RTE Cutbacks The Plan

facehugger99 · 07-11-2019 11:21am

Noemi Shapely Weakling wrote: »

Illegal streamers provided a more reliable online service during the Rugby World Cup than our multimillion-euro national broadcaster.

The RTE player currently gets an abysmal 1.6 stars on Google's Play Store. The BBC iPlayer gets 4 stars and the ITV Hub gets 4.4 stars. Channel 4's app gets 4.8 stars.

Maybe if RTE put money into things that people actually value, such as a good streaming service, and stopped pumping it into a black hole of lavish salaries for presenters and executives, people would be more supportive.

I would love to know how much they did spend on it though.

You're quite correct, the illegal services I use to stream sports are far more reliable and have much higher video quality than the RTE player - I presume these illegal guys are operating on a shoestring budget compared to the eye-watering salaries prevalent in RTE.

Bob Harris · 07-11-2019 11:24am

Deleted User wrote: »

I would see it as 2 things

1. If they shy away from it they will be called out as hiding away from making 200 people jobless
2. They can manage the message to push Forbes idea of broadcasting charge, without tackling the systemic issues in RTÉ such as the permanent staff numbers and the insistence of having their headquarters in a sprawling DonnyBrook campus.

"The 200 jobs to be cut will be on a voluntary basis and a large portion of them will include the RTÉ symphony orchestra moving to the control of the National Concert Hall"

Cork Boy 53 · 07-11-2019 11:31am

Bob Harris wrote: »

"The 200 jobs to be cut will be on a voluntary basis and a large portion of them will include the RTÉ symphony orchestra moving to the control of the National Concert Hall"

Source for this? BTW how many people are actually members of the Orchestra?

Boggles · 07-11-2019 11:33am

facehugger99 wrote: »

I would love to know how much they did spend on it though.

You're quite correct, the illegal services I use to stream sports are far more reliable and have much higher video quality than the RTE player - I presume these illegal guys are operating on a shoestring budget compared to the eye-watering salaries prevalent in RTE.

If you think Saudi Arabia operate on a shoe string.

zeebre12 · 07-11-2019 11:37am

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Source for this? BTW how many people are actually members of the Orchestra?

How often do the orchestras actually work? What do they do? Are many full time?

facehugger99 · 07-11-2019 11:43am

Typical Public Service attitude in RTE. Absolutely no interest in making any radical changes to reflect the changing environment they are operating in.

A few cosmetic changes and they'll be back with their paws out looking for more money from the hard-pressed tax-payers.

jelutong · 07-11-2019 11:46am

Is there really a need for RTE One+1 and RTE Two +1?

Idbatterim · 07-11-2019 11:47am

Bob Harris wrote: »

Tubridy's salary was 723k in 2011. 8 years later and it'll be not much more than half that.
Still a generous salary but from his point of view it has to sting a bit losing just over 300k per year in that time.

I don’t look at it like that. He’s been over psych hundreds of thousands. He’s still overpaid. They could put a puppet hosting the late late and it had such a following from the mainly older demographic, that they would still watch it. Even after this cost cutting , the pay and I bet you th practices , will still be massively wasteful !

Boggles · 07-11-2019 11:47am

jelutong wrote: »

Is there really a need for RTE One+1 and RTE Two +1?

Probably not. But given the RTE own Saorview, it would cost very little to transmit them.

facehugger99 · 07-11-2019 11:51am

Their own financial report is outragious.

A 33million increase in costs in the last 5 years is spun as a 23% reduction - anyone with half a brain can spot the trend here RTE, you bunch of spoofers!

How about we axe 2FM and one of the orchestras for a start? - that's about €7.5 million saved every year - you're welcome!

yosser hughes · 07-11-2019 11:53am

No mention of cutting 2 FM? I fail to see the rationale there. Maybe someone could explain that? What function does it fulfill that isn't already fulfilled by commercial radio?
There's no public service element there.
It tells you that this is window dressing and no more than that.

