Imports on RTÉ?

Elmo

Do you think that 25,000,000 euro is a waste of money on Imported TV?

RTÉ buy over 11,000 hours of TV every year, that equals around 2000 euro per hour of TV and over 400 days of TV each year (I know there are only 365 days in a year).

The following shows are shown during prime time:

Eastenders
ER
CSI (A Irregular Intervals, but I am told that the best and orginal series is returning in the new year )
Law And Order (Same As Above)
Home And Away (Wow)
The Simpsons (Repeats)
LOST
Desparate Housewives
24
And Movies (Which you have prob seen before anyway).
Joey
Friends (Repeats)
Scrubs

Any other shows from abroad during Prime Time?

Dinner

I'd rather them spending loads on imported telly than spending loads on homegrown sh!te....

Elmo

I'd rather them spending loads on imported telly than spending loads on homegrown sh!te....

But I am pointing out to you that they don't show the Imports during Prime time the shows I mentioned are the only shows on during prime time. Those shows dont make up 11,000 hours.

The could have more money to make better homegrown Sh1t.

I mean they have had a quite a good year with the home produced out put IMO.

Also I hadn't realise that Home And Away and EastEnders were high quality Imports.

Pigman II

Depends. How much do they spend per year on all the home grown garbage and how many hours does that add up to?

Elmo

I wish people would use the words like **** and Garbage to identify Home produced Shows. Generally Speaking this is not the case.

I don't know how many hours but it does not come to 11,000. And you would have to ask do you include Sport with that number?

They show most of their Homegrown "Garbage" during Prime Time BTW.

Pigman II

So whats the number then? How much money do RTE spend on 'quality' homegrown television. You can include sport in there if you like.

Elmo

1877 in 2004 at a cost of 136,140,000. Includes sport and news.

I am not suggesting that they get rid of popular TV series which they buy in but I think they should look at where they place these shows on the Television.

23,040,000 was spent on aquired shows in 2004.

34million was spent on Drama in 2004.

I can see the reasoning behind buying in Aquisitions but not when they buy so much they do not need 11,000 hours. IMO.

Pigman II

I'm of the opinion RTE are just buying a lot of these imported shows for absolutely no reason other than to stop tv3 getting them. I'm pretty sure they don't actually want them and they also certainly don't care where they're scheduled. They're just playing the countrys biggest game of monopoly and whats worse its with our money.

RTE should half that homemade 1877 down to about 900 hours and use that 136m to make something thats actually unique and decent (instead of just churning out Oirish versions of other countries progs eg that GAA drama, the Clinic etc etc ). If they had programs that spawned fanbases instead of rolled-eyes they could then create lucrative revenue streams thru merchandise and dvd sale etc.

How much money is the BBC for example making thru DVD sales atm due to the fact that they make quality programming.

mickymg2003

How much does bbc invest in its own stuff because the majority of it is top quality compared to a lot but not all irish stuff. Like stew is dire and they invested in a second season of that the same with naked camera which isin really that good. The panel and the blizzard of odd is worth the license fee but Stew and naked camera arent imo. Most of RTE's late nite stuff is imports like, grounded for life,viva la bam, wild boys, larry sanders etc...Thats where its all put.

John R

Elmo wrote:

1877 in 2004 at a cost of 136,140,000. Includes sport and news.

I am not suggesting that they get rid of popular TV series which they buy in but I think they should look at where they place these shows on the Television.

23,040,000 was spent on aquired shows in 2004.

34million was spent on Drama in 2004.

I can see the reasoning behind buying in Aquisitions but not when they buy so much they do not need 11,000 hours. IMO.

Alot of the programming is bought in packages from the big distribution companies. RTE will buy ER, Friends, Scrubs, etc from the Warners, Viacom, Fox, etc but as part of the deal they will also buy a bunch of low profile titles as well. These may account for a great deal of airtime but in cost terms they will be very low. The vast majority of the budget for overseas programming will be on the small number of high profile programmes.

Remember also with new US programming, a lot of the new shows are optioned during the annual sales junkets which take place before the programmes start to air in the US so the foreign broadcasters have no way of knowing which programmes will even last through the first few months never mind a whole season.
Most broadcasters will not take them if the programmes do not last long, RTE and TV3 on the other hand seem to scoop up many of these. No doubt they pay a pittance for them as they are virtually worthless at that stage. There have been more than a few episodes of quickly cancelled US series that have gotten their first (and sometimes last) airing anywhere on RTE at 3am.

