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

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789124#Comment_120789124

Bank account overdrawn.

Barter account 2 million.

Its not dishonest cos they didnt ask him about barter accounts! Thats the kind of sleeveen we have here.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120785889#Comment_120785889

There needs to be a much slimmed down public broadcaster (ad free, it's a conflict of interest) and anything commercial should be hived off. 

To me there is a symbiosis between the kind of broadcaster you are envisaging and direct exchequer funding. It seems the only way a minority cultural institution like TG4 can be funded without arousing major pushback among the great majority who have little or no interest in what it puts out.

Emblematic

Need to start moving away from the concept of "broadcaster" I think and toward the idea of commissioning body or content funder. A body that provides subsidies to Irish productions which can then be sold to the various Irish platforms as well as internationally but does not broadcast the content themselves. I would see this as a small tightly controlled body purely focused on dramas, documentaries etc.; stuff that would not be commercially viable in the Irish market.

Gameshows, copies of UK format shows, talkshows like the LLS would be purely for commercial outfits.

My problem with maintaining a public service "broadcaster" is that it doesn't reflect the move towards online platforms. I could see it becoming a dinosaur happily consuming public funds paying staff salaries and pensions but where the public themselves have largely moved on.

The great fear of maintaining relevance in the face of streaming services is the reason towards the push towards a blanket broadcasting charge by RTE insiders and at the same time why the public must resist it.

The root cause of lax financial management, secret payments and general contempt for the public in RTE is because of the guaranteed license fee money.

fritzelly

RTE commercial should be separated and the licence fee is used purely to finance PSB and any station can throw the hats in the ring for the funding

At the end of the day RTE do not produce anything of real value for all the money they get off us (how much different are they really to VM who get no licence fee money), entertainment is sorely lacking unless you think reality tv, talk shows and political progams is what people want 7 nights a week with the odd drama thrown in now and again. Look at the schedule for any week and pretty much all the prime time viewing is repeats, reality shows, British soaps and Fair City.

Was going to say where exactly is all this money being spent but now we know...

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789732#Comment_120789732

Fine if RTÉ actually prodcuded games shows or quiz shows but they have done few and far between.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120789802#Comment_120789802

I don't know if I like this concept or the idea of it been funded by the Exchqure, I like TG4 but some of its programming decisions are questionable just as much as RTÉ, exchequer funding doesn't help because the public don't notice it, at least with RTÉ get majority complain and expect something because the pay for it every year.

I would however like to see Screen Ireland move away from new projects involving RTÉ. No reason for Screen Ireland not to work with Virgin Media, Sky and TG4.

Normal People could have aired on any other national free to air channel IMO, including TG4, how much did RTÉ pay for it and how much does TG4 pay for imports.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790097#Comment_120790097

The issue with Exchequer funding, as I see it, is how can they justify the money going to one company with no other interested parties being considered - maybe that is why Revenue are not interested in collecting it, opens up a whole can of worms - with competition law maybe...?

Rubberchikken

I don't think I've watched rte since bunny carr and his ilk were on.

Couldn't watch the LLS for anything. There is nothing on rte I could be persuaded to watch even if I had it on my tv...which I don't. Never got saor viev. Never will.

Am one of these fools who pays the tv licence...God help me.

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790251#Comment_120790251

I rarely watch RTE and certainly not Tubs or Precious O'Callaghan. Can't stand them. I'd be in favour of closing down RTE.

political analyst

What I can't comprehend is that, back in 1961, even with the Republic's small population, the government thought that one TV channel running for a few hours in the evening could not be funded with the licence fee without advertising.

alzer100

Look, I don't normally comment in forums about anything political and to be honest I don't really have faith in any of the political parties whether it be FFG (because that's who they essentially are now) or SF. Since it's foundation RTE, in my view have always pushed the government's view and agendas through it's presentation of news and other current affairs programming. I find it's become more prevalent over the past 20-30 years. But to honest networks in the US are no different as with ABC, CBS and NBC touting the Dems and Fox news aggressively touting the GOP. Again, I believe RTE favour the views of parties such as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, it's just what I have experienced since the time I could process this stuff, so having stated that I don't think the present government really want to change anything. I think just last week, Mr Tubridy was to MC an event conducted by Micheal Martin which I found to be particularly cozy, either the event was cancelled due to the ongoing situation at RTE or it went ahead without Tubridy, I'm not too sure. Either way, I always found Tubridy to be uncomfortably too close to Fianna Fail for my liking.

RTE is a gravy train, yes. But I don't think it's any different than any other semi state controlled organisation and you can bet there is some underhanded stuff happening at present in other government semi controlled bodies. I'm with RoTelly regarding most of his suggestions for how RTE should be managed but I don't think that there is any political will to make radical changes.

Regarding Ryan Tubridy, I really don't want to hear him on the Radio or see him on TV again.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790212#Comment_120790212

TG4 and Screen Ireland both get exchequer funding, while neither produce content both get funding via the exchequer. So I don't think that should be the case.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792061#Comment_120792061

I think you have to look to Radio Éireann, it had always some sponsored programmes. Government looked to that model to a certain degree, but removed TÉ from the control of P&T. Also some of the License fee was going to RÉ, so it wasn't just funding TÉ. (They merged in 1966 removing the Department from RÉ's management). And not everyone own a TV by 1961.

