RTÉ News !!Rant Alert!!

Telefís

Apologies for the length of this rant – have to admit to being a bit scared at it myself - it kinda got out of control the more enraged I got

Here’s a list of the host of faults I find with RTÉ Television News – having observed and been generally obsessed with it over many years. Some are bigger than others, and you'll probably find some of them a bit nit-pickey but anyway...

Studio
Lighting, lighting, lighting: it’s so harsh. Hard shadows are often conspicuous and the backlighting on newsreader’s shoulders is regularly too bright.
Set: what’s with the acres of sticky-back roll-on veneer tacked onto the desk? And as for the desk’s design, it looks like it’s a cast off from a Star Trek movie.
Microphones
What is with the poley yokes to the left of the desk for interviews with guests?? They always stick crassly into shot (as per Prime Time). Why not a double lapel mic like everyone else?
In-Studio Display Monitor
Why did they use an LCD - the RTÉ News logo was burned into it since the day the set was launched and is evident with every whiteish image displayed on it. Why not use a flatscreen CRT with a flicker eliminator? And why is it 16:9, crassly stretching the 4:3 image on it? What’s wrong with a 4:3 monitor – not space-age enough? Also on News Two, the reflection of the autocue and camera can be seen in the monitor behind the newsreader due to clumsy framing and set design.
Chroma Key
There’s nearly always a flickering white line at the top or bottom of the superimposed pic in the set for the opening story of Nine O’Clock – clumsy.
Framing & Composition
An issue of personal taste I know, but newsreaders, especially Anne Doyle, are often given too much headroom. Doyle in particular looks so much better when high up in the shot rather than lumped down at the bottom as if she’s slouching. News directors should be noticing little nuances like this.
VTs
They constantly constantly constantly incorrectly cue in VT reports, cutting off the first few words of the reporter. This is completely unprofessional and totally unacceptable and yet rarely does a bulletin go by without this happening at least once. Also they don’t allow sufficient lead-in time even when they do get it right; there should be a pleasant two second delay with pictures speaking for themselves before the reporter’s v/o cuts in, rather than the v/o blasting in the second after the newsreader finishes speaking.
Headlines
The VT package of headline images often does not allow sufficient time for the newsreader to deliver the headline before it cuts to the next, and often the sig tune and graphics kick in at the end before the newsreader has even finished – again clumsy and unprofessional.
Regional Studio Link-ups
What is with that horrendous background board of the RTÉ News graphic that’s used for these segments. It is the worst backdrop I have ever seen on television - not only does it look awful, it’s also so amateurish and parochial to use such a cardboard or pull-down blind backdrop – why not use a chromakey image of the studio location, which most if not all of RTÉ’s regional studios are equipped with?
Especially with the Leinster House studio on Kildare St – it is farcical that there isn’t a decent live image of Leinster House streamed to a backdrop; all they have to do is point a camera across the road out of the feckin window. Those boards with harps on them etc are utterly ridiculous in 2005 and look terrible so close to the subject – it makes them look like they’re sitting in their bedroom…


Reports
There’s big problems in reports. Many of the reporters are excellent, but also many of them are awful, not least the newest recruits from the How to be a TV Journalist degree courses, notably the likes of Samantha Libreri, all of whom deliver their reports like a seven year old reading a prayer at their First Confession, pronouncing each word individually and in a fashion so stilted as to make you cringe. Slurring the t and pronouncing news as noos are also standard traits.

