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RTÉ Player

'It's like dealing with a website from the 90s': Viewers vent frustration at RTÉ Player issues

RTÉ said it is committed to delivering “the best possible user experience for our audience”.

VIEWERS HAVE COMPLAINED about the quality of the RTÉ Player in emails sent to the national broadcaster in recent months. 

Members of the public complained about the online streaming service freezing or playing ads rather than the programme itself, among other issues.

Complaints sent to RTÉ from September to November were released to The Journal via a Freedom of Information request.

One email sent on 7 November notes: “I’m not sure if you’re aware, I presume you are, of how absolutely terrible the latest version of the iPlayer is to use.”

The person said they had “lost count of how many times” they tried to rewind an episode a few seconds but the Player jumped back to the start of the programme and then they had to “use that ridiculous arrow calculator speed thing to try to go forward to find where I was again”.

“Why has this been made so complicated? It really makes me very reluctant to use the rte player [sic] unless there is something I really really want to watch, which is such a shame. I know there is lots of great content on there.”

The viewer said they know RTÉ is “short of funding” but added that the issue is “so off-putting for consumers, please look into improving it”.

Screenshot 2024-12-19 at 17.16.14 RTÉ / FOI RTÉ / FOI / FOI

In an email sent the next day, another viewer notes: “As a tv licence payer I am so frustrated with RTE…

For the love of god can you add a function where you can enter your tv license number so we can watch what we want when we want. [sic]

On 13 November, a different person noted: “Can you possibly synchronise your player so speech and visual are synchronised?”

They said using the Player was like dealing with a website from the 1990s, adding: “It’s pathetic. Get your shit together. It’s 2024!”

‘I really want to support RTÉ’

A more measured email was sent to the national broadcaster on 26 September. The viewer wrote: “I really want to support and use the RTE player and am impressed with the offerings now.

“However, as I expect you are aware, there remain annoying unsatisfactory glitches in terms of the constant default to watch ads and with rewinding and fast forwarding.”

This person said they had tried to watch programmes on a number of occasions but gave up.

“I also watch current affairs programmes which I believe RTE produces so well but have given up on playback to do same.”

The viewer said they wanted to support RTÉ but often ended up switching to other streaming services such as Netflix, Prime or Apple TV because of their “wholly dissatisfactory” experience with the Player.

Issues with audio description

Earlier that month, on 6 September, a person wrote to RTÉ to raise concerns about issues with the platform’s audio description (which is used to help people who have a visual impairment). 

This viewer said they use the Player “a lot” and “really appreciate the fact that RTE take the time to audio describe a good lot of their programs now” [sic].

Screenshot 2024-12-19 at 17.14.29 RTÉ / FOI RTÉ / FOI / FOI

“I have, however, run into some situations, whereby the audio description simply is not working. The audio description option is there along with subtitles and I have it switched on, but when I go to play the program, it isn’t working.”

The person continued: “Apart from the fact that this is an equal access issue, I feel it is a shame that RTE put so much effort and money into audio describing their programs when people are not getting the benefit of it.

“It is clear that RTE genuinely care about making their programs accessible and I really hope that this problem can be resolved. [sic]”

Continued investment to improve services

When asked about the issues raised by viewers, a spokesperson for RTÉ told The Journal: “We are committed to continuing to invest in RTÉ Player to continuously improve the service and deliver the best possible user experience for our audience.”

The spokesperson noted that the RTÉ Player “has had a record-breaking year in 2024 with +43% growth in streams to 137.7 million”.

An average of two million people visit the Player each month, they added.

“This is testament to the investment in improving reliability, resilience, functionality and the distribution of RTÉ Player on a number of platforms…

“The investments made to meet audience demand for both big live events and on demand are paying off with a seamless experience for this year’s Late Late Toy Show for example with a record breaking 677,000 streams.”

Earlier this year, RTÉ’s Chief Executive Kevin Bakhurst said there was an “urgent need” to invest in digital products such as upgrading the RTÉ Player.

While addressing the Oireachtas Media Committee in July, Bakhurst said a new five-year strategy aims to ensure “the future and the relevance of a transformed” national broadcaster.

RTÉ is due to receive €725 million in public money over the next three years, as part of a new ‘multi-annual’ funding model approved by Cabinet over the summer.

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