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

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121853623#Comment_121853623

She was not sacked, she flounced.

That was petulant, but not surprising given the "because we're worth it" culture of rte.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121848233#Comment_121848233

Rte top presenters wages were a like a price fixing cartel to keep themselves up there, we now know since Tubridy got a normal job that nobody on the radio is worth more than 100k

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121855900#Comment_121855900

Nonsense. Even the Minister does not pretend that Siún could stay on after the Minister pointedly refused to express confidence in her on RTÉ’s flagship programme.

Baba Yaga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121853534#Comment_121853534

i doubt it...id say theyll give it a few weeks,make couple of statments like "going forward" "transparency" and saving the best for last "lessons have been learned" then stick the noses in the trough like the rest...

kazamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121853939#Comment_121853939

No fan of Breda at all, but I think to expect any money back is a bit fanciful.

We have had bank collapses, regulators asleep, senior Politicans comatose, and yet when any of them departed the scene, they kept their ill gotten gains.

We as a nation don’t demand accountability but we expect Breda to set the precedent ?

Would be difficult to expect standards now.

yoyo

TV license letter arrived this morning straight into the bin! Some cheek of them to be demanding money with all this going on. I know ultimately I will probably have to fork out on it, but I'm furious 😡

kazamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121852650#Comment_121852650

In my opinion, the picture of the 12 members of PAC holding up the reports, cheapens the process to political opportunism to raise their profiles.

If the lead recommendation of any investigation is that someone else should investigate RTE (C&AG) then was it just a pass the parcel exercise ?

Other recommendations are “we would like RTE” makes this seem like a lot of smoke, but very little fire.

The new exit package condition is interesting

 “that it be a condition of any exit agreement that the former employee must cooperate with any internal or external inquiries or investigations, including Oireachtas committees, and that such agreements align with the observations of the C&AG’s Special Report 91: Management of Severance Payments in Public Sector Bodies158 .”

We heard a lot from committee members about fraud and why wasn’t it reported. Strange that they feel differently now. Maybe paying someone off the books via a third party is not an issue, and I find that prospect deeply disturbing.

Yes, both committees uncovered things, but they also ensured future unavailability of key players and some of the players got nice cheques on the way out the door.

I hope the other committee produces a lot more.

yagan

Theres a whole whiff of untouchables coming off the rte indignants, reminds me a lot of the bishops expressing frustration at being exposed.

I think Dermot Ahern's blasphemy law was an attempt to stifle general anti pedo peddler discontent.

jmcc

And, as it is RTE, it gets worse.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/ex-rte-chair-offered-to-speak-to-catherine-martin-on-phone-and-threatened-to-resign-three-times-before-dramatic-exit/a1422972860.html

Regards...jmcc

DrZeuss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121856836#Comment_121856836

I'm inclined to agree with Siún on her view of CM's hands off approach, 15 meetings in 15 months with a gap of 11 weeks between 2 at one stage. All this when there should have been so much more scrutiny on RTE considering their precarious situation.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858922#Comment_121858922

Some of this stuff that should have been done is completely obvious to anyone with business experience. The problem is that Martin is just a teacher/TD. She was ultimately in charge of a highly dysfunctional organisation run by a bunch of people who seemed to have their own financial interests uppermost. She was simply out of her depth. She also delegated a lot of responsibiity to her department staff who don't really seem to have helped the situation. As Ronald Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.".

Regards...jmcc

fuzzy dunlop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121859334#Comment_121859334

The problem is the lack of corporate governance which as you said is obvious to anyone with business experience. And by lack of it I mean there seems to be none at all. And by business experience I mean basic rudimentary level knowledge. I worked in tech companies in Ireland where the only people who didn't receive some form of CG training were the cleaners and canteen workers and I wouldn't be surprised if even they received some. This largely came in the wake of Enron and other corporate scandals in the US that had global reverberations. There is probably hundreds of thousands, perhaps even most of the workforce by now who understand things like 'conflicts of interest' and the need for corporate governance structures. RTE has accountants! I do not believe for one second that all of this was going on without somebody calling foul.Therefore the people responsible either couldn't or wouldn't speak up.

