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The Daily PollTHE NATIONAL BROADCASTER released its annual list of highest-paid presenters yesterday, with TV and radio host Ryan Tubridy on top with a salary of €440,000 in 2021.
He was followed by Liveline host Joe Duffy at €351,000 and Claire Byrne at €350,000.
RTÉ said the salaries of its highest-earning presenters represent less than 1% of its total operating costs and that it has reduced the fees of high-profile presenters by around 40% over the past 15 years.
The broadcaster operates a range of television and radio stations, including RTÉ One, RTÉ2, RTÉjr, RTÉ Radio One, RTÉ2fm, Raidió na Gaeltachta and Lyric FM.
Today, we’re asking you: How often do you watch or listen to RTÉ?
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Rarely if ever and certainly nowhere near enough to justify the license fee.
@Bríann O Connor: I never listen to RTE and totally agree the fee should be scrapped
@Bríann O Connor: too busy watching.me Paint dry
Am sure all employees of RTÉ were emailed to participate in this one.
@zephyrum: why! Every dog on the street knows RTE has issues. Same overpaid faces, same boring nonsense!!
I challenge distilled media to put a poll on thier performance and bias…to try and turn this into a news item its a them vs us approach..you do realise media and bias is what got us here with politics and the false rise of the right..
MEDIA ARE THE PROBLEM
Watch just six nations and possibly the Toy show. Never listen to rte radio. It’s a shameful waste of taxpayers money.
Can’t remember the last time I knowingly watched RTE or listened to any of their radio stations, I would still gladly pay my license fee if a considerable amount didn’t go to presenters that filter it through their production companies to minimise the amount of tax they pay on their earnings.
National Public Broadcasting is very important as a medium for encouraging and developing the arts RTE are just not up to Standard considering the amount of Budget they receive.
All the news and programming are bland and lacking in depth. The 6pm news on tv is so anaemic, boring
@Seoirse Ó Staighe: yeah would be great if they could liven up all the bad news alright…..maybe put it to music?!
@Joe Kennedy: They would if it suited their agenda.
Should be pay per view, no licence.
@Joe Kennedy: the 6 o clock news is padded out, with the same news mentioned 3 or 4 times. No need for a second anchor person and keep it to the same format and time line as the 9 o clock news. Seems to be fine at the weekend.
@Seoirse Ó Staighe: since the beginning of time on all stations everywhere bad news is what’s on the agenda. There might be an occasional good news story at the end of the broadcast. Bad news is what sells. And by watching, you’re buying.
@Seoirse Ó Staighe: they seem to over analyse the stories with two or three reporters covering the top story and saying the same thing. One reporter would do and then move on.
@G Row.: But it’s already pay for view and the cost to the viewer is the price of the licence.
@Ann Reddin: Non compulsory PPV I am talking about, pay if you want it don’t pay if you don’t.
Too many on top heavy wages, almost half a million euro for Ryan Tubridy , unbelievable shyte.
@G Row.: Absolutely disgusting salaries but they’ll tell you that if you don’t pay big money you won’t get the talent … talent – in RTE lol lol lol, they only wish. I don’t know how poor Ray Darcy is going to cope with the €150,000 reduction bringing his earnings down to a miserable €300,000!!!
In its current format it’s not fit for purpose. It’s supported by both the license fee and advertisements. The BBC model works well, no ads and a iPlayer that works really well.
Nowhere near enough to justify the license fee and the outrageous salaries!
Thejournal is most reliable sources of information they never delete comments they always give us true they love right wing.
Why do I need to watch some leftwing fanatics from RTE??
@artur fil: RTE – left wing???? Psml, it’s as right wing as you can get with FFG cronies taking up the top jobs.
Toy Show and that’s it.
@Ísla Carabine: None of those radio stations, ever?
@Adrian Neville: nope, local radio or Today FM
@Ísla Carabine: You must love listening to constant ads then and the numerous so called “Cash Machine” promps if TodayFM is your cup of tea, why not try “Newstalk” where you will get even more ads per hour and of course the “Cash Machine” carry on.
Never listen to their radio stations and only watch their sports coverage on TV.
John Creedon 8.00pm-10.00pm weekdays RTE 1. He’s great! Give it a go!
Never understand the anti Licence fee stuff. 150 quid for live sport coverage, gaa rugby etc- olympics, world cups, Decent current affairs and news (way better than privately biased news like sky news brainwash BS) ‘some’ decent chat show content, and a free somewhat decent streaming service – bargain in my view! Hater’s in Ireland as usual gonna hate.
@Glen OhAilpin: and what if someone has no interest in viewing the sports or any of their programming, why should they be forced to pay for a service they will never use?
I’d listen to 2fm wile driving but still go between all channels regardless so not only 2fm/RTE Stations. Think in the last 10 years the only reason I’ve watched RTE was for the odd sports match and covid lock down updates. I would imagine it amounts to less than 5 hours a year.
@Christine Hanway: if it was better used for Irish produced programmes and movies, features or Irish music, culture and Language, and I mean to a good standard I’d probably tune in more.
@Christine Hanway: TG4?
Sports programmes, Radio 1 sometimes, the odd decent documentary (Liam Brady one for example was very good) and they also do some decent Irish history stuff.
Quite a lot. I am listening to Clare Byrne’s programme as I type this.
Rarely!
The fact that we have to pay a license for what is essentially below par mediocre television.
Take the Late Late Show for example, apparently it’s “light entertainment” of a Friday night, yet whenever I do end up catching some of it, it’s completely depressing.
All it is, is a carnival of misery. Last time I saw it it the Le Garde from the ECB was being interviewed about inflation and cost of living…like why? It’s Friday night for gods sake. The week is hard enough, I should be able to switch off on a Friday night.
