Why is 2FM immune from RTE cutbacks?

Damian F · 16-06-2020 10:48pm #1

Why haven't any politicians challenged RTE spending 6 million per year of licence fee money on 2fm? In the past 5 years RTE have gutted spending on childrens television and slashed programs on lyric FM but 2fm has been untouched and has infact added presenters to the schedule.

1 sheep2 · 17-06-2020 10:26pm

I'm not quite sure why RTE seems content to mimic low-quality commercial pop radio, especially when advertising has tanked, so little to lose. (Why don't they target the mid-market BBC 2 demographic or become musically interesting like BBC 6 Music?) But, that aside, its market share is three or four times that of Lyric. And I suspect RTE wants to retain a 'presence' in the youth market to justify the license fee.

Darc19 · 17-06-2020 10:37pm

2% of the license fee goes to operating 2fm (2018 figures)

If 2fm were permitted to have the same number of adverts that commercial stations can have, they'd make a profit. - quite a good profit too.

Rte radio can only have 6 minutes of advertising per hour.
Commercial radio can have 12 minutes.

ButtersSuki · 18-06-2020 10:36am

Damian F wrote: »

Why haven't any politicians challenged RTE spending 6 million per year of licence fee money on 2fm? In the past 5 years RTE have gutted spending on childrens television and slashed programs on lyric FM but 2fm has been untouched and has infact added presenters to the schedule.

2 main reasons:
1) what else would Lottie Ryan do?
2) they're afraid Woke McDermott will say they're ignoring young peeple and dat

ButtersSuki · 18-06-2020 10:36am

Darc19 wrote: »

2% of the license fee goes to operating 2fm (2018 figures)

If 2fm were permitted to have the same number of adverts that commercial stations can have, they'd make a profit. - quite a good profit too.

Rte radio can only have 6 minutes of advertising per hour.
Commercial radio can have 12 minutes.

Sheep Shagger · 18-06-2020 7:29pm

If RTE stuck to its public broadcasting remit, it should have no stations competing with commercial operators.

It should only be providing a service that isn't viable in the commercial sector.

Same goes for RTE Two television.

TheDavester · 18-06-2020 9:51pm

ButtersSuki wrote: »

2 main reasons:
1) what else would Lottie Ryan do?
2) they're afraid Woke McDermott will say they're ignoring young peeple and dat

Does anyone really under 35 listen to radio anymore due to the proliferation of spotify/tidal/apple/youtube etc.....McDermott only seems to be known as the windbag trying to get rid of an xmas song

The office i work have now stopped putting on the radio now (age demographic is 23-40) and just throw on spotify/youtube now

Damian F · 18-06-2020 10:02pm

TheDavester wrote: »

Does anyone really under 35 listen to radio anymore due to the proliferation of spotify/tidal/apple/youtube etc.....McDermott only seems to be known as the windbag trying to get rid of an xmas song

The office i work have now stopped putting on the radio now (age demographic is 23-40) and just throw on spotify/youtube now

In my experience, the teens listen/mess around with the Car radio

radiotrickster · 18-06-2020 10:26pm

TheDavester wrote: »

Does anyone really under 35 listen to radio anymore due to the proliferation of spotify/tidal/apple/youtube etc.....McDermott only seems to be known as the windbag trying to get rid of an xmas song

The office i work have now stopped putting on the radio now (age demographic is 23-40) and just throw on spotify/youtube now

I work in a pretty big building in Dublin and regularly go into 15-20 offices/departments. Most have the radio on (always Spin, Sunshine or sometimes Q102). I've only been in one office where they play online services, and even then it's sometimes online streams from stations (eg Spin Xtra).

PieOhMy · 18-06-2020 11:50pm

Not sure how having Dave Fanning, 64 years old, on Sunday afternoon is supposed to attract or retain any sort of younger listeners. It's almost like they don't care.

Losty Dublin · 19-06-2020 10:45am

PieOhMy wrote: »

Not sure how having Dave Fanning, 64 years old, on Sunday afternoon is supposed to attract or retain any sort of younger listeners. It's almost like they don't care.

For the generations of Dubliners who frequented the likes of McGonagles, the Magnet Ivy Room/Fibbers, The Top Hat, JJ Smiths, the TV Club and even underage clubs such as The Grove, (I am sure that those outside of the city can add in their own clubs and bars to this list.) Fanning was the only man on licenced radio who was playing some of what what they listened to. The odd time that I hear his show he's almost the only one out there still doing this, when he does stop talking

ford fiesta · 19-06-2020 4:32pm

PieOhMy wrote: »

Not sure how having Dave Fanning, 64 years old, on Sunday afternoon is supposed to attract or retain any sort of younger listeners. It's almost like they don't care.

I dont think he is meant to attract a young audience...if he does manage to...Great!!!

L1011 · 19-06-2020 6:02pm

Fanning's a contractor so he won't be getting the birthday defenstration that Sean O'Rourke and Aonghus McAnally have now had recently.

