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

Pa ElGrande

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423017#Comment_122423017

I don't use RTE so I can't comment on everything they broadcast, based on a recent conversation with my mother, it appears one of their news correspondents on ~€180K a year does nothing but spout alarmist nonsense on the main evening news. Given the political party that RTEs one shareholder represents, it seems oddly coincident they are promoting a fear based narrative that lines up with current government talking points.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421738#Comment_122421738

I actually put a post in the other thread saying exactly that. Whats more, its a tax you have to pay, out of your already taxed income.

Cluedo Monopoly

Ciara Kelly on Newstalk is livid that Catherine Martin will not come into their studio to answer questions about the RTE bailout. She said NT also perform public service broadcasting and are completely self funded whereas RTE get sponsorship, taxpayer funds and license fees revenue.

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423054#Comment_122423054

id say its probably because the elephant stamped its feet and said "give rte the moolaa"

as to the flip-flops id say because none of the gobshi…sorry "talent" would promote them or wear them cause they arent "designer" flip-flops…also possibly theres no back-hander involved…

have to say…i love my country but when i see all the shite that has gone on in my lifetime of 60plus years i thank my lucky stars im retiring in less then 2years and moving away and wont have to keep paying for shite like this…

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423312#Comment_122423312

What country ye for? Id say plenty thinking the same. Seems to be zero appetite among FFG to change things here and they keep getting voted back in.

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423409#Comment_122423409

a small mountain village in Italy 😎

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421927#Comment_122421927

There really are only 2 options: -

1. Continue with RTÉ as is (this is what has been delivered)
2. Split RTÉ up (Studio/Network together, TV, Radio, RnaG with TG4, Orchastra & Lyric to the NCH and a new News and Currrent Affairs provider, or some type of re-organisation).

The problem with all parties is that they all want the easiest option, which is continue as is and fund in some way RTÉ to the tune of €1b over 4 years.

Shan Doras

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423300#Comment_122423300

Newstalk wouldn't exist only for Denis O'Brien was willing to lose 50 million of his own money providing it with unlimited support in the 00s and 10s, so Newstalk can't throw any stones.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423642#Comment_122423642

That's not public money.

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423689#Comment_122423689

maybe it was originally!

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122422837#Comment_122422837

Guess what - having an unlicensed TV is a crime

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423054#Comment_122423054

Penneys should do flip-flops with the RTE logo for the laugh.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423142#Comment_122423142

Maybe read beyond the headline before posting a link. The Mirror article was about RTE being criticised for not linking extreme weather events with climate change.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423439#Comment_122423439

no corruption there 😁

Pa ElGrande

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423826#Comment_122423826

I did, RTE are engaged in fear mongering, weather events are framed by RTE to support a narrative that aligns with a political party' interests. The minister from said political party is currently their sole shareholder.

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423826#Comment_122423826

only a wee bit 😎 plus mrs is local so knows the ropes…

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423987#Comment_122423987

The article you posted says the opposite.

twinytwo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421795#Comment_122421795

Only in Ireland and its the same old story.

State broadcaster gets caught commiting fraud. News get broken by the press because as per usual the government hasn't a clue what is actually going on. A pointless toothless committee is set up to "get to the bottom of it". Everyone involved either blames each other or cries ignorance. Government pretends to be shocked. No one is held accountable and the tax payer ends up paying even more money.

yagan

Black cheque to rte, just like for the banks the last time the greens were in power.

Guaranteed more revelations will come out about rte jollies.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423142#Comment_122423142

Ah that would be Missing in Action George Lee.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425594#Comment_122425594

All correspondents are missing in action.

How did their Washington correspondent do in the aftermath of the assassination attempt?

Emma O'Kelly is busy getting ready for the LC results and then first day of school.

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423142#Comment_122423142

This proves that RTÉ does not go easy on the government.

https://about.rte.ie/2023/09/28/mother-and-her-autistic-son-call-on-department-of-health-to-apologise-after-compiling-a-secret-dossier-on-them/

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425731#Comment_122425731

RTÉ don't always go easy on government.

The Greens have brought in significant funding for programming for the Environment.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/36041-new-105m-fund-for-tv-and-radio-to-support-climate-action-live-music-and-irish-language-broadcasting/

To me this is clearly setting the agenda on the media via a Green minister. As you can see both Green minister are involved. It would be interesting to know what as produced across each area.

It also shows how under this minister that the government effectively decided what was going to be produced, the fund should have supplemented the Sound and Vision Fund, but the BAI (now CnaM) should be independent in their decisions as to what genres are funded. This is clear over reach.

The same goes for DFA supported media, no issue with DFA supporting the media but the DFA give the money, the media spend the money with only string being that they use it to promote Ireland abroad in a soft power kind of way, much like BBC World Service.

tayto lover

Awful scandal that these wasters have been given more public money to abuse again. Marty Morrissey will never be off the sunbeds.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122426340#Comment_122426340

Some things will never change as long as FF, FG, or the Greens are in government.