Is shows like PrimeTime or that new Clare Byrne replacement not the platform for political issues?
Yup Friday night politics. And that’s when Tubs is t talking about Covid or depression/mental health etc.
And when it does try and be light entertainment, I.e, The Valentines Special, it’s incredibly cringe, like actually embarrassed for everyone on it. Last years Paddy’s Day special was themed as an Irish bar, yet they where all sitting there with water. There’s no balance on it. It’s either a super cringe fest or it’s all stuffy.
Finally, what’s with all the home buying/renovating/Home of the year nonsense like every night? You’d swear we could all afford one.
It’s awful programming and depressing that it’s the highest calibre of television that we have here.
It’s better than Virgin Media though…I guess that’s, something?
@Darren Anthony Corr: Tubridy gets close to half a million euro for that drivel.
Terrible presenter.
Everyday; ours is a Marty kitchen…as is my jeep…and my heart!
Literally never. If people mention the listen to ‘radio’ I immediately think they’re over 100 years old.
@thesaltyurchin: You’re sighted, so? Why wouldn’t people buy a budget radio as opposed to large screens?
RTE discriminates in favour of Irish speakers. Why else would Daithi & Maura get a gig.
Just radio….morning times, Radio 1. A bit of Tubridy, all of Claire Byrne (balanced, and down to Earth, but not too much time for the overly lefty Hayes who fills in now and then). Might also listen to drive time. Always have time for Joe Duffy – the moanier, the better. Shout-out to Lyric FM also on the weekend – all of them. Love the 7-9 show, and Maskavich when I can catch him. No time for 2FM: Junk. TV….only via the player.
@Keth Warsaw: Actually happy to pay my license fee for the radio. RTE current affairs and news also. Btw, I’m a civillian.
@Keth Warsaw: Dave Fanning seriously underused. Maybe mis-used a better word. Legend.
@Keth Warsaw: but there’s some other people, not a million miles away, that you’re paying for aswell.
@Terry Fagan: I know, and of course. And some of the salaries are rediculous, and agree. When I feel a bit angry about the salaries, I listen to the independents….and quickly change back.
RTE is very important for ireland. It helps keep us sane and not prone to the polarising effects that many forms of private media has in other countries like USA, UK etc… also if we give up RTE we will lose almost every local documentary made, we will lose part of our culture.
@Wesley Conboy: Why would we give it up when it’s compulsory to pay for RTÉ as well as a television here? Do you not think people would subscribe to RTÉ if it was a choice?
Listen to some radio. Never watch RTÉ TV.
RTE Gold and Lyric FM pretty much daily. Almost never watch any TV tho.
Probably as much as I watch any other individual TV channel.
News, sport, weather forecast, Ireland’s Fittest Family and the odd other show hear and there.
I’d flitter between Morning Ireland and Newstalk in the morning depending on which one is annoying me more and the same at evening drivetime.
Weekends I’d listen to a lot of current affairs and sport.
Probably not a million miles away from most in my generation if they were to be honest.
Most people don’t want to be challenged with hard gritty dramas after a hard day at work they just want something mindless to switch off. So basically RTE has that covered. I don’t watch TV because the content is poor it’s because I have an XBOX, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch in my living room. None of which are able to access RTE player. My smart TV can’t stream live sports and only shows box sets. I don’t have a sky box or even Saor view as who could be arsed nowadays drilling holes in walls and putting ugly aerials on their house just to do something watch content that could easily be accessed over the internet if down right ?
Any time I go to my parents house in the evening and listen to the fear mongering brainwash it really opens my eyes more to the fear based tactics of society.
Toy show and 6 nations, thats about it.
Not as often as I wish. May it never go.
Probably the best radio content for news, current affairs & music (2FM/Lyric). Newstalk ised to be great for current affairs, but some of their presenters are very biased
Have lyric FM on in the background in the house in the morning, but otherwise, nothing.
Shut it down
Have to say, RTÉ journalists like Tony Connelly on BREXIT is definitely worth it. He’s really been the foremost expert at explaining what’s going on.
Technically I do listen every day. But that’s because I have RTE Gold as the default channel on my TV, so I hear a bit of it every time I switch it on.
Up there to be knocked down with little competition
@Eamonn Tierney: It’s hardly competitive when RTÉ gets licence fees Plus advertising revenue and can falsely claim a monopoly of viewers, though. I’d prefer it to be a subscriber service, not mandatory. Why are people paying regularly for channels they never watch, in fairness?
Never listen to RTE watch OT other than that I don’t usually watch at all
They could make a lot of cut backs on RTÉ A side from the salaries, I can’t remember the last time I watched RTÉ two. A lot of the radio stations could go too, 2xm, pulse, etc
What is rte?
Probably the best radio content for news, current affairs & music (2FM/Lyric). Newstalk ised to be great for current affairs, but some of their presenters are very biased and love to cause controversy to create a debate.
Ultimate Hell Week only and that’s it and now its canceled,I’m not interested in the annual christmas cabaret show with a few token toys thrown in that apart from massive payments to individuals private companies they blow the budget on.
Tbh I enjoy Nationwide and Ear to the Ground, when they’re not reusing old material, and some of the house shows but that’s about it. I don’t listen to any radio.
Less and less each year. A live sports event here and there and occasional hourly news on radio 1 when driving. That’s about it.
I’ll watch football on it, the toy show and the very odd one off show like the Liam Brady documentary the other night
I don’t listen to the rte radio
the only thing i listen to is rte2fm and today fm because these are available in all parts of ireland
I don’ have an antenna at home
have your say