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

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    #6122
    Stovepipe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,979 ✭✭✭Stovepipe


    RTE seems to have a talent for keeping barristers busy; it forced a lot of the freelancers to become "Staff" and then laid them off at ages 60 to 65 but showed favouritism to others and kept them on well past 60. This created difficulties for people's pension(s) so lawyers were tooled up and unleashed and several well-known names got rewarded on the steps of the High Court for RTE's stupidity. I happened to meet one of those well-known names, who, with zero airs and graces, was working for a third party as he was entitled to do outside RTE and he gave me the whole story. Some of it was down to stupidity but some of it was also factions warring with each other and some of it was just pettiness from some full-time salaried individuals.


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    #6123
    Brendan Bendar
    Registered Users Posts: 19,058 ✭✭✭✭Brendan Bendar


    Stovepipe wrote: »
    RTE seems to have a talent for keeping barristers busy; it forced a lot of the freelancers to become "Staff" and then laid them off at ages 60 to 65 but showed favouritism to others and kept them on well past 60. This created difficulties for people's pension(s) so lawyers were tooled up and unleashed and several well-known names got rewarded on the steps of the High Court for RTE's stupidity. I happened to meet one of those well-known names, who, with zero airs and graces, was working for a third party as he was entitled to do outside RTE and he gave me the whole story. Some of it was down to stupidity but some of it was also factions warring with each other and some of it was just pettiness from some full-time salaried individuals.

    Even more interesting.

    Now I know you know a lot more than me on these issues,but am it right in stating that those who are ‘staff’ are operating under the same criteria as the ordinary Joe, and if things are going bad can be made redundant like any other company and must retire at age 65?.

    Why would ‘freelancers’ not think a permanent pensionable post would be preferable to a less secure situation.

    There must be something a lot of us licence payers don’t understand.

    Do tell us......:P


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    #6124
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,901 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    The freelancers are basically tax free!!

    They (their company) earns €500k fee’s for presenting a show, the company corporate tax at 12.5%?, and the company pays the staff ‘the presenter’ a basic low salary (low enough so they don’t don’t pay a great deal of tax at the higher rate). They can then also probably write off a load of ‘expenses’ (car, fuel, travel), and save even more tax...


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    #6125
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    RTE, as a publicly funded organisation, should not be allowed to carry on like this.
    They are corrupt to the core.
    The goings-on at RTE make John Delaney's FAI shenanigans look like an afternoon tea party.

    When the government rolls out the media tax (household tax) on all of us this year for just having a phone (aka device), then RTE will really go to town with our money. No wonder RTE personalities have that smug look about them.


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    #6126
    Louis Friend
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 590 ✭✭✭Louis Friend


    Ms Forbes, come back to us when you’ve shut down loss making rubbish like 2FM...


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    #6127
    mgn
    Registered Users Posts: 1,904 ✭✭✭mgn


    Kivaro wrote: »
    RTE, as a publicly funded organisation, should not be allowed to carry on like this.
    They are corrupt to the core.
    The goings-on at RTE make John Delaney's FAI shenanigans look like an afternoon tea party.

    When the government rolls out the media tax (household tax) on all of us this year for just having a phone (aka device), then RTE will really go to town with our money. No wonder RTE personalities have that smug look about them.

    I suspect the usual protest mob of Boy Barrett, Smith and Murphy who jump on every protest bandwagon wont have much to say about them charges either.

    For an organisation that wastes so much public money, you never hear of any TD holding them to account because if the do, the wont be asked back to the RTE studio again.

    The mafia would learn from them.


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    #6128
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,901 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    What do we think will the RTÉ first teamers all be back to work tomorrow, or will they have another week off?


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    #6129
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Reminder: you have only 5 days left to make a submission regarding the imposition of a digital tax.
    Visit https://futureofmediacommission.ie/ or send an e-mail to them at info@futureofmediacommission.ie
    be careful how you phrase your feedback because they will use anything they can to ringfence the income stream of RTE and prevent any meaningful change in the service delivered to the public.
    My suggestions as to the main points to hit should be that RTE is beyond redemption(otherwise RTE will be the medium used to provide public broadcast services), universal charges, mission creep should be prevented are unfair and conflicts of interest such as sponsorship of shows or talent should be forbidden.