TheDavester · 19-06-2020 7:03pm

ford fiesta wrote: »

I dont think he is meant to attract a young audience...if he does manage to...Great!!!

Who attracts a youth audience in RTE these days, Insta stars dont, staff children/relatives dont or woke twits dont

flazio · 19-06-2020 8:00pm

Darc19 wrote: »

2% of the license fee goes to operating 2fm (2018 figures)

Basically means that the OP is upset at €3.20 of his or hers household money is going towards 2FM.
If they really want that kind of money back in their own pockets they'll probably be able to find it down the back of the couch.

PieOhMy · 19-06-2020 8:39pm

flazio wrote: »

Basically means that the OP is upset at €3.20 of his or hers household money is going towards 2FM.
If they really want that kind of money back in their own pockets they'll probably be able to find it down the back of the couch.

I want it back. I'd value it at maybe 50cent max.

Bard · 20-06-2020 12:22am

Darc19 wrote: »

Rte radio can only have 6 minutes of advertising per hour.
Commercial radio can have 12 minutes.

Commercial stations are allowed 10 minutes of ads per hour. Where are you getting 12 exactly -?

Also — for that matter, where are you getting the 6 from!?

leoXX · 10-07-2020 10:54am

The point here is that loads of specialist shows have been axed from lyric (E.G Jazz Alley, Glora to name just two) shows that no independent Radio station would ever do in a million years but is there anything whatsoever on 2fm that the ten a penny independent pop stations aren't already doing? And why can the ten a penny Pop stations presumably make a profit or a least brake even? I doubt that any other pop stations besides 2fm has needed a 6 million bail out each year since 2009.

Elmo · 10-07-2020 1:38pm

Darc19 wrote: »

2% of the license fee goes to operating 2fm (2018 figures)

If 2fm were permitted to have the same number of adverts that commercial stations can have, they'd make a profit. - quite a good profit too.

Rte radio can only have 6 minutes of advertising per hour.
Commercial radio can have 12 minutes.

RTÉ 2FM was able at one point to pay its own way. While its easy to say that only 2% of the Liecnce fee goes to 2FM its also very easy to say that just 1% goes toward children's TV, imagine the running of basically 2 children's services (RTÉjr and RTÉ2 from 7am to 4pm) cost 7m less then it does to run 2FM.

RTÉ2FM has had no cuts since the recession its funding has been ring fenced, with an additonal 5million given to the station every year since circa 2011. At no point has it received a cut to funding even though its revenues are down by 50%.

Meanwhile over all RTÉ has consistanly pointed out how it has had a 25% cut in funding since the downturn in the economy, yet no cut to 2fm, not even a 25% cut? while RTÉ then suggest that they are NOT cutting funding to children's content mearly moving it to the independent sector... of courses all the while cutting it by 25% in 2016 and then and futher 50% in 2017.

But sure all of the funding that 2fm gets is only 1% of the licence fee received by RTÉ.

Losty Dublin · 10-07-2020 1:38pm

leoXX wrote: »

The point here is that loads of specialist shows have been axed from lyric (E.G Jazz Alley, Glora to name just two) shows that no independent Radio station would ever do in a million years but is there anything whatsoever on 2fm that the ten a penny independent pop stations aren't already doing? And why can the ten a penny Pop stations presumably make a profit or a least brake even? I doubt that any other pop stations besides 2fm has needed a 6 million bail out each year since 2009.

Most of the ten a penny stations aren't running a national network of 40 transmitters, and certainly not ones as powerful as most of 2FM's network. Alone 2FM's tx costs would swallow up the annual income of some of the local stations. Also 2FM is known to not aggressively sell on air advert time or commercial sponsorships half as much as it could do. Certainly their rate cards are modest in comparison to the asking rates for Today FM

Elmo · 10-07-2020 1:42pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Most of the ten a penny stations aren't running a national network of 40 transmitters, and certainly not ones as powerful as most of 2FM's network. Alone 2FM's tx costs would swallow up the annual income of some of the local stations. Also 2FM is known to not aggressively sell on air advert time or commercial sponsorships half as much as it could do. Certainly their rate cards are modest in comparison to the asking rates for Today FM

Is digital TV costing much less then 2FM to broadcast?

does Lyric FM have the same TX out lay as 2FM?

Losty Dublin · 10-07-2020 2:45pm

Elmo wrote: »

Is digital TV costing much less then 2FM to broadcast?

does Lyric FM have the same TX out lay as 2FM?

All 4 RTÉ stations would have the same ERF per TX site. RTÉ 1 has relays in Kerry and Cairn Hill in Longford which it's sister stations don't, while it and 2FM have a low powered relay in Athlone that Lyric and RnG don't.

No idea on the digital network costings, sorry.

NIMAN · 10-07-2020 2:52pm

You could rename this thread to

Why is ALL of rte immune to cutbacks?