You also have to remember that there was a lot of hostility toward TÉ, one example shows that a debate show on RTÉ had come to the agreement with politicians that the government of the day would debate their counterparts in opposition on the show (Decisions I think was the name of the show), some issue surrounding agriculture start and RTÉ invited the head of the IFA to debate with the Min of Agriculture (Charlie Haughey), Charlie wasn't too happy and pointed to the agreement, not sure if the debate went ahead, but this with other controversy caused RTÉ to start broadcasting 7DAYS which in turn fell fowl and was replaced by Today Tonight.

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792465#Comment_120792465

Regarding 7 Days, this profile of the late Bill O'Herlihy indicates the reasons the tribunal found against him.

https://www.dib.ie/biography/oherlihy-bill-a10275

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792523#Comment_120792523

I knew one of the families allegedly involved in Cabra West, they moved house shortly afterwards.

If the Irish Mail on Sunday is to be believed, the government plans to take the axe to RTE. Would definitely agree with selling off 2FM. Playing pop music is not a public service obligation.

Agent Coulson

Ryan Tubridy to be remembered forever as the man who brought down the nations public broadcaster.

kneemos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794787#Comment_120794787

One decent deed at least.

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794787#Comment_120794787

Just like his Grand father, Todd Andrews, had planned, all those many many years ago...

Tubridy completed his grandfather's mission...

Potential-Monke

€176k is still too much, unless they base that on an average 39 hour working week and they then pay the actual hours worked. Even then, still too much for what is, in essence, a simple job that is done mainly by a background team.

Emblematic

If they are talking about salary limits it means they are not really looking for substantial reform. Instead, impose a salary limit for a few years, then when the story has died down, quietly remove the limit.

Same thing happened in the banking sector. Limits on pay for top executives after the banking crisis when people were angry at the banks. Then relaxed in order to attract and retain top staff.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/irish-government-relaxes-rules-around-bankers-pay-and-bonuses-1398913.html

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120796760#Comment_120796760

It's nonsense talk. Employment rights would prevent reducing salaries of permanent staff at that level. Now reducing contractors pay is a whole different game.

So begs a question, what permanent staff are paid above €176k. Is their salary a competitive salary based on the current market. Even then, if it was way over, you would have to pay them off and either rehire on a new contract or hire someone else at the lower price.

Have a read of the whistle blower account and back in 2017, cameramen were taking €100k which may be fine but their helpers were also on the same when other stations had trainees doing that stuff. That's the waste. Even the stage hands moving stuff around were on €100k. Expensive movers !

Wage limit means little in terms of savings, the place needs a clearout and a complete overhaul of practice.

AndyBoBandy

And you’d probably find that a lot of those camera assistants and movers/stagers would be on standard enough salaries, but the perks of having to do your job outside of the normal 9-5 routine of most people would be pushing them into and beyond the €100k territory…

didn’t that secret producer allude to massive ‘benefits’ through ‘out of hours’ bonuses and working odd shift patterns…

Then also about the fact that for a certain (large) number of hours during the day, virtually nothing could get done because all the various teams needed to actually do something would all take their breaks at different times.. mad stuff all together!!

Gen.Zhukov

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120796760#Comment_120796760

I was in the middle of drafting a post in t'other thread and it was along those lines

as it stands now - mental money when extrapolated out to someone on those hourly rates to a full 40 hr per week x 52 pa

Now divide 176k x 52 = 3384 p/w divided x 40 hrs = 84.60 p/h - They won't like that one bit

Correct me if I'm wrong there, just in from scoopage

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794787#Comment_120794787

His grandfather (Andrews.) wrecked the Irish railways system.

Regards...jmcc

AndyBoBandy

Poor Lottie is in 'trouble' for filming an add for Toyota on the RTÉ campus...

https://www.independent.ie/news/rte-star-lottie-ryan-spoken-to-by-bosses-for-filming-toyota-car-advert-on-montrose-campus/a105899122.html

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120798427#Comment_120798427

It is so strange: -

1. Why is she on contract is she really earning that much money to be put on contract?
2. What benefit is she to RTÉ or 2FM?
3. Toyota need to talk to their marketing team.

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120797357#Comment_120797357

Todd ruined the railways—Ryan ruined the airwaves!

machiavellianme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120798898#Comment_120798898

4. Who paid for these 1st class flights that she is comparing the car to?

ZookeeperDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120797332#Comment_120797332

They will tell you an hour on camera/radio is hours in prep work

alzer100

What ever happens at RTE from the fallout of this debacle is one thing but at some point, Tubridy will return to his RTE Radio 1 show and will probably commence his return with a very carefully prepared and crafted statement. He will probably tell his listeners that he would like to put all of this behind him and move on. Initial ratings will be through the roof, which will satisfy RTE. His loyal listeners will tell him that "it's great to hear you back on the radio again Ryan" He will then subtly elevate his levels of smugness as shifting through gears in a car. Going forward he will choose his views and battles very carefully as there will be always someone ready to hit him where it hurts but in a year or two all of this will be old history.

I hope I've got this all wrong.