RTE Cutbacks The Plan

elperello

An alternative take on RTE's problems

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/time-to-stop-hyperventilating-about-rt%C3%A9-s-finances-and-take-calm-decisions-1.4090935

https://extra.ie/2019/10/15/entertainment/celebrity/joe-duffy-defends-rte-salary

Ok go so Joe....someone out of media/journalism school or some local radio presenter could do his job for a fraction of that exorbitant wage

elperello

Alena Purring Manager wrote: »

https://extra.ie/2019/10/15/entertainment/celebrity/joe-duffy-defends-rte-salary

Ok go so Joe....someone out of media/journalism school or some local radio presenter could do his job for a fraction of that exorbitant wage

Whatever about the pay I would caution against any notion of replacing him with someone such as you suggest.

It would be unfair to an inexperienced person to put them in charge of Liveline and I don't know any local presenter who would be up to the job.

megatron989

end of the road wrote: »

people have been ranting here and elsewhere over salaries, yet when the NUJ discuss it it's deflection?
you do realise that any job losses will quite likely be the people who actually need to be kept rather then those "stars" who genuinely don't contribute anything to the service? and no i'm not saying that all of the "stars" don't contribute something, a few of them probably do even if i don't rate them myself.
so, yeah, it's probably not surprising the NUJ would bring this up, given some of their members will no doubt be effected. if they didn't bother people would be whinging and ranting on here over it.
and with respect while i have no doubt there is some waste within the organisation, tweats from an "insider" don't really mean anything. anyone of us could set up a twitter account, claim to be an insider, and start telling people with already preconseived ideas what they want to hear.



and how would you know? how much is it going to cost to shut it down and start it back up again?
where are all of these talented people with the experience going to come from to replace all of the staff who you have decided are all non-talented without basis?
yes there are some who have no talent, certainly in front of the camera, but to suggest every single person working in the company isn't talented is hyperbole.



nope, not joke of a company, not ran and staffed by clowns as a whole.
company with some easily solved issues, with probably a few people who shouldn't be there, but no doubt people who are actually good at their jobs, working behind the sceens, just getting on.

How are they deflecting? By ignoring their own over payment by trying to turn the public attention to the 'stars' and not on the regular staff which are also overpaid.

Proof of everything is in the product. And in this case, the product is absolute rubbish both in content and presentation. Compared to any other channel, rte looks 15 years out of date. I can admit that's objectionable and opinion based but if 99% of viewers agree and 1% don't then I'd maybe consider that you've just as bad taste as the rte staff.

Your post, a reply to valid criticism of rte echoed by most here, shows me all I need to know tbh. How's the weather in donnybrook today?

Brendan Bendar

megatron989 wrote: »

How are they deflecting? By ignoring their own over payment by trying to turn the public attention to the 'stars' and not on the regular staff which are also overpaid.

Proof of everything is in the product. And in this case, the product is absolute rubbish both in content and presentation. Compared to any other channel, rte looks 15 years out of date. I can admit that's objectionable and opinion based but if 99% of viewers agree and 1% don't then I'd maybe consider that you've just as bad taste as the rte staff.

Your post, a reply to valid criticism of rte echoed by most here, shows me all I need to know tbh. How's the weather in donnybrook today?

Good post, but while I wouldn’t overly criticize the RTE output, I don’t watch too much to be honest,but, the elephant in the room has finally come back to become the main issue.

And that is the obscene salaries paid to the ‘stars’.

Now we all know that even if you got rid of all of the ‘stars’ it wouldn’t even make a dent on RTEs financial issues, but, successive managements have ignored public disquiet and incredulity at the level of these salaries, and now its back to scupper any hope of public support for a bail out.

Let’s get a few things in perspective there have been prospective job losses in Cork, Galway, and the Midlands...guts of 800 involved , these are not voluntary.

Meanwhile in Montrose there is talk of 200 voluntary redundancies, no doubt with good ‘packages’ and look at the publicity

Something doesn’t add up here, and certain contributors here who usually are four square behind the ‘workers’ seem to think that the NUJ are ‘offside’ in their input to this issue.

Strange indeed, verrrry strange.......hmmmm

end of the road

megatron989 wrote: »

How are they deflecting? By ignoring their own over payment by trying to turn the public attention to the 'stars' and not on the regular staff which are also overpaid.

and how do you know they are over paid? what metric are you using to determine such?

megatron989 wrote: »

Proof of everything is in the product. And in this case, the product is absolute rubbish both in content and presentation. Compared to any other channel, rte looks 15 years out of date. I can admit that's objectionable and opinion based but if 99% of viewers agree and 1% don't then I'd maybe consider that you've just as bad taste as the rte staff.

no, proof of everything is not in the product. proof of the quality of the specific product is in the product.
so i would suggest therefore your claim that all behind the camera and infront of it are not talented and need to be replaced with talented people who it seems we are just going to magic up out of thin air? doesn't really stack up.
as i said there are some in front of the camera who aren't talented, but that is hugely different to stating that all working within the organisation aren't.
ultimately people will have to work with what equipment they have, if the equipment is old yet reliable then things will look dated, rte will then replace when the time comes. if they were to replace when what they have works, no doubt people would be complaining about that as well.

megatron989 wrote: »

Your post, a reply to valid criticism of rte echoed by most here, shows me all I need to know tbh. How's the weather in donnybrook today?

your post wasn't valid criticism, but a mix of hyperbole and generalisation from what i could see.
even if most people here echoe it, that doesn't automatically make the point valid or correct.