But on the other hand if their content is anything to go but then it is obvious that they are stuck in the 90s and early noughties with regard to their attitude to the Irish public. Take for example when Leo Varadker came out publicly as Gay. It was a complete non story and nobody gave a f@k yet it was treated by our media, in particular RTE as something groundbreaking by boosterism. Or Maria Walsh, a winning 'rose of Tralee'. I split my sides laughing in my friends house when his father and mother in law (80 years of age at the time) started telling me about the 'lovely gay girl' who won the competition.

Ireland in 2024 is populated by people who don't see RTE as an instrument of change.If it ever was that. Like almost every other Western country's MSM they have lost out to streaming, you tube and podcasts. It is an anachronism that can't justify itself anymore. It's D4 mindset needs to be lanced like a boil and replaced by existing regional content and online content creators.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121859917#Comment_121859917

It was once an instrument of Social change. Maybe you don't remember the 60s and 70s like I do. I agree that the young don't watch RTE anymore and it's outdated..

Many of the current presenters are my age and older (some are very good btw) but needs some new blood..

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860168#Comment_121860168

they're not posing the serious questions for young people, like why is property so skewed against them. Instead we get a constant stream of shows that are literally "houses you plebs can't afford" etc...

Like with the Irish Times I'm convinced a lot of the RTE lifestyle programming basically caters for semi state managerial salaries.

Considering how much a stay at his hotels cost i'm always amazed how much free advertising the Brennen brothers were given in the name of national broadcasting.

fuzzy dunlop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860168#Comment_121860168

I don't agree that it was an instrument of social change. We had no divorce until 1996 and the 8th wasn't repealed until recently. Social change in Ireland more or less corresponded with social change everywhere else. We may have lagged in some ways but not as much as many assume.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860168#Comment_121860168

It wasn't that great for social change. Only when British television channels became more available here that social change started to occur.

The Late Late has retrospectively been given far too much credit for social change.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860455#Comment_121860455

Got to agree.

In the 70s and 80s i could never understand why a national broadcaster gave so much free airtime to the Vatican and other religious cults.

On matters of the private individual it seemed no RTE discussion panel wasn't complete without a priest or a nun having the last word.

Edit to add, if we're going to insist that the angelus is now secular/cultural theme then we also have to shoehorn in a muslim call to player and every other daily/weekly religious ritual present in our secular state.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860168#Comment_121860168

The young (and many people in general) don't even watch live TV anymore in many cases - it's all Youtube and streaming unless it's a live event like a match.

NSAman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121855900#Comment_121855900

That’s not entirely true. She didn’t have the trust of the “minister”.

i have thought this all along and will continue to say it. Martin was not telling the truth at the committee meeting. She said media had contacted her about the situation. Siun, contradicts that. She explains clearly why it would have lead to her resignation, it did.

Martin lied about monthly meetings. Siun documents this.

obviously, with a topic of such importance, Martin should have met with Siun BEFORE prime time and discussed it. It was a set up.

having read suin’s reply and having see what Martin said, someone is not telling the truth.

simple, calendar of meetings will prove one way or the other. I know who I believe to be telling the truth….and it isn’t the Minister.

This has legs…..

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860639#Comment_121860639

All things being equal the side that doesn't like the public knowing where their tv license money goes is the one playing games.

This petulance means that the only way a minister in any government can know is if rte is taken in-house.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860639#Comment_121860639

Lot of fluff and fcukkery in that post ill have to say

RTE have been screwing the taxpayer and corn holing the licence fee payer for yonks.

They have been riding them bareback with the wedges paid to presenters on false pretences, nepotism, secrecy, sweetheart deals, arrogance,liggeracy,barter accounts, agents having the run of the gaff, junkets, insider operations for f++++++g decades.

