RTE Cutbacks The Plan

nkl12xtw5goz70

Lots of people work hard, but the average Irish full-time worker earns less than 10% of what Tubridy does.

Duane Dibbley

When RTE try to defend their position

TallGlass2

I see Covneys brother is a director there, apart from that, I see he is going in for the LOLz

'He points to the success the RTÉ Player had during the Rugby World Cup, when 300,000 people streamed the Ireland versus Russia game on a Thursday morning.'

Brock Turnpike

Just read that Independent article. I didn't think it was possible for someone to be as far out of touch with reality as Dee Forbes is. "Leading by example" but taking a 10% pay cut off her €338k salary. The smallest percentage paycut of all the cuts announced yesterday.

nkl12xtw5goz70

On Radio 1, Tubridy just delivered a meandering monologue covering Gay Byrne's funeral, The Muppets, the fall of the Berlin Wall, seeing U2 live in Berlin when he was a young fella, fake fur vs real fur, and the Great British Bake-Off.

This sounds like such hard work.

Boggles

Noemi Shapely Weakling wrote: »

-- RTE's lack of objectivity. Many see that RTE's programming is biased toward the left-wing agenda, with disproportionate coverage given to perennial socialist malcontents such as Paul Murphy and Richard Boyd Barrett. Even Pat Rabbitte formerly questioned why RTE, while giving extensive coverage to the campaign against water charges,

What an absolute load of bollíx, Pat was seldom off RTE FFS.

100s of 1000s of people marched against the absolute pure money grab Irish Water was, Pat was part of the government who tried to shoe horn it in with threats and he is giving out about the media covering the story?

What an absolute Cretin.

woohoo!!!

From reading the link to the secret rte producer that a poster previously put up, it's there that they need to start. Get rid of useless people, I'm sure they all know who they are. Get rid of the arcane cos I'm worth it work practices. Promote and bring it folk who are actually good at their job. This would lead to rubbish being dropped, better new stuff coming on stream. If they get in/promote the right people, then better informed as to future major decisions.

Stop budgeting for 100% license collection rate. Get An Post in, set incremental targets for collection rate increase with bonuses for exceeding targets and penalties for missing targets. If they're not up to the job, terminate contract and re-tender.

zeebre12

Even in the Limerick studios for Lyric FM shown on the news yesterday. 10/12 in the office. What could they be all doing? It's a radio station that plays a few classical tunes with a presenter. What is there to it?

trixiebust

lisasimpson wrote: »

She reallly isnt doing the cause any favours there is she

Honestly, really irked me how they depicted their demise on Six1 last night.

Varta

A public service broadcaster the the public doesn't want. Close it.

Boggles

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Just read that Independent article. I didn't think it was possible for someone to be as far out of touch with reality as Dee Forbes is. "Leading by example" but taking a 10% pay cut off her €338k salary. The smallest percentage paycut of all the cuts announced yesterday.

She shouldn't have to lead by example or take a pay cut. This thinking infuriates me.

She isn't some simpleton who got the job because of time spent lingering around RTE or the "right" people.

She was actively head hunted and brought to the table a wealth of experience.

She ain't Joe Duffy, she could leave in a heartbeat and walk into a myriad of plumb roles around the globe.

The problems at RTE won't be fixed overnight, there is 50-60 years of institution to untangle.

I don't agree with everything she says, but she is making some right noises.

She deserves the chance primarily because she is infinitely more qualified than anyone here and probably anyone that has assumed the role before.

Plumbthedepths

Boggles wrote: »

She shouldn't have to lead by example or take a pay cut. This thinking infuriates me.

She isn't some simpleton who got the job because of time spent lingering around RTE or the "right" people.

She was actively head hunted and brought to the table a wealth of experience.

She ain't Joe Duffy, she could leave in a heartbeat and walk into a myriad of plumb roles around the globe.

The problems at RTE won't be fixed overnight, there is 50-60 years of institution to untangle.

I don't agree with everything she says, but she is making some right noises.

She deserves the chance primarily because she is infinitely more qualified than anyone here and probably anyone that has assumed the role before.

Zero credibility when she compares the responsibility of a TV presenter with the office of the Taoiseach.
With a delusional mindset like that maybe she take that walk you mentioned.

carq

Some RTE head on the radio actually pointing to Doireann garrihy as exciting new talent worthy of our licence fee.
He completely swerved the question on RTE played not being fit for purpose.
The thing is a sham with the played freezing on ad break or else ads repeating 10x times .

How can Virgin media survive without a 200m per annum injection?

Joke shop organisation

tomwaits48

Noemi Shapely Weakling wrote: »

On Radio 1, Tubridy just delivered a meandering monologue covering Gay Byrne's funeral, The Muppets, the fall of the Berlin Wall, seeing U2 live in Berlin when he was a young fella, fake fur vs real fur, and the Great British Bake-Off.