But the biggest problem with reports, as has always been the case with RTÉ, is the station’s total inability to work with the medium of television. They treat news as visual radio, slap down a heap of generic images over voiceovers and deliver it as television. Reports are rarely carefully crafted pieces of television like the BBC or ITV. The scripts aren’t written to complement images, images aren’t chosen to work with voiceover, and to-camera pieces aren’t recorded in a manner to blend seamlessly into the report – mostly they just burst in at the end of the report with a blast of traffic in the background just to ‘prove’ the reporter was at the location.
Stories aren’t created like other stations do, with interesting visuals at the start, a mellow and pleasant voiceover coming in, well shot interview inserts with clean sound, long slow shots instead of RTÉ’s harsh cut cut cut, to tell the story in a simple fashion, and finished off with beautifully composed to-camera pieces by reporters who can deliver to camera properly and in a dignified fashion, with nice audio, perfect framing and not a mic in sight. This type of production is practically non-existent with RTÉ.
Audio is a big problem, way too often atmos drowns out the voiceover, edits are sharp and use no fading and to-camera pieces are constantly recorded in noisy places unnecessarily.
RTÉ have so much to learn in compiling reports that it is impossible to exaggerate the problems here. The only reporter that is capable of doing this is Seán Wheelan, Europe Editor. His reports are slick, to the point, well assembled, well shot and feature excellent deliverance to camera. He has a decent editor/camera-op who knows what works well and sticks to it.
What is most frustrating about reports and so simple to resolve is the ridiculous use of microphones with the RTÉ emblazoned block attached. It is an awful, crass, naff, Americanised drivel of a practice and should be banned in the station. To see even Charlie Bird being forced to use it outside Govt Bldgs is cringe-worthy – and it’s only a recent development. There’s an RTÉ banner at the top of the screen, there is no need for any logo to be in shot, let alone microphones themselves – leave that type of crap to TV3.


SOCR
Another big gripe I have is this latest gimmick of RTÉ, the SOCR, or ‘single operator control room’ which is used for late night bulletins. Specifically the bulletin on late Friday nights is just appalling in every respect. It has to be seen to be believed – at every level it is crass and unprofessional, you’d never in a million years think that it was the output of a state broadcaster. The opening sig blasts onto screen, both the sound and picture, with the image for some reason having a shimmering line flickering in and out at the bottom. On most of the bulletins there’s a strange black bar at the bottom of the screen which shoves the whole picture up an inch or so.
The graphic or title bars used at the beginning of reports are appalling – the lower and upper bands don’t even align! The text is a terrible bold font and sinks into the bottom of the banner and they often don’t dissolve gently onto screen.
The newsreader is shrouded in a mysterious mist of some description, i.e. the image quality is atrocious, likewise with the lighting. And too often the picture composition is equally woeful. No dissolves are ever used to introduce or end reports and again they are often mis-cued.
Newsreaders
Finally, why pray tell is Aengus Mac Grianna employed as a newsreader – not only is he as stilted and unnatural as a concrete post, he cannot even string a sentence together without stumbling or stuttering.
Also Sharon Ní Bheolán, despite her appearance, is the worst newsreader on RTÉ after Mac Grianna – she’s harsh, crass, her voice cracks through your head like a screeching cat, and she cannot ask a question without looking down at her notes at least three times.


Ah, feel better now for letting off that steam - there’s quite a few more gripes I have but these’ll do for the moment .
Obviously not all the problems are major ones, and rarely do they all or mostly combine on a single bulletin, but they are all unacceptable in their own way and ought to be resolved.
To give the News Dept some credit, their afternoon bulletins are usually excellently produced and shot, and some elements of the mainstream bulletins are also impressive, not least the picture quality of the five studio cameras which is just the best you’re ever likely to see this side of HD – it is crystal clear.

mike65

You scare me at times too.!

I'd agree with your observations regarding the technical side of presentation, RTE has never been at the races in this regard. I think the whole six-one studio is an asthetic bombsite/

The over emphisis is reporters is not just an RTE thing (check out those fupping ITV weather wimmin) but certainly its particularly bad among some, I blame the legacy of Charley Bird.

Lighting - RTE just does'nt know how. Its not like they cant see others doing it better but they just cant help themselves shining a "Super Trooper" over the heads of those on-screen. Other programmes like Prime Time, the Late Late etc are no better.

Sound mixing again always very bad, they have'nt got an audio "ducker" it seems.

I could go on!

Mike.

Telefís

Please do

Lighting is always the issue raised when anyone mentions RTÉ's production values - why is it so harsh etc.
The low ceiling in the newsroom - studio 3, doesn't help for the news but still, how is it that the BBC can get it so perfect as to make it appear as if there's no lighting on the newsreader at all?! Have a look the next time - it is extraordinary how discreet it is.