SPDUB

Matt Barrett wrote: »

To paraphrase Mr. Rabbit, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel must be sh*tting themselves

Is that the same Mr Rabbit who sat on an application by RTE to drop the kids programming on RTE2 for 18 months until RTE got the message and withdrew it

jmayo

The sooner RTE is gone the better.

It no longer even pretends to be an objective public service broadcaster.
Yes I know it was always a bit iffy as a proper independent objective public service broadcaster as the government of the day held the purse strings, the catholic church was too influential to really take on and the place seemed to be invested by labour types at one stage.

But now it has turned into a complete farce.
Any time there is even a sniff of a debate on immigration we hear the hymm sheet being followed with some added asylum industry vested guests to get their spake in.

Today we had discussion about a new bright spark idea by that gimp minister from Stepaside and who was on to talk about something affecting motorists.

No not Conor Faulkner of the AA, no not someone from Roads Safety Authority, but someone from a cycling organisation.

Jaysus christ on a bike who the fook runs RTE current affairs these days.


Next week I expect to hear someone from Students Union of Ireland on to discuss respite for the old.

Brendan Bendar

jmayo wrote: »

The sooner RTE is gone the better.

It no longer even pretends to be an objective public service broadcaster.
Yes I know it was always a bit iffy as a proper independent objective public service broadcaster as the government of the day held the purse strings, the catholic church was too influential to really take on and the place seemed to be invested by labour types at one stage.

But now it has turned into a complete farce.
Any time there is even a sniff of a debate on immigration we hear the hymm sheet being followed with some added asylum industry vested guests to get their spake in.

Today we had discussion about a new bright spark idea by that gimp minister from Stepaside and who was on to talk about something affecting motorists.

No not Conor Faulkner of the AA, no not someone from Roads Safety Authority, but someone from a cycling organisation.

Jaysus christ on a bike who the fook runs RTE current affairs these days.


Next week I expect to hear someone from Students Union of Ireland on to discuss respite for the old.

Not quite on topic maybe but has anyone noticed the attitude RTE have taken towards the GOVT.

Since the redundancy stuff and pay cuts out in Montrose, they have zeroed in on Ross, the printing machine, the Wexford by election etc etc.

Now not saying there wasn’t the Govts fault in there but just look out for an ‘attack dog’ excerpt in all the main news and news magazine progs.

Especially up to the by election time....

odyssey06

Brendan Bendar wrote: »

Not quite on topic maybe but has anyone noticed the attitude RTE have taken towards the GOVT.
Since the redundancy stuff and pay cuts out in Montrose, they have zeroed in on Ross, the printing machine, the Wexford by election etc etc.
Now not saying there wasn’t the Govts fault in there but just look out for an ‘attack dog’ excerpt in all the main news and news magazine progs. Especially up to the by election time....

This is why they shouldn't be funded from general taxation.

James Brown

elperello wrote: »

Whatever about the pay I would caution against any notion of replacing him with someone such as you suggest.

It would be unfair to an inexperienced person to put them in charge of Liveline and I don't know any local presenter who would be up to the job.

Yet if Lottie Ryan is looking for a nixer or some nephew of tubbs, they're the perfect pick.

Brendan Bendar

Here we go now ....listen to this excerpt on Drivetime right now.

Loafing Oaf

odyssey06 wrote: »

This is why they shouldn't be funded from general taxation.

Couldn't the same be said for the licence fee, as long as the government controls the level of it?

odyssey06

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Couldn't the same be said for the licence fee, as long as the government controls the level of it?

To a certain extent but the licence fee increase would be seen immediately by the public, which puts a bit of a brake on it.
When it comes to shouting for their share of the general taxation pie, RTE have the loudest voice.

dublinman1990

One thing is for sure. Their sports coverage presentation is getting better & better.

Their studio in-use for the Champions League match between Real Madrid & PSG tonight looks absolutely beautiful. If they keep this standard up for the remainder of their games with including games from The European Qualifiers & Euro 2020. RTÉ sports coverage of events like this will have a very bright future.

elperello

odyssey06 wrote: »

To a certain extent but the licence fee increase would be seen immediately by the public, which puts a bit of a brake on it.
When it comes to shouting for their share of the general taxation pie, RTE have the loudest voice.

