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

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792188#Comment_121792188

Does anyone think Simon didn't call in a few FG favours from the Director of Strategy in RTE?

JP Liz V1

Backarse needs to go too

It's a complete $hitshow at RTE

AGS and Revenue should be investigating

The government should take a stronger approach

mountain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792473#Comment_121792473

The problem with blackhurst going is that he probably has a 3 or 5 year contract, meaning getting rid of him will mean another substantial payoff.

failing in RTE is rewarded

MrMusician18

I think if Backhurst goes, that could be it for RTE as currently constituted.

The replacement would have to do something much more radical

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792253#Comment_121792253

Rory was there for 17 years, was he always senior management. Him and Forbes seem to be quite tight especially with the what was going on with the Toy show musical.

Tow

Rory could write another book on his RTE Adventures.

ednwireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121791587#Comment_121791587

someone like dee forbes ? pretty sure that was one of the reasons she was appointed as an " outsider"

arctictree

The problem with any DG coming into RTE to 'sort' things out is that they basically cant do their job as they are not allowed do compulsory redundancies. Any voluntary redundancy scheme involves big pay offs so we are back to where we are now. The politicians are ultimately responsible.

Brendan Bendar

The politicians had an input in that they oversaw (or should have) blatant misuse of taxpayers Money for a long time.

RTE management over the years are to blame for this debacle….let’s say it as it is.

Adept at lining their own pockets.

Succesive govts should have brought them to heel decades ago.

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792188#Comment_121792188

They didn’t lick it off the stones, so to speak Cawler!

Widdensushi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792791#Comment_121792791

They are scratching each other's backs,the government keep control of the media one way or another, there's more censorship here than Russia or China.

Hush money and non disclosure agreements,it all stinks.

Hyperbollix

Ultimately there is a rotten culture of corruption and pocket lining at RTE and that won't necessarily go away with a change of DG. The govt have to drive the reform and it would take serious individuals who want to reset the organisation at root and branch level to sort out this mess in the long term.

That's just not going to happen, so we're left with rewarding incompetence and trying to draft in another bunch of leeches who will simply carry on where the old crew left off, ala the Irish banks. Have THEY suddenly become bastions of ethics in business? lol

I don't see any issue with funding coming directly from the exchequer. The argument that RTE will then become the tool of the government of the day is nonsense because RTE are already the tool of the government. If anything, letting RTE collect shedloads of cash off the population in the form of the license fee, removes responsibility from the government for the running of the organisation. It's another excuse for the minister to ignore the problem and kick the can on to the next term. Maybe if RTE needed €500m from the Dept of Finance annually, they would be slightly more incentivized to pay attention to how that cash is being spent.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792575#Comment_121792575

Was she an outsider? Don't know much about her except that she shouldn't be let run a bath.

ednwireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121793073#Comment_121793073

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dee_Forbes#:~:text=Deirdre%20Anne%20Forbes%20(born%201,appointment%20in%20almost%2050%20years.

.......

Caquas

What about this very questionable case against RTÉ at the Workplace Relations Commission today?

An FM2 DJ claimed he was the victim of sexual harassment at work and after he complained, he was fired. If he proved these claims, the WRC would drop like a ton of bricks on RTÉ and all that stuff about exit packages would look like a storm in a teacup.

So what happened? Two hours of negotiations behind closed doors and, hey presto! , all is good,. nothing to see here.

What’s the point of demanding transparency about exit packages when you bury these allegations?

Former 2FM host withdraws allegations against RTÉ at WRC

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0220/1433338-chris-greene-rte/

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795368#Comment_121795368

a compromise had been reached

Is that code for paid off?

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795388#Comment_121795388

Exactly. And doubtless with a confidentiality clause to guarantee non-disclosure of the terms or any background.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795368#Comment_121795368

Hmmm....i wonder who has worked at 2fm in the recent past that had other allegations against them...???

Also, the line that the solicitor took that the claimant was not an employee and therefore had no right to pursue unlawful dismissal speaks volumes, about this claim and inner rte workings

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121792697#Comment_121792697

Years ago my parents were doing consulting for Bacardi, they sent their report to the CEO at the time who was part of the original Bacardi family. This was in the days before email. He flew in from where ever he was and fired everyone with manager in their title(some of these people were nieces and nephews of his). Then promoted all the people beneath them to get the train back on the tracks.

Backhurst or someone like him should have done something similar and a long time ago too.

arctictree

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795509#Comment_121795509

Yes, I mean how can you go for unfair dismissal if you are not an employee?!

Brendan Bendar

The questionable way RTE seem to have manipulated employment in the organisation will take years to unravel.

And who will be the loser........ yes....... Mr Longpockets.... John Q Taxpayer.

Nothing surer.

seanin4711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121791364#Comment_121791364

propaganda wing is all they ever were and still are.

where is vincent browne?we need him!

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795916#Comment_121795916

Sounds like another big exit payout for an RTĖ failure.

