that came out of the financial crisis around staff and presenters doing nixers and potential conflicts of interest.

Are they the same stars who were going to he snapped up by the BBC and other UK and US broadcasters if they weren’t paid more per capita than those countries’ top broadcasting earners? Didn’t really work out like that for The Toyman did it?

Can you name even one RTÉ “talent” who was put “out on their ear” by management? I seem to have missed that if such a thing happened.

As for “without redundancy packages” you do understand how contracted working arrangement operate, don’t you? Or perhaps you don’t?

You may also be aware the RTÉ is moving towards a staff (rather than contracted) arrangement for their recent on-air hires, with Kieran Cuddihy being an example of same.

Oh you mean the same Ryan Tubridy who was involved in a dodgy payments scheme concocted by him, his agent, and the it seems now permanently ill Dee Forbes that the wider Executive were not aware of and that led to multiple resignations incl. of the Chair of the Board and a national controversy that still hovers over the broadcaster almost 3 years later and that required a govt, bailout of over €700million to keep the lights on? That Ryan Tubridy?

Ryan himself has called it all a blessing in disguise and you yourself have frequently told us all about his successful he is in the UK now (and on LMFM too I believe) so it’s all worked out deliciously for him…..others not so much. The BBC never did come knocking for him though, did they? Intriguing.

It's not just reality or celeb focused, there is a place for that, but you also have to have a mix of programming, such as quiz shows, game shows, children's content, comedy, drama, documentary, arts and so on.

RTÉ currently have a minimum of €44m or so to spend on Independent producers, this will increase due in part to increased funding but also due government pressure following the bailout (you seem to think that RTÉ is doing this out of their own volition, its mainly been forced upon them because the scandal which was revealed in 2023).

Indeed comedy programming can allow for good quality political satire which can help with mis-information and grab younger viewers attentions.

Considering no-one has seen neither sight nor sound of D4bes in about 3 years, is it maybe time to change the thread title?

It's not just reality or celeb focused, there is a place for that, but you also have to have a mix of programming, such as quiz shows, game shows, children's content, comedy, drama, documentary, arts and so on.

I agree with you, but looking at the schedule for RTE today and the comedies are: Only Fools and Horses, and Derry Girls. RTE 2 seems to be kids shows from 9am until 7pm. The only dramas I'm seeing is NCIS at 23:55 and Red Eye on Rte 1.

I'm not seeing a quiz anywhere.

If you watch Fair City through a comedic lens it is possibly the funniest thing on RTÉ.

I am talking about Irish productions. And what they should be doing, not what they are currently provide or have provided in the last decade.

Music in general, where is RTÉ TV's music show, even at the height of music TV RTÉ was fairly empty. I am not saying there are none but I am saying across the board RTÉ are lacking not just comedy or music, but in general.

But that is my point about all genres RTÉ could not be accused of try to avoid controversy with the many genres that I mentioned, yes you could argue that RTÉ avoid Comedy as it could be considered controversial but was that the case over the last 100 years of Radio and 60 years of TV? I doubt that very much.

If Public Service Media is to be just News and Current Affairs then so be it.

RTÉ ONE to become a live news and current affairs TV station covering some live sports, but the majority with commercial entities. The other genres left to the commercial sector. (Remember that fantastic TV3 comedy, back in the good auld days!).

RTÉ Radio 1 to become a full News and current affair radio station, no sports with sports on commercial radio.

Sell off RTÉ2 and 2FM, move RnaG in with TG4 (with TG4 dropping all imported programming and a strict policy on Irish language programming), move the CO and Lyric FM under the National Concert Hall.

Drop RTÉ NEWS NOW, RTÉ ONE +1, RTÉjr and RTÉ GOLD.

Seems like a plan to me? But then what are we left with?

The Sindo have a couple of features on the affair again today. The Toyman and the it seems permanently incapacitated invisible woman feature prominently. Both articles are behind paywalls.

I’m on foreign soil for the next 10 days and the usual paywall removers aren’t allowing me to access the articles so perhaps someone who has access to them could share any new nuggets the articles contain.

The Toyman should get Ross on The Bookshelf Podcast to discuss the book. It would be intriguing and delicious.