Elmo

RTE should half that homemade 1877 down to about 900 hours and use that 136m to make something thats actually unique and decent (instead of just churning out Oirish versions of other countries progs eg that GAA drama, the Clinic etc etc ). If they had programs that spawned fanbases instead of rolled-eyes they could then create lucrative revenue streams thru merchandise and dvd sale etc.

This is all down to taste IMO. I liked the Clinic, Pure Mule, Paths To Freedom, Love is the Drug and The Last Furlong(while i wouldn't tell to anyone you have to see the last furlong, it is watchable). Yes fair enough you have the GAA drama (on home ground) The Cassidy's etc I mean we could list all of the dreadful stuff on the BBC and it would equal the good stuff. Yes I think they need to start look an their own shows rather the making an Irish version to what ever the BBC are doing.

The Clinic is now available on DVD season 1 and 2. 30euro quite a good price for 20 episodes for any series. IMO.

How much money is the BBC for example making thru DVD sales atm due to the fact that they make quality programming.

And they say the BBC aren't commercial. Plus sales to RTE

Like stew is dire and they invested in a second season of that the same with naked camera which isin really that good. The panel and the blizzard of odd is worth the license fee but Stew and naked camera arent imo.

I will agree with you Stew is bad, I haven't heard of a new series I know it won the IFTA :rolleyes: but I don't think it coming back please god.

I again think its all about taste I liked Naked Camera, as did others.

But then I think I haven't explained my position on this correctly.

Lets face it RTE could have another TV station with the amount of hours it buys in.

How come TG4 have been able to buy in good series without having to spend that amount of money.

TV3 buy in the most pathic set of american series. The are still showing the gaurdian.:rolleyes:

There have been more than a few episodes of quickly cancelled US series that have gotten their first (and sometimes last) airing anywhere on RTE at 3am.

But their are alot of long running series too.

The Practice
The West Wing
Third Watch
Six Feet Under
Millenium
Alias
Profiler
Law And Order

limerick_man

Elmo wrote:

RTÉ buy over 400 days of TV each year (I know there are only 365 days in a year).

But they have two channels, so thats 400 days out of 730 really!

Elmo

But they have two channels, so thats 400 days out of 730 really!

Even during the day the majority of shows on RTE One are produced in Ireland.

The could have a separte station providing all of their new imports during prime time. And repeat the late a night on RTE One.

Also I am not sure if the 11,000 hours includes repeats, I think it does.

Telefís

Still not quite sure where you're coming from Elmo - is it that RTÉ simply buy too much imported programming, or that it it costs too much, or that it isn't shown in prime time - or a combination of all three?

Agreed about much of our homegrown content being of a high quality - and also as things tend to lean on this forum, there is more to the life of Irish televison that a couple of homegrown yoof programmes on RTÉ 2. There is another station out there called RTÉ 1

Pigman II wrote:

They're just playing the countrys biggest game of monopoly and whats worse its with our money.

This isn't the case - 'our money', i.e. the licence fee, must be spent on public service programming only. It is not used to buy imports or more commercially oriented content, though TV3 does argue that the added weight of the licence fee still gives RTÉ extra clout, which frankly is true. This is no bad thing in my view, as RTÉ is much more than just a single station, or public service broadcaster. It is in an almost unique position of being 'Irish Television' - full stop. So not only is it necessary that it make Irish content, but it should also provide quality foreign programming too to its Irish audience.

We cannot in my view have a decent television industry in this country without a strong national broadcaster. If this means giving a certain advantage to RTÉ than so be it - we are washed by foreign media in this country, and RTÉ offers a real alternative to this, in no small part because of its strong, healthy position. Foreign content draws in viewers, keeping the station fresh and relevant in the public mind, and gives a wider audience to native programming. Television in this country would go down the tubes were public funds more evenly spread with a commercial station like TV3, with a free-for-all in applying for production monies. The Forum on Broadcasting held this out in 2001 - a strong PSB, fairly regulated, is the best model for Ireland.

Vokes

Elmo wrote:

The following shows are shown during prime time:

Eastenders
ER
CSI (A Irregular Intervals, but I am told that the best and orginal series is returning in the new year )
Law And Order (Same As Above)
Home And Away (Wow)
The Simpsons (Repeats)
LOST
Desparate Housewives
24
And Movies (Which you have prob seen before anyway).
Joey
Friends (Repeats)
Scrubs

Any other shows from abroad during Prime Time?