ToBeFrank123 · 07-11-2019 11:56am

Bob Harris wrote: »

"The 200 jobs to be cut will be on a voluntary basis and a large portion of them will include the RTÉ symphony orchestra moving to the control of the National Concert Hall"

I find that hard to believe. Likely the will remain public servants.
Paid by who is the question.
Does the NCH not receive a portion of the licence fee? Or possibly from the Arts budget similar to the Abbey.

elperello · 07-11-2019 11:58am

The trouble with this discussion is that everyone thinks they know how to run RTE.
A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub.

TallGlass2 · 07-11-2019 11:59am

You would be thinking that RTE was not funded by the public. It's getting 221€ million FFS.

Tubbs, D'Arcy and Duffy are paid 0.64% of that budget.

Reducing them all down to 150k a year would then equate to 0.21% of budget and most likely settle a lot of the public.

The question is if 0.64% of the budget so far on three people, what are they spending the rest on. I know they give a break down on costs. However if they think the likes of Duffy on 400k is value for money, what else do they think is value for money that is vastly over priced.

Shefwedfan · 07-11-2019 12:01pm

zeebre12 wrote: »

No mention of RTE News Now getting the chop?

That at least serves a purpose.....something 2FM hasn't done for many many year

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:03pm

elperello wrote: »

The trouble with this discussion is that everyone thinks they know how to run RTE.
A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub.

Exactly.

They are basing their "decisions" on personal dislikes.

95% of everything that is on all media is shíté, the 5% comes down to personal preference.

odyssey06 · 07-11-2019 12:06pm

Boggles wrote: »

Exactly.
They are basing their "decisions" on personal dislikes. 95% of everything that is on all media is shíté, the 5% comes down to personal preference.

I don't think you are reading the same thread as me.
Lots of people questioning 2FM and other services, not on whether they like it or dislike it but where does it fit in RTE's public service remit.
Lots of people questioning whether salaries paid represent value for money.

Shefwedfan · 07-11-2019 12:06pm

Majority of issues with RTE comes down to interview process which goes like

Paul walks in, exceptional guy. Could really add value. Then John walks in, f**king useless but his father or godfather or he is 5th cousin of someone already in RTE......guess which person gets the job

Seems to be similar in project. Company A walks in, great product and really what RTE needs to move with the times. Company B walks in and product is inferior, but salesperson is again the 6th cousin of someone in RTE. Company B walks away with contract.

A lot of excellent companies have stopped bidding on tenders in RTE. The simple fact is they waste massive amount of time putting something together to get kicked out of process because they don't have a relative from RTE working......

It would be interesting to ask Dee of all the projects they have ongoing, how many get delivered? and how many get delivered ontime and in budget?

Shefwedfan · 07-11-2019 12:08pm

elperello wrote: »

The trouble with this discussion is that everyone thinks they know how to run RTE.
A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub.

I wouldn't have a clue how to run RTE. But you have to admit their is some glaring things which could be changed and make it a lot better.

FrancieBrady · 07-11-2019 12:08pm

elperello wrote: »

The trouble with this discussion is that everyone thinks they know how to run RTE.
A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub.

A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub...using just the money he puts into it.

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 07-11-2019 12:10pm

SPDUB wrote: »

200 jobs lost

While nobody delights in job losses, RTE is grossly overstaffed and needs to shed numbers.

Indefinite pay freeze for all staff

The average salary at RTE is €60,518, with over 125 employees making more than €100,000 a year. Quite simply, they are hugely overpaid, and should count themselves lucky their salaries aren't being cut.

10pc pay cut for senior executives

The salaries of RTE's incompetent senior management team should be cut by at least 50%.

15 per cent pay cut for its highest earning presenters

Presenters should have a salary cap of €100k. If Tubridy, D'Arcy, et al, can make more money elsewhere, let them go. I'm sure there are others who will do a good job.