This sounds like such hard work.

I do love reading the thoughts of all the broadcast experts that have the time to post on boards.

TallGlass2

Boggles wrote: »

She was actively head hunted and brought to the table a wealth of experience.

No she wasn't she left Discovery Networks to come back to Ireland.

“Although it was a tough professional decision to leave Discovery, the personal decision to return to Ireland and lead its biggest broadcaster, RTÉ, is an opportunity of a lifetime,” she said on Friday

And also.

'The RTÉ board met on Friday to approve the selection of Ms Forbes, who was successful in an independent competitive process.'

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/dee-forbes-appointed-next-director-general-of-rt%C3%A9-1.2595208

She's had ample time now to get a grip on this mess and has done nothing more than window dress and addressed none of the underlining issues at RTE, instead it has sold off land and art work, along with going cap in hand to the government to get the tax payer to bail it out.

Also, Joe and Co could walk today if they wish, they are contractors. RTE should be telling them what to do, instead it's the other way around in RTE, the contractor tells RTE what to do.

TallGlass2

tomwaits48 wrote: »

I do love reading the thoughts of all the broadcast experts that have the time to post on boards.

You don't need to be an expert to see that the license fee payee is been taking for a ride by RTE.

Elmo

carq wrote: »

How can Virgin media survive without a 200m per annum injection?

They can't if you've not noticed. Virgin Meida Television is own by one of Ireland's largest telecoms companies, who since buying the 3 channels have reduce all programming on those channels. They have cut back massively on Prime Time productions, many of which are part funded by the licence fee.

She's had ample time now to get a grip on this mess and has done nothing more than window dress and addressed none of the underlining issues at RTE, instead it has sold off land and art work, along with going cap in hand to the government to get the tax payer to bail it out.

Her approach has been the same of that as Noel Curran, who did nothing during his time as DG. This is disappointing but she cannot be blamed alone, following from how badly run the service was from 2010 to 2016, when she arrived.

Zird

zeebre12 wrote: »

Even in the Limerick studios for Lyric FM shown on the news yesterday. 10/12 in the office. What could they be all doing? It's a radio station that plays a few classical tunes with a presenter. What is there to it?

Indeed and an number of lyric programs are already broadcasting from Dublin for many years, Marty Whelan's breakfast show and John Kelly's mystery train for example.

Boggles

TallGlass2 wrote: »

No she wasn't she left Discovery Networks to come back to Ireland.

She lived in Ireland.

TallGlass2 wrote: »

She's had ample time now to get a grip on this mess and has done nothing more than window dress and addressed none of the underlining issues at RTE, instead it has sold off land and art work, along with going cap in hand to the government to get the tax payer to bail it out.

What is wrong with selling off land and artwork?

Brock Turnpike

Boggles wrote: »

She shouldn't have to lead by example or take a pay cut. This thinking infuriates me.

She isn't some simpleton who got the job because of time spent lingering around RTE or the "right" people.

She was actively head hunted and brought to the table a wealth of experience.

She ain't Joe Duffy, she could leave in a heartbeat and walk into a myriad of plumb roles around the globe.

The problems at RTE won't be fixed overnight, there is 50-60 years of institution to untangle.

I don't agree with everything she says, but she is making some right noises.

She deserves the chance primarily because she is infinitely more qualified than anyone here and probably anyone that has assumed the role before.

Yet she hasn't shown any innovative thinking since she got the the job. She keeps returning to the license fee over and over again.

Do you personally know her, or some of the other RTE staffers? You've get consistently defending them throughout the whole thread.

TallGlass2

Boggles wrote: »

She lived in Ireland.

What is wrong with selling off land and artwork?

As quoted in the link I gave, she said she was returning to Ireland. My point was, she wasn't in any way shape or form, head hunted as you put it.

Whats wrong with it? It's not a long term solution.

The culture in RTE needs to change, RTE is trying to compete against, Netflix, Amazon, Sky and a whole host of other media. The gravy train is over. RTE don't want to give itup, and I certainly don't want to fund it either. The DG is in charge, and needs to take the lead and start really making changes that will help RTE, IE scaling it back and making it a profitable PSB.

Boggles

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Yet she hasn't shown any innovative thinking since she got the the job. She keeps returning to the license fee over and over again.

She just announced a 60 million cut in 3 years.

I agree with her, evasion is a problem, the free loaders should be made pay.

As for an increase in a fee or a general charge, absolutely not.

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Do you personally know her, or some of the other RTE staffers? You've get consistently defending them throughout the whole thread.

No, what I am not doing is ranting and raving and talking out of my hairy hole like the vast majority banging on about Public Television, Ireland isn't unique, the BBC get fair slated too.

But I once had a pint with Bella after a table quiz many years ago.