Is there a list somewhere of the rest of RTE's imported shows that are not shown at prime time? Id be interested in comparing them to the above list.

Elmo

Third Watch
That 70's Show
NYPD Blue
Medium
The West Wing
Alias
Grounded For Life
Boston Public
The Practice
Millienum
Six Feet Under
Alot of very good movies that often are better then the "RTE's Premieres".

Alot of the above shows have ended but during their run RTE never had them on during prime time. Or they lasted a series or two before being sent to late night tv.

there is more to the life of Irish televison that a couple of homegrown yoof programmes on RTÉ 2. There is another station out there called RTÉ 1

Yes I understand that and I think RTÉ 1's homegrown show can be great i.e. True Lives, Prime Time, WYB, Q&A etc. but those shows aren't different. RTE TWO should at least try to be different rather then going and trying the yoof cluture thing. I amn't a teenager but I cann't say I would watch any of RTE Two's yoof programming if I was, why? because they are condessending (sp). Take TG4 home programming they aren't condesending and they are different and those that are aimed at a yoof culture are aim at anyone i.e. its TV we all are watching.

e.g. Ex-files V Passion Fashion
e.g. TTV V Sile 2005
e.g. You're A Star V Underdogs

They seem more natural too me on TG4. IMO.

And they buy in a set of very good american shows which will get their first showing during prime time. And the niche/cult movies work well.

irishcsifan

i just want even thought do annoy me a time (not showing the original csi for example) there are some good home grown show. as for the imports i think we show start a rumour that tv3 showing csi and maybe some other shows because it may finally knock some sense into rte.

Blisterman

I don't know why RTE spend so much on imports of shows, most people can see on BBC/ITV/SKY instead.

Telefís

'Universality of provision' - we tend to forget that 20% of households in Ireland have no access to the BBC, and more than a third have no access to UTV & Ch4 let alone anything else. Were it not for RTÉ, these people would never get to see such productions. Indeed west of the Shannon, the vast majority of people would be in the dark in this respect.

And if people do have choice, when such programmes are shown on RTÉ, people mostly prefer to watch them here and not on its UK competitors - hence benefiting RTÉ via advertising revenues, and high audiences which boost preceeding and subsequent Irish content. Not that Irish programming cannot stand on its own two feet - indeed in most cases it outstrips foreign content hands down, even the most popular US and UK programmes.

As long as a limited amount of foreign content is bought in, and as long as it is of a hight quality which most of it is (save the odd piece of crap shovelled in during daytime), it's more than an acceptable practice.

Elmo

As long as a limited amount of foreign content is bought in, and as long as it is of a hight quality which most of it is (save the odd piece of crap shovelled in during daytime), it's more than an acceptable practice.

Most of the shows mentioned are high quality. Even some of the daytime stuff could be shown during primetime i.e. MONK.

I don't know why RTE spend so much on imports of shows, most people can see on BBC/ITV/SKY instead.

The BBC and ITV don't show that many US imports.

tv3 showing csi and maybe some other shows because it may finally knock some sense into rte.

No RTE have the rights to CSI:Crime Scene Investigation. So that rumour would swing with RTE. It's coming back in the New Year.

It will prob get Monday night on RTE One to be interrupted by CrimeWatch, Irish Miniserial, Prime Time Investigates and the Bank Holiday Movie. Not that I have a problem with these shows but let Monday night be for those shows not so that CSI can be a filler for those shows.

irishcsifan

i don't think it will. i find it very hard to trust rte. they have lied so many time before anyway i have seen season five and i'll be seening season six soon with the help of a friend. you simply cannot rely on rte

Telefís

Crimewatch, i.e. Crimecall, is on on Tuesday nights - sheeeesh :rolleyes:



Not that I watch it or anything, just happen to know when it's on, what colour tie Con was wearing......oops, said too much......

Elmo

Crimewatch, i.e. Crimecall, is on on Tuesday nights - sheeeesh

I was going to call it Crime Line

Yeah my thinking on the matter of Monday nights was like so.

Week 1 Bank Holiday Movie
Week 2 Prime Time Investigates
Week 3 Prime Time Investigates
Week 4 Crime Call
Week 5 Part 2 of Sunday nights Miniseries
Week 6 ETC ETC

With CSI taking up another night, where it will not be interupted. It makes sence to me.

irishcsifan

you know they are showing the csi season five grave danger eppy on the 30th of december on rte two