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Adrian Lynch, the director of audience channels speaking at the Oireachtas Committee today. PA/Oireachtas TV

'Broken' TV licence system costing €50 million per year, RTÉ tells Oireachtas committee

The committee also heard of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the media industry.

THE “BROKEN” TV licence system is costing about €50 million in lost revenue each year, RTÉ’s television controller has said.

Adrian Lynch said there were more than a quarter of a million people who evade the licence fee and a further 140,000 households without a TV.

The director of audiences, channels and marketing at RTÉ added that the broadcaster was not looking to increase the licence fee, but instead wants the licensing system overhauled.

“We’re not looking to higher the licence fee, we’re just looking to have it reformed and fixed,” he said.

You’ve got about 140,000 no-TV homes and then you’ve got about 250,000 who don’t pay the licence fee.

“If you put all of that together you get 50 million euros and we’d be having a very different conversation in this room.”

He made the comments at the joint Oireachtas Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Sport, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

It met today to discuss public service broadcasting and the impact of Covid-19 on the media sector.

Lynch said Covid-19 had caused an immediate “sharp drop” in licence fee revenue and a decline in advertising revenue. That drop was more than 30%.

He said commercial income in the fourth quarter of the year had “stabilised to some degree”, as had income from the TV licence, but the outlook for 2021 remained “uncertain”.

“The toll of Brexit on the national economy, and commercial performance, is unknowable, he said.

The combination of a broken TV licence system and a precarious commercial environment exposes undeniable vulnerabilities for the national public service media.

Despite these difficulties he told the committee that RTÉ would deliver its planned €60 million cost-cutting plans over three years as proposed by the director general Dee Forbes last year.

He said that cost-cutting would be delivered through cost management, changes in the schedule and big sporting events being deferred to next year.

He said the broadcaster had revised the number of redundancies it was seeking from staff downwards from 200 to about 140 due to Covid-19.

He said 73 people were due to leave the National Symphony Orchestra and a voluntary exit package will be opened in January which will seek 60 to 70 people to leave at that point.

“Part of it is because we have been delivering such significant output and we’ve changed the way we are working significantly. There’s so much remote working and we really see that we need to keep these essential services on air.”

Lynch told the committee that RTÉ showed “clear public purpose” during this crisis and had also been a source of “companionship, diversion and connection for millions of people”.

Concerned union

The Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Seamus Dooley, told the committee the union was “gravely concerned” for the future of public service broadcasting in Ireland.

Dooley said the Media Minister Catherine Martin had provided “precious little clarity” on how the department proposed to assist in addressing the financial situation in RTÉ.

“There was no real recognition of the tsunami, which is engulfing the newspaper sector, in particular the regional press,” he said.

The focus on independent production within broadcasting ignores the existence of freelance workers – writers, photographers and videographers.

He said the union welcomed that the Future of Media Commission had commenced its work but he warned: “If we don’t see immediate action there will be no future for many media workers.”

At the onset of the pandemic, Dooley said the NUJ had called for a forum on the crisis facing the media industry.

“While initiatives were taken in respect of tourism, hospitality and the arts, no immediate, substantial measures were taken to assist the media apart from the welcome initiative in respect of independent commercial radio,” he said.

“While employment in the print, broadcasting and digital sector is not comparable to tourism, the implications for democracy, of a diminished media sector should be of concern to this committee.”

John Purcell, chairman of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, called for an emergency taskforce to be established during the pandemic to assist media workers.

Purcell welcomed the establishment of the Commission of the Future of Media but warned that action to support the sector cannot wait until the conclusion of the process.

“We need action now to enable the survival of our services through the protracted Covid crisis which has intensified the already severe threats being faced by our broadcasters,” he told the committee.

The government and the minister cannot wait for the conclusion of the Commission on Media process to take action to ensure the survival of Irish broadcasting. If you do it will be too late for many.”

He added: “The situation is very urgent, time is of the essence and action speaks louder than words.”

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    Mute my name
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:32 PM

    Bad programming is costing RTE nothing else oh & Ryan Turbitys salary

    1395
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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:35 PM

    @my name: Just watch… “Your reward for bring such good girls and boys in RTE during the Pandemic… new legislation on increased TV Licence fees..”

