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

RoTelly

https://about.rte.ie/2024/08/30/rte-launches-new-season-of-unique-public-service-content-featuring-real-irish-stories-and-celebrating-irelands-landscape-culture-and-creativity/ "Unique Public Service Content" they are such **** saps.

To me its all the same, depression dressed as entertainment and that not just the documentaries.

Factual

On the Beat - Fly on the wall doc about the Gardaí, in a never been done before doc that's been done before

The Case I Can’t Forget - Returns for another series

Blindboy: The Land of Slaves - because he doesn't want to be famous!

Anorexia, My Family and Me - Angie Scanlon needs a series and sure poor poor her, its not like we could find an ordinary person do do this doc on.

Addicts - How addiction works, with Prof Brian Pennie a former addict - This project is co-funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly Science Foundation Ireland) - another PSA from an Irish Public body.

Noraid: Irish-America and the IRA, Vótáil and Scannal.

Leathered - a doc about corporal punishment - is this not enough of a bore

Lost for Words - my own doc about life with dyslexia as I lock my full potential here on boards.ie

Ben Dunne and Michael Smurfit get docs of their own.

GAA docs include The Game, Hell for Leather and Réiteoir.

And I will let you all read the rest !

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122560394#Comment_122560394

No it will keep the spot light squarely on RTE and if and when people go to court the disparity of the harshness displayed by say a pensioner being threatened with prison for not paying 160 for a TV license for a service that was ran by a organization that defrauded the tax payer to the tune of millions and then given golden handshakes as they walked away without even answering a question will be highlighted again and again and again. Its not just about how the TV license is paid its about getting blowing RTE out of the water and starting fresh with something new in place.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559852#Comment_122559852

No. Feck all people not old enough for the free TV licence will be watching anyway.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561426#Comment_122561426

a pensioner being threatened with prison for not paying 160 for a TV license

pensioners are not required to pay it

Hotblack Desiato

Addicts - How addiction works, with Prof Brian Pennie a former addict - This project is co-funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland (formerly Science Foundation Ireland) - another PSA from an Irish Public body.

RTE is at the forefront in the fight against telly addiction.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561637#Comment_122561637

They are if under 70 and their spouse/partner is still in employment.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561630#Comment_122561630

That was my thinking on it. Are there people out there who are waiting on RTE to announce their Autumn schedule?

Just read the link that @RoTelly posted for the "new Season" on RTE, I think the only thing on for me would Irelands Fittest Family. The Late Late Show is back and reading the bit on it " Patrick Kielty brings his own unique style to Friday nights on The Late Late Show, joined by the biggest names in entertainment, music, comedy and sport. After a cracking first season, Patrick is more ambitious than ever, with plenty of specials and surprises in store." The biggest names in Entertainment, music, comedy and sport are they having a laugh, it will the usual people hanging around the RTE canteen with possibly a few of the medal winners from the olympics.

I bet it will be the same celebrities who will be appearing on the new show " To Hell & Back with Ray Goggins, adventurer and former special forces soldier Ray Goggins takes A-list Irish celebrities on extreme outdoor adventures in some of the most inhospitable, hostile environments on the planet."

I can see why they are not making a big deal of this launch.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122560394#Comment_122560394

They will cover the shortfall and it will show the government that the license fee payer is not happy with RTÉ. If the gov want to cover the shortfall let them.

Loafing Oaf

They will cover the shortfall and it will show the government that the license fee payer is not happy with RTÉ.

Seemingly the intention is to move to full exchequer funding within five years anyway so that mass evasion you envisage would just be a temporary anomaly if it even materialises which I'm skeptical about

https://businessplus.ie/news/rte-e50m-year/

after five years RTÉ will be fully funded directly by the taxpayer.

I haven't seen this confirmed anywhere but Lee is a pretty respected reporter so until I see it directly contradicted somewhere I'm assuming it's the plan

The J Stands for Jay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561227#Comment_122561227

That is a giant article. A bullet point list would be better.

Some interesting looking shows, but in more of an 'add it to my list on Netflix' kind of way, rather than a must find out when it's on and make sure to watch kind of way.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562109#Comment_122562109

They are down 100,000 license fees since 2022.

Again best to do it now when the license fee still exists.

Lee is spouting the same mantra as before from the quotes given.

Details of the new funding plan come as the former chair of the RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, expressed frustration yesterday at the "political inertia" over financing the national broadcaster.

I like'd Siún but what about the inertia in RTÉ? Do you think that RTÉ is this unique public service broadcast that it should continue as is as if nothing happened.

"The frequent political mantra is that the funding model must not jeopardise the independence of our public service media, the funding issue is firmly in the control of the political system... There is no certainty about the level of funding, no stability - exactly what is to be avoided, according to government"

She knows as former Chair of TG4, their exchequre funding was cut by the government from 2011 to 2018, that funding gap was replace by some of the Licence fee (something many seem to forget).

