No Pat, we are paying already, but if the state broadcaster decides to pay somebody €750k p.a. for 2 days work a week, then dont tell me I have to pay more to keep that show on the road.
This whole public service thing is getting out of control.
Seems the citizen is required to pay for inefficiency, free-loading, and all sorts of waste without question.
Thats what we elect people like Pat to do, police the spending of taxpayers money, but they have no appettite for that part of the job.

Pay the so called stars less. After all, their audiences are negligible compared to those of the same ilk in other countries.

Oh Please. The national broadcaster vomited up the same old crap on the Late Late again last night. Same old tired presenter,same tired old guests. Why not let the Montrose Mafia try to cut it in the real world of commercial television? Like the old days of TASS in the Soviet Union the state monopoly broadcaster is tired and irrelevant.

Between 8pm and 11 pm tonight, prime time viewing on rte 1 consists of the lotto, winning streak, the news and up for the match. Minister rabbitte really wants me to pay for this?

Here’s a mad idea- how about we are given a choice in weather or not we pay for RTE, the same way we can choose if we want to pay for Sky Sports or Movies.

It’s called the market economy Pat and it’s been around for thousands of years. But instead most of us are forced to pay a license fee for content we neither want nor even watch.

So basically RTE needs a dig out because it can’t figure out its own finances and is in a creative rut.

How is that our problem? They should focus on new and interesting shows and allow the rte player be paid for but available internationally so ex-pats can watch everything

The TV licence is expensive enough as it is ( ?160 a year).That is A LOT of money for a household like mine

You mean we should be prepared to pay more for our national broadcaster. I personally don’t listen to or watch any of our national broadcasters stations. Except maybe for the news or the lotto. All of which we can now get online. The license fee is as far as I can see a waste of my money. RTE is full of over paid talentless cardboard cut outs!!

RTE is the most flogged dead horse on the planet.Awful programming and awful presenters and a sta

I would happily pay the licence if you get rid of the cats piss “presenters” (eg Kenny, Tubbers, Ormand, Left Testie etc) and scramble my TV/ Radio to prevent the catastrophic consequences of accidentally being in ear shot of the brain poisoning. You keep my money, all winners!

hi
RTE are at best a poor facsimile of BBC/UTV etc
each showing that same old crap over and over.

However I should not have to pay RTE to look at BBC.

Why dont RTE issue a settop card for those who want to pay to
view their output.

rabbite and his banker buddies can pay for RTE if they like it
so much

why should the public pay for a family business

http://i.imgur.com/bhXNt.gif

Amongst those that I can think of are;

Lottie Ryan daughter of the late Gerry
Phillip Boucher Hayes nephew of Myles dungan
Ryan Tubridy and David mcSavage, grandsons of former DG Todd Andrews
Eileen Dunne daughter of mick Dunne
The late Jonathan Philbin bowman, son of John
I also seem to remember that a son of Larry Gogan did a stint in RTE at some point too and I’m sure there’s some more that I can’t think of at the moment and these are just those in the public eye

In tandem with this is how, down through its 50 years of existence RTE has displayed a remarkable ability to promote its own and find positions or platforms Or vehicles (often far removed from their original role within the organisation) for those who have connections or have found favour with its hallowed walls.

In this context I’m thinking of such RTE “couples” as Frankie Byrne and Frank Hall, gay byrne and Kathleen Watkins, David Agnew and twink, miriam o callaghan and Steve Carson (and Tom McGurk) Teresa Lowe and Frank McNamara
And individuals such as Maureen Potter, maxi, Brendan o Carroll, pat shortt, Derek Davis, joe Duffy, Angus mcNally, Shay Healy and The Seoighe sisters amongst others. I was recently reminded of this when I saw a clip where so many of RTE’s so called talent seemed to have got their “start” on the LateLate toy show as wee ones with a bit of cheek and obviously loads of ambition

It all just brings to mind a bit the title of Bruce’s new song: “we take care of our own

No thanks

Is he having a laugh? I’d happily contribute if RTE would show some decent programmes instead of churning out ‘Reeling In The Years’ every time they can. Love/Hate is their best show in years but I just seems that RTE are happy to show re-runs of US & UK shows with one or two of their own every couple of years. For a broadcaster that goes out to 5million people, no one in there should be earning over E100k PA. It’s not like Tubs, Pat, Joe or Miriam will be poached to ITV or BBC. It’s still jobs for the boys in there.

I don’t see how you could possibly hope to describe RTE as a being critical in its coverage.

It’s an easy solution!!! Cut it back to one station and sell off the rest. There is no need for the three. Do the same with radio. Oh no!!! That would mean that the nepotism gravy train would come to an end. Couldn’t have that so have the rest of us pay more. Just piss off !!!!

“Irish broadcasters, have to compete with the very best the world has to offer, while still catering for the particular needs of the domestic market,” he said.
Tough. Get better or go, you dont need that much from the state plus license fees PLUS advertising. Its like RTE is on the Dole AND working on the side but still asking for more money to do F all

End RTE’s duel funding. Make em choose. Private or state

I just don’t believe this. Every single day there’s something more ridiculous coming out of those ministers mouths.

