RTÉ ONE, 2, Junior, and Player

deezell · 04-05-2026 07:34AM

Was I hearing right at the end of Sunday Miscellany yesterday? Did they close the show with the original theme tune? I missed the start so I don't know if it's restored, or what the story is. It's ironic, that iconic original, 400 years old, is called Galliard Battaglia by the Baroque composer Samuel Scheidt. We've been listening to Scheidt for 58 years, and then some Thick Tokker decides to replace it with Sh¡te.

The Cush · 04-05-2026 07:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124442275#Comment_124442275

Didn't hear the end but the beginning was the new theme tune.

icdg · 04-05-2026 08:35AM

I believe they’ve been using it to play out all along. So not quite disappeared.

And contrary to a letter to the Irish Times during the week O’Donnell Abu at 5:30am also survived the cull.

deezell · 04-05-2026 08:42AM

It galls me to think some spawn who wasnt even an urge in 1968 made the decision to axe the intro. A 400 year old compositional masterpiece is ageless, it's not a fkng jingle. Sure let's knock down the GPO and make a Dermot Bannon rebuild show, thats the way the empty RTE heads work

RoTelly · 04-05-2026 11:02AM

The RTÉ Radio Jingle controversy has a few issues that RTÉ overlooked

The history of Radio 1, this is particularly bad considering its now in its 100th year
The identity of each programme, while I was never a fan of using music that wasn't create for the show, most of the jingles were by definition of the show, you knew when to listen as a theme came on regardless of where it came from, these jingles are so similar its hard to know who's coming next.
The use of a British (London Centred) Company, now I have been called out on this, and surely I would have no problem with an Irish company getting the contract for the BBC Radio jingles, but I feel that it was as RTÉ former board would put it "fait accompli" that Wisebubba were getting the contract.
Surely if you were to create a new set of jingles you would understand the station, and its variety of programming. Instead we are left with a standard news radio sound. This is why wisebubba were the wrong people for the contract, they had no real knowledge of the station or nostalgia for the station.

In saying of all of this I don't think it will damage RTÉ Radio, people have opinions and I thing these jingles will last for at least 5 years before changes are made, by that point it will be a distant memory.

bpotogo · 06-05-2026 10:45PM

Why is RTE 2 television so neglected by RTE ? One has new idents and they've given a big make over to Radio 1 and 2fm has for better or worse become very youth focused, This morning on the new 2fm midmorning show they did a feature on the two By-elections and it was like something you'd hear on News2day, basically explaining by-elections/voting etc to first timers as if a load of 18/22 year olds are listening

RoTelly · 07-05-2026 09:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124449368#Comment_124449368

IMO RTÉ2 was always largely neglected even though at times they were producing programming for it, it is now even more neglected than ever before. It's barely a TV channel.

It has two non-sporting programme commissioned for Thursday nights (First Dates, The 2 Johnnies, Storyland and some DIY show that is a cheaper version of DIY SOS) and their late night music show (other voices and Ireland in music). Even for their Children's strand they have very little, you might forgive them if RTÉ KIDS / JR was getting a high number of commissions but it hasn't had anything really since 2016.

Again RTÉ might argue that these types of shows have moved on line, but I don't think RTÉ Player has launch any exclusive material for the last 6 months to year. I could be wrong on that but even still those programmes are not comparable to The Monday night line up of comedy, News 2 and other innovations back in the day.

Tonight / Thursday

7pm Grand Indian Hotel (Imported, Repeat)

8pm Big Life Fix (RTÉ ONE, Repeat)

9pm Here We Go (Import)

9:35 First Dates Ireland (New)*

10:35 Derry Girls (Import, Repeat)*

11:05 Ireland in Music (New)

Replaced next week by a feature length doc called "Ali's Comeback"

Remember D4bes & Co wanted to move Live sport over to RTÉ ONE.

Delta2113 · 10-05-2026 07:16AM

Up early this morning and noticed Euro News now on RTE1, RTE2 and RTE News - crazy.

RoTelly · 11-05-2026 04:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124457135#Comment_124457135

Been like that since 2011, the hours have got longer for RTÉ2 in the meantime.

bpotogo · 13-05-2026 01:03PM

Are they going ahead this year with their plan of the Today show running through the summer?

RoTelly · 13-05-2026 02:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124464918#Comment_124464918

where did you hear about that plan?

I been looking at the show since Jan, is it also this often that they have stand ins for the main presenters.

Mayo and Louth · 13-05-2026 02:26PM

Is this a first I wonder? Ireland v Grenada soccer friendly to be shown on the RTE Player only on Saturday at 5pm. Sometimes they would use the News channel for 'less important' sporting events previously.

https://twitter.com/IrelandFootball/status/2054498407843065994?s=20

RoTelly · 13-05-2026 02:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124465096#Comment_124465096

They spent too much on the qualifier !

RTÉ 1 - Your Matinee is "The Railway Children" at 15:35 followed by Festival Shorts, and then the News from 5:45 starting with An Nuacht, over on 2, you can enjoy a repeat of Grand Designs, coverage of the ULC in UCL Magaxine Show and a repeat of Amazing Hotels. The News channel will have live coverage of The Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis were An Taoiseacht makes his speech from half six.

