Premiershi* Coverage Newstalk106

[Dr.Nightdub]

Unlike Newstalk - a commercial station - RTE is a public service broadcaster and, as such, has a duty to cover events of a national interest even if they do not make them money. RTE's problem is that they claim they are a public service broadcaster but - aside from programmes like Nationwide - act like a commercial station. It's tough for them because they are under commercial pressures but if they are a public service broadcaster they have a duty to cover items such as the EL.

Ah come on Passive, that's an incredibly one-dimensional view of RTE. Yes, they have a public service broadcasting remit but the demographics of this country don't allow them to operate on any financial model other than a semi-commercial one - there simply aren't enough households in the country to enable them to fulfill the PSB obligations on licence fee income alone. Hence they've no choice but to act as a commercial station (albeit one with arcane work - or more like it, work-shy - practices straight out of the public service )

However they do a great job in terms of commisioning and airing home-produced programmes - check WAR's list (or the very natty MP4 player being fired about by RTE Sales at the moment ) Just compare their output in this regard to TV3, a "purely" commercial operation who were getting the benefit of preferential "transfer pricing" (in the business, not football sense) from CanWest / Granada up until recently. Or compare them to Sky1 who could easily be subsidised by the Murdoch empire if they wanted to be anything other than totally commercial.

The fact that RTE p1ss all over their competitors in audience terms indicates that they are giving the viewers what they want - a fairly crude definition of "national interest" but probably valid all the same. I know they've increased their share considerably this year and one of the key drivers was a home-produced programme - Podge & Rodge, believe it or not. Don't take my word or WAR's for it though, talk to Drimnagh Hoop. If he's still working where he used to, he's ideally placed to give you an unbiased opinion.

You yourself mentioned RTE's obligation to cover events of national interest. I think we'd all agree that, rightly or wrongly, the contents of Pineapple Stu's attendances thread would suggest that LoI simply doesn't qualify as being "of national interest".

If you stay within the limits of sport, then what qualifies as being "of national interest" is really just the EPL, CL, horse racing and Rovers' pals in the GAA, and they cover those. Unfortunately, us LoI Luddites are "of minority interest" which is a whole different thing.

PSB and minority interests may well overlap in pure theoretical terms but in the semi-commercial context of RTE, I can't see the benefit of them screening some kind of LoI highlights show in the wee hours of the morning which is where it'd most likely end up. There, or on a Friday teatime, like the Soccer Show RIP - that, I grant you, was inspired stupidity in terms of scheduling.

Our fundamental problem isn't with RTE - it's with RTE's audience. If they want to watch LoI, eventually RTE will come around. Therein lies the real challenge.

[Passive]

Doc, I agree with most of your post (as I said, I am pro-RTE) but I don't agree that EL is not in the national interest. Not only is it a domestic sport, it is the domestic version of the most popular sport in the country! Viewing figures for televised games show that there is a desire amongst Irish people to watch domestic football, even if it is only from the comfort of their armchair. In fact, the viewing figures RTE have received from their televised games should actually satisfy their commercial desires, leaving aside any debate about the national interest.

Besides, you can't honestly tell me, while keeping a straight face, that the only reason RTE don't show EL is because they don't believe it to be in the national interest. I believe RTE's prejudice against EL to be the same as that of another media outlet, of which I am more than familiar.

[Jerry The Saint]

7 new Lifestyle series

Oh, excellent - you can never have too many of these! I hope they do something about houses...

[Dr.Nightdub]

Passive, I reckon the only difference between us revolves around the difference between "in the national interest" and "of national interest".

I accept that there's a chicken and egg thing going on - if they show matches, especially before the CL kicks in, people will watch e.g. the Pats-Bohs Cup semi replay a few years ago. On the other hand, you can see the logic in a thought process that says if not many people are going to matches, then not many are interested enough to watch LoI football so why give up valuable prime time just to watch your audience zap.

[harry crumb]

RTE, give us a review show that looks like it has some good production values behind it.

TV3 have it a level but apart from bringing an extra panelist onto the show have gone backwards.