We’ll have to pay for every comment we send to the journal next.

Why should I be prepared to pay for a Government mouth piece? because you say so Rabbite? who the hell does he think he is? this lad needs a kick in the b…………

F@@k off pat

RTE and the Catholic church are responsible for keeping the older generation of the country in a stupified hypnotic state. The reason we’re being forced to pay for this disgraceful organisation is that the government needs to keep this hypnotic stupified state going while they screw us over. RTE is the propganda arm of the state and it needs to get it’s funding from somewhere so they threaten us with massive fines and even jail if we do not contribute toward this propganda pukefest! Thank god for the freedom of the Internet!

Get rid of the ads, rubbish movies, awful american sitcoms, cut the pay of wasters like Kenny and Tubridy and actually provide some thoughtful and insightful public service programming and none of us would mind paying for it.

According to some reports Charlie Bird is to be paid 200,000 euros lump sum plus 80,000 euros a year pension by RTE, does this sound familier Pat

No I already have a tv license and barely have rte! I’m not paying more money to watch static!

I pay SKY for my tv channels, pay three for my broadband and after watching what RTE think is great ” the late late”, last night, sorry mister Rabbitte, you aint gettin a dime from me. Such crap on that late late show. Time to call it a day with that show.

Privatise RTE…

I’d wouldn’t mind paying for it, if I got the same quality and amount of BBC channels and radio. And no advertising between programmes.

Oh yes Pat we are all well prepared….
Well prepared to tell you and the rest of RTE to sod off!!!!

Why should we be forced to pay for a third rate Government and church controlled entity ? The RTE old boys club should pay their own way.

She’s just paving the way for the new ‘Communications Charge’ which every household will have to pay whether they have a TV or not.

I’ve already chosen two years ago. I do not own a TV any more and am happy without it. The sh**e on RTE wasn’t what I wanted and I wasn’t prepared to foot the bill for it. Plus, if I did want it and paid a licence fee I would have still needed to pay MORE money to bastard Murdoch’s Sky to receive what I had already paid the government for.
RTE is very poor programming and lousy value for money.

Rte are desperate at putting on. good tv shows at desperate hours ie mad men. Good shows like rookie blue on.at like 2 am in.the morning remember the kennedys on on.a saturday night at 11 and what is their obsession.with people like katherine lynch not one bit funny as for film.premiers bout 2 or 3 years behind channels like itv channel 4 etc

We need to introduce “pay per view” because why should people pay for programmes, films, sport etc that they have no interest in, also the salaries that are paid out at rte are ridiculous.

NO,
am paying sky, no interest in bog 1 to bog 4
interested in world news not car crashes down byroads
or waffle coming from kenny and co.
interested in what i have in my OWN pocket not what they say they will take out
not seen irish news in 10 years, spin south west, i will pay for
and 2fm and today fm

A lot of people get caught for not having a TV licence, I never had a licence in my life, Pat Kenny and Turbidy wont be holidaying on me.

I see no issue at all – if RTE TV and radio needs to go to 1 station and basic news programmes and a few other suits me as I watch little else on RTE anyway.
RTE2 and 2FM should be scrapped.
The majority of the content on radio 1 is very poor – just chat and retro music. I cannot understand where the money goes. It is certainly not on the screen or airwaves.

If you were paying the wages of dinosours like pat kenny and jimmy mc gee rte might have a few quid.

How about you pay Mr Rabitte?

Don’t watch a lot on RTE but Raw and Love Hate are brilliant. The Frontline and Primetime can be interesting at times. If we want a state broadcaster we have to pay but I think you will find Mr Rabbit is telling RTE to get its house in order. It’s hard enough for them when we have access to the best broadcasters in the world, BBC and channel4. Difficult to compete with those.

he’s right! if we want a national broadcaster we should pay, conversely if we don’t want a national broadcaster we should have a choice not to pay and not to receive.
I don’t watch or listen to the state media, can I have a refund?

Make RTE pay per view…. Let the idiots who want to watch it pay for it…. Very simple…. Personally I have a problem paying for Rabitte and co only guaranteed easy ride when scandals break….. Case in point…. Reilly on primetime the other night to excuse himself from any blame for the shambles he caused the week before without any rebuttle guests on…. Propaganda tv should be paid for by the political parties and their sheep plus any idiot willing to subject themsleves to it…..

Someone has to pay for the propaganda machine. I’d say the TV licence will be increased!

If I want to read a newspaper, magazine or watch a film… I buy a pay per use fee based on an amount that represents value according to me. This also allow me to direct funds towards media I think is worthwhile and away from those I consider waste…

I deeply resent the fact that I pay for Fair City, Joe Duffy , tallaghtfornia, Xpose, broadcasting of religious services, and a channel in a language I do not speak…

We get more choice from competing media outlets & we have to pay more to RTE… Have we moved to back 30 years! Minister societies change Ireland have changed, let RTE go to the wall. How does bloody tv3 sustain a great lineup… Vincent Browne, news, xpose etc.

Ok thejournal.ie show us you’re impartial; do one of your polls. Should RTE be pay per view? Yes, No, I don’t know.