And that is your line up on RTÉ.

icdg · 13-05-2026 07:34PM

I haven’t heard the senior MNT being relegated to the Player before - particularly when all that’s on RTE2 is repeats (and the syndicated UCL magazine show which might as well be a repeat at this stage). I presume the reason is so they can do coverage on a “whistle to whistle” basis whereas on RTE2 there’d be some expectation of studio wrap-around.

RoTelly · 13-05-2026 08:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124465933#Comment_124465933

So they have no money for their studio wrap around but only 2 months ago they were in The Czech Republic!

icdg · 13-05-2026 10:33PM

Not saying it makes sense but these rights do look like a very late pick up. I personally don’t know why they can’t put it on RTE2 given they’ve nothing better on (and as has been observed on this very thread of late, RTE2 is sorely lacking in any new content at this point). VMTV have done football on a whistle to whistle basis on their linear channels fairly recently.

Delta2113 · 14-05-2026 08:08AM

This could be the start off a trend and if so I won't like it. Fair enough if they had no other choice but could have easily shown the game on RTE2. Not everybody has broadband.

deezell · 14-05-2026 08:35AM

Final round URC is on TG4 at the same time, Leinster v Ospreys, which will clash, but I'd say the real reason is to eliminate the studio cost.

RoTelly · 14-05-2026 03:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124466767#Comment_124466767

why would you help the competition?

deezell · 14-05-2026 05:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124468069#Comment_124468069

Who knows? Even a studioless live broadcast needs some level of staffing to route it through the channels and manually manage start, finish, half time ads, as exact timing is always unknown. Perhaps its that cost and two 50 minute ad free segments on the broadcast channel creates a bigger loss than normal programming on Two, perhaps the stream has its own income from half time ads without affecting the ad schedule for RTE2. It sounds like a bean counter move to me.

RoTelly · 14-05-2026 05:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124468330#Comment_124468330

As pointed out the audience has left RTÉ2 entirely. RTÉ is in a desperate position if they cannot change the schedule. Remember when they used to say

"In a change to our schedules… "

Also they could use NEWS NOW to over come this.

AJB39 · 14-05-2026 06:21PM

They can’t use the RTE News Channel to show the match as Micheál Martin is making his speech to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the same time. They are obliged to show a signed version of the speech on the News Channel.

icdg · 14-05-2026 06:53PM

There should be no need for the News Channel to be part of the conversation though. It could go on RTE2. I’m not convinced there’s a whole pile of savings in having it as a stream rather than linear - the majority of the savings will almost certainly come from not having to mount a studio show.

LambshankRedemption · 14-05-2026 07:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124466118#Comment_124466118

And not one or two of them but 19 of them in Czechia? And, 19 "faces", were their aides and personal assistants, sound engineers etc also with them?

Dublin Calling · 15-05-2026 07:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124468548#Comment_124468548

41 RTE staff/contractors went, according to a FOI. They have yet to tally the cost, as not all expense claims have been filled.

Update: PAC are going to enquire about the costs.

https://www.thejournal.ie/rte-to-be-queried-over-reports-it-sent-41-staff-to-cover-the-world-cup-play-off-in-czechia-7040309-May2026

RoTelly · 15-05-2026 08:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124468443#Comment_124468443

They are not obliged to show a signed version of the leader speech on NEWS NOW.

If they want to provide a signed version there is no reason why the leader's speeches cannot be signed on RTÉ ONE.

I don't understand this use of NEWS NOW and for the Irish language commentators when an audio channel can be used on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ 2 +1.

Delta2113 · 15-05-2026 11:13AM

31 August 2020 RTE News Now rebranded to RTE News.

deezell · 16-05-2026 05:10PM

Looks like the Grenada international is being streamed from a mobile phone, or a single PTZ webcam, though there are some other close up cuts. Its not broadcast quality, or even close.

deezell · 16-05-2026 05:16PM

Before I retired, while working during Covid, we set up something of this nature on MS Teams to enable controlled source switching of remote participants and media by a remote 'director'. It worked, more or less, and not as clunky as this effort. Time to switch to the Leinster match...

deezell · 17-05-2026 07:41AM

Ray D'Arcey is 100% on the money in his summary of RTE"s radio woes on this mornings indo piece.

https://archive.is/7fvsv

Pinpoint accurate observations about the unaccountability of those in charge, management by focus groups (I detested those coloured sticker kindergarten events in my own career), and no shortage of underhand decisions to lever instant rather than evolved changes, trampling presenters legacies and reputations with an axe and a payoff in either hand. This comes from their complete misunderstanding of the nature of the organisation at its primary level, Radio1 and RTE1. These are taxpayer funded institutions, and the taxpayers were willing for the most part because these institutions need careful handling to move into the future, preserving the rigidly loyal but always expiring audience base who connect right through to the future listenership. Swing an axe at that and you'll set the tub adrift for sure, future boardings have no gangplank to get on, so just stand there stranded and wave it goodbye.

Ray finishes his piece generously by saying such changes and their consequences will take time to bed in, and all will be well-ish, but he caustically notes that those who implemented it don't have the nous to understand this is how it will play out. That tends to happen when raw greenhorns dump your most experienced players, after a good girly focus group.

RTÉ ONE, 2, Junior, and Player

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