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

Elmo

NIMAN wrote: »

It all depends on what you think Irish radio presenters are worth I suppose.

Tubs, Duffy and Darcy get all the headlines because they cost RTE approx €1,500,000 annually in fees/salaries, but don't forget that there are big wages among the other 'big' names too.

Sean O'Rourke was on 250k or so before he left.
Marian was on 300k+ before she died.

And don't forget Miriam, David McCullough, George Hamilton, Claire Byrne, Bryan Dobson, Mary Wilson. All of these are on an average of 200k too each.

Do you think they all earn that sort of money?

I'd say a lot earn just under the top 10 earners. having look back over over the years the numbers that hop in and out of that top 10 list is interesting. Eamon Dunphy, Vincent Browne, Charlie Bird all featured over the last 2 decades.

Also there are many that aren't reported on, I doubt that Catherine Thomas didn't make it into to the top 10 list when she was presenting The Voice, standing in for radio presenters and Operation Transformation, only she's employeed by different indo producers, making her exempt from the list.

It's been report that Larry Gogan left €1.7million, in fairness he probably built that up over the last 2 decades of his life but that is still around 125,000 to 150,000 a year.

Here's a list from 2003 to 2016

Pat Kenny 11 years
Ryan Tubridy 13 years
Joe Duffy 14 years
Marian Finucane 14 years
Miriam O'Callaghan 14 years
Sean O'Rourke 11 years
Bryan Dobson 7 years
Derek Mooney 12 years
George Hamilton 7 years
George Lee 2 years
Ray D'Arcy 2 years
Claire Byrne 3 years
Mary Wilson 1 year
Nicky Byrne 1 year
Darragh Maloney 1 year
Richard Crowley 1 year
Colm Hayes 2 years
Gerry Ryan 8 years
Eamon Dunphy 4 years
John Kelly 5 years
Charlie Bird 2 years
Marty Whelan 1 year
Brendan O'Connor 1 year
Tommy Gorman 1 year
Brian Farrell 1 year
Vincent Browne 1 year

Personality Pay Year
1 Vincent Browne 147,000 2003
2 Charlie Bird 149,000 2003
3 John Kelly 150,000 2003
4 Derek Mooney 166,000 2003
5 George Hamilton 168,000 2004
6 Derek Mooney 169,000 2014
7 Colm Hayes 170,000 2014
8 Richard Crowley 174,000 2014
9 Brian Farrell 176,000 2003
10 Miriam O'Callaghan 177,000 2003
Sean O'Rourke 177,000 2004
11 George Lee 179,000 2014
12 George Lee 180,000 2013

Note that the cuts RTÉ made are in 2014, this brings waged staff into their top 20, this must be embarrassing, why is Richard Crowley in that list?

Those earning between 180,000 and 200,000 are

Bryan Dobson (he's on between 194,000 and 198,000 when he is on the list)
Derek Mooney in 2013 and 2004
George Halimton in 2016 and 2013
Claire Byrne in 2012, 2015 and 2016 not making enough in 2014 or 2015 to make the list
Mary Wilson in her only entry to the list in 2016
Darragh Maloney for 2015 in his only entry to the list
John Kelly in 2004, though for some reason he earns over 200,000 from 2005 - 2007)
Charlie Bird in his second time on the list in 2005

That's only 29 people earning below 200,000 in the top 10 list over 14 years, meaning everyone else in the list earn over 200,000 or 111 times vast majority.

No way Bryan Dobson took a cut in any of the years he's not on the list, but those are Celtic tiger years.

Too much!

elperello

Elmo wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2020/1014/1171490-minster-defends-12m-increase-to-racing-funding/

€96million, of which €21million is given to gray hound racing.

I don't really under stand this funding, how much in ticket sales and betting is that industry making?

And why from the Min of Agriculture?