And you start believing them now

That post is disgusting Sir.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860455#Comment_121860455

Well, you may not remember Ireland as it was back then 60s/70s but I do at least in the countryside. Very conservative, church dominant and no real discussion. This article is taken from wiki,'

Originally intended as light summer "filler",[19]The Late Late Show soon developed into a forum for contentious opinion and debate, involving topics such as divorce, contraception and a number of areas hitherto unspoken. Much of the populace, especially in the south and west of Ireland, had no previous experience of television, and many were unprepared for The Late Late Show bringing such discussion into their homes (large swathes of Ireland were rural and devoutly Roman Catholic). Indeed, the politician Oliver J. Flanagan, whilst guesting on the show, proclaimed there to have been "no sex in Ireland until Teilifís Éireann went on the air", reflecting this greater indiscretion.[20]Archbishop of Dublin, John Charles McQuaid, was confronted by a guest in the show's first series—a sensational and unprecedented event. Many more such events would follow, each contributing to the folklore and mythical qualities of The Late Late Show.'

NSAman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861209#Comment_121861209

Jesus get out a little bit more.

Where did I say anything about RTE not screwing the tax payer?

This is about “facts” a committee meeting were told by the minister, which in my opinion were false.

Do I believe RTE..nope. Do I think it should be disbanded? Yes. Do I think it is a vipers nest of corruption and nepotism? Yes.

However, we have an incompetent Minister (again paid for by the taxpayer) not doing her job and recreating history to save herself. We have a DG who she appointed and then threw under the bus, after doing the same with a Chair live on TV. All to save herself.

The facts are, semi-states have this entitlement culture which is disgusting. Politicians see themselves above others. When I leave a job I don’t need to have an “exit” payment package, I get a salary.

If someone can explain to me why certain people feel the “need” to be compensated for leaving their jobs with €200k to €750k please let me know, I’ll apply. I probably have more experience than most.

ANYHOO, back to the minister and the Chair. Someone is lying! Either way, the cheapest route and one with the least “impact” on the minister was to remove the current chair. Then appoint someone new in 10 days? You don’t think this was planned?

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861455#Comment_121861455

My apologies, I did not evaluate your post as well as I should have.

I overreacted, flew off the handle a bit.

Thank you for a measured and kind response.

kazamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121860455#Comment_121860455

I think the biggest block in delaying social change were the twin powers of the Church and State.

Forty years ago we had the very sad news of Ann Lovett. The public attitude based on what the Church and State stance was to unmarried mothers was disgusting, but programmes like the Gay Byrne show helped to slowly change attitudes. Goldenbridge is another example.

No, it didn’t happen as quickly as it should have, but RTE was the only one asking the questions and at least creating a debate.

Don’t really remember Dear Frankie radio programme, but I think if we had access, it would give an indication of how behind the times we were, and how much progress we have made. Hearing other voices of people in the same situation, is powerful.

Just a pity current day RTE have lost touch with that remit……DWTS ffs

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862059#Comment_121862059

Dear Frankie and the Late Late very cutting edge in their day tame by current standards.

yagan

A lot of the problem is that communications has changed while RTE continues on as if the internet isn't the primary source of information now.

The importance of a national channel for official updates was perfectly illustrated during the pandemic, however aside from community, sports and weather nearly everything else RTE produces can be easily catered for by the private sector.

I'd be happy to pay for one channel, with a second one in reserve for important events that clash, and no commercial breaks.

I fail to see how property porn shows which are basically advertising posing as RTE documentaries and endless celebrity fare are in the national interest.

Edit to add, we don't need a national soap opera.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862259#Comment_121862259

What's a national soap opera? RTE?

tom23

Nobody gives a **** about RTE . Painful to watch left right and centre. All jazz hands and bulshit. Same fuckers recycled find a vehicle for them somehow same with the corporate end of things so far up their own holes. build trust with the public? no folks i just don’t want to know… just gonna. I’d rather watch shite on youtube

NSAman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862471#Comment_121862471

Fairly sh1tty