Elmo · 10-07-2020 2:59pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

All 4 RTÉ stations would have the same ERF per TX site. RTÉ 1 has relays in Kerry and Cairn Hill in Longford which it's sister stations don't, while it and 2FM have a low powered relay in Athlone that Lyric and RnG don't.

So in terms of transmission the only extra cost to RTÉ 2FM is a low powered relay in Athlone, in comparison to Lyric FM.

leoXX · 10-07-2020 5:30pm

Back in mid January, just a few weeks after RTE announced "major" cutbacks (which still haven't happened) 2fm added another show to the already bloated weekend schedule hosted by Louise McSharry, they also replaced the RTE staffer who was hosting their nightly sports show with THREE contractors. I think the Comptroller and Auditor General badly needs to investigate RTE

amlinopta · 11-07-2020 10:49am

Hugh Cahill seemed to be eased out during the Rugby World Cup. I'd say Ruby and Donnacha don't come cheap, O'Callaghan is a like a big child but has his fingers in a few media pies. Would be interesting to know if their fees were halved when the program was cut back from 2 hours to 1 hour when Covid arrived. In true RTE fashion, probably not.

Elmo · 11-07-2020 11:30am

amlinopta wrote: »

Hugh Cahill seemed to be eased out during the Rugby World Cup. I'd say Ruby and Donnacha don't come cheap, O'Callaghan is a like a big child but has his fingers in a few media pies. Would be interesting to know if their fees were halved when the program was cut back from 2 hours to 1 hour when Covid arrived. In true RTE fashion, probably not.

The show seems out of place on 2FM, latest JNLR figures have them getting 51,000 listeners, not official released but when it got a sponsor the RTÉ press release gave that figure.

rogue-entity · 20-07-2020 8:43pm

1 sheep2 wrote: »

I'm not quite sure why RTE seems content to mimic low-quality commercial pop radio...

They seem content to maintain poor imitation of BBC Radio 1, in spite of the fact that they're now competing nationally with the likes of: iRadio, Spin1038, Beat, SpinSW, RedFM and I might have missed one or two others.

While I've got no interest in those youth stations personally, they seem popular enough, so why shouldn't 2FM either close and hand those frequencies over to 2XM or RTE Gold as but one suggestion?

ButtersSuki wrote: »

2) they're afraid Woke McDermott will say they're ignoring young peeple and dat

Ignoring young people, and eventually making the provision of a youth station in the South East an election issue, was what ABC Power104 strove for and what eventually resulted in the launch of Beat.

Now we have these youth stations, why can't 2FM try something different or go away - I'd personally love to have Gold on FM intead.

TheDavester wrote: »

Does anyone really under 35 listen to radio anymore due to the proliferation of spotify/tidal/apple/youtube etc.....McDermott only seems to be known as the windbag trying to get rid of an xmas song

The office i work have now stopped putting on the radio now (age demographic is 23-40) and just throw on spotify/youtube now

Yes, because I appreciate the 'interaction' and banter from a good radio presenter; I enjoy listening to current affairs and talk radio; I couldn't be bothered paying for yet another service for non-stop music, and hoping that service even has the versions of the songs I want to listen to - hint - most do not because my tastes are apparently obsecure.

I'll either listen to the radio, or pre-load a USB stick with oddities to listen to.

I may be a statistical outlier but I guess that's what happens when you'd rather listen to John Creedon than whatever's on 2FM in the same slot.

21-07-2020 5:24pm

L1011 wrote: »

Fanning's a contractor so he won't be getting the birthday defenstration that Sean O'Rourke and Aonghus McAnally have now had recently.

What kind of money would Fanning be on? He used to be in the Top 10, but maybe he was doing TV work back then.

The guy has one of the most enviable jobs in RTE. He told Marian Finucane once that he has always refused to have an office or a desk; he just comes in, does his work, and goes home.

I believe Marian Finucane had the same policy.

EmmetSpiceland · 21-07-2020 5:38pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

The guy has one of the most enviable jobs in RTE. He told Marian Finucane once that he has always refused to have an office or a desk; he just comes in, does his work, and goes home.

He fell, completely, out of “relevance“ when he moved from his, brilliant, evening show on 2FM.

21-07-2020 6:31pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

He fell, completely, out of “relevance“ when he moved from his, brilliant, evening show on 2FM.

Is that the show he had back in the late 1990s, Emmett?

I remember the first day I became aware of Bob Dylan, listening to the radio, I'm sure it was a Sunday, and Fanning was doing a Bob special and played Desolation Row. I thought (and still do think) it was mesmerising poetry. So thank you, Dave Fanning, for that.

I do think they should migrate him over to RTE Radio 1 for demographic reasons, I suppose the only reason they keep him at 2fm is because he's the only guy who's been there from the very beginning.

Why is 2FM immune from RTE cutbacks?

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