How much does 2FM cost to run? It provides no service to the Irish people which is not readily available from the commercial stations. And it’s the last workplace in Ireland where women pretend not to mind some guy pinging their bra straps 🤬

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795957#Comment_121795957

@Summer 211

RTÉ have defended 2FM since the death of Gerry Ryan and the subsequent iRadio-isation of the station.

RTÉ spend between 10 and 12 m on the station. Of this between 2m and 4m is licence fee, prior to 2011 RTÉ would always walk into the oireachtas to say that 2FM was self-sufficient.

RTÉ have failed to cut 2fm's budget down to what it makes in advertising revenue. The Current Head of 2FM has been there for a decade and a half with no real turn around to the station.

You might argue that Chris and Ciara were bound to get the chop because of low ratings but, late night radio on a low ratings radio station what are you expecting? and also they were on 2fm a decade at least.

2FM is all about the cool people really, it has no real identity as a service. You can point to the Rising Stars and to the Choice music awards but largely 2fm means very little in terms of new music and Irish artist (there are exceptions to that rule but most of those exceptions could be moved over to Radio 1 in the morning tbf).

Then you have the number of presenters across as shows on the station. How much does a professional rugby player charge to present a morning radio show? how much did they pay for the 2 johnnies? how much is Ruby Walsh getting for Game On, how does if fit with 2FM and what is its audience? As for Lottie Ryan?

Furze99

You get the feeling that Bakhurst's future lies at the will of politicians on the various committees. He gave a hostage to fortune by entering into confidential arrangements involving public money, knowing that this secrecy was kryptonite to RTE. So if they want his head, they'll get it. If they think he's useful then he'll survive. Foolish of the man to put himself in this position but there you go.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795943#Comment_121795943

nowhere to be seen or heard thank God

TruthorBust

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121782023#Comment_121782023

Absolutely correct and this is down to Tubridy. He created the myth that the whole country comes to a stand still to watch the toy show. Under his watch it was hyped beyond reason and after 5 minutes most sensible people knew it was a load of self indulgent plop

RoTelly

https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2024/02/21/gavan-reilly-is-rtes-white-knight-all-hes-cracked-up-to-be/

I wonder about the Irish Media and Reporters.

Gavan (et The Group Chat coolers) are the people that many are putting on a pedestal. I am not saying that I can write, but this piece for the "Westmeath Cronical" lacks any writing ingenuity. But also shows how weak the press / media is in Ireland.

Dee Forbes never granted requests for interviews from non-RTÉ outlets: in times of strife she wouldn’t take up invites to come on Virgin Media or Newstalk. Bakhurst’s early era was a breath of fresh air: he understood the responsibility to appear everywhere, and tell as big an audience as possible that RTÉ would change. 

First of all why didn't you report that Dee wouldn't do interviews, I never once heard any media outlet say that Dee was unavailable for comment of the 7 years at the job, she was large left alone by the media and the press.

Bakhurst was just in on the job when he took many interviews to try to explain the RTÉ situation, how could he refuse such interviews.

And then there are all the interviews Bakhurst gave to the media / press before Christmas. I never read such soft interviews across the press.

On Monday, Bakhurst subjected himself to a 20-minute grilling from Sarah McInerney, but gave only 80 seconds to reporters assembled outside his meeting at the Department of Media.

Perhaps Gavan when anyone offers themselves for interview you ask some hard questions.

It was perfectly obvious that Rory and Richard got exit payments everyone on this thread knew that, might have been an opinion but it was a fairly obvious question that the media should have asked on this exit. Same goes for Richard.

I am actually surprised that Paula did not get an exit fee and still would not be surprised if Geraldine had been give her pay at RTÉ until her actual retirement date.

None of the media have yet to ask Frances Abeton, Glen Killane, Willie O'Reilly, Jon William or Murine Laffan if they took up the option to exit RTÉ on a redundancy package. No instead the media want to promote how good RTE are at NEWS AND SPORT.

RoTelly

Also if the press had any balls they ask the very simple line of questioning

Q. Is Jim Jenning still being paid by RTÉ during his illness?

A. No (END OF QUESTIONS)

A. Yes

Q. What are the normal rules in RTÉ when if comes to long term illness payments?

A. Normally, like most companies, after six months the employee would be asked to seek some kind of illness benefit from the DSP.

Q. Why is this not the case with Jim Jennings?

A. No Comment

Q. Is he actually sick

A. A medical report has been provided

Q. So why hasn't RTÉ asked him to follow normal HR illness policy in relation to his report illness?

And so on.

You may feel this inappropriate as Jim maybe legitimately be sick, but those are the questions you have to ask if you are doing your job.

And if there is any stalling by RTÉ, you need to ask if Jim Jennings will take a call or if his people will take a call.

And then we can all come to a conclusion.

backwards_man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797423#Comment_121797423

KB would probably say he can't disclose that to protect JJ's privacy 🙄