Lyric will not closed but will “much reduced” and operate out of Dublin and Cork

Lyric FM was always a non-serious classical station. BBC Radio 3 is miles better.

Other cuts include the closure of RTɒs digital radio stations and the closure of Aertel.

Services that only a handful use anyway.

All major sporting events will be moved to RTÉ One.

What's the point of RTE 2 now? Broadcasting Australian soaps and US imported shows? It's simply not needed and should be closed. RTE can easily fulfill its public service remit with one channel.

The J Stands for Jay · 07-11-2019 12:11pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I am sceptical about his so called popularity. I regularly hear ppl bitterly criticize him and cannot hand on heart say I’ve ever heard someone say they are a fan of either his radio or tv show

Anyway, moving on I would say call his bluff offer him a rock bottom fee and I suspect he will take it. If not, no hard feelings ray it’s not personal

I've heard loads of people say they used to like him, but he became an aul wan towards the end of his time at today FM, ranting about stuff he didn't like or understand and praising Jenny, running and porridge.

ToBeFrank123 · 07-11-2019 12:12pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

I don't think you are reading the same thread as me.
Lots of people questioning 2FM and other services, not on whether they like it or dislike it but where does it fit in RTE's public service remit.
Lots of people questioning whether salaries paid represent value for money.

It fitted the remit in the 70s and 80s where there was no alternative except pirates and RTE had a monopoly and possibly 2FM broke even.

With liberalisation and the advent of numerous alternative stations, the reason for 2FM declined dramatically. And today there is no remit for 2FM, especially if its loss making.

Bob Harris · 07-11-2019 12:14pm

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Source for this? BTW how many people are actually members of the Orchestra?

Dee Forbes is the source.

https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-national-symphony-orchestra/
https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-concert-orchestra/
https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-philharmonic-choir/

How many are full time I don't know.

The J Stands for Jay · 07-11-2019 12:14pm

ednwireland wrote: »

stick a cheap movie on RTE2 and fill rte1 with the little sport they have left i guess

as aside i dont think ive heard bryan dobson as annoyed about anything as this when he was "interviewing" dee forbes on morning ireland this morning.

shame he cant get that animated about some real issues

Is this interview available to watch somewhere?

Acosta · 07-11-2019 12:16pm

Bought a house a couple of months back and the TV licence letter came today of all days. The day RTE have basically announced they're done with alternative music with the closure of 2xm. That'll be going straight into the recycling.

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 07-11-2019 12:17pm

McGaggs wrote: »

Is this interview available to watch somewhere?

It's a radio interview -- you can listen to it here.

MrMusician18 · 07-11-2019 12:18pm

Boggles wrote: »

Because RTE are not a tech company, they have outsourced the nuts and bolts of the player AFAIK.

Now it could be because that company are incompetent or maybe the tech that makes it run better is more expensive.

The reason the player is **** is because it forces 3 mins of ads on the viewer every time it stops.

That was a policy decision.

FrancieBrady · 07-11-2019 12:18pm

Bob Harris wrote: »

Dee Forbes is the source.

https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-national-symphony-orchestra/
https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-concert-orchestra/
https://orchestras.rte.ie/performinggroup/rte-philharmonic-choir/

How many are full time I don't know.

Never understood why the orchestras don't come under the remit of the Arts Council.

yosser hughes · 07-11-2019 12:19pm

elperello wrote: »

The trouble with this discussion is that everyone thinks they know how to run RTE.
A bit like the way every drinker thinks he could run a pub.

Stating the fact that 2FM does not fulfill any public service obligation and there is no justification for keeping it open does not require expertise in media management

07-11-2019 12:22pm

Noemi Shapely Weakling wrote: »

Dee Forbes repeatedly quoted whinging about the need for these cuts, given the government's failure to extract enough licence revenue from the taxpayer -- although this is comical from someone with a total remuneration package of €338,000.

