RTE Gold discussion thread

splinter65 · 07-11-2017 12:32am

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

No I don't. The local station plays country and western ****e

I know exactly where you are. Irish country and western ****e too. Hours and hours and hours of that ****e punctuated by that insanely grinning voice.
Nightmare.

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 12:34am

splinter65 wrote: »

I know exactly where you are. Irish country and western ****e too. Hours and hours and hours of that ****e punctuated by that insanely grinning voice.
Nightmare.

sounds like my location too ...

MikeyTaylor · 07-11-2017 12:38am

gamecube wrote: »

Is Dave Fanning the next guy to join the RTE Gold lineup or does his connection to U2 save him?

He's replacing Michelle Doherty on TV3's revival of Night Shift in the New Year. :-)

Only joking at the moment, but who knows? :-)

MikeyTaylor · 07-11-2017 12:46am

ford fiesta wrote: »

Maybe they should set up an RTE Gold 2 with just music !!

How about calling it RTÉ Silver? :-)

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 12:52am

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

How about calling it RTÉ Silver? :-)

RTE Silver Rinse Brigade ...

George Sunsnow · 07-11-2017 12:53am

gamecube wrote: »

Spot on, if you live outside Dublin you have a very poor choice of Radio stations

I really enjoyed Rick O'Shea's show today on RTE Gold, you just dont get that kind of playlist anywhere else on radio (2fm- today fm- or local stations)

RTÉ’s dab from kippure can be picked up handily down here in Arklow as can many UK dab channels from preseli wales
Fm is poor though
No 4FM for example,no Nova,just Southeast,beat and east coast
The latter often has transmitter problems
Tonight for example ,just noise on 104.4 and 102.9 and can be like that for days when it happens
It’s as if no one notices and it’s only fixed when someone’s passing by

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 1:03am

Last time I was in UK a couple of years back we hired a car and it had a DAB/FM Radio in it, and DAB is very well served in the UK, and it was nice to listen with a strong clear signal. Even with the radio in the car tuned to FM there was none of this weak signal shushing, mono then stereo then mono malarkey , all radio stations were Chrystal clear , no dead spots or anything... so why cant we have it like that in Ireland - there are loads of spots where FM on the car radio comes across weak spots, and this is right out in the open, i'm not talking about driving under bridges or in valleys. I just wonder if we have a good network on strong transmitters and relays in Ireland as they have in the UK?- it doesnt feel like it most of the time when you are driving around here in a lot of places....

Ursus Horribilis · 07-11-2017 1:11am

We seemed seem to do things in a half arsed way. It's the same with mobile phone networks and with broadband. I listened to Will Leahy on my phone while driving this morning and the signal dropped out a few times.

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 1:22am

interesting that, so to listen to RTE Gold in Car, you would think nationwide we would be able to get it nationwide on FM or listen nationwide on a DAB car radio (thats if the car has a DAB Radio fitted - I think a lot of the newer carsare fitting DAB/FM radios into the dash as standard for a few years now) - so theres no RTE Gold nationwide (or is there? pretty sure there isnt) so then even if you have a DAB car radio the DAB signal is not nationwide even these days.... so then I suppose you have to stream by 3G/4G RTE Gold on your mobile phone and then if you want to hear it through car radio speakers then hook it up by lead or bluetooth (if your car radio has bluetooth) and then I suppose you are charged more for streaming the radio station over 3g/4G data plan arent ye?

Lot of faffing about. - If they just relayed the DAB signal from the main transmitters across Ireland through the relay transmitters where the fm dishes are (or whatever way we get FM radio from the towers/transmitters) then it would be a lot simpler for listeners.

07-11-2017 9:29am

The only nationwide broadcast is via Saorview which isn’t ideal. Otherwise you need internet streaming.

reg114 · 07-11-2017 9:45am

Will bemoaning the fact there are no ad breaks and has asked listeners to whatsapp in proof they are listening and he'll plug their business.

Blaithnaid ni cofey made an appearance too, so you're going to get a procession of rte heads dropping by for sure.

Playing new music albeit from the Corrs today, but they shouldn't be playing new music.

07-11-2017 9:47am

They’ve played quite a fair bit of new music this morning and had a couple of “comedy” segments such as someone supposedly trying to call Liveline. If that keeps up I won’t be sticking around, I don’t understand why morning radio shows always try to be funny.

reg114 · 07-11-2017 10:02am

Karsini wrote: »

They’ve played quite a fair bit of new music this morning and had a couple of “comedy” segments such as someone supposedly trying to call Liveline. If that keeps up I won’t be sticking around, I don’t understand why morning radio shows always try to be funny.