    352
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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:41 PM

    @Glenn Halpin: You heard it here first, maybe a variation not necessarily exactly like that but RTE’s salvation is right around the corner at tax payers expense.

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:00 PM

    @my name: The BBC are monitoring the situation ready to pounce on the “talent”

    81
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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:47 PM

    @my name: Tubridy is one of a few whose salary is more than covered by the revenue their TV/Radio shows bring in. Have a TV at home myself, and can’t remember it being turned on even once since the start of the Summer. Will more than likely be my last year paying the license fee as it is now.

    34
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:01 PM

    @my name: as a non Irish person, I find it difficult to see what talent any of rte shows or presenters have.. Maybe you need to be Irish to get it.!
    Ryan tubridy and miriam. Occallaghan being the prime examples of bland boredom.

    128
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:02 PM

    @Mickety Dee: joking!

    5
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    Mute Paul Linehan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 10:37 PM

    @Victor Feldman: That’s probably because foreigners don’t understand Irish people at all. We tend to forgive and forget very easily, and that doesn’t sit easy with those who have a history of try to be above themselves.

    12
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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:11 AM

    @my name: and the rest,6 of them on more than the us president,and its the license fee is the problem ?

    13
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    Mute Rab C Nesbitt
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:32 PM

    Broken RTE and overpaid presenters costing too much for licence fee payers.

    1036
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    Mute Quentin Moriarty
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:46 PM

    @Rab C Nesbitt: Jooooooo Duffffaaaayyyyyy

    97
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    Mute Fr.Todd Unctious
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:33 PM

    Rte are a joke. Why should we pay for the extortionate wages of its over paid staff. Repeats after repeats.

    Late late show with rte canteen guests.

    1091
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    Mute Alan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:52 PM

    @Fr.Todd Unctious: they will tell you they pay such high fees to retain talent from going to the competition, I laughed!

    478
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:55 PM

    @Alan: rte must really believe that their presenters irriplacable.. Barring the guy doing the Washington correspondent.. Who else is there.. And instead of binning a turkey like, finding joy, they give it a second series!!

    119
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    Mute Gerard O'Sullivan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:35 PM

    @Victor Feldman: finding joy is dreadful drivel!!!

    52
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:45 PM

    How dare those no-tv homes not pay a license fee to subsidise millionaires on a tv channel they don’t watch!

    847
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:39 PM

    @Rochelle: yeah! It’s shocking. How dare they

    173
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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:08 PM

    @Rochelle: I get how they can justify chasing the non-payers but why should 140,000 people who don’t have TVs have to pay at all?

    113
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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:22 PM

    @Rochelle: I have no TV, my self and my wife have been working from home since March 18th, our study is right above the front door, yet we still received a card from the licence inspector stating that no one was home when we called and he had evidence of a TV on the premises,(haven’t had a TV since 2009) the card only gave options on contact details to apologise and pay our license, no option at all for “I don’t have a TV” I had to search the internet to find a number I could ring. The guy on the phone sounded pissed off that I rang and disturbed his day, wasn’t the slightest bit interested in my complaint that the inspector never rang on the door, but just dropped the card and fled.

    66
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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:23 PM

    @Tyrone Williams: Though to be fair he quite happily accepted I had no TV and cleared my name until the next VISIT. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I don’t want a TV, there is nothing but rubbish on. I have a subscription to Netflix, which has enough to satisfy me, WHEN I WANT!! and not when some random other person chooses. I am quite happy to pay for what I consume, but only what I want and when I want. Now that we have the technology to deliver this, why should I be constantly threatened by an organisation that is stuck in the last century?

    51
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    Mute Dublin days
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    Nov 12th 2020, 2:22 AM

    @Tyrone Williams: what do you watch Netflix on

    8
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    Mute Jack Cullinan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 8:24 AM

    @Dublin days: A monitor?

    12
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    Mute Peter Cronin-Rahill
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:33 PM

    “Broken RTÉ costing millions a year, by both largely failing to be relevant and also by diverting funding away from new programs and instead into Management’s Wages”. Fixed it for you.

