Corruption in Irish television

[Steve Timko]

Love this TikTok.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dyEJ5t/

[Mark Jeffries]

I had posted about this last week--I had forgotten that there is a license fee in Ireland, but I did not mention that RTE runs advertising on its TV networks and the two main radio networks, which is probably a good reason why Ireland may be more pissed about the license fee than the UK is (although that TikToker with the beard and long hair is, I suspect, not necessarily the typical Irishman, if there is such a thing.  Of course, considering that I believe most of Ireland can pick up all five major UK terrestrial networks, either by digital antenna or Sky satellite, and the BBC radio networks, perhaps there's more of a reason to be unhappy about the license fee.

For a comparison, here's the prime time lineup tonight for RTE1 and RTE2:

RTE1:

6:01 pm--News (the weird time is because every evening at 6 p.m. the Angelus prayer is recited, in what is a rather produced series of pieces and not a Catholic priest reciting it on camera in a studio)

7:00--Nationwide--"current affairs" magazine

7:30--EastEnders--the BBC soap, I assume simulcasting with BBC1

8:00--Takeaway Titans--a local reality comp involving carryout eateries

9:00--News

9:35--RTE Investigates--what-it-says-on-the-tin documentary, this week about the Irish dairy industry.  I'm sure that for those who care these sort of things, it would be interesting.

10:30--Unforgotten--ITV crime drama that returned to the air this year after a COVID-induced absence of a few years

And RTE2:

6:00--Shortland Street--New Zealand soap

6:30--Home and Away--the only Aussie soap left (oh, that's right, "Neighbours" is coming back)--don't know if it simulcasts with Channel 5

7:00--Science's Greatest Mysteries--BBC docuseries, on Roku in the US

8:00--Dynasties--BBC nature doc hosted by (who else?) Sir David Attenborough

9:00--Alma's Not Normal--BBC sitcom last produced in 2021 about the British care system.  I would assume this does not have a laugh track.

9:35--Billy the Kid--The Epix/MGM+ Western, which means perhaps more Irish people watched it than Americans

10:30--Gossip Girl--Like OMG, it's the Max reboot that was cancelled after two seasons

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com

On Mon, Jul 10, 2023 at 1:41 AM Steve Timko <steve...@gmail.com> wrote:

Love this TikTok.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dyEJ5t/

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[Adam Bowie]

It's worth noting that basically every public service TV broadcaster across Europe apart from the BBC takes at least some advertising these days. I've just spent the week in France and France TV (their BBC equivalent) has advertising between programmes, but fewer mid-programme interruptions than normal. Most of these European countries have some kind of licence fee/central taxation to pay for their broadcasts.

Of course, the reality is that without this, no commercial competitors in smaller nations would ever be able to produce much programming to represent local culture. Only RTE is really going to regularly make Irish-set drama series. I'm not even aware that Netflix has commissioned any series in Ireland (things like Rebellion are RTÉ productions, and while they put money into the Channel 4 original Derry Girls, that's really Northern Ireland).  There may be something I've missed, but even if you consider the UK, Netflix really hasn't done anything that I would consider culturally "British" apart from, perhaps, Top Boy. Most of their UK productions are looking to gaining decent global audiences as well. Set in the UK, yes, but always with an eye on the global audience with big names, and nothing too "alienating."

The other thing to note here is that we're in the middle of summer and few broadcasters (aside from streamers) are putting out much new programming. Lots of reruns and lower cost fare, saving everything "good" for the autumn/fall. 

I'm not saying that RTÉ's autumn programming will be that much better - I'm willing to bet that their biggest hit aside from The Late Late Show which is at the centre of this latest controversy, is probably the BBC/RTÉ co-production - Mrs Brown's Boys - about which, the less said, the better (and curiously, it's shot in Glasgow, and not anywhere in Ireland!).

Adam

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