Think Will is realising the limitations of not having many listeners and no ads. Very very little music from the 60s or 70s, a couple from the 80s but most of the music so far is aimed at someone who could more easily listen to sunshine, nova or 4fm without having to jump thru digital loops !!!!

Phat Dick · 07-11-2017 5:04pm

I'm fed up of Leahy and O`Shea constantly saying rte gold has a "zero budget" are they volunteers working for free?:rolleyes:

07-11-2017 5:15pm

John Clarke said the same - "no budget, no prize"

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 6:23pm

Karsini wrote: »

The only nationwide broadcast is via Saorview which isn’t ideal. Otherwise you need internet streaming.

I havent looked yet , but is it in the line-up in the radio station list on the SKY Digibox as well? - I know RTE1 & 2FM are on there , I think lyric FM as well

George Sunsnow · 07-11-2017 8:27pm

Cripes on a bike but that was woeful
Country and western now
Glad I pay the license monthly and not in one lump sum

Hello Spotify

07-11-2017 8:43pm

Gold and the other Rtè digital stations aren’t on Sky, only Rtè 1, 2fm, lyric and the Gaelic one!

Andy From Sligo · 07-11-2017 10:05pm

zorro2566 wrote: »

Gold and the other Rtè digital stations aren’t on Sky, only Rtè 1, 2fm, lyric and the Gaelic one!

oh what a bummer!

prodsc · 07-11-2017 10:15pm

Karsini wrote: »

The only nationwide broadcast is via Saorview which isn’t ideal. Otherwise you need internet streaming.

I get it on Eir tv!

ford fiesta · 07-11-2017 10:20pm

splinter65 wrote: »

I know exactly where you are. Irish country and western ****e too. Hours and hours and hours of that ****e punctuated by that insanely grinning voice.
Nightmare.

Country on RTE Gold. So what???

there's no harm in the state broadcaster having a random station that plays a mix of any genre ....that is what is missing in stations these days.
I guess 2FM used to be like that for its first 15 years, trad, country, irish country (as recent as 1999), irish, metal, pop, dance...no format no pre-selected playlist.

Infoanon · 07-11-2017 11:17pm

ford fiesta wrote: »

Country on RTE Gold. So what???

there's no harm in the state broadcaster having a random station that plays a mix of any genre ....that is what is missing in stations these days.
I guess 2FM used to be like that for its first 15 years, trad, country, irish country (as recent as 1999), irish, metal, pop, dance...no format no pre-selected playlist.

Re your guess above - Simple answer - No

Country music on gold - no thank you imho

Ursus Horribilis · 07-11-2017 11:49pm

ford fiesta wrote: »

Country on RTE Gold. So what???

I think you may have taken the comment out of context

It was in reference to a local radio station which seems to broadcast hours of country & Irish music.

There's no harm in the state broadcaster having a random station that plays a mix of any genre ....that is what is missing in stations these days.
I guess 2FM used to be like that for its first 15 years, trad, country, irish country (as recent as 1999), irish, metal, pop, dance...no format no pre-selected playlist.

That's bringing back bad memories of that Up ya boy ya Alan Corcoran show on 2fm back in the 1980s. It stuck out like a sore thumb on what was a decent pop music station at the time. It had no business being on 2fm and was probably there only because there was no room for it on Radio 1.

An Ciarraioch · 08-11-2017 3:59pm

Presumably the station bosses will already notice if the new schedule is working, given that unlike FM, stream volumes are the principal audience measurements.

Phat Dick · 09-11-2017 11:00pm

Heard a bit of O Shea today, doesn't sound like he has many listeners and he has a producer. Christ on a bike

byte · 09-11-2017 11:57pm

Phat Dick wrote: »

Heard a bit of O Shea today, doesn't sound like he has many listeners and he has a producer. Christ on a bike

Well, it's early days yet.

Andy From Sligo · 10-11-2017 12:04am

sorry to sound like a stuck record but they might get more listeners if they go nationwide on DAB ...

10-11-2017 12:14am

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

sorry to sound like a stuck record but they might get more listeners if they go nationwide on DAB ...

....or FM!

Phat Dick · 10-11-2017 12:21am

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

sorry to sound like a stuck record but they might get more listeners if they go nationwide on DAB ...