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    #6130
    Stovepipe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,979 ✭✭✭Stovepipe


    Why would ‘freelancers’ not think a permanent pensionable post would be preferable to a less secure situation.

    The freelancers who were "compelled" to become staff lost outside contracts because they were told that they "only" worked for RTE and could not work for the private stations or the private production companies, which is the majority of their work. Some of them bent the knee and became staff but others told RTE to stick it. It was bullying, plain and simple. The problem with the pension was that the people involved tended to be in their 50s, so they wouldnt have a long length of service ahead of them so they wouldnt build up a decent in-house pension fund, whereas if they stayed as freelancers, they could be more tax efficient. A lot of the lower tier freelancers being compelled to become staff would be lumped in with the regular non-broadcasting staff and would not be earning the stellar fees of the Joe Duffys.


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    #6131
    carq
    Registered Users Posts: 861 ✭✭✭carq


    Any reason why ‘celebrity’ senator Lynn Ruane is being foisted on the public by RTE?


    In the last week she has been on ‘Celebrity’ fittest family, the new years eve show, and now some upcoming comedy panel show.

    What the hell is going on?


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    #6132
    Brendan Bendar
    Registered Users Posts: 19,058 ✭✭✭✭Brendan Bendar


    Just to clarify lads , are the “freelancers” the same as “contractors’ or is there another ‘group’ out there.

    Appreciate the info.

    I seem to recall Brendan Balfe going on about pensions on the airwaves at one stage.


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    #6133
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,000 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Stovepipe wrote: »
    Why would ‘freelancers’ not think a permanent pensionable post would be preferable to a less secure situation.

    Im a contractor/'freelancer', although in IT, not entertainment/TV, but i think the principle is the same
    There are far more tax effecient options available with regards to pensions, unless youre in a defined benefit gold plated PS scheme from years ago that no longer appears to be offered to younger staff. With a good accountant there are plenty of ways to minimise tax liability over being a direct employee, as well as not having to deal with all internal HR crap. And if you are an integral part of the company/niche in what you do, which I am sure tubridy/duffy/d'arcy and forbes think they are, then security is kinda moot.


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    #6134
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    carq wrote: »
    Any reason why ‘celebrity’ senator Lynn Ruane is being foisted on the public by RTE?


    In the last week she has been on ‘Celebrity’ fittest family, the new years eve show, and now some upcoming comedy panel show.

    What the hell is going on?
    You can see why based on her reaction to the shot thug in Clonee. Ruane is seen as a good replacement for Ebun Joseph after she totally losses the plot on live television.


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    #6135
    Brendan Bendar
    Registered Users Posts: 19,058 ✭✭✭✭Brendan Bendar


    retalivity wrote: »
    Im a contractor/'freelancer', although in IT, not entertainment/TV, but i think the principle is the same
    There are far more tax effecient options available with regards to pensions, unless youre in a defined benefit gold plated PS scheme from years ago that no longer appears to be offered to younger staff. With a good accountant there are plenty of ways to minimise tax liability over being a direct employee, as well as not having to deal with all internal HR crap. And if you are an integral part of the company/niche in what you do, which I am sure tubridy/duffy/d'arcy and forbes think they are, then security is kinda moot.

    Good summation, one is part of the company for the good stuff but you have all the advantages of being a separate entity, if I read you correctly.


    Only thing you need to ‘worry ‘ about then would be your accountant.

    As has been seen on several occasions.

    As I see it you are saying that your situation is a genuine ‘freelance ‘ role used to come in, do a job, get paid for it and move on to the next task, whereas the RTE ‘freelancers’ are just using the system as a vehicle to alleviate their tax and expenses exposure .

    Hope I got that right, and apologies if not.


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    #6136
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,000 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Brendan Bendar wrote: »
    Good summation, one is part of the company for the good stuff but you have all the advantages of being a separate entity, if I read you correctly.


