RTÉ's obsession with property.

political analyst

As far as I know, "Room to Improve" used to be a half-hour-long show and has been an hour long for the past couple of years. Furthermore, "Home of the Year" will be back soon.

My point is:

What is at the root of RTÉ's obsession with property? Does RTÉ not know that obsession with property got Ireland into the mess that it's in?!

PS: I'm not making a political statement; I'm just expressing my despair at the amount of property programming on RTÉ 1 - just like I did with "reality" programming on a separate thread on this forum (I know that, in the UK, Channel 4 has a lot of property programming but at least it also has a lot of programming to cater for other interests, i.e. current affairs, history, politics).

Damien360

RTÉ are mirroring the general public. People queuing up to buy a home from plans. Huge increases in property value with static wage increases in private sector. We are racing to another taxpayer bailout. We learned nothing.

lertsnim

political analyst wrote: »

PS: I'm not making a political statement; I'm just expressing my despair at the amount of property programming on RTÉ 1 - just like I did with "reality" programming on a separate thread on this forum (I know that, in the UK, Channel 4 has a lot of property programming but at least it also has a lot of programming to cater for other interests, i.e. current affairs, history, politics).

What % of RTÉ's output is property related?

icdg

Just a general warning. This forum deals with broadcasting. There is a dedicated politics forum elsewhere. The thread will be kept under review. Posters are expected to have the letters "RTÉ" somewhere in their posts. If, at any point, the non broadcasting posts start to outnumber the broadcasting ones, the thread will be closed

political analyst

lertsnim wrote: »

What % of RTÉ's output is property related?

It's not about percentage.

Do you not think that doubling the length of each episode of "Room to Improve" is overkill on RTÉ's part?

lawred2

People are interested in other people, property, other people's property and property design and renovation..

Not sure Room to Improve is a manifestation of an obsession..

iseegirls

Room To Improve gets about half a million viewers a week. If there was no viewing appetite for it, then would have been axed ages ago.

I think the programme is absolutely brilliant viewing and just the tonic for miserable January and February Sunday nights and it's a shame it's only a few episodes a year.

I don't know anything else about any of the other programmes so can't comment.

lertsnim

political analyst wrote: »

It's not about percentage.

Do you not think that doubling the length of each episode of "Room to Improve" is overkill on RTÉ's part?

It's not overkill. It's one of their most popular shows. Also it's on late on a Sunday night. What should they show instead? Presumably only something that you would like.

political analyst

lertsnim wrote: »

It's not overkill. It's one of their most popular shows. Also it's on late on a Sunday night. What should they show instead? Presumably only something that you would like.

That's not what I meant. Usually, home improvement shows on RTÉ One are half-an-hour long per episode.

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

It's not overkill. It's one of their most popular shows. Also it's on late on a Sunday night. What should they show instead? Presumably only something that you would like.

Sunday nights at 9:30 should be dedicated to Irish drama and new Irish film. Basically Room to Improve should be move to mid-week.

It's not an obsession. The OP mentioned 2 shows.

OTT, As for politics, it infuriates me that broadcasting refuses to debate the elephant in the room. Just an opinion. Also I mean it in a bipartisan way, I avoid the politics forum due to the heavy political party supporters.

Elmo

political analyst wrote: »

That's not what I meant. Usually, home improvement shows on RTÉ One are half-an-hour long per episode.

RTE around 2010 made a decision to make some lifestyle programmes 1 hour in length. This was aping the English standard of one hour shows for lifestyle. The problem RTE had with this was the 9pm news, an hour long can be effective when the news airs at 10pm or where there is no news.

In its first few season Operation Transformation was just 30mins and moving to 1 hour later on, however it is now split between 2 days for 30mins.

cml387

There's a very simple answer, programs like these are popular and most of all cheap to make.

And since RTE tend to follow trends, look at C4/E4's lineup of property porn programmes (although I do quite like Phil & Kirsty).

lertsnim

Elmo wrote: »

Sunday nights at 9:30 should be dedicated to Irish drama and new Irish film. Basically Room to Improve should be move to mid-week.

The ratings throw that idea out the window. Drama will be back once the Room To Improve run finishes.

Hollister11

Property shows draw everyone in. If they had 3/4 a week that would be brilliant,

joe_99

There are only 6 episodes or so of Room to Improve each year on RTE. This is not overkill. It is also extremely popular with people.

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

The ratings throw that idea out the window. Drama will be back once the Room To Improve run finishes.

Room to Improve does not run that long! RTE threw out 4 hours of drama so far this year (excluding Fair City), the next drama will probable not air until October. RTE lack of investment into Drama is crazy.

Room to Improve would do just as well on Wednesday night. Can't just be about ratings.

newacc2015

RTE is very budget constraints. These shows are relatively cheap to produce. They get good sponsor deals and good advertising rates. It make financial sense to produce these shows.

Is RTE really that obsessed with property? Look at Channel 4 with grand designs. For a lot of Irish people, it was the only UK show they watched. The BCC has tons of mindless property shows such as homes under the hammer, generic show about buying a home in Spain etc. One hour a week on room to improve is fraction of what the BBC devote to mindless property shows.

OP RTE has plenty of politics shows, history etc. In fact I think they have too much mindless political shows.

lertsnim

Elmo wrote: »

Room to Improve does not run that long!

I never suggested that it did.

I dont really understand the poster saying it should be a wednesday night not a Sunday night. The show is generally aimed at couples in the 25-35 age bracket. People who are aspiring to owning a house or are looking to improve the one they have. These people are in most nights, doesnt matter whether its Sunday night or Wednesday night.

As another poster said, RTE are showing programming that people want to watch. For my sins I do enjoy Room to Improve, and Home of the Year, though I rarely agree with the decisions made. Dermot Bannon would drive me up the wall if I had to work with him and I rarely like the winner of Home of the Year but its nice to get ideas for your own living space.

Why the irish obsession with property? Probably a topic for another thread, but its fairly simple really.

Elmo

Deleted User wrote: »

I dont really understand the poster saying it should be a wednesday night not a Sunday night. The show is generally aimed at couples in the 25-35 age bracket. People who are aspiring to owning a house or are looking to improve the one they have. These people are in most nights, doesnt matter whether its Sunday night or Wednesday night.

It would give room for a Drama, which is usually set aside for a Sunday night. (love/hate, clean break, raw, the clinic, rebellion and striking out).

Drama is underfunded by RTE and Sunday night suits a drama over Wednesday night. Now regardless if RTE invested in an Irish Drama every Wednesday I'd be happy with that.