3 QUESTIONS

1. How was the government of the day legal able to divert funding from the license fee to TG4?
2. Why was this never spoken about?
3. And if exchequer funding can be maintained, what happens in a downturn, its not just about political interference.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562152#Comment_122562152

As I said on another forum, as streamers launch month programming, broadcast TV will have to follow suit, I think they should still anounce it on a yearly basis, but on a monthly basis they should be highlighting what is coming that month, and RTÉ should be aiming for one drama and one comedy launched each month.

political analyst

The Two Johnnies have a second series on RTÉ 2 - why do so many viewers still watch them?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562419#Comment_122562419

They don't and RTÉ2's audience is falling.

In Jan 2024 RTÉ2 had a 4% share this was large due to the lack of sport on the channel, This year both the Euros and Olypmics will help, but without sport RTÉ2 is failing badly.

I wouldn't be surprised if RTÉ attempt to move the 2 johnnies over the ONE.

There is nothing on RTÉ2 from an Irish perspective but Sport.

And just to be clear

• Jan 4%
• Feb 6% (6 nations)
• Mar 6% (6 nations)
• Apr 6% (GAA Championships)
• May 7% (GAA Championship & Champions League)
• June 14% (GAA and Champions League finals, Euro 2024)
• July 17% (Euro Finals, Olympics 2024)
• Average 9% for the first 7months

Last Week: -

1	Champions League Live - Live Play: Young Boys v Galatasaray	20:01	Wed	1.6	64k
2	FILM: The Godfather Part II	21:37	Fri	1.5	57k
3	Home And Away	18:31	Tue	1.4	55k
4	Earth	20:00	Sun	1.4	53k
5	Attack on Pearl Harbor: Minute by Minute	20:01	Sat	1.3	52k
6	Champions League Live - Post Match: Young Boys v Galatasaray	22:01	Wed	1.3	50k
7	Home And Away	18:32	Wed	1.3	49k
8	Champions League Live - Post Match: Young Boys v Galatasaray	19:30	Wed	1.2	47k
9	Home And Away	18:31	Thu	1.1	44k
10	FILM: Our Ladies	21:00	Sun	1.1	44k
11	FILM: Rocky	21:00	Sat	1.0	40k
12	DIY SOS: The Big Build	19:01	Tue	1.0	40k
13	All Fired Up	19:00	Wed	1.0	38k
14	Yellowstone	22:53	Sun	0.9	35k
15	Home And Away	18:31	Mon	0.8	33k
16	Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby	19:01	Mon	0.8	33k
17	Hippo King	20:34	Fri	0.8	33k
18	Home And Away	18:30	Fri	0.8	32k
19	Saving Lives at Sea	20:10	Tue	0.8	31k
20	The Alps	19:35	Fri	0.8	30k

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561637#Comment_122561637

Ok any one who is asked to pay it and feels like making a scene about it will do highlight how the law works for those in power and not for those who have none. I forgot the pensioners dont have to pay

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562502#Comment_122562502

Then why has RTÉ persisted with the 2 Johnnies?

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561227#Comment_122561227

i think the interesting thing about blindboy is more that he spends (or at least spent, i havent kept up with his podcast recently) alot of time complaining about how terrible RTE is and how much better it was working with the BBC, yet hes back working with them again?

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122564398#Comment_122564398

Because the BBC don't want him. The Rubberbandits tried to crack the UK, and it didn't happen. And if it didn't work as a duo, it won't work solo. The act doesn't travel. But he's a sellout, so he'll take what he can get.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122563552#Comment_122563552

They can shoot the show for cheap, get the usual D-list 'celeb' for air fare and cheap. Then when the four episodes are done, they can just re-air them over and over again . And if there's a program cancelled due to tragic events (cos the world is messed up and sometimes a film or tv show would be offensive if aired as scheduled) they can just show a repeat of a 2 Johnnies Episode. Or Cheap Irish Homes. Or 'unfunny Prank Show #1306'. RTE 2 is the graveyard channel now. Rte 1 is not much better.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562502#Comment_122562502

God, those numbers are depressing. Time was, you'd add a zero to those, and you'd be talking '520K watched the Godfather'.

I'll admit, I barely watch RTE at all nowadays. It's netflix, Film 4, or the BBC. Last thing I tuned in for was the Eamon Casey investigation and the Expose on Irish Women's football. Genuinely respectable investigation. (Tho the FAI buried the latter under the 'we have a new manager for the men' announcement.)

