Is RTE beyond all control

reppin

Tonight we had the News (6pm) anchored by Bryan Dobson from Rome where he is interviewing Joe Little who is also after getting a gig there and this on top of an introduction by Tony Connolly who is also in Rome, talk of overkill. Last week we had Philip Bromwell at the Oscars in USA although Richard Downes was also covering the event which, to say the least, is hardly the most cultural or educational event in the world. Last week also we had Ciaran Mulloolly in Wales for a murder case, which to be fair had an Irish interest, but a report could just as easily be obtained from the BBC. We have two correspondents in Europe on a permanent basis and a correspondent for every eventuality here including three in Northern Ireland. Weekly we have reporters covering FA games in the UK and Europe which are covered and available on the major channels and don't require commentary from RTE personnel. This wouldn't be too bad but the earnestness with which they tell us the country is broke must be a trying experience on their behalf. If I was a Civil Servant who had been a victim of the savagery of the Croke Park agreement I would indeed feel hard done by witnessing the excesses of this PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER. Surely someone must be accountable? There are only four million people in Ireland can we afford this much news. Anyone else feel as I do and I don't want any replies from RTE personnel, their wifes/husbands lovers or sweethearts.

mike65

They are taking the piss for a station that is in a hole of about 70 million euro accumulated debt. Sean O' Rourke was hob nobbing with the Papists on the lunchtime radio news and presumably will again tomorrow. Does anyone know if TV3 have sent anyone over?

heyjude

And no doubt, when the new Broadcast Tax is introduced, they'll be seeking millions more to give us more of the same.

bigroad

mike65 wrote: »

They are taking the piss for a station that is in a hole of about 70 million euro accumulated debt. Sean O' Rourke was hob nobbing with the Papists on the lunchtime news and presumably will again tomorrow. Does anyone know if TV3 have sent anyone over?

Tv3 had trouble getting flights for their news crew as the Rte jet setters had booked all available seats.

rokossovsky

I agree with OP. they have lost the run of themselves in RTE. the news is nothing more than govt. propaganda. Critical analysis is almost completely lacking. They'd sooner tell us about some culchie who grew a carrot shaped like a dick rather than enlighten us on international news. Their radio shows are as bad as the tv. Formulaic shows that have been around for years. Tired reporters with a job for life ! I mean Joe f&€/Inge Little is turning up now on reeling in the years from 40 years ago going on about the clergy. 40 years reporting on those bastards and not a mention of child abuse. I could go on and on but let's leave it that I would be first at the gates with a wrecking ball and clear the lot of them out

Lapin

I don't have a problem with the news being broadcast from the source of the major news story of the day when it happens.

They may be going a bit over the top with the Pope story as the Papacy doesn't hold the same place in the consciousness of Irish people in the way it once did.

But it is a major news story nonetheless and the cost of sending Dobbo to Rome adds little to the cost of maintaining a full time reporter in Europe and hiring additional camera crew etc.

Its not a big deal.

Regarding TV3, what should it matter? they are privately funded so they can send their reporters to Mars for all anyone should care.

Lapin

rokossovsky wrote: »

They'd sooner tell us about some culchie who grew a carrot shaped like a dick rather than enlighten us on international news.

This in a thread where the topic concerns the cost of RTÉ's coverage of an international news event.

You can't win with some people.

Busted Flat.

They have to spend as much as possible in the early part of the year, to put on the poor mouth. No one will remember this or things like it later on in the year, when it comes to putting their hand out for more largess. Happy days all round in the Montrose castle.

spank_inferno

Considering RTE is the PR wing of whatever government is in power, I doubt they have much motivation to be careful with their money.

Sure they can always be granted more.

lertsnim

rokossovsky wrote: »

They'd sooner tell us about some culchie who grew a carrot shaped like a dick rather than enlighten us on international news.

Yet here you are whinging and complaining about them sending people to Rome to cover an international news event.

spank_inferno wrote: »

Considering RTE is the PR wing of whatever government is in power, I doubt they have much motivation to be careful with their money.

Sure they can always be granted more.

I hope you are wearing your tin foil hat. You never know when the man will try and steal your thoughts.

People here would criticise regardless of what RTE do.

Happyman42

lertsnim wrote: »

Yet here you are whinging and complaining about them sending people to Rome to cover an international news event.

The 'news event' was two weeks ago when he announced he had retired. Today was almost a return to the reverential Catholic nation days. It was just Benny waving his hands about and sitting down.
If the reporters had done any actual journalism, it wouldn't have been such a waste, all they did was comment on Dobsons questions, why where they in Rome to do that?

kippy

Happyman42 wrote: »

The 'news event' was two weeks ago when he announced he had retired. Today was almost a return to the reverential Catholic nation days. It was just Benny waving his hands about and sitting down.
If the reporters had done any actual journalism, it wouldn't have been such a waste, all they did was comment on Dobsons questions, why where they in Rome to do that?