When pushed on Morning Ireland, she said the savings of the cuts to the top salaries will be 15% of 3 Million which is 450k. Gitting rid of Joe Duffy alone would bring in that saving.

Atlantic Dawn · 07-11-2019 12:26pm

zeebre12 wrote: »

How often do the orchestras actually work? What do they do? Are many full time?

It costs just shy of €250k a week to keep the orchestras going, shouldn't be RTE and the licence payer bankrolling this rich man's jukebox.

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:27pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

I don't think you are reading the same thread as me.
Lots of people questioning 2FM and other services, not on whether they like it or dislike it but where does it fit in RTE's public service remit.
Lots of people questioning whether salaries paid represent value for money.

RTE doesn't just have a Public Remit is has a commercial one.

10000maniacs · 07-11-2019 12:28pm

Nell McCafferty is probably doing a merry dance around her kitchen now after Tubbs peed her off on Tuesdays Late Late.

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:29pm

10000maniacs wrote: »

Nell McCafferty is probably doing a merry dance around her kitchen now after Tubbs peed her off on Tuesdays Late Late.

He handled her well TBF.

Live telly and you have her písséd out of her tree with teeth hanging out ranting and raving.

ToBeFrank123 · 07-11-2019 12:30pm

Boggles wrote: »

RTE doesn't just have a Public Remit is has a commercial one.

Thanks for clearing that up. In this regard, RTE has been a commercial failure and stations like 2FM are clear examples of that.

Based on commercial value alone, 2FM should have been closed years ago as its loss making and dragging the rest of the business down.

There is no commercial or public remit value to keeping 2FM open. So why does it remain open?

odyssey06 · 07-11-2019 12:32pm

Boggles wrote: »

RTE doesn't just have a Public Remit is has a commercial one.

Is 2Fm fulfilling that? Separate to whether someone likes 2Fm or not?
And why can't that be questioned?
If you have information on how 2Fm's commercial activities are contributing positively to RTE's bottom line we're all ears.

TallGlass2 · 07-11-2019 12:33pm

Boggles wrote: »

RTE doesn't just have a Public Remit is has a commercial one.

To me RTE has to do either one or the other. All the chat has been about PSB, how it's struggling and it's important to have a PSB. If they want to play the commercial gig then play it, with someone else's money and if it is public and it isn't working then shut it down.

07-11-2019 12:34pm

Ryan Tubridy – €495,000
Ray D'Arcy – €450,000
Joe Duffy – €389,988
Sean O’Rourke – €308,964
Marian Finucane – €300,617
Miriam O'Callaghan – €299,000
Claire Byrne – €216,000
Brian Dobson – €198,146
George Hamilton – €186,195
Mary Wilson – €185,679

These are the top 10 earners in RTE, can anyone justify any of these broadcasters being on this money? :O

Absolutely not justifying them, but if anything, I think Claire Byrne and Brian Dobson should be on more in comparison to some of their colleagues.

I can't remember the last time I saw or heard Marian Finucane on either TV or radio, so what does she do for her 300k? Ray D'Arcy on 450k is a joke, as is Joe Duffy on 389k. Cut that dead weight alone and save a million.

Duane Dibbley · 07-11-2019 12:34pm

RTE are simply a national public service media organisation.

I dont see why they cant do this using 1 TV channel - 1 Radio channel a website and an iplayer.

Looking at the TV Guide in relation to RTE owned stations, I cant see how even 60-70% of it relates to national public service media.

The Channels seem to be filled with Fillers.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Shortland Street
Home and Away
Neighbours
Doctors
EastEnders
The Goldbergs
The Simpsons

It seems that Irish programming and Irish Talent is being treated as a Premium within our national broadcaster and deserve to be paid top buck.

10000maniacs · 07-11-2019 12:35pm

Boggles wrote: »

He handled her well TBF.

Live telly and you have her písséd out of her tree with teeth hanging out ranting and raving.