I just picked that one as an example. No need to get sidetracked, suffice to say there are lot's of things that our taxes get spent on that we have no use for and never will.

fritzelly wrote: »

No, you pay the licence if you own equipment capable of receiving a broadcast signal - you have a choice
Taxation means everyone pays regardless so you are paying for incompetent presenters on ridiculous wages on a station that thinks money grows on a tree

Sorry I assumed we were talking about people who watch TV. If you don't you have no dog in this fight. Wouldn't it be great if you could just go into a shop and buy a telly, bring it home plug in and start watching. No worries about some inspector coming around trying to get you to buy a licence to look at it.

As it happens I actually know of a house with no TV. Nice people, they just genuinely have no interest in owning one and seem to manage quite well. However they really are as rare as hen's teeth.

Elmo

elperello wrote: »

Sorry I assumed we were talking about people who watch TV. If you don't you have no dog in this fight. Wouldn't it be great if you could just go into a shop and buy a telly, bring it home plug in and start watching. No worries about some inspector coming around trying to get you to buy a licence to look at it.

As it happens I actually know of a house with no TV. Nice people, they just genuinely have no interest in owning one and seem to manage quite well. However they really are as rare as hen's teeth.

Lots have move to on demand, deciding to use either monitors or projectors for TV, these are exempt from the licence fee.

elperello

Elmo wrote: »

Lots have move to on demand, deciding to use either monitors or projectors for TV, these are exempt from the licence fee.

Yes I know some who have gone that route but really in their heart of heart they long for a big 55 inch TV.

All this subterfuge and trying to stick it to the man by not paying for a licence could be avoided by making PBS TV free at the point of use like radio. Imagine if there was still a licence for a radio and there were checkpoints stopping cars to check for a radio licence.

In years to come people will look back on the TV licence and wonder how it ever lasted as long as it has. It's the modern equivalent of the window tax. We could open things up and let the light shine in.

TV still has real potential as a community good but it has been hi-jacked by the likes of Netflix and Sky.

When you've watched all the box sets and one carbon copy movie after another what next?

fritzelly

elperello wrote: »

Yes I know some who have gone that route but really in their heart of heart they long for a big 55 inch TV.

I don't watch TV or rather VM or RTE (there is nothing on those channels that interest me the slightest) - I have a 100" screen/projector so blah at your 55" TV

elperello

fritzelly wrote: »

I don't watch TV or rather VM or RTE (there is nothing on those channels that interest me the slightest) - I have a 100" screen/projector so blah at your 55" TV

Size matters ?

But seriously, what about sport, music, cultural stuff etc.

What if you get a txt to say your home place is featured in a TV programme? Would you not even be a little curious?

fritzelly

elperello wrote: »

But seriously, what about sport, music, cultural stuff etc.

Better places to get that than RTE

elperello wrote: »

What if you get a txt to say your home place is featured in a TV programme? Would you not even be a little curious?

Stupid argument

elperello

fritzelly wrote: »

Better places to get that than RTE



Stupid argument

Not Irish stuff.

No need to be rude.

Elmo

elperello wrote: »

Not Irish stuff.

I agree with you but both VM & RTÉ have let irish audiences down. Spending only 2.2m on drama isn't going to get you far.

Cirrus Incus

Most of what RTE produce is very low quality. They should stick purely to Irish news and current affairs if they want the public to pay a mandatory TV licence.

Otherwise RTE should adopt a subscription model if they want to continue making Z list celebrity crap like the ironically titled 'Finding Joy.' I'm not paying to support that ****e.

For reasons that defy rational explanation, I just visited the RTÉ website.

First, I thought I might vote for book of the year. So I found the page but all there was on it was a photo of the “Talent” with their books, and a link to the Ts and Cs. There was nowhere to vote.

Shrugging my shoulders and taking a sip of tea, I navigated to the TV listings. At the bottom of the page, under TV Highlights, it has highlights (I use the word loosely) for

Saturday - which turned out to be 16 November 2019

Tuesday - 18 December 2018

Thursday - 25 October 2018

Tuesday - 23 October 2018

DCEF1B54-8661-49D7-BF4D-57000532F644.jpeg

I occasionally bang on about the RTÉ news that gets fed to my Nest display being out of date, but when I woke up this morning, and listened to the RTÉ news from 4.33pm last Friday 23 October (2020!) compared to BBC News at 6.14 am today, it was clearly still as fresh as a daisy compared to the TV listings.