    526
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    Mute John Hartigan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:38 PM

    Why should we pay for a state propaganda machine let FFG pay for it

    507
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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:54 PM

    @John Hartigan: RTÉ has served this country well for decades. It is a trusted source of information and has impartial presenters. You sound like SFs BFF Trump with your propaganda machine BS.

    45
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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:58 PM

    @Fionn Darland: impartial presenters….hahahahahahahahahahaha

    284
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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:00 PM

    @Fionn Darland: RTE is an embarrassment and about be shutdown.

    121
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    Mute G Row.
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:17 PM

    @Fionn Darland: Fionn you really are a hopeless case.
    A lot of regulars on here thought you were a FG bot but he truth is even worse it would seem.
    Do you really believe what you spout on here? Are you really that naive?

    78
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    Mute Santi Charlie Bravo
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:24 PM

    @Fionn Darland: I suggest you move abroad of you think RTE is a trusted and reliable source of information, RTE questions absolutely nothing, when it comes from the goverment, news should be open to debate…. absolutely zero debate on RTE.

    119
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:05 PM

    @Fionn Darland: you really are easily pleased..

    47
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    Mute Gerard O'Sullivan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:37 PM

    @Fionn Darland: impartial?????????

    47
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    Mute Michael McGrath
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:26 AM

    @Fionn Darland: Riiiiiiiight like the time they continually told the whole country there was only 25 to 30000 water protesters when ten times the amount was about right.

    7
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    Mute Ryan O'Rourke
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:50 PM

    The fact he wants to charge 140,000 homes that don’t have a TV says it all really..

    476
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    Mute Paul Power
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:24 AM

    @Ryan O’Rourke: Pat Rabbitte tried that.

    7
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    Mute The world outside the M50
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:47 PM

    Sell the expensive D4 showhouse, move to an industrial unit somewhere in Athlone.

    423
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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:26 PM

    @The world outside the M50: or Ballymount like Virgin

    44
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    Mute Thomas
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:35 PM

    Move to a subscription service.

    423
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:50 PM

    @Thomas: agreed! They would lose even more then.

    121
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    Mute Arch Angel
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:16 PM

    @Dave Barrett: I agree, I suspect that’s why they won’t contemplate such a business model. What they’re saying is the business model they have, and have had since the 60′s, is no longer viable.
    While they say they don’t want the license fee increased rather want to have it to have it reformed and fixed, this is semantics. In effect they’re saying they want they’re funding substantially increased, but they’ll call the TV License something else and that’ll keep everyone happy. No, it damn well won’t.

    108
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    Mute Honeybee
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:45 PM

    140,000 no TV homes….and he would like them to pay a tv licence fee, surely if someone decides not to have a set in the corner of the room then so be it, their decision.

    387
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    Mute Spud Murphy
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:43 PM

    If people want to watch it let them pay for it. I haven’t watched any of their channels in years. But have to give them a license fee for nothing. Where’s the competition regulations? Unfair on the other channels

    360
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    Mute NOlivesmatter
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:34 PM

    Simple easy answer to their shortfalls…..its called reduce the fat of OTT salaries….if the “stars” threaten to quit, let them, Virgin media is well known to pay their top stars not that much compared to RTE, its not like RTE’s top stars will end up there….call their bluff!

    409
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:11 PM

    @NOlivesmatter: top stars! What top stars? Who?
    Are you referring to all its wannabe presenters.
    … There’s very few among them whom are irriplacable… Creative talent and rte are an oxymoron!! Bland is their middle name.

    94
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    Mute Stephen Devlin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:38 PM

    Time to dissolve it

    289
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    Mute jonathan masterson
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:32 PM

    Someone please start a revolution

    264
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    Mute Seán O'Loughlin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:32 PM

    We’re a country of c. 5 million people we don’t need RTÉ 1 AND RTÉ 2. We should have only one public service broadcasting channel and it shouldn’t be full of bought in stuff from abroad. That’d save RTÉ a lot of money.

    177
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    Mute Richard Doherty
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:46 PM

    Crazy wages for average presenters is costing rte millions and substandard programmes are costing them viewers and revenue

    270
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    Mute Rob Cunningham
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:39 PM

    This proves its an unnecessary charge to the public, as rte will never be any better and will always be looking for more.