    Only thing you need to ‘worry ‘ about then would be your accountant.

    As has been seen on several occasions.

    As I see it you are saying that your situation is a genuine ‘freelance ‘ role used to come in, do a job, get paid for it and move on to the next task, whereas the RTE ‘freelancers’ are just using the system as a vehicle to alleviate their tax and expenses exposure .

    Hope I got that right, and apologies if not.

    Pretty much, although i dont think there is the same enforcement of law (IR35) as there is in the UK with regards to long term contractors


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    #6137
    Brendan Bendar
    Registered Users Posts: 19,058 ✭✭✭✭Brendan Bendar


    retalivity wrote: »
    Pretty much, although i dont think there is the same enforcement of law (IR35) as there is in the UK with regards to long term contractors



    Is a pigs pussy pork:D

    Appreciate your insight.


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    #6138
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Reminder: you have only 5 days left to make a submission regarding the imposition of a digital tax.
    Visit https://futureofmediacommission.ie/ or send an e-mail to them at info@futureofmediacommission.ie
    be careful how you phrase your feedback because they will use anything they can to ringfence the income stream of RTE and prevent any meaningful change in the service delivered to the public.
    My suggestions as to the main points to hit should be that RTE is beyond redemption(otherwise RTE will be the medium used to provide public broadcast services), universal charges, mission creep should be prevented are unfair and conflicts of interest such as sponsorship of shows or talent should be forbidden.

    You honestly think your submission will make a difference. They pretty dismissed the public from it's conclusions, which are pre-ordained.

    I'll put one in but I am under no illusion that I may as well send in a roll of loo paper


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    #6139
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Elmo wrote: »
    You honestly think your submission will make a difference. They pretty dismissed the public from it's conclusions, which are pre-ordained.

    I'll put one in but I am under no illusion that I may as well send in a roll of loo paper
    Their conscience may twinge a little before they deliver the desired outcome.


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    #6140
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,901 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    RTÉ repeating ‘The Test’ again....

    Monday night at 8:30pm - prime time slot you’d say.....


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    #6141
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    Elmo wrote: »
    You honestly think your submission will make a difference. They pretty dismissed the public from it's conclusions, which are pre-ordained.

    I'll put one in but I am under no illusion that I may as well send in a roll of loo paper

    When The Future of Media Commission first released the submission form online for us to use, it turns out it was "broken" i.e. it did not list all the questions that were up for discussion; especially the funding question. They did fix it later on but by then a good portion of the tiny window that allows us to submit our input was gone. So, with the timing (mid pandemic and over the Christmas period) and short window for public input and the "broken" online form for submission, I do not trust the process.

    Unfortunately it does look like it will be a done deal and the government will be forcing everyone with a smart phone to pay this tax to support the millionaires and other highly paid staff at RTE. You should still make your submission to register your objection to this abhorrent new tax by emailing, sending a letter, or online here: https://futureofmediacommission.ie/public-consultation/


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    #6142
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Let me preface this by saying I'm not complaining about watching less ads, however...

    We had a powercut last night and my dad wanted to watch the Six One news so I set up the laptop connected to my hotspot, and we watched the news via the player. When it went to a commercial break, it didn't show normal ads, just a blue screen with the RTE logo. Surely thats a lost revenue stream?


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    #6143
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Let me preface this by saying I'm not complaining about watching less ads, however...

    We had a powercut last night and my dad wanted to watch the Six One news so I set up the laptop connected to my hotspot, and we watched the news via the player. When it went to a commercial break, it didn't show normal ads, just a blue screen with the RTE logo. Surely thats a lost revenue stream?

    Yeah discussed a while back rights issues, TG4 do the same, Virgin Media seem to provide different ads to broadcast.


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    #6144
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Kivaro wrote: »
    When The Future of Media Commission first released the submission form online for us to use, it turns out it was "broken" i.e. it did not list all the questions that were up for discussion; especially the funding question. They did fix it later on but by then a good portion of the tiny window that allows us to submit our input was gone. So, with the timing (mid pandemic and over the Christmas period) and short window for public input and the "broken" online form for submission, I do not trust the process.