A small issue in the big scheme of things, but further proof that RTÉ really needs a fundamental reboot.

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

For reasons that defy rational explanation, I just visited the RTÉ website.

First, I thought I might vote for book of the year. So I found the page but all there was on it was a photo of the “Talent” with their books, and a link to the Ts and Cs. There was nowhere to vote.

Shrugging my shoulders and taking a sip of tea, I navigated to the TV listings. At the bottom of the page, under TV Highlights, it has highlights (I use the word loosely) for

Saturday - which turned out to be 16 November 2019

Tuesday - 18 December 2018

Thursday - 25 October 2018

Tuesday - 23 October 2018

DCEF1B54-8661-49D7-BF4D-57000532F644.jpeg

I occasionally bang on about the RTÉ news that gets fed to my Nest display being out of date, but when I woke up this morning, and listened to the RTÉ news from 4.33pm last Friday 23 October (2020!) compared to BBC News at 6.14 am today, it was clearly still as fresh as a daisy compared to the TV listings.

A small issue in the big scheme of things, but further proof that RTÉ really needs a fundamental reboot.

You may have a cookie or cache issue, I go to the RTE site, and it's far more current.

RabbleRouser2k

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

You may have a cookie or cache issue, I go to the RTE site, and it's far more current.

It’s down at the bottom of that page - mine looks the same as yours at the top. Try the links, please.

Please have a check down the bottom and if it’s different to mine, I’ll look up cookie and cache issues!!

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s down at the bottom of that page - mine looks the same as yours at the top. Try the links, please.

Please have a check down the bottom and if it’s different to mine, I’ll look up cookie and cache issues!!

Oh God, I checked...

2018...how'd they not update info past 2018???

retalivity

elperello wrote: »

As it happens I actually know of a house with no TV. Nice people, they just genuinely have no interest in owning one and seem to manage quite well. However they really are as rare as hen's teeth.

I don't have a TV, haven't had one since 2009.
Was living abroad after that, and didn't have one. When I came back to Ireland I didn't see the need to get one, an expensive black box taking up space in my tiny apartment that I rarely use. Now, I just stream everything I want to watch through the desktop and/or projector. I know of at least 2 other households that are the same - have nothing "capable of receiving a TV signal", and I am sure there are hundreds if not thousands of other households that are the same - all the houses with foreign students, non-irish low wage workers, I'd bet many do not have a TV as they have no interest in what is available and probably consume all their media through other mediums much like myself.

Elmo

retalivity wrote: »

Was living abroad after that, and didn't have one. When I came back to Ireland I didn't see the need to get one, an expensive black box taking up space in my tiny apartment that I rarely use.

Have to say having travelled local TV never interested me, it never connected from what I could see to new people regardless of the places they were coming from, I think I saw more Canadian TV on Netflix then I did on Canadian TV. (But that's not saying much!, though CP24 was everywhere).

Though in saying this I did talk to one "new" Irish who was a big fan of Fair City when she first arrived and she consumed all the soaps, but when she got a family she didn't have time to keep up.

elperello

retalivity wrote: »

I don't have a TV, haven't had one since 2009.
Was living abroad after that, and didn't have one. When I came back to Ireland I didn't see the need to get one, an expensive black box taking up space in my tiny apartment that I rarely use. Now, I just stream everything I want to watch through the desktop and/or projector. I know of at least 2 other households that are the same - have nothing "capable of receiving a TV signal", and I am sure there are hundreds if not thousands of other households that are the same - all the houses with foreign students, non-irish low wage workers, I'd bet many do not have a TV as they have no interest in what is available and probably consume all their media through other mediums much like myself.

I'd agree with you regarding the demographic unlikely to have a TV licence. However in my experience once people settle down in a relationship the TV seems to follow. Maybe it's because two people getting together are likely to have different approaches to having a TV. Definitely when kids come along the TV seems to be universal. Just from going into friends and relations houses (remember when we could ), as I said I only know one couple who don't own a TV.

Your hunch that there may be thousands opting out is possibly on the low side, it may be tens of thousands. But they are still a small proportion of the population.