Rolling out dab across the country right now would literally bankrupt rte

Andy From Sligo · 10-11-2017 12:24am

Phat Dick wrote: »

Rolling out dab across the country right now would literally bankrupt rte

This is where I fail to see how it could, after all RTE must own the main transmitters and relays dont they so they mostly have that on their side. Is it the DAB broadcasting transmitting equipment that they would have to put on the relay towers that would bankrupt them?

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 12:41am

Norway, which has a population of 5.2 million, has nationwide DAB coverage.

Former Former · 10-11-2017 1:33am

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Norway, which has a population of 5.2 million, has nationwide DAB coverage.

And a lot more money than us.

RTE can't do it. It would be politicial suicide for the government to fund it because of the way politics works here.

So it's nothing to do with population, it's just the way it is.

Andy From Sligo · 10-11-2017 1:36am

Former Former wrote: »

And a lot more money than us.

RTE can't do it. It would be politicial suicide for the government to fund it because of the way politics works here.

So it's nothing to do with population, it's just the way it is.

the government to run it? - RTE takes licence fee and advertising doesnt it?

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 1:38am

They managed to roll out Saorview and turn off analogue TV, did they not?

More Music · 10-11-2017 1:45am

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Norway, which has a population of 5.2 million, has nationwide DAB coverage.

That doesn’t make them right.

Norway still has a local FM network.

Some countries have postponed or halted plans for DAB roll out.

Others have stopped in the middle of roll out with only partially built networks.

We’re probably 10 years late to the party.

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 1:48am

So some parts of the country are getting RTE radio stations the rest of us don't, even though we're all paying the same taxes and TV licence fee?

More Music · 10-11-2017 1:51am

Phat Dick wrote: »

Heard a bit of O Shea today, doesn't sound like he has many listeners and he has a producer. Christ on a bike

It’s the national broadcaster, a producer or broadcast assistant isn’t much to ask.

You might as well put some effort into attracting and retaining listeners if you’re going to the bother.

Andy From Sligo · 10-11-2017 1:56am

from an advertising perspective , advertiser want as much of an audience as possible listening to radio ads - so if RTE rolled out nationwide DAB radio signal it could mean more listeners to the advertisers ads. I know RTE Gold dont run adverts (at the moment) but with the other RTE radio stations that do rely on advertising as the licence fee income I would say thats a pretty good selling point to Irish advertisers - FM is old hat now, old technology , bad reception a lot of the time , out of date - Digital clear stereo is where it is at now which for the masses DAB radio's can be really picked up cheap across Ireland in the shops now, however the whole of Ireland cannot receive DAB signal (so thank goodness a lot of the time they include FM on radios and hifi equipment) but you watch not too long off now I reckon manufacturers will drop FM off their audio products soon (as analog TV has been dropped) presuming that everyone can receive a DAB signal nationwide in their country - then we will all be stuffed .

Sure you can tune in by wi-fi radio's (they are still expensive to buy, not as cheap as DAB Radios) you can listen on on your laptop I suppose, but then you got to have a laptop to hand, you can listen on your phone , but has everyone got enough data in their package to listen to it constantly.

More Music · 10-11-2017 1:58am

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

So some parts of the country are getting RTE radio stations the rest of us don't, even though we're all paying the same taxes and TV licence fee?

I known broadband isn’t great in some parts of Ireland. I’m confident though that anybody who’s heard of RTÉ Gold and wants to listen could manage a 96kbps stream.

Andy From Sligo · 10-11-2017 2:00am

More Music wrote: »

I known broadband isn’t great in some parts of Ireland. I’m confident though that anybody who’s heard of RTÉ Gold and wants to listen could manage a 96kbps stream.

could it eat into your data plan streaming it by broadband or on your phone?

More Music · 10-11-2017 2:26am

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

could it eat into your data plan streaming it by broadband or on your phone?

Watch one less HD cat video on YouTube. You’ll get a lot of RTE Gold for that.

Seriously. People watch Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, stream IPTV, download content to their Sky box, use BBC and RTE Players, message videos and photos, watch videos on social media platforms.

Don’t forget Tunein, Spotify, Apple Music et al.

We consume so much content now, the list is endless.

A 96kbps audio stream is pretty insignificant in real terms.

It’s only an issue for the folks who want to give out about RTE.

Former Former · 10-11-2017 1:49pm

More Music wrote: »

Watch one less HD cat video on YouTube. You’ll get a lot of RTE Gold for that.