    225
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    Mute James Gannon
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:40 PM

    If rte cut away the deadwood, made some quality programmes which they could sell on, they may become relevant. Other than that rte are a spent organisation with over paid and under standard presenters who are unable toove away from the stale 1980s syatem

    228
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    Mute John Fairclough
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:54 PM

    To borrow a line the government used when trying to introduce water charges, why should you pay the same as your neighbour, who may be watching RTÉ 24/7, when you don’t watch it at all? Make it pay per view, or, if you like, metered. According to government this is the one true fair way.

    209
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    Mute mark connolly
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:42 PM

    Last thing i remember watching on RTE was Love/hate and thats a few years ago at this stage. Says it all really. Its not needed.

    195
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    Mute Peter Gilgunn
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:51 PM

    @mark connolly: last thing I watched was the Riordans

    142
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    Mute Tom kenny
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:51 PM

    @Peter Gilgunn: I haven’t watched it since bracken!

    55
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    Mute Huey
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:17 PM

    Simple solution.

    Do away with the license fee. Sell Montrose and let them compete on the open market just like tv3.
    Not a vital public service by any measure.

    158
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:29 PM

    @Huey: they actually sold half their land and then used it to brush up the news studio, to. What they assumed would improve the news reports.!
    But it never occurred to them to change the dull. Reporters, especially their horrendously limp.. sports reporting….

    46
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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:46 PM

    Lets have a guess at the late lates guests this week..
    Ronan o gara
    Christy moore
    Ray darcy
    Clinton morrison

    153
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    Mute Colm Cork
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:07 PM

    @Sean: Daniel o Donnell
    Francis Brennan
    Dermot Bannon
    Niall Horan via Skype

    147
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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:03 PM

    @Sean: and a guy who moved a traffic cone from outside Supermacs in Ballinrobe but has now released a book on how he turned his life around.

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    Mute Mac Dara Powell
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:31 PM

    @Derek Lyster: Derek brilliant bursting me hole laughing here.

    39
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    Mute Belter
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:17 PM

    I’m not paying to watch government party political broadcasts…Whistle for it lads..

    142
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    Mute Vanessa
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:50 PM

    I haven’t bothered to plug in an antenna for Saorview since we moved into the new house last year

    We use streaming services at home and the last time we tried to use the RTE player was the last Late Late Toy Show (the stream was atrocious and dropped all the time)

    I would be happy if I won’t have to pay the TV Licence again and if people who want that service could subscribe

    123
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    Mute NotaWarder
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:16 PM

    @Vanessa: same as. I could not fathom the quality, it was like going back to dial up.

    62
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    Mute Tony Mcintyre
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:19 PM

    @Vanessa: worst player ever.. funnily enough the ads play perfectly…

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    Mute Vanessa
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:06 PM

    @Tony Mcintyre: I was surprised that they showed after every reload 2 advertisements but showed nothing when the tv show had advertisement.

    Broadband seems to be a complete different world.

    18
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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:31 PM

    @Vanessa: I tried watching the 6 nations on RTÉ player, but the quality was so bad I had to resort to “Free” streaming service, so I could watch it in high quality HD

    14
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    Mute Rob Gale
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:40 PM

    I’d sooner go to jail than pay that.

    151
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    Mute Ríain HenC
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:46 PM

    @Rob Gale: and the bonus being you getting released 8 hours later :) just the aul criminal record to put up with !

    58
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    Mute Brendan Devlin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:30 PM

    Sounds like rte want to charge 140,000 homes for not having a tv. How dare they not watch RT, CB & MO’C

    86
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    Mute James Fox
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:59 PM

    Why don’t they bin RTÉ and start again from scratch

    87
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    Mute jindublin
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:56 PM

    There is and will always be a need for public service programming funded by the government. But that certainly does not justify the existence of RTÉ as a government funded entity. The government purse strings need to be cut and RTÉ needs to compete commercially. Public service programming should be funded by a specific tax in the range of €20-50 per tax payer and all broadcasters allowed to compete for it. Additionally the government needs to do a proper job of rolling out broadband infrastructure so there are no more complaints from rural Ireland that they need RTE because they can’t get online. In case anybody isn’t aware it is 2020 not 1950…. the options for video programming are overly abundant.