TV licence sales are somewhere north of 1m each year. Social welfare (ie. free licences) come in at about 400,000. Then there is evasion estimated at 10-13%. Taking the lower figure that gives you about 1.5m premises that either have a licence or should have one. Of course not all of these are households. You have hotels, pubs, other business premises etc.

elperello

Elmo wrote: »

I agree with you but both VM & RTÉ have let irish audiences down. Spending only 2.2m on drama isn't going to get you far.

Compared to the big international players 2.2m is only a drop in the ocean. It's hard to see how we could compete with their resources. Having said that I would like to see more home produced drama.

Elmo

elperello wrote: »

Compared to the big international players 2.2m is only a drop in the ocean. It's hard to see how we could compete with their resources. Having said that I would like to see more home produced drama.

It's a drop in the ocean for RTÉ. They are spending more on their top 10 stars. This comes back to what do RTÉ think PSB is exactly.

I don't see RTÉ increasing funding to independent Drama anytime soon, I think the will happy ride on the backs of Screen Ireland, the BAI Sound and Vision Fund , co-productions and Section 481. And if all of these vanish or choose not to work with RTÉ?

Elmo

BTW Last year 222.6million was raised by the licence fee with 196.5 of it going to RTÉ an increase of 8.1m in from 2018. 14m is given to the BAI for the Sound and Vision Fund which is open to all broadcasters including RTÉ and TG4.

minikin

Good to see them diversifying, enjoyed the new ‘for sale’ section on today’s news... Should give adverts.ie a run for its money.

F.F.S.
https://youtu.be/2vSBYmKKvt8

sligojoek

minikin wrote: »

Good to see them diversifying, enjoyed the new ‘for sale’ section on today’s news... Should give adverts.ie a run for its money.

F.F.S.
https://youtu.be/2vSBYmKKvt8

Lovely bit of kit. Should find a good home, with or without RTE.

PS. That link should have come with a Paschal Sheehy warning

The J Stands for Jay

Elmo wrote: »

I'd say a lot earn just under the top 10 earners. having look back over over the years the numbers that hop in and out of that top 10 list is interesting. Eamon Dunphy, Vincent Browne, Charlie Bird all featured over the last 2 decades.

Also there are many that aren't reported on, I doubt that Catherine Thomas didn't make it into to the top 10 list when she was presenting The Voice, standing in for radio presenters and Operation Transformation, only she's employeed by different indo producers, making her exempt from the list.

It's been report that Larry Gogan left €1.7million, in fairness he probably built that up over the last 2 decades of his life but that is still around 125,000 to 150,000 a year.

Here's a list from 2003 to 2016

Pat Kenny 11 years
Ryan Tubridy 13 years
Joe Duffy 14 years
Marian Finucane 14 years
Miriam O'Callaghan 14 years
Sean O'Rourke 11 years
Bryan Dobson 7 years
Derek Mooney 12 years
George Hamilton 7 years
George Lee 2 years
Ray D'Arcy 2 years
Claire Byrne 3 years
Mary Wilson 1 year
Nicky Byrne 1 year
Darragh Maloney 1 year
Richard Crowley 1 year
Colm Hayes 2 years
Gerry Ryan 8 years
Eamon Dunphy 4 years
John Kelly 5 years
Charlie Bird 2 years
Marty Whelan 1 year
Brendan O'Connor 1 year
Tommy Gorman 1 year
Brian Farrell 1 year
Vincent Browne 1 year

Personality Pay Year
1 Vincent Browne 147,000 2003
2 Charlie Bird 149,000 2003
3 John Kelly 150,000 2003
4 Derek Mooney 166,000 2003
5 George Hamilton 168,000 2004
6 Derek Mooney 169,000 2014
7 Colm Hayes 170,000 2014
8 Richard Crowley 174,000 2014
9 Brian Farrell 176,000 2003
10 Miriam O'Callaghan 177,000 2003
Sean O'Rourke 177,000 2004
11 George Lee 179,000 2014
12 George Lee 180,000 2013

Note that the cuts RTÉ made are in 2014, this brings waged staff into their top 20, this must be embarrassing, why is Richard Crowley in that list?