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561637#Comment_122561637

I see the government have started to run a household benefits package ad ( the one telling those in their 70s they get a free TV licence) on RTÉ radio recently. A lot of people have no idea of this packages existence, I've told lots of relatives about it previously ,worth the guts of near €600 a year. I guess the idea behind it is a way to top up licence numbers to RTÉ from the government to make evasion figures drop.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561704#Comment_122561704

My idea of hell would be stuck in front of Ireland's Fittest Family, Clockwork Orange style…

Kielty is a good host on the LLS but the problem is the guests, they were fecking chronic.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122562202#Comment_122562202

RTE and comedy in the same sentence? Shurely shome mishtake

This is the broadcaster that, when offered Father Ted by Channel 4, chose to show The Thin Blue Line instead

z80CPU

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122566904#Comment_122566904

Down with that sort of thing!

20/20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122566904#Comment_122566904

RTE certainly made for it when they did get their hands on Father Ted.

There seems to have been an episode every week for the last 25 years.

Hotblack Desiato

Careful now.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122561704#Comment_122561704

”Adventurer” where would a lad apply for that job.

Grifter Gazette probably would be a good start?

RabbleRouser2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122566904#Comment_122566904

They were never offered Fr Ted. I think Linehan and Matthews cleared that up years ago. They never offered RTE Fr Ted because they knew the station couldn't afford to do it. So they took it to the UK instead.
They'd contacts in the UK from working on the likes of Brass Eye, Big Train, Snuffbox, or The Fast Show. There was a burgeoning comedy scene in the UK, that RTE couldn't hope to compare to.

Even if they'd only offered the two lads a fiver, they still had better contacts than in Ireland.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122563552#Comment_122563552

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122564872#Comment_122564872

The 2 Johnnies are successful in their own right, even if we don't get them, and in fairness to them they produced to relatively well received comedy documentaries in The 2 Johnnies do…

The problem on RTÉ2 and the Player is they are surrounded by nothing. RTÉ2 has no real original Irish programming outside of sport. First Dates, Home Rescue and the 2 Johnnies sum up RTÉ2's content. Each do relatively well for RTÉ2 getting between 70k and 100k but as time goes on with little else on the channel save for repeats of Derry Girls, Fr Ted and the Young Offenders the channel has nothing to surround their "top tier" or original programming, and that audience will deplete, but you would hope that RTÉ would pick that audience up on the player? right? after all that's were the audience is. But no because RTÉ player has the same problem because programming is not filtering down to the player from RTÉ2 because their are no RTÉ2 programmes.

RTÉ's excuse, "everyone is going on line", but then you have the programming created for the RTÉ Player, almost all of it is short form, programmes that won't air on mainstream TV for this reason, its not that their comedy-drama's can't be aired on RTÉ2 it is that RTÉ just won't host short form on a main stream channel. RTÉ are basically trying to create YouTube on the Player but won't publish those originals to YouTube to garner an audience there.

But this is shown with the DG and his excuses: -

“Comedy is a very tricky genre, not just for us,” said Mr Bakhurst. “Most commercial broadcasters have pulled out of it, because it’s too hit and miss, and it’s expensive as well. But this should be part of our offering to audiences and having the guaranteed level of funding over the next number of years helps us take these risks.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/08/30/rtes-new-season-crime-dramas-gaa-docs-and-the-return-of-tricky-comedy/

And lets just rephrase that for Mr Bakhurst

“Comedy is a very tricky genre, not just because RTÉ have failed so miserably with it over the years,” said Mr Bakhurst. “Most UK broadcasters have pulled out of it, because it’s too hit and miss, and they have a vast history of strong comedy, even some inexpensive stuff ended up being real hits. But this should always have been part of our offering to audiences and because we have always had guaranteed levels of funding over the years which should have helped us take those risks. It a great pity RTÉ was terribly mismanaged over the years.”

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122569337#Comment_122569337

Let clear this up further. In fairness to RTÉ Linehan and Matthews had both worked on Nighthawks on Network 2, prior to leaving for the UK. Almost all Irish comedy output was developed in the UK. Why would Linehan and Matthews approach RTÉ with Fr Ted when they as you say had those contacts in the UK who were clearly interested in their work.

The UK's comedy scene was in full swing, as I said for Mr. Bakhurst "they have a vast history of strong comedy".

It is daft to think that RTÉ could not afford Fr. Ted but could afford "Upwardly Mobile", RTÉ de-facto (for want of a better word) rejected Fr Ted because it failed over the years to develop comedy, and Linehan and Matthews understood that they probably wouldn't have been able to work for RTÉ for this reason.

They are being nice to RTÉ.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122568591#Comment_122568591

How do you even become and "Adventurer"? Is it climbing Croke Patrick or something?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122569805#Comment_122569805

I think you are asking the wrong question… how do you become an A-Lister in the eyes of RTÉ?

climb Croke Patrick or something? 😁