Here's part of the newsroom - put the sunglasses on

That's another thing - the floor's always covered in scuffmarks...

Here's another view - captured mid-dissolve


Does anyone know how the chroma key image is generated here - they don't use the bluescreen/greenscreen method...

simu

I'm impressed by your knowledge of TV production, RTE. I'll certainly be watching the news more critically from now on!

Telefís

Also known as making it up as you go along

But if I got my hands on that control room I'm tellin ya, there'd be slaps...

Elmo

Also known as making it up as you go along

Isn't that RTE's moto?

Telefís

My point exactly

Suppose just to clarify, I'm not in any way associated with RTÉ - not a disgruntled pre-licence-increase-chopped-staff member Just an irritable interested crank

Upon reflection not the best username to come up with...:o

dearg_doom

lol on 2fm(still RTE) over the weekend I heard the news, but the poor girl must of been confused between the civil service and the secret service:

'..mourning the death of the Italian secret servant in Iraq"

:rollseyes:

mycroft

Does anyone know how the chroma key image is generated here - they don't use the bluescreen/greenscreen method...

How do You know, I'm assuming they do.

RTE news output is very shabby.

However, we have a problem.

We get to every night compare it to three of the largest best funded, and just well best news services in the world.

Sky news, ITN, and the BBC.

If you want to draw a comparisson compare RTE news, to UTV news or BBC northern Ireland, or any of the smaller EU countries, that just don't have the news budget of ITV et all. You'll see RTE hold up very well.

But I'll try and answer a few points.

Lighting, lighting, lighting: it’s so harsh. Hard shadows are often conspicuous and the backlighting on newsreader’s shoulders is regularly too bright.

The light is harsh but it's a small stage, theres not much they can do. Compare RTE news with Sky Ireland for a simlar feel.

Microphones

No idea why they don't use a lapel mike. Ask their soundmen.

In-Studio Display Monitor

Good point. And you're right. But they don't do flat screens in 4:3 so if they wanted to use flatscreens.

VTs

Thats a bone of contention for me, I've regularly had contact with RTE via tech specs and to describe them as lazy and incompedent would be an insult to students everywhere. RTE VT ops are notoriously sloppy and lazy, and just job for life geezers.

But the biggest problem with reports, as has always been the case with RTÉ, is the station’s total inability to work with the medium of television. They treat news as visual radio, slap down a heap of generic images over voiceovers and deliver it as television. Reports are rarely carefully crafted pieces of television like the BBC or ITV. The scripts aren’t written to complement images, images aren’t chosen to work with voiceover, and to-camera pieces aren’t recorded in a manner to blend seamlessly into the report – mostly they just burst in at the end of the report with a blast of traffic in the background just to ‘prove’ the reporter was at the location.

And I'd agree with you. I've interacted with the RTE newsroom and the insitutaionised sloppiness is carried over across the depart and on many many levels. This is combined with a steady degree of arrogance because they're the biggest game in town. Its a fine mixture.

However RTE has had to adopt a more professional attitude now that so much work is no longer going in house. The newsroom is slowly changing and updating.

So yeah most of your criticism is valid, but with the caveat, contintental news is terrible. I mean awful. And the pompous grandeous US network news is terrifying. So RTE news is stuck in the woeful position of having to be broadcast up aganist some of the finest, slickest, most professional news programing on the planet.

Cut it a break

Telefís

Thanks for your extensive reply mycroft

I'd agree with everything you say with perhaps the exception of RTÉ being up against the biggest and best. This does not excuse shoddy production values.
I'd agree in relation to news coverage where naturally as a small state broadcaster it cannot possibly have the coverage or analytical clout of the major stations - indeed I'm constantly having to defend the station over stupid comments about 'pathetic old RTÉ' for not being able to cover wars etc like the BBC, 'typical Irish' etc. I mean what resources do people think the station has??!!