Viscount Aggro

Irish Times, today…

Bakhurst wants all TV licence evaders prosecuted.

glenfieldman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427574#Comment_122427574

Fcuk him and them

machiavellianme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427574#Comment_122427574

Cool, I want all Rté officials who committed fraud and/or fiduciary negligence prosecuted…starting with Dee.

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427574#Comment_122427574

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427618#Comment_122427618

same as that…if he said he will call in the fraud squad as well i might think about it but until that day comes fcuk him and the horse he rode in on!

z80CPU

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427574#Comment_122427574

Pure pot and kettle

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427574#Comment_122427574

Well Quid Quo Pro Mr Bakhurst only if the fraud squad is called in and if all the Rté officials who committed fraud etc are prosecuted. However, we do know that there is more chance of Gerry Adams becoming the Irish President next year than this happening.

RoTelly

https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/in-the-news/will-this-golden-envelope-solve-rtes-funding-crisis/

Explainer: Many people are no longer liable for a TV licence this is one of the major issues…. no its not…. almost everyone has a big screen TV, almost all TVs are still sold with a tuner and a satellite tuner … I know there are a few people who might have decided to go down the road of find a smart TV without a tuner but all most all are still sold with a tuner… Sky Glass has analogue turner… even sky stream box's have an analogue tuner … though they can't be used (someone confirm this)

Ireland's high evasion rate … its because RTÉ isn't very good and the collectors aren't good at their job… there where three kind of evaders … those that ignore the letters … those that don't get letters … those that refused to pay … and now those of us who know RTÉ were lying about their finances.

People just don't understand the concept of the licence fee… but they pay more for other services … this has always been the case … long before the streamers … long before RTÉ people were pointing to the north!

Democracy and nationhood … forget about drama, comedy, entertainment … and how bad RTÉ do these things.

Why did we not have an increase in the licence fee in 2008 … thanks to the green minister, who was supporting FF… so thanks now to the new Green minister.

So they talk about it being a shortfall due to evasion … but actual what the government are doing is to add to the shortfall because there will be no increase to the 160 price … the top-up is to avoid increasing the licence fee as this would be political hell for the government … yes some of it will be due to continued evasion rates of the licence fee … but that's not the full reason. It is also to allow the funding to go slowly over to the exchequer and to help out An Post, McRedmond asked for some money in case he has to make staff redundant.

And then they are on to the free licence … and sure doesn't RTÉ already get Exchequer funding there … yes but this is part of the DSP budget and is them paying for free licences… and the government did reduce the amount down at one stage due to the financial crisis.

Now to the stability of RTÉ … I took a look back over the last 7 years (Dee Frobes time at the broadcaster)…. 1.3 billion … largely the same about given to them each year … averages around 190m a years… you want stability for the PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER…. they always had stability .

Oh the figures sound huge because they went with 3 years… imagine if they went with 4 years! 1billion euro over 4 years …. now that is some stability.

Short term stability … seriously 3 years, Backhurst will be gone the following year.

Making up strategy documents not know how much they will have ? You forecast … you talk about why you did not reach targets … but guess what none of the strategic targets have ever really been about content and RTÉ have always self-review those strategies can anyone point me to where RTÉ failed to meet a target or any real tangible ones for the audience.

Lead times to produce TV programmes … yes… but there are live shows that can be produce tomorrow… RTÉ reduce its live news programmes and children's programming fairly instantly … they can pretty much re-introduce RTÉ NEWS on 2 tomorrow and children's programming.

It would be bad with all this that RTÉ would have to wait 2 years to show the results to its audience.

Discussion on other options and why did they keep this method… yeah! … but she can say that they might have 150m a year in advertising … no way they have stability there!… and back to Pat Rabbitte's argument when he was minister due to the water charges … same old talking points really.

Is it enough ? (they don't answer this really, but their answer is no!)

RTÉ asked for more … then she goes through the strategy ! and the cuts that will not happen … IMO.

Did the minister say what it should be spend on?

Well she should not get to … but she should see some plans for content and for the audience… sadly this is all about cuts and nothing more … hopeful to retain what we have rather than to change RTÉ for the audience.

They then say that RTÉ has statutory commitments towards certain content (I'd argue that is in Irish Language content rather then any other genre).

And sure look at RTÉ Investigates programming… yes this is part of news and current affairs.

Oh she's just realized that RTÉ don't spend much on Drama outside of Fair City (she says 6m, I'd argue more like 3m from that fund she talks about, with another 3m on Irish drama co-pro and imports, potentiality less).

Then she attacks the politicians when they ask "as to why aren't you doing this and that", but she forget this was when Dee Frobes went in and said that Normal People cost 3m per episode, Drama is expensive but look at what RTÉ had done in the pass with Bachelor's walk, paths to free, can't cope won't cope and even some of the TG4 dramas. The Quite Girl was produced on 1.4m while RTÉ were off spending 2.4m on a musical.

We need a grown up view on how much it cost to operate, has she looked at what these people did over the last 7 to 10 years?