Those earning between 180,000 and 200,000 are

Bryan Dobson (he's on between 194,000 and 198,000 when he is on the list)
Derek Mooney in 2013 and 2004
George Halimton in 2016 and 2013
Claire Byrne in 2012, 2015 and 2016 not making enough in 2014 or 2015 to make the list
Mary Wilson in her only entry to the list in 2016
Darragh Maloney for 2015 in his only entry to the list
John Kelly in 2004, though for some reason he earns over 200,000 from 2005 - 2007)
Charlie Bird in his second time on the list in 2005

That's only 29 people earning below 200,000 in the top 10 list over 14 years, meaning everyone else in the list earn over 200,000 or 111 times vast majority.

No way Bryan Dobson took a cut in any of the years he's not on the list, but those are Celtic tiger years.

Too much!

It's amazing the amount of names on those lists that I've never heard of.

Elmo

McGaggs wrote: »

It's amazing the amount of names on those lists that I've never heard of.

If you want I can tell you who they are and then you'll understand why they earn what they earn. :pac:

Those numbers are insane. George Lee 180k. For what? George Hamilton similar.

The J Stands for Jay

Elmo wrote: »

If you want I can tell you who they are and then you'll understand why they earn what they earn. :pac:

I'm going to assume they're all on Radio 1. Sounds like a massively expensive radio station where a full of presenters wouldn't have any effect on the listenership.

Here's the names I don't know anyway:

Sean O'Rourke 11 years
Derek Mooney 12 years - did he present live at 3 decades ago?
Mary Wilson 1 year
Richard Crowley 1 year
John Kelly 5 years
Tommy Gorman 1 year
Brian Farrell 1 year

ButtersSuki

Deleted User wrote: »

Those numbers are insane. George Lee 180k. For what? George Hamilton similar.

George Hamilton gets €180k for commentating on what, 12 matches a year?

Elmo

Sean O'Rourke 11 years replaced pat kenny, was host of news at one and the week in politics now retired...just
Derek Mooney 12 years - did he present live at 3 decades ago? No echo island, he's still in RTÉ he was replaced by Ray D'Arcy on radio and hosted winning streak for about a decade
Mary Wilson 1 year presented drive time for years on Radio 1, has since moved to morning Ireland, she seems like the most value
Richard Crowley 1 year news reporter, sometimes host of prime time, former washington correspondent
John Kelly 5 years lyric fm host had moved to radio 1 from today fm also hosted The View and The Works on TV art programmes
Tommy Gorman 1 year european correspondent for years now in Northern Ireland
Brian Farrell 1 year he retired around 2003 and has since died, today tonight and Farrell on TV both current affairs programmes, not sure if he was on radio

The J Stands for Jay

Elmo wrote: »

Sean O'Rourke 11 years replaced pat kenny, was host of news at one and the week in politics now retired...just
Derek Mooney 12 years - did he present live at 3 decades ago? No echo island, he's still in RTÉ he was replaced by Ray D'Arcy on radio and hosted winning streak for about a decade
Mary Wilson 1 year presented drive time for years on Radio 1, has since moved to morning Ireland, she seems like the most value
Richard Crowley 1 year news reporter, sometimes host of prime time, former washington correspondent
John Kelly 5 years lyric fm host had moved to radio 1 from today fm also hosted The View and The Works on TV art programmes
Tommy Gorman 1 year european correspondent for years now in Northern Ireland
Brian Farrell 1 year he retired around 2003 and has since died, today tonight and Farrell on TV both current affairs programmes, not sure if he was on radio

Thanks for that. As I was expecting, a lot of money spent on Radio 1. I'm a bit surprised to see some of the high earners a news reporters.

I wonder what the value of Radio 1 is compared to staff costs. I saw value, because there is some public broadcasting value in the station as well as advertising revenue (I've never listened to the station, so I can't really comment on it).

Skyfloater

ButtersSuki wrote: »

George Hamilton gets €180k for commentating on what, 12 matches a year?

He's on Lyric as well.