But there's no excuse for sloppy production. I suppose it's partially got to do with the 'brain drain' more usually associated with talent in front of camera taking flight to the UK. A lot of committed production staff flee for boat as soon as they can. And the attitude in broadcasting/media college courses is to laugh at the prospect of working for RTÉ. I know what you mean about VT ops too, young 20somethings on the first rung of the prod ladder.
The most ludicrous incident demonstrating this happened before Christmas sometime when the headline VT was rolling for the Saturday Six-One. The VT op newbie let the headlines roll as normal but as soon as the newsreader finished speaking, instead of letting the tape continue to play the opening sig, they started to fastforward it to cue up the first report! You could hear the director on air screeching over the talkback or via the newsreader's earpiece 'you're still on air, you're still on!!!'
I mean really......

As for lighting, part of the problem is the lack of that 'cinematic sheen' that's on all British output. I'm not sure what it is, I'd love if someone knew the answer, I've tried to find the secret for years. It's as if something's added at transmission stage to 'take the edge' off the harshness of video. How is it for example that Eastenders doesn't look quite the same as Fair City - likewise with news and other studio prods? The crassness of all Irish output (and often that of continental output) isn't there.

Regarding the chroma key, I know there's no pull-down blue or green screen in that piece of set cause look at the reflection in the desk below, there's only the blue set cyc evident! It's more obvious with other shots (I really shouldn't have noticed that...)
This set was commissioned specifically to be adaptable for 'The Week in Politics', so a lot of the pieces can be juggled around. The lighting on it was utterly appalling until recently, it's improved a bit since.

vector

...cinematic sheen...

well the letterbox is one way of making something look more cinematic, and RTE have used it on some documentaries (external producion companies)

But what you are referring to it what must be
1. a fade to black on the top of the image - like if you had a camera lookingat the sky on bbc the top skyblue would fade to black, but on rte it would just be harsh - cheating? no remember TV is a visual medium yes tell a story but tell it in a nice way

2. a golden hue

mycroft

RTE wrote:

Thanks for your extensive reply mycroft

I'd agree with everything you say with perhaps the exception of RTÉ being up against the biggest and best. This does not excuse shoddy production values.
I'd agree in relation to news coverage where naturally as a small state broadcaster it cannot possibly have the coverage or analytical clout of the major stations - indeed I'm constantly having to defend the station over stupid comments about 'pathetic old RTÉ' for not being able to cover wars etc like the BBC, 'typical Irish' etc. I mean what resources do people think the station has??!!

But there's no excuse for sloppy production. I suppose it's partially got to do with the 'brain drain' more usually associated with talent in front of camera taking flight to the UK. A lot of committed production staff flee for boat as soon as they can. And the attitude in broadcasting/media college courses is to laugh at the prospect of working for RTÉ. I know what you mean about VT ops too, young 20somethings on the first rung of the prod ladder.

Actually to my mind it's got more to do with eldery 50 somethings. Every half way decent tv freelancer on any dept in the film industry can regal you with hilarious stories about RTE institutional incompedence among staff of a certain age. Seriously I know one producer who has a twenty minute ancedote about shirley bassey, a light blub and three electricians on a break.

I should point out this isn't always the case. My dad spent 20 years in RTE and did a great job, but I've encounter a kind unionised refusal to attempt to improve the situation. Considering the entirity of modern tv technology gets nearly completely revolutionised every few years (for example modern news cameras don't have tape decks, they've disc drives)

Its a difficult situation. Man I left college five years ago (oh god) and speaking to students graduating today the level of certain kinds of technology knowledge that blows my mind and yet zero knowledge of another. But they're hungry, and eager. The problem is not youth.

The most ludicrous incident demonstrating this happened before Christmas sometime when the headline VT was rolling for the Saturday Six-One. The VT op newbie let the headlines roll as normal but as soon as the newsreader finished speaking, instead of letting the tape continue to play the opening sig, they started to fastforward it to cue up the first report! You could hear the director on air screeching over the talkback or via the newsreader's earpiece 'you're still on air, you're still on!!!'
I mean really......

Trust me, blaming lazy newbies, most people who enter the field are young and enthusastic and dedicated, I'd go with institutional laziness.