They want to do some good journalism, ask the tough questions about the catholic church, not report on what happened while ten or so staff have to travel to Rome to actually do that.

They are going to hit us with this broadcasting tax soon enough and if this is the kind of drivel they justify while incomes go down for everyone, serious questions must be asked. Dont start on the salaries of tubs, duffy et al.

spank_inferno

lertsnim wrote: »

People here would criticise regardless of what RTE do.

We could always find out by removing the licence fee.
I will have little reason to criticise them then as I dont have a punitive tax to pay for them.

I'll gladly sing their praises if they give me my €160 back.

Happyman42

kippy wrote: »

They want to do some good journalism, ask the tough questions about the catholic church, not report on what happened while ten or so staff have to travel to Rome to actually do that.

They are going to hit us with this broadcasting tax soon enough and if this is the kind of drivel they justify while incomes go down for everyone, serious questions must be asked. Dont start on the salaries of tubs, duffy et al.

Did they talk to anybody who was even slighty critical or who had a deeper secular understandng of what was going on? It was all so freaking reverential. And fecking priests are seriously weird, worldwide, at least they established that much.

JonathanAnon

I was thinking the same thing today as I watched Michael Murphy advertise his psychoanalysis website and promote his book on an RTE show.. I was kind of under the impression he was working full time as a newsreader for RTE!!!

They also allow him to come on that awful John Murray Show and give his opinion about how he thinks Lance Armstrong is lying, and the very next day he is reading out the news about the bould Lance !! Surely the newsreader is meant to simply NOT have any opinion on these issues.. But all the RTE staff work for the BAI so nobody seems to care about objectivity at the national broadcaster... It seems like you can do whatever you want when you work for RTE..

mike65

That was plain weird, Michael Murphy has gone down in my estimation somewhat. Not that he cares I imagine.

catallus

What in the living hell does a newsreader's personal opinion about any issue have to do with him reading out the news? And furthermore what has any such opinion got to do with the "objectivity of the national broadcaster"?

Seriously, there's some pretty big chips on peoples' shoulders on here about RTE.

If ye need something to give out about something how about all the air-time they give to the government opposition. Every time I turn on the bloody news all I seem to hear is Micheal Martin this and bloody Micheal Martin that. And we wonder why they're up in the polls!

kippy

catallus wrote: »

What in the living hell does a newsreader's personal opinion about any issue have to do with him reading out the news? And furthermore what has any such opinion got to do with the "objectivity of the national broadcaster"?

Seriously, there's some pretty big chips on peoples' shoulders on here about RTE.

If ye need something to give out about something how about all the air-time they give to the government opposition. Every time I turn on the bloody news all I seem to hear is Micheal Martin this and bloody Micheal Martin that. And we wonder why they're up in the polls!

Chip on their shoulders - Really?

What about a real concern that a staff of 2000 people are costing every TV owner in this country 160 quid a year whether they "consume" any of their services or not. And from a point very soon in the future every HOUSEHOLD in the country will be hit with a direct - non legally avoidable - fee for the same thing.
That coupled with almost everyones income coming down in some form over the past few years and other costs rising give people the right to question their costs and reduce them where possible.

I think people have every right to be critical of what they see as a massive waste of money.

JonathanAnon

catallus wrote: »

What in the living hell does a newsreader's personal opinion about any issue have to do with him reading out the news? And furthermore what has any such opinion got to do with the "objectivity of the national broadcaster"?

Well, I heard the first interview with Murphy where he basically called Armstrong a liar and said that in his "psychoanalysis" that the whole Oprah interview as self serving... Within 24 hours, the same man is speaking of the interview but giving no opinion and I'm thinking ... "Jesus he's softened his opinion since yesterday" ... Like I said already, the newsreader should have NO opinion..

It's the same with Joe Duffy and his soapbox... He has an unashamed anti-republican and anti-RyanAir agenda, but he is never taken up on this by his bosses..

reppin

In my original post I omitted to mention David Murphy in Spain two weeks ago to report on ghost estates but tonight they have done it again. I must say at the outset that I have every sympathy with the Furlong family of Wexford and their sad loss but really did it warrant RTE sending Robert Shortt to Japan to report on the trial? In a similar way my sympathies lie with the people of the Congo and their terrible plight but sending Ray Kennedy out there to report seems ludicrous. They have no shame at all and will not admit to having too many journalists for a country of four million people. Will we ever see the news read out uninterrupted again or does every sentence have to be interspersed with report after report and parsed unashamedly, all to make the news last one hour.

marketty

Reporting from Caracas on the death of Hugo Chavez is another one!

My name is URL

One in three national broadcasters can be controlled with statins

ejmaztec

Nationwide.

The "nation" expanded this week with a nice little trip to France for Mary Kennedy and crew, just because an Irish couple decided to move there and set up a business. Free advertising for the business, courtesy of us (and some advertisers).

At least it made a change from some place in Africa.