Back to the license fee and evasion and An Post. We need a database of those that should pay! The presenter says there doesn't seem to be an acknowledgement that the world has change… what about An Post why can't they do their job?

Pat Rabbitte did nothing … linear and watching programming… like almost every house has a TV… even student houses… people want that big screen … to watch sport and film.

VMTV … bet they do not mention their 4 channels … being just an opt-out service … and also that they have more ad minutes … a similar budget if not more than TG4… when UTV Ireland came in it over shot on news coverage… it took about 3 years after the takeover of UTV Ireland for VMTV to revert back to what TV3 had being providing… there are 150 -200 staff in VMTV … how many are journalists? … the report from the wax works on Sinead O'Connor sounded like a intern. … much of VMTV's news was driven by UTV Ireland and Mick McCafterty (though this has fallen away sadly).

They axed news on the weekend. She forgets that they did this on the launch of Xpose, and again the weekend news largely return because they had a competitor in UTV Ireland.

They have massively reduce down in terms of VMTV, in fairness just didn't show their cuts. with the exception of the Elaine show.

Then back to political pressure.

Sorry for the rant.

Brendan Bendar

😶

Holy fook!!!

RoTelly

Also you can't get much more consistent than

2020 is covid year and this are operating costs total revenue was 331m in 2020, same as 2021 operating costs.

Archeron

What perfect timing from Bakhurst, just as people are reeling at the amount of 'sorry you got found out' money being given, he decides now is the time to start being threatening.

Fcuk you Bakhurst and Fcuk you RTE.

RoTelly

So I checked out RTÉ's last decade of Revenue.

The average revenue each years was €337m (consistent increases since 2013, bar 2020, which is COVID year)

RTÉ should largely have been able to forecast their income based on this hindsight.

And its a great graph above because it makes it look like RTÉ saw a massive drop in 2020 but that's only 10m off the previous year and remains above both 2014 and 2013.

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122429963#Comment_122429963

Great work @RoTelly

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122428809#Comment_122428809

A perfect rant for the ages. Thanks @RoTelly

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423300#Comment_122423300

She has a point.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122423801#Comment_122423801

So is fraud.

Hotblack Desiato

Good letter in today's IT (not from me BTW 😁 )

Sir, – RTÉ's boss Kevin Bakhurst says “If there’s no jeopardy in not paying your licence fee, it becomes extremely difficult to collect”, when asked if people should be prosecuted for evasion (News, July 25th).

Clearly, there wasn’t much jeopardy for RTÉ for its bad practices over the years, to say the least, with the Government’s reward of guaranteed funding to the tune of €725 million for the next three years. As Judge Anthony Halpin said last July, it saddened him that those before the court, “who are crippled with the cost of living, have to swallow the unpalatable pill of the licence fee when they see such a source of income is squandered and abused” (News, September 15th, 2023).

Let us hope that this new planned funding will not be squandered with such reckless abandonment. – Yours, etc,

monkeyactive

.......

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122429960#Comment_122429960

Ireland's high evasion rate … its because RTÉ isn't very good and the collectors aren't good at their job… there where three kind of evaders … those that ignore the letters … those that don't get letters … those that refused to pay … and now those of us who know RTÉ were lying about their finances.

As that poster said, evading the license is not exactly difficult. I'm kind of confused how people actually get caught. I imagine, their numbers for evasion are way off. The only indicator they have that lots more people are evading now is because of the drop in revenue since Tubridy-gate.

60m divided by 160 euros, is 375,000 people evading the license. I'd be amazed if its not way more than that.

My sister was in a house share when she was in college, one of the guys in the house was leaving one day and there was a TV License inspector outside and asked him if they had a TV License, the guy told him he'd been in the house for a house party and then asked the inspector if he knew where he could get a taxi in the area.

Since Covid, I actually wonder how many inspectors are actually still going around. Presumeably they stopped when COVID happened, did someone tell them to go back out there?

hotmail.com

Still no consequences for the Breda handshake of 400k.

JP Liz V1

Take from Social Welfare for RTE, Take from the poor to give to the rich

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/row-as-welfare-funding-raided-to-bail-out-rte-and-fill-tv-licence-black-hole/a1424706121.html

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122434623#Comment_122434623

If you are a FFG supporter, do you defend this? If you do, why?

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122434815#Comment_122434815

I don't think RTE should get a bailout, the redundancy exit packages stopped, top wages slashed etc., fraud charges brought, get Revenue and AGS involved, sell Montrose etc., even try to get money back

hotmail.com

Quite the nerve of Kevin Bakhurst to complain on Twitter about Twitter.

He needs to get his own house in order and start sacking people and reducing the wage bill.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122434873#Comment_122434873

Kevin Backarse should go, he has done nothing since taking over, useless

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122434815#Comment_122434815

Why do you think I am a FFG supporter?

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122434873#Comment_122434873

Joe Duffy, 350K a year for 6 hours work a week.

2187 people need to pay their TV license just to pay for Joes salary.

So yes, Kevin Backhurts needs to get his house in order before he opens his mouth on Twitter.