As for lighting, part of the problem is the lack of that 'cinematic sheen' that's on all British output. I'm not sure what it is, I'd love if someone knew the answer, I've tried to find the secret for years. It's as if something's added at transmission stage to 'take the edge' off the harshness of video. How is it for example that Eastenders doesn't look quite the same as Fair City - likewise with news and other studio prods? The crassness of all Irish output (and often that of continental output) isn't there.

Yeah thats just money. Money to lure the better camera man, money to higher the better camera. Money, just money. You may as well ask why bachelors walk doesn't look as good as six feet under, its just money. Pure and simple.

Seriously, look at it this way eastenders is in a slump, right. Worst figures ever. More people are watching eastenders now then the entire population of this country. Two times over. Comparing the BBC and RTEs budget is absurd. There are a variety of techniques and technology to improve picture quality and they cost money.

Regarding the chroma key, I know there's no pull-down blue or green screen in that piece of set cause look at the reflection in the desk below, there's only the blue set cyc evident! It's more obvious with other shots (I really shouldn't have noticed that...)
This set was commissioned specifically to be adaptable for 'The Week in Politics', so a lot of the pieces can be juggled around. The lighting on it was utterly appalling until recently, it's improved a bit since.

See i never notice the reflection. If it's a reflection then its a light source, so it's either a video screen or a projection. A Chroma key is added, to the transmitted signal if its creating a light source then obviously something on set it generating the light.

Telefís

Certainly there's something in studio generating it
When they return from the break mid-way the wide shot of the studio (as of first pic above) always excludes that part of the set so perhaps there is something there...spooky...

That's interesting what you say about institutional laziness & older people etc. I've spoken to young VT and camerapeople in the station and the impression they gave was just to laugh at practically every production they're involved in - I suppose this does not mean they're not committed though.

Ah the stories the stories - I've a good one about the defunct Open House but we won't go there...

I know what you mean about the sheen on the likes of the Sopranos etc which is blatently evident, shot on film, processed etc etc. But specifically in relation to standard studio or run-of-the-mill productions, why is the image just that bit less rough around the edges in the UK than with Irish stations? Is it just better equipment or do they use a slightly different transmission technology? I imagine we use the same standard Beta equip as everywhere else in Europe and the UK, but the output is just that little less harsh in the UK.
The same with audio - studio audio this side of the water is always louder, harder and more liable to pick up studio atmos etc. Again is it just poorer equip/ shoddy prod values or a slightly different way of processing the output?

Traffic

What about the bunch of amateurs on tv3 news!

mycroft

That's interesting what you say about institutional laziness & older people etc. I've spoken to young VT and camerapeople in the station and the impression they gave was just to laugh at practically every production they're involved in - I suppose this does not mean they're not committed though.

Bitching about work is a time honoured tradition in whatever your job is.

Truthfully my problem with RTE is the same with my problem with Eircom or the Post office or any state body. Incompedence and laziness is expected.

Is it just better equipment or do they use a slightly different transmission technology? I imagine we use the same standard Beta equip as everywhere else in Europe and the UK, but the output is just that little less harsh in the UK.

The final standard is just the same, I just think theres a level of professionalism thats just not required here

Telefís

Traffic wrote:

What about the bunch of amateurs on tv3 news!

In some respects yes. But this is really what I find most shocking - TV3 News has far superior production values to RTE! Okay their reporters, their depth of anaylsis and their coverage & selection of items maybe appalling, but their studio production is second to none, from cueing VTs, sig tunes & graphics to the ability of their (otherwise woeful) newsreaders to work with them is exceptional; all round slick, smooth and professional. Sound mixing is also handled so well. Likewise the editing on their reports, specifically their audio is usually excellent.
Saying that, the audio in studio and their lighting is a million times worse than RTE and that's saying something It sounds like it's being broadcast from a bathroom, and with bathroom lighting come to think of it...

doh.ie

RTE wrote:

Finally, why pray tell is Aengus Mac Grianna employed as a newsreader – not only is he as stilted and unnatural as a concrete post, he cannot even string a sentence together without stumbling or stuttering .

Too funny that you picked those exact words.

Check this out.