Nice fella.

Does that count?

Stovepipe

Not a thing. Every Dublin developer would sell his first born to get land off the RTE "campus", so there's a good few quid to be made there. As for the art, flogging it is a populist thing, that would probably earn very little. Regarding the license fee, the collection system is outdated and inefficient and RTE have flagged this to the Govt for years but An Post lobbies harder so RTE are stuck with collecting it the old way, hence the finger-wagging ads about the license fee. Countries like France and Germany include it in the property tax and have done so for years; you refuse to pay it in France or Germany and the Revenue/tax police/federal customs will appear at your door and start making pointy enquiries, so it's easier to pay it and avoid their attention.

Boggles

TallGlass2 wrote: »

As quoted in the link I gave, she said she was returning to Ireland. My point was, she wasn't in any way shape or form, head hunted as you put it.

How do you know, who else was considered for the job?

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Whats wrong with it? It's not a long term solution.

It wasn't meant to be.

TallGlass2 wrote: »

The culture in RTE needs to change....The DG is in charge, and needs to take the lead and start really making changes that will help RTE, IE scaling it back and making it a profitable PSB.

Exactly, you can't change a culture over night.

Sleepy

Instead of importing expensive entertainment shows like Desperate Housewives or Eastenders which serve no public service remit, RTE should be talking to other English language Public Service Broadcasters when they require additional cheap content to pad out their schedules. I'm sure they could even work out exchange deals for some of their own archives (thinking of some of their historic content like Strumpet City, Paths to Freedom etc.). There's surely huge scope for this to improve their public service remit, I'm thinking of PBS shows like the "New Yankee Workshop" and "Sesame Street" i.e. educational content that decent minorities of the population would be interested in but which should be extremely cheap to acquire.

There is no need, however, to attempt to compete for expensive content that's available elsewhere to the Irish television viewer (particularly English soaps or premiership football). By all means they should continue to produce the likes of Winning Streak and the Lyrics Board if they're cheap to make and draw good ratings. There's a good argument for continuing to commission stuff like Room to Improve, First Dates and the occasional drama show like Dublin Murders, Love / Hate etc. but it needs to be done on a commercial basis and with a much tighter focus on quality rather than whose son / daughter / niece / grandson is fronting it.

Pikey

Could they cut the Angelus? How much would that save?

TallGlass2

Boggles wrote: »

How do you know, who else was considered for the job?

It wasn't meant to be.

Exactly, you can't change a culture over night.

On the subject of been headhunted, it would be great if you could stop trying to divert from what you stated. However, I will bite only to humor you at this stage.

I am not that invested in the recruitment process that I would ask for a FOI for who applied for the role.

Again, I have point to evidence she applied via an open competitive process, you have not given evidence that states she was head hunted by RTE and the only one to apply for the role.

I don't get your reply 'It wasn't meant to be', the fact you acknowledge it's not a long term solution when what RTE really needs is long term solutions, not fire quick sales of assets.

Boggles

TallGlass2 wrote: »

I don't get your reply 'It wasn't meant to be', the fact you acknowledge it's not a long term solution when what RTE really needs is long term solutions, not fire quick sales of assets.

You were complaining about her going fleecing the tax payer with cap in hand, selling off assets negated the amount. No one claimed it was a long term solution.

She has announced 60m in cuts in 3 years.

So if you are judging her on how much the tax payer has to pay, her track record so far is admirable.

Wouldn't you agree?

nkl12xtw5goz70

Boggles wrote: »

Exactly, you can't change a culture over night.

Nobody expects overnight change, but Forbes has been in the job for three and a half years.

In his first three years as CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella entirely transformed the company's culture. He removed redundant middle management, reoriented employees toward innovation, listened to customers' needs, and ultimately led Microsoft to the financial milestone of a $1 trillion market cap.

In her 3+ year tenure at RTE to date, Forbes has done little other than make some cosmetic cuts and whinge to politicians about the TV licence.

Nadella has 145,000 employees under him and managed to change the entire culture in short order; Forbes has about 1,850 under her and hasn't managed to change a thing.

Elmo

I'd say were being slight unfair to the DG. I agree that after nearly 4 years there should have been more change.

I don't think the 20 million supposed cuts that she as announced will materialise.

1. 7million of that is actually from the Department of Arts as they will merge the NSO with NCH in 2020, a budget of €1m was given for that change in the Budget.

2. I only see about 6million worth of saving in the change to their services.

3. By moving sport to RTÉ ONE you in effect loss an audience on RTÉ2, I don't think that this loss of audience will be migigated against by higher audiences on ONE and better performance of their online content (Even if RTÉ Player issues are ironed out).

4. Staff cuts won't amount to a yearly saving of another 8million required.

5. Where will the get the money for high end drama? What will its budget be?