    Unfortunately it does look like it will be a done deal and the government will be forcing everyone with a smart phone to pay this tax to support the millionaires and other highly paid staff at RTE. You should still make your submission to register your objection to this abhorrent new tax by emailing, sending a letter, or online here: https://futureofmediacommission.ie/public-consultation/

    Did you write to them about it, are you sure it was a technical issue?

    The commission is largely made up of university intellectuals, there focus will be on fake news.

    Do you have a timeline?


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    #6145
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    Elmo wrote: »
    Did you write to them about it, are you sure it was a technical issue?

    The commission is largely made up of university intellectuals, there focus will be on fake news.

    Do you have a timeline?
    Indeed it was a technical issue; they were aware of it, and they sent an email to me about the issue since I did not submit the form anonymously. I discussed the issue on the thread specific to the topic on here that didn't get much support. It was very noticeable that we were not allowed (technically) to answer the question regarding funding, so I submitted my disapproval of the new media tax in the general submission.

    Unfortunately the bit in bold above is the reason why the majority of us in the country suffer as a result of policies that are enacted by government, which are formulated by people who are completely detached (for the most part) from our every day lives. They work and live in academic cocoons totally unrelated to real life. Between these "intellectuals" and NGOs in Ireland, the quality of life for the regular working/contributing person has diminished.

    Regarding the focus on "fake news". Jesus, RTE is a horribly biased, partial, untrusted news source. They are a disgrace.


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    #6146
    Mike Murdock
    Registered Users Posts: 895 ✭✭✭Mike Murdock


    Kivaro wrote: »
    I

    Regarding the focus on "fake news". Jesus, RTE is a horribly biased, partial, untrusted news source. They are a disgrace.

    I don't have a TV and this new "tax" to pay for pensions & fund RTE propaganda is ****ing ridiculous.


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    #6147
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,901 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Let me preface this by saying I'm not complaining about watching less ads, however...

    We had a powercut last night and my dad wanted to watch the Six One news so I set up the laptop connected to my hotspot, and we watched the news via the player. When it went to a commercial break, it didn't show normal ads, just a blue screen with the RTE logo. Surely thats a lost revenue stream?


    SixOne is viewable globally on the player, so they cannot broadcast ads internationally that they can broadcast in Ireland for various reasons. (Like beer ads in France etc...)

    But you'd still think that they'd have international ads lined up for out of country viewers... but lets not get ahead of ourselves... lets just get the player to function first before doing rocket science stuff like that...


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    #6148
    TomTomTim
    Registered Users Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭TomTomTim


    Elmo wrote: »
    Did you write to them about it, are you sure it was a technical issue?

    The commission is largely made up of university intellectuals, there focus will be on fake news.

    Do you have a timeline?

    God help us. One of them was an editor for the rag that is the Guardian.
    Alan Rusbridger was Editor in Chief of the Guardian from 1995-2015. He is currently Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and Chair of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. During his time at the Guardian, both he and the paper won numerous awards, including the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service Journalism. The Guardian grew from a printed paper with a circulation of 400,000 to a leading digital news organisation with 150m browsers a month around the world. He launched now-profitable editions in Australia and the US as well as a membership scheme which now has 1m Guardian readers paying for content.

    “The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended than anyone else. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offense, isn't it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a mountain out of a molehill--he knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offense, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it.”- ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov




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    #6149
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Kivaro wrote: »
    Indeed it was a technical issue; they were aware of it, and they sent an email to me about the issue since I did not submit the form anonymously. I discussed the issue on the thread specific to the topic on here that didn't get much support. It was very noticeable that we were not allowed (technically) to answer the question regarding funding, so I submitted my disapproval of the new media tax in the general submission.

    What thread?


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    #6150
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    Elmo wrote: »
    What thread?
    Hmmm. I'll find it for you; only because I like you.
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058141387


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    #6151
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Kivaro wrote: »
    Hmmm. I'll find it for you; only because I like you.
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058141387

    Have you tried searching boards :) thanks


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