Seriously. People watch Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, stream IPTV, download content to their Sky box, use BBC and RTE Players, message videos and photos, watch videos on social media platforms.

Don’t forget Tunein, Spotify, Apple Music et al.

We consume so much content now, the list is endless.

A 96kbps audio stream is pretty insignificant in real terms.

It’s only an issue for the folks who want to give out about RTE.

Yep. If you're unwilling to stream it on your phone, then you won't be falling over yourself to go out and buy a DAB radio.

10-11-2017 2:11pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

from an advertising perspective , advertiser want as much of an audience as possible listening to radio ads - so if RTE rolled out nationwide DAB radio signal it could mean more listeners to the advertisers ads. I know RTE Gold dont run adverts (at the moment) but with the other RTE radio stations that do rely on advertising as the licence fee income I would say thats a pretty good selling point to Irish advertisers - FM is old hat now, old technology , bad reception a lot of the time , out of date - Digital clear stereo is where it is at now which for the masses DAB radio's can be really picked up cheap across Ireland in the shops now, however the whole of Ireland cannot receive DAB signal (so thank goodness a lot of the time they include FM on radios and hifi equipment) but you watch not too long off now I reckon manufacturers will drop FM off their audio products soon (as analog TV has been dropped) presuming that everyone can receive a DAB signal nationwide in their country - then we will all be stuffed .

Sure you can tune in by wi-fi radio's (they are still expensive to buy, not as cheap as DAB Radios) you can listen on on your laptop I suppose, but then you got to have a laptop to hand, you can listen on your phone , but has everyone got enough data in their package to listen to it constantly.

Adding to that,a lot of people spend most of their time in cars so it would be nice to have it there!

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 2:15pm

Believe it or not, there are parts of the country where people would dearly love to be able to watch cat videos on YouTube. I was in a relative's house last night and the only Internet signal they have is a snail slow Vodafone one.

Former Former · 10-11-2017 2:53pm

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Believe it or not, there are parts of the country where people would dearly love to be able to watch cat videos on YouTube. I was in a relative's house last night and the only Internet signal they have is a snail slow Vodafone one.

No doubt, but if the government started rolling out DAB, the first thing you'd hear would be "why are they wasting time and money on DAB when they can't even get rural broadband rolled out?"

Then you'd have;
"We can't house the homeless and they're wasting money on DAB"
"They're killing old people by shutting down LW 252. How is my 90-year old mother going to work a DAB radio?"
"That's not much use to the diaspora, is it?"
"I live between two mountains and reception is patchy. I bet it's crystal clear in Dublin though".
"This will be the death of local radio, not that anyone in Dublin 4 cares about that"

The list is endless.

No one really wants DAB and spending more public money on it is opening a wasp's nest and sticking your honey-covered face right in.

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 3:06pm

It's not just rural areas where broadband is poor or non existent. I'd much rather see that be sorted. RTE already has the masts though.

Phat Dick · 10-11-2017 4:58pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

could it eat into your data plan streaming it by broadband or on your phone?

Yes, if you haven't updated your data plan since about 2006

Ursus Horribilis · 10-11-2017 5:05pm

Try being on Vodafone in an area where you can't get more than Edge on other networks.

Phat Dick · 10-11-2017 5:11pm

Former Former wrote: »

No doubt, but if the government started rolling out DAB, the first thing you'd hear would be "why are they wasting time and money on DAB when they can't even get rural broadband rolled out?"

Then you'd have;
"We can't house the homeless and they're wasting money on DAB"
"They're killing old people by shutting down LW 252. How is my 90-year old mother going to work a DAB radio?"
"That's not much use to the diaspora, is it?"
"I live between two mountains and reception is patchy. I bet it's crystal clear in Dublin though".
"This will be the death of local radio, not that anyone in Dublin 4 cares about that"
Further
The list is endless.

No one really wants DAB and spending more public money on it is opening a wasp's nest and sticking your honey-covered face right in.

In fairness it would be a waste of tax payers money if the government rolled out Dab so that a few housewives down the country could hear rte gold.... if they'd even buy a dab radio

Phat Dick · 10-11-2017 5:15pm

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

Try being on Vodafone in an area where you can't get more than Edge on other networks.

Vodafone were always the most expensive but they are are currently doing 5gb for €15 a month, more than enough for a few hours a day of internet radio

RTE Gold discussion thread

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