Get the oil and gas companies you’re giving our natural resources away to subsidize them.

As a tax payer sponsored entity rte should not be in competition with sky , UPC and tv3 , it shouldn’t waste what is a weeks income after tax for most people on expensive series that everyone can obtain for free.
Stick to public service broadcasting both here and abroad , and if people want to watch csi or Dallas let them stick up a satellite dish

Pat Rabbitt on Big old White elephant ! Both as ineffective as each other!

Non article related’ “Louise is hot as hell”

If RTE is public service, fine, sell RTE2 stop the tax payer paying for US tv shows that they can watch on Channel 4 or whatever for free.

Sure just don’t bother watching rte get the free to air English channels or something just tell the licence man u don’t have rte… All that money just goes to rte broadcasters so u don’t have to pay it that’s my theory anyway

Sell the damn thing off

Pat Rabbitt on Big old White elephant ! Both as ineffective as each other!

RTE Prime Time Schedule 2013:
5:00 – Daithi O’Se and Linda Martin check out the latest fashions
6:00 – Main Evening News – Read by Twink, Sports news with Daithi O’Se
6:30 – Reeling in the Years – Linda Martin Looks back at 1983
7:00 – THE INTERVIEW – Daithi O’Se speaks candidly to Twink about her falling out with Linda Martin.
8:00 – Celebrity Survival Challenge – Twink, Linda Martin and Daithi O’Se tough it out in the woods
10:00 – A prayer at bedtime (read by Linda Martin)
10:30 – The National Anthem, sung by Daithi O’Se

RTE is now known as “Pravda” as it spouts out the Government line in it’s “news” bulletins. It has to as it got itself into so much hot water over innaccurate reportage etc – Rabitte had the Board over a barrel.
The actual audience seems to vary between 300,000 to 500, 000 out of a population of 4.5 million – not great . Since it mainly shows US and UK shows which we can see on other channels anyway I do not see the point in funding RTE to pay these US and UK Corps more money. As to the overpaid “Stars” as they refer to themselves – this is a real waste of money – none are worth more than Euro 150k max ! They should be told to “hump off” and find these illusiory “green ” fields abroad ( They do not exist !)
No Pat – you are not fooling us with more overpaid public sector workers being funded by the taxpaying serfs of “De Republik” of Direland. Hump off yourself ! This is just a prelude to your “Broadcasting charge” – another tax !

Scrap all but RTE 1 and Radio 1 and make some good shows that they can export rather than filling them with imports and programmes for the over 70′s

Commercials should be scrapped completely, programmes are crap on RTE, and presentersare very overpaid, and I will not pay for them to have extended holidays, I have never paid a licence fee and never will pat, so you can stick it where you want, until the presenters wages have been reduced even on radio. Maybe in CAHWT we should add in Campaign against Household, Broadcasting and Water charges, and build up resistence to all, and tell the officials rabbitte may bring to our door, that we have no more money to give for overpaid presenters, and their families, eg tubridy, charlotte ryan larry gogan and son, miles dungan and nephew, philip boucher hayes.. the list just goes on, everybody looks after their own, why doesn’t the state broadcaster take some the unemployed off the dole and employ them, instead of taking on their own family. If you bring this tax in rabbitte, it will mean that you will never be voted in ever again.

Commercials should be scrapped completely, programmes are crap on RTE, and presentersare very overpaid, and I will not pay for them to have extended holidays, I have never paid a licence fee and never will pat, so you can stick it where you want, until the presenters wages have been reduced even on radio. Maybe in CAHWT we should add in Campaign against Household, Broadcasting and Water charges, and build up resistence to all, and tell the officials rabbitte may bring to our door, that we have no more money to give for overpaid presenters, and their families, eg tubridy, charlotte ryan larry gogan and son, miles dungan and nephew, philip boucher hayes.. the list just goes on, everybody looks after their own, why doesn’t the state broadcaster take some the unemployed off the dole and employ them, instead of taking on their own family. If you bring this tax in rabbitte, it will mean that you will never be voted in ever again.

Does this mean we will be getting a National broadcaster to replace RTE? sounds good

Licence is a noun; to license is a verb and whether one likes it or not weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure.

RTE are not as bad as people make them out to be. Yes a couple of the top guys are paid too much but overall their programming isn’t bad. Would sky do programmes for the minority’s or those with special needs in our society? They wouldn’t as it wouldn’t bring in the viewers. Also look at all the matches they show. Imagine how much Sky would charge us for all the Gaa matches and when the FAI sold the rights to their matches to sky, people went mad and rang Joe Duffy( RTE radio) and forced them into a u turn. We have to pay to keep Irish television Irish. Bring on the red thumbs.

Fascinating reading these comments. The level of ignorance about what the licence actually funds is amazing ! Some people seem to think TV3 is part of RTE too. Oh and LICENSE is a verb!!!

Top to bottom review of all programs, salaries and costs at the RTE to see what wasteful spending can be eliminated BEFORE the taxpayers are forced to chip in.

Wish they’d do that here with the CBC. but when the Conservative government cuts their budget, they don’t eliminate any overpaid management perks. And instead axe programs that the “leftist elitists” then blame on the government.