TV licence non renewal or jail?

Purple said:
I have an issue with the low quality, waste and strong Public Sector and pro- union bias across all of RTE but I still think we need Public Service Broadcasting (rather than the Public Sector Broadcasting we currently get).
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I have an issue with almost everything in contemporary Irish public life! And I'm not enthused about RTE being used to brainwash us into being good little citizens and voting the way that the government wants us to in next month's referenda! But I'm old and grumpy and fed up - plus I need a new hip!

Ignoring public affairs, remember that you're getting lots of decent sports coverage on RTE (TV and radio) and TG4 not to mention six hours of The Hamilton Score on Lyric FM for your licence fee! Bargain of the year!
 
I'm not enthused about being fed a diet of human interest driven drivel that passes for current affairs and news with a strong left wing and pro-trade union bias. I stopped listening to Moaning Ireland on Radio 1 and their evening drive time show is asinine rubbish. If I want music I listen to a streaming service.
Marsupial said:
Ignoring public affairs, remember that you're getting lots of decent sports coverage on RTE (TV and radio) and TG4 not to mention six hours of The Hamilton Score on Lyric FM for your licence fee! Bargain of the year!
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The only time I watch TG4 is if they are showing Rugby and then I have to endure it in a language I don't understand. Okay, they do also have some excellent documentaries.
 
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Lyric FM is just there to keep washed up DJ's on the payroll. Nothing public service about it.
 
I do like John Creedon, on the TV and the wireless, but I haven't watched the toy show in years (the kids never liked it), Prime Time is usually a bunch of people stating the bleedin' obvious in pious tones or the usual clatter of left wing politicians and hand wringers from the homeless industry trotting out the RTE socialist message without any real critical analysis. I'd give their news a 4 out of 10 and their current affairs coverage a 3 out of 10.
 
RTE is producing far too much poor content. No quality control.
 
thedaddyman said:
Also, it is perhaps worth considering what would happen and what we would lose if RTE was to close
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That's worthy of a seperate discussion, but in short here's how I see it:

* We should have a state funded broadcaster to promote the Irish language. TG4 do a good job already, so give them full responsibility, including film ownership and control of Radio Nag, and some additional funding.

* We should also have a state funded Public Service Broadcaster. RTE do a good job on this front, albeit, I think that the true nature of Public Service Broadcasting represents less than 10% of RTE's broadcasting.

Given, that I've lost all confidence in RTE, I don't trust them to continue to have responsibility for Public Service Broadcasting, or public funding for same, in their current guise.

I'd break out RTE1 and Radio 1 from the current RTE "Group", and run it on a stand alone basis, with new management, and a very clear purpose, with regards to its sole purpose to be a Public Service Broadcaster.

There after, I'd sell or close down all remaining parts of RTE. It's well beyond salvation, in its current guise.
 
ArthurMcB said:
Why not expand your cultural horizon and learn the language, given you live in the country?
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I'm dyslexic and on the autism spectrum ( and that should come as no surprise to anyone who reads anything I post here) so learning other languages is a challenge. That and when I was in school the teaching wasn't up to much (or course all teachers are wonderful and heroic now).
 
Why do taxpayers need to 'promote' the Irish language? The small percentage of people who want to speak it do, but the rest by and large are sick to the back teeth of it being rammed down our throats since childhood.
 
LLB123 said:
Why do taxpayers need to 'promote' the Irish language? The small percentage of people who want to speak it do, but the rest by and large are sick to the back teeth of it being rammed down our throats since childhood.
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The approach seems to be the main bugbear for a lot of people. Maybe if the government tried to ban the language it would flourish.
 

Drivetime is tolerable whenever that narcissistic twit Snoremac O'Header isn't busily interrupting every guest so he can tell them what he thinks about whatever topic is being discussed.

Morning Ireland is dire. (And has been since David Hanley died!) The weather forecast is generally OK though.
 
LLB123 said:
Why do taxpayers need to 'promote' the Irish language? The small percentage of people who want to speak it do, but the rest by and large are sick to the back teeth of it being rammed down our throats since childhood.
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Personally, I see justification in promoting our native tongue, and providing facilities for the next generation to learn it.

Having had to sit through the complete missery of trying to read Peig, and other rubbish, many years ago, I'd happily pay a few quid each year, so the generations that come after me, can try and learn the language through decent TV and radio programming, instead.
 
His side kick is worse with her nasal whine.
 
No-one goes to prison for non payment of the TV licence.
Even if you are fined and refuse to pay the court imposed fine (which is an additional offence) you rarely go to prison.

The last person who went to prison for non payment of a court fine in relation to a tv licence was in 2016.

Now they have several other options including deducting payment via employment and community service.

A judge will fly through a court list of non payers, give a fine and let the payment system take care of that.
 
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