[url] http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0119/1news/1news56.smil [/url]

Less a technical thing and more of a poorly written intro, though.

Telefís

ROFL

Oh God, you'd have to feel sorry for him really. Yes it was clumsily phrased, and anyone can make a mistake and panic, especially relating to coverage of the IRA

Haven't laughed so much in ages - thanks for that Doh!

Telefís

I'm still trying to source the news clip with Anne Doyle caught doing her make-up during a report. I was so annoyed cause I saw that whole bulletin except, like her, I switched off when the motorsport report came on I turned back on just afterwards only to miss it

If anyone knows what date it was on I could source it in their archive. It was in all the papers the next day but still can't find any reference to it on the net to get the date....

doh.ie

More of the same... Check out:

[url] http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0424/6news/6news56.smil [/url]

This is even funnier. Wait until after the credits in full. Shoddy quality clips from back
then, but I'm amazed it's still online.

Telefís

Brilliant! - where the heck are you digging these up from?!!

The archive goes way back to 1999 to the launch of the online service - just change the year and bulletin time for different programmes.
Here's Six One from 1999 - where's that old stalwart 'and-that's-the-news-for-the-moment' Michael Murphy gone?
Look at how close they're sitting to each other

http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0424/6news/6news56.smil

radiospan

Excellent stuff! Those two clips are brilliant, funniest thing I've seen here in ages!

doh.ie

RTE wrote:

Brilliant! - where the heck are you digging these up from?!!

Unfortunately, I don't have any more RTE gems in the ol' archive (but there's a ton of News 24 ones on one of the UK media ident sites) if anyone wants some more.

That said, RTE ones I'd love to see again also includes the one where Anne Cassin is about to start reading after a report ends, raises her eyes to heaven and goes, "Yes. Yes, I know!" loudly into her mic before composing herself and carrying on.

They should release this stuff on DVD...

doh.ie

plazzTT wrote:

Excellent stuff! Those two clips are brilliant, funniest thing I've seen here in ages!

Una O'Hagan's cries of "We're on! We're on!" are classic alright. How the hell did he think he'd have the chance to do it again?!?!?!

Telefís

He's openly messed stuff up before like saying 'what camera are we on, over here, no two sorry, I'll take this one Una' etc

If you think the Anne Cassin one is good, News 24 have had a presenter mouthing f*ck off into the camera at the director
The funniest ever though with RTÉ was the power cut to Montrose during the Nine O'Clock about two years ago. Everything cut out and went black, and a door slammed in the dark and something fell over, then even transmission went, only to return 5 mins later with rave music over a graphic:) Some of the VT machines got fecked up as a result and a few botch-ups happend after.
It was even funnier when it happened again a few months later with Anne Cassin on a Sunday night - as soon as that grey screen came up I just thought YES!, now where's that popcorn...

Telefís

Here's a rather basic feck-up - for some reason Doyle can be decidedly dim when she wants to be, not that this one is necessarily her fault but anyway. Scroll to the very end where there'a link-up with Donal Kelly in the Leinster House studio or somewhere - go to the end of it...just a silly delay, but funny nonetheless. No wide shot at the end either as if something happened...

http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0126/9news/9news56.smil

doh.ie

That should be:
[url] http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0126/9news/9news56.ram [/url]

They only moved to .smil formats somewhere in the last few years.

This pause was awkward. Why does Anne's "I do hope you'll join me!" sound like
she's tempting you into her bedroom?! They left the weather on after this - -48 in Norway! Brr...

News 24 have a ton of great outtakes. They do allow them all to be reshown (about time RTE had a show for this - would be ace, and there'd be a never-ending supply of material!) My favourite News 24 ones are a return from a report where a newsreader is caught off-guard and goes, "It was a p- Oh, sorry! I was just talking to Matthew and, er, what's your name?", another where the co-newsreader is caught reading the paper ("Sorry, I didn't realise we were back - just catching up on the world news...") and one where a reporter forgets his colleagues name and says, "But first we'll have a round-up of the sports news with... our friend in the studio." / "Thank you, Peter, it's Francis." / "Ah, Francis..."