I think the licence should be and replaced with funding from general taxation.

That would spread the cost over all taxpayers and end the nonsense of trying to see who has what device.

A carefully drafted Public Broadcasting Funding Act. could take control over RTE funding away from any future Government.

elperello

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Yet if Lottie Ryan is looking for a nixer or some nephew of tubbs, they're the perfect pick.

I have never heard Lottie Ryan or the nephew of Ryan.
To expand a little I think that Liveline needs a reasonably experienced broadcaster to make the most of it's unique format.

odyssey06

elperello wrote: »

I think the licence should be and replaced with funding from general taxation. That would spread the cost over all taxpayers and end the nonsense of trying to see who has what device.
A carefully drafted Public Broadcasting Funding Act. could take control over RTE funding away from any future Government.

Agreed it shouldn't be set by any future government directly but I also think it will be difficult to insulate whatever quango controls it from regulatory capture by RTE.

Loafing Oaf

elperello wrote: »

I think the licence should be and replaced with funding from general taxation.

That would spread the cost over all taxpayers and end the nonsense of trying to see who has what device.

Which will be even more of a nonsense if the new “device-independent broadcasting charge” comes in. If the idea of a 'licence' is that it gives people who don't use the service the opportunity to opt out, who exactly will not be eligible for the new one? The Holy Hill hermits and a couple of farmers in west Kerry?

Brendan Bendar

elperello wrote: »

I think the licence should be and replaced with funding from general taxation.

That would spread the cost over all taxpayers and end the nonsense of trying to see who has what device.

A carefully drafted Public Broadcasting Funding Act. could take control over RTE funding away from any future Government.

Lovely, bury the whole lot in general taxation an look forward to the ‘stars’ stiffing the taxpayer for even more moolah.

Here’s the deal ..license fee plus ad revenue, there’s your budget, stay within it or shut the fuuuukre up.

That will soon stop the outlandish fees and conditions out there.

Take a pay cut or hawk yourself to someone else dude.


It ain’t a rest home.

elperello

odyssey06 wrote: »

Agreed it shouldn't be set by any future government directly but I also think it will be difficult to insulate whatever quango controls it from regulatory capture by RTE.

Difficult but not impossible.

The whole debate from my point of view hinges on whether you see a value in Public Service Broadcasting or not.

Why leave it to the politicians to kick around if it is a public good we need to take ownership.

TV like radio free at point of use and funded by all is the way to go.

odyssey06

elperello wrote: »

Difficult but not impossible.
The whole debate from my point of view hinges on whether you see a value in Public Service Broadcasting or not.
Why leave it to the politicians to kick around if it is a public good we need to take ownership.
TV like radio free at point of use and funded by all is the way to go.

It can be of value but it can also be a threat if it abuses its position and gets too big for its boots. Needs to be kept on a short leash.

elperello

odyssey06 wrote: »

It can be of value but it can also be a threat if it abuses its position and gets too big for its boots. Needs to be kept on a short leash.

A quid pro quo for putting Public Service Broadcasting on a sustainable footing would be that it becomes "Serve the Public Broadcasting".

Double O Seven

Almost one year on & not a single one of these cuts implemented. RTE making fools out of the public with fake news like usual.

da_miser

Answer me this, SKY News or BBC with a huge budget will have 1 presenter doing the News, RTE will have 4-5 in the studio doing the 6:01 news, why?
They are just reading from a teleprompter, one can do the job, 1 million a year saved right there!

ILoveYourVibes

da_miser wrote: »

Answer me this, SKY News or BBC with a huge budget will have 1 presenter doing the News, RTE will have 4-5 in the studio doing the 6:01 news, why?
They are just reading from a teleprompter, one can do the job, 1 million a year saved right there!

I think you over estimate how much they are paid. But you have a point.

ILoveYourVibes

TBH get rid of RTE at this point.

The J Stands for Jay

Double O Seven wrote: »

Almost one year on & not a single one of these cuts implemented. RTE making fools out of the public with fake news like usual.

Ah now, didn't they move some programmes from rte 2 to rte 1 and that magically saved money?

Blanco100

Anyone else experience a sense of annoyance/amusement and Tubridys regular fluff musings in the RTE guide and the likes? How he wants to instill a sense of irishness to proceedings and letting everyone know hes got a master plan for the toy show.

The guy really has his finger on the pulse for the hard issues.

Its like hes still a newbie after so long presenting the show

Kivaro

When the severe economic hardship arrives in Ireland as a result of Covid19, and it will arrive in the form of tax increases, service cuts, and austerity measures (but they won't call it austerity), RTE will be front and centre demanding that the public should do their part and suck up this pain.

Meanwhile, they will continue to pay their "talent" and staff outrageous salaries and will continue to provide the already tax-overburdened public with piss poor quality service and biased reporting.
Changes to RTE need to come from the outside, as it certainly will not happen from within.