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    Mute Carol Cunningham
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:47 PM

    @jindublin: In a way they are competing publicly as they charge for advertising?

    17
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    Mute Will
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    Nov 12th 2020, 8:44 AM

    @Carol Cunningham: “In a way they are competing publicly as they charge for advertising?”

    Then they have the best of both worlds and are still failing miserably.
    RTE is a dinosaur and should not continue in it’s present form.

    11
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    Mute New World Order
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:53 PM

    Hopefully within my lifetime RTE goes bust,

    70
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:33 PM

    @New World Order: and when that happens, can they take all their presenters with them!!!!!!

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    Mute christopher dyas
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:05 PM

    Can’t get soarview where I live so basically have to pay sky to watch wot everyone else gets for free… breaks my heart that I have to pay for a service I can’t receive while been told if I’ve a tv I have to pay a license

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    Mute Mick Woods
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:10 PM

    And here’s me paying the licence like a flute!

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    Mute Mary Nugent
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:45 PM

    Is Glenroe getting a repeat?

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    Mute Neville Mc Carthy
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:52 PM

    @Mary Nugent: probably, everything else does!!

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    Mute jim
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:31 PM

    Huge cuts on staff would be a good start resulting pay why should the people have to pay tax money to keep it going

    57
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    Mute draintheswamp
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:15 PM

    They dont deserve a penny and should be fined for their #fakenews reporting of the US elections

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:34 PM

    @draintheswamp: What fake reporting?

    17
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    Mute James
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:35 PM

    Big wages have to payed just remember that. It’s your duty, so pay up.

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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:56 PM

    RTE are essentially saying “people don’t want our service, can you charge them for it anyway “

    45
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    Mute Eddie Michael
    Favourite Eddie Michael
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:18 PM

    Stop paying tubs a small ransom. Late late is so outdated.

    60
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    Mute Tom kenny
    Favourite Tom kenny
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:22 PM

    @Eddie Michael: they have to, the bbc,channel 4 and itv are literally banging on the gates of Montrose trying to get tubs.

    35
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    Mute Victor Feldman
    Favourite Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:36 PM

    @Eddie Michael: he really is limp and talentless

    36
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    Mute Mark Murphy
    Favourite Mark Murphy
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:21 PM

    Literally more people than ever are probably watching TV this year due to lockdown, so probably more revenue for RTE as advertisers know people have not much else to do bar watch TV.
    They literally never shut up with the poor mouth..

    65
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    Mute Brianán McBride
    Favourite Brianán McBride
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:38 PM

    I don’t have RTE, I only watch Netflix, why should I pay for a service I don’t have, it’s like paying the milk man even though no milk delivered. In UK if you don’t have BBC then you don’t have to pay for a TV licence.

    39
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Nov 11th 2020, 10:39 PM

    How they have the gall to say that 140’000 homes without a TV is considered ‘lost revenue’ is astounding. They don’t even have a TV, yet you want them to pay for the bloated mess that is RTE?!

    40
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    Mute Rob Foley
    Favourite Rob Foley
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:36 PM

    Do you need a tv licence if you don’t have saorview or any provider?

    39
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    Mute Mickety Dee
    Favourite Mickety Dee
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:01 PM

    @Rob Foley: Yes if you have a tv

    32
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    Mute Ima Bored
    Favourite Ima Bored
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:07 PM

    @Rob Foley: If you own a TV yes

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    Mute Joe
    Favourite Joe
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:38 PM

    @Rob Foley: According to the letter of the law yes. If you have a TV that can receive the signal. I don’t see the point if you have no actual TV in the house.

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    Mute Kevin McClean
    Favourite Kevin McClean
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:09 PM

    @Rob Foley: Technically, no, but if your TV is capable of getting the signal, you do have to pay, even if you don’t view the channel. If you ever want to contest in court, make sure you have a TV that doesn’t have Saorview or any build in digital antenna. This was you can argue that your TV is used for streaming services only.

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    Mute Kevin McClean
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:10 PM

    @Joe: make sure you get a TV that can’t receive the signal.