Telefís

Ah yes- saw that last one before on some out-take prog

There's another RTÉ one where again poor Anne Doyle is at the recieving end of the vision mixer's wandering elbow when during a report it cut back to a wide of her kicking something under the desk In the same prog they had loads of link-ups too and the vm cut back to the wrong location only to show some other guy's legs as he's about to sit down. There was loads of hitches in that bulletin, a VT broke down, there was an awkward silence coming back after the break and various others- I counted 6 major glitches in total. It was hilarious - ended up just watching for the next mistake.

These should definitely be catalogued

DublinWriter

...but all of this is of naught when compared with the average day in Radio 1. I've yet to hear ANY Radio 1 programme run smoothly, especially live ones such as the News, PK's show or Joe Duffy.

The amount of mis-cues and dead-airs are just hilarious. Was listening to Liveline last week when what sounded like an electrical earthing buzzing noise cuts in. They quickly go to a commercial break - and it's still there! Ad break ends and we're back into LL listening to JD taking to his producer "I can still hear it...can you? I can still hear it..." then the Liveline jingle cuts in.

RTE - do you remember the newsreader who got sacked from RTE after making a Nazi salute during the closing shot of an RTE 2 news bulletin circa 1981?

True, RTE have all the production values of Albanian State TV. That I don't have a problem with - my beef is with having to pay a TV licence for the privilege of watching it.

DublinWriter

..and I forgot to mention the News/Q&A studio sets.

Never mind the Chromakey and all that technical nonscence - they look like they've been designed by some failed chump from the OPW who was force fed LSD and locked in a room for 48 hours with a packet of markers and a couple of sheets of A4.

Telefís

DublinWriter wrote:

the newsreader who got sacked from RTE after making a Nazi salute during the closing shot of an RTE 2 news bulletin circa 1981

Really??!! Yikes - never heard that one before!

The Q&A set is an abomination - designed by one Darragh Treacy. The materials used are the lowest of the low, and the design itself equally so; it takes no account of what the background is like for standard mid-shots of guests with that mess of silver-sprayed railing and roll-on veneer clad wall creeping up from the bottom of the frame.
Prime Time is equally woeful, using the same crappy bits of redish set that are moved around more times than Frasier in an RTÉ schedule. They offer the programme practically no identity at all, and the constant changing of desks and seating positions is a joke. And as for the camera angles on many of its editions....more often than not we're looking at a side profile of guests' faces, i.e their cheek, such is the appalling seating arrangements conjured up by its studio director David Donaghy.
And all of the current affairs dept red graphics and title banners are a blatent rip-off of the BBC - can RTÉ not come with anything by themselves?

One would have thought the most obvious and effective scheme for all news and current affairs would be the use of a classic deep green across the board. Integrate all sets so that News, Primetime, the Week in Politics and Q&A (the latter maybe with a slight twist) all use similar quality solid materials in set construction and the same graphic colours and design, instead of the mish mash of crap we have now.

And as for the Late Late set, don't even get me started...
The station do many studio-based things well, notably the News can look great on the odd occasion that everything works and experienced staff are steering the ship. Likewise, for all its faults, The Afternoon Show, and its predecessor Open House often look(ed) very well, whatever about the content....

Telefís

Forgot to mention perhaps the funniest technical feck-up RTÉ News have made.
It happened only fairly recently, about 6 months ago when News Two was just finishing.

We got the wide of the studio and the sig tune was playing away. The camera taking the wide shot slowly zoomed out and tilted up as standard, but it kept going! Gradually we saw more and more set, and more, and more, then some droopy wires from the ceiling came into view, then the bottom of a lamp or two, then it overshot the set and some scrappy black curtain culd be seen, then the concrete/clad walls of the studio, now all lighting was in view, then we saw the flourecent tubes of the standard lighting and finally the ceiling itself complete with clumps of lamps, cables and the lighting grid It was an absolute joke, it completely shattered the whole illusion of television; the viewers must be scarred for life
So so funny cause it lasted for ages and Presentation didn't even bother to cut early...:D
The camera control board must have jammed or the op fell asleep, again...