Not sure about that to be honest. He was short with a few people on Tuesday, cutting them off mid sentence too. He needed to come down to earth a bit for this show to succeed. Some of the guests were also given the "right... yeah... right..yeah...ok " in other words hurry up and say it already you boring twat treatment too. Tubbs was on edge.

07-11-2019 12:39pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Is 2Fm fulfilling that? Separate to whether someone likes 2Fm or not?
And why can't that be questioned?
If you have information on how 2Fm's commercial activities are contributing positively to RTE's bottom line we're all ears.

We regularly comment on the Liveline thread the choice of ads they play during the ad break, and half the time its for RTE services or for the TV license itself - and so bringing in little or no ad revenue.

If they are making similarly bad choices of ad breaks on 2FM, then it's not fulfilling its commercial remit either.

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:41pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Is 2Fm fulfilling that? Separate to whether someone likes 2Fm or not?
And why can't that be questioned?
If you have information on how 2Fm's commercial activities are contributing positively to RTE's bottom line we're all ears.

It makes more from commercial revenue then subsidy AFAIK.

It caters for a certain demographic and has a weekly listenership of around 880k on par with Todayfm.

I haven't listened to 2fm in 20 years, but what exactly irks you that it needs to be nuked?

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:43pm

10000maniacs wrote: »

Not sure about that to be honest. He was short with a few people on Tuesday, cutting them off mid sentence too. He needed to come down to earth a bit for this show to succeed. Some of the guests were also given the "right... yeah... right..yeah...ok " in other words hurry up and say it already you boring twat treatment too. Tubbs was on edge.

Actually was it just me or was our dear President an incoherent mess.

I hadn't a clue what he was saying.

I wonder was there a drinks reception before the gig.

NIMAN · 07-11-2019 12:44pm

Boggles wrote: »

Actually was it just me or was our dear President an incoherent mess.

I hadn't a clue what he was saying.

I wonder was there a drinks reception before the gig.

No, you weren't the only one.

It was mentioned a lot on the LLS Tribute Show thread.

To be fair, he rambles a lot at the best of times.

Boggles · 07-11-2019 12:45pm

NIMAN wrote: »

No, you weren't the only one.

It was mentioned a lot on the LLS Tribute Show thread.

To be fair, he rambles a lot at the best of times.

He does, but eventually he clicks into gear.

The other night it was all clutch and no pedal.

odyssey06 · 07-11-2019 12:47pm

Boggles wrote: »

It makes more from commercial revenue then subsidy AFAIK.
It caters for a certain demographic and has a weekly listenership of around 880k on par with Todayfm.
I haven't listened to 2fm in 20 years, but what exactly irks you that it needs to be nuked?

Why is it getting any subsidy?
What exactly irks you about people questioning why it exists?

10000maniacs · 07-11-2019 12:47pm

Boggles wrote: »

Actually was it just me or was our dear President an incoherent mess.

I hadn't a clue what he was saying.

I wonder was there a drinks reception before the gig.

Not his articulate well spoken norm. He was getting a bit muddled with his thoughts. Maybe emotion of the occasion and drink got the better of him. Could be wrong though. I would say Higgins and Ulick O'Connor were the most frequent guests on Gaybo's Late Late.

MrMusician18 · 07-11-2019 12:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

We regularly comment on the Liveline thread the choice of ads they play during the ad break, and half the time its for RTE services or for the TV license itself - and so bringing in little or no ad revenue.

If they are making similarly bad choices of ad breaks on 2FM, then it's not fulfilling its commercial remit either.

I wonder is it possible to find out just how commercial RTEs commercial revenue is. Some days id swear the ad breaks on R1 consist almost entirely of advertising for state services.

dulpit · 07-11-2019 12:49pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

“Paddy o Gorman goes out with stags and hens in carrick on Shannon”

Ffs. Such tripe RTÉ serve

LEAVE PADDY O'GORMAN ALONE. :mad:

RTE Cutbacks The Plan

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