    11
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    Mute Colin Mcgahon
    Favourite Colin Mcgahon
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:42 PM

    Apart from the news there is nothing I want to see on rte

    38
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    Mute Stephen Foster
    Favourite Stephen Foster
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:58 PM

    Tell me this, why the hell should I pay a tax for something the Irish government has absolutely no part in providing? I do not access RTE, or any Irish broadcasting material, and just view content for the usual streaming services. I already pay tax when I buy a TV and a tax on the electricity I use to run it. It’s a bloody scam! And they are labelling us as tax dodgers! The bloody cheek.

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
    Favourite Thomas O' Donnell
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:41 PM

    @Stephen Foster: We pay lots of taxes for things we don’t use but other people do. The licence fee supports a lot of workers in programming and lots of independent productions. While I agree with comments here on overpaid ‘stars’, I wouldn’t want the whole sector left in private hands (DOB/Murdoch/etc.) I would either have a scaled back single channel public service broadcaster or publicly fund the Broadcasting Commission to administer funding to independent channels for public service productions (news/investigations/films/docs etc).

    14
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    Mute Susan Keane
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:56 PM

    RTE engineers get free use of fully taxed and insured cars for work and personal use.
    Nice perk.

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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:44 PM

    @Susan Keane: Hi Susan,
    I do not believe this is true. Do you have any evidence of this?

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    Mute Teresa Ryan
    Favourite Teresa Ryan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 9:58 AM

    @Tyrone Williams: Dee Forbes, the CEO gets 38k per year travel expenses and a car. I doubt she’s ever left Dublin since she got the top job.

    I assume her car tax and insurance is also covered.

    6
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    Mute andyearley
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:05 PM

    The rteplayer has simply never worked well at all. Even after the revamp… still s*ite

    40
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    Mute Paul Power
    Favourite Paul Power
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:00 PM

    That must be the fifth time they’ve told us that.

    35
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    Mute Joe Vlogs
    Favourite Joe Vlogs
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:01 PM

    Why should I need to pay a tv license when I don’t have a tv? Put a paywall on rte player if they want to make sure nobody who doesn’t have a tv watches their “quality” offering that way, if needs be. Don’t expect people who vote with their feet against their rubbish offering to foot the bill when they fail to reform.

    54
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    Mute conriel
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:23 PM

    What if RTE was a private sector organisation, and found itself in financial difficulties maybe a 3 second slot in the news. That would be the last you’d hear. But it’s not its good old state organisation and it Must looked after.

    29
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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:28 PM

    All my life I have been anti privatisation but I would sell off RTE in a blink. Full of overpaid wastrels, back slapping luvvies and occasionally exhuming Gerry Ryan and now Gay Byrne as examples of how wonderful RTE is!

    52
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    Mute Adam Conroy
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:55 PM

    RTE are just looking for the government to tax people’s devices and hand over the cash to them. The NUJ wants a state subsidised newspaper industry.

    24
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    Mute Teresa Ryan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:04 AM

    @Adam Conroy: Read that recently. If that ever comes to pass, it’s up to us the people to stand firm and tell them where to go.

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    Mute Carol Cunningham
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:37 PM

    What I especially hate about RTÉ is that they do not allow the voice of the people and there is no public forum for feedback. Why can they not allow comments like the Journal here does. I know why: because they are the platform for the voice of the government and they do not allow people to challenge the government’s opinions. They are a disgrace.

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    Mute Joe Harte
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    Nov 12th 2020, 1:02 AM

    So I got home at 5.40 today, and turned on the telly. I got the news in Irish, followed by the news in English with sign language and text, followed by a third retelling of the same news somehow now stretched out to an hour.

    Then an hour of a strange infomercial with Liz Bonnin that actually cut out several times. Then the community theatre that is Fair City, followed by a cookery program from 1993 with Donal Skehan.

    Then we’re into the ‘main evening news’ which for some reason is half as long as the earlier one with all the same reports, followed by a film starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland being erratic in a camper van. But they finish big with a documentary about Brendan Grace dying!

    If I fancied a change at any point in the evening, I could have got a house makeover, or repeats of Love/Hate or Bachelor’s Walk on the second citizen funded channel.

    And yet Adrian Lynch assumes that the only reason his corporation could possibly be in trouble is because poor people just wilfully refuse to pull their weight.

    23
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    Mute Jonathan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:36 PM

    They need to treat RTE like a self sustaining business and not to be relying on the taxpayer. Reduce waste, look at wages. They are just throwing money away

    24
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:59 PM

    @Jonathan: rte should also hire a new creative team to create quality dramas, comedies, sports reporting.. Exciting news presenters.. A voice coach as they all have a problem with their
    TH, s…

    14
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    Mute Dor Ní Donnchadha
    Favourite Dor Ní Donnchadha
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:34 PM

    Two arrested over allegations of fraud at Irish broadcaster https://jrnl.ie/5259651 with fraud like this going on within an organisation, they have some neck

    31
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    Mute Stuart Smith
    Favourite Stuart Smith
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    Nov 11th 2020, 10:44 PM

    When I arrived at ‘higher the licence fee…’…. God almighty

    19
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    Mute Padraic O Sullivan
    Favourite Padraic O Sullivan
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:08 PM

    That’s only 25 printers.

    18
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    Mute DeWitt
    Favourite DeWitt
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:39 PM

    Put a tax on media subscriptions.

    19
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    Mute E
    Favourite E
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    Nov 12th 2020, 12:32 AM

    You’ll forgive me if I choose not to pay for the jetsam and flotsam that are foisted on the Irish public under the guise of a list talent. I haven’t watched rte in many years and have no plans to do so. RTE is the organisation that turned down father Ted and lost the likes of graham Norton as in his own words he’d likely end up hosting telly bingo had he stayed in Ireland.

    17
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    Mute rockmast
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:35 PM

    How much is spent each year on the rte orchestras

    15
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    Mute Teresa Ryan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:11 AM

    @rockmast: In fairness all countries have national orchestras but I’ve no idea why it comes under the remit of RTE. Probably explains why the orchestras rarely set food outside of Dublin.

    RTE rarely sets foot outside of Dublin. If it wasn’t for the GAA , they’d never leave Dublin

    3
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    Mute C_p_buckley
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:58 PM

    Yes they consistently tell us how much they don’t get from the TV licence but I’d like to know how much do they get from advertising and sponsorship.
    RTE could easily fund the “TV shows” they make at the moment of they stopped paying such ludicrous salaries.
    Also maybe invest in some new talent. Get some new, fresh storytellers and ideas rather than the same old tired rubbish they’ve been showing for years

    23
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    Mute Josephus Miller
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    Nov 11th 2020, 10:18 PM

    The content has not kept pace with the change in demographics or to appeal to younger viewers. Property programmes where the purchase prices are multiples of what the average first time buyer can afford (if they can borrow that is and escape generation rent). Home improvement programmes with budgets the price of a small house. Some Z list hotelier making a fool of himself at home & abroad and the car crash television of sending those errant Dub kids to the country to give the country folk (IE their main viewer group) another reason to laugh at dem good for nothing Dubs.
    Their programming is not relevant to a large & growing section of society and I reluctantly pay the tax (for now)

    20
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    Mute Tom Hogarty
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    Nov 11th 2020, 6:48 PM

    This is an easy problem to fix, simply put the National broadcaster in charge of the Internet! RTE already have the skills and resources to provide social media platforms and they could build a system that ensures competition is fair for Irish producers. You know it’s the only way forward, you just know it, any alternative is just… unthinkable!

    12
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    Mute Carol Cunningham
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    Nov 11th 2020, 8:43 PM

    @Tom Hogarty: they provide social media platforms: what planet are you on or am I missing something. There is nowhere, were you can give RTÉ feedback in relation to anything!!

    21
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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Nov 11th 2020, 9:46 PM

    @Carol Cunningham: rte can just permanently live in its bubble.. With some really dreadful programing… One of their sports reporters never shows any insights into what she is reporting, in her dull thudding monotone..
    And rte treat her as if she’s a brilliant sports reporter.. Ie sending her to all the major international sports events!! It’s like quality reporting is sacrificed for gender equality.

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    Mute Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:37 PM

    @Tom Hogarty: Sarcasm?
    I hope.

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    Mute Ivan Ó Sirideáin
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    Nov 12th 2020, 2:28 AM

    You want me to pay a tv licence when I don’t watch tv and if I do not rte and when if ever all I see is ads you make money off and bad shown ,never am I gonna pay any tv or broadcasting tax in my life.

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    Mute Dave Gillen #wearamask #noToRacism
    Favourite Dave Gillen #wearamask #noToRacism
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:22 PM

    No one should be paying it. You are supporting an organisation which platforms white supremacists and racists if you do.

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    Mute Colin Mcgahon
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:50 PM

    @Dave Gillen #wearamask #noToRacism: no your not get off that waggon

    18
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    Mute Wade Wilson
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    Nov 12th 2020, 7:40 AM

    They say the largest expense is licensing TV and movies from America. Why not stop doing that? RTE should only show content it produces. If we want to see other shows we can get Sky or Virgin. Then they can scrap the fees altogether. If that is actually true. No one is watching RTE to see American TV and movies. Anyone who wants to see those has watched them years before in the cinema or on Sky or Virgin.

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    Mute Chris O'Sullivan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 3:25 AM

    The greatest scam around

    12
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    Mute Jamo
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:31 PM

    Would love to see a rerun of the sopranos or the wire on rte or more documentaries like the 30 for 30 on espn. Nothing but drivel on it.

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    Mute Golden Steph
    Favourite Golden Steph
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    Nov 12th 2020, 12:28 AM

    Lowering the fee may make it more attractive. €160 a year is ludicrous for 2 channels that has mostly imported re runs and ad saturation. Considering all the other options available.
    In saying that though I bet most of the whingers will be the first in line with their “Christmas jammies” to watch de toy show ah deadlee

    7
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    Mute Michael McGrath
    Favourite Michael McGrath
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:38 AM

    I think RTÉ have a right neck complaining that 140000 people don’t have a t.v and should be charged for having a monitor. If you don’t have a t.v why the hell should you have to pay to prop up state mouthpieces and their bloated salaries that they are all allowed to dodge tax with by pretending that they are all self employed and subbing in their “services”. Another example of one rule for the elite and another for the rest of us mortals. And another thing if you pay a sky subscription you pay VAT on your bill you should not have to pay a further tax a lá the license fee to somebody that does no directly supply your viewing and I’m sure RTÉ get something from sky for being on their platform anyway

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    Mute K Flan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 9:34 AM

    I paid my tv licence fee as a law abiding citizen and can’t even get RTE, I watched a 40 min Australian programme on RTÉ player last week to justify and was subjected to 30 advertisements.. time I will never get back! Very outdated service with bad programming- Clare v Wexford potentially game of the weekend and not even available to watch on TV.. I think I will take my 3 days in jail next year..

    5
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    Mute Joseph Duggan
    Favourite Joseph Duggan
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    Nov 12th 2020, 12:02 PM

    News readers Duffy Tubridy ó Callaghan etc must be the highest paid presenters in Europe comparing to their audience size

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    Mute Dnom
    Favourite Dnom
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:46 PM

    Supposedly a PSB but really a vehicle for a few presenters to augment their income by securing advertising revenue from companies advertising products that don’t come anything near environmentally conscious.

    4
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    Mute Jayferret
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:25 PM

    A TV license is like having an AIR license to breath should not happen

    4
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    Mute Paul Power
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:27 AM

    Even if Rte was scrapped would we still have to pay a license?

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    Mute Michelle Corry #FBPE
    Favourite Michelle Corry #FBPE
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:17 PM

    We should be paying it on direct debit or deducted from salary and have to opt out if necessary. Failing that, add extra tax for it

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    Mute G Row.
    Favourite G Row.
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    Nov 11th 2020, 7:33 PM

    @Michelle Corry #FBPE: Why?

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    Mute Tyrone Williams
    Favourite Tyrone Williams
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    Nov 11th 2020, 11:41 PM

    @Michelle Corry #FBPE: so you would be happy for Tesco, or any supplier to take money off you until you unsubscribe?

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    Mute Marty Lawless
    Favourite Marty Lawless
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    Nov 12th 2020, 10:43 AM

    I’m not paying for that crap rte can take the high road

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    Mute E
    Favourite E
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    Nov 12th 2020, 12:25 AM

    Test

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    Mute Margaret Kane
    Favourite Margaret Kane
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    Nov 12th 2020, 8:26 PM

    Cut the wages and show some decent programs

    1
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