The end of RTE as a public service broadcaster

[Brabantje]

In a further sign that RTE management have thrown in the towel, we get the news that RTE is closing down it's documentary section.



While it had often been said that RTE tried to be the BBC with a fraction of the budget, one thing RTE have been consistently good at thoroughout their history is in producing top class documentaries.

One only has to think of programmes such as "Hands" or "Radharc" to get a sense of what will be lost. This really is an own goal.

[knownunknown]

We’re already in the AI journalist age and very soon it will be AI anchors, actors and producers.

The whole industry is going to be devastated. AI will be able to reproduce just about anything, except maybe sport.

Has anyone seen AI actors yet? Someone like Brad Pitt could give his likeness, appear in thousands of movies per year and sit on his ass all the while making millions in royalties or studios could promote ai actors as the next big star and save trucksloads of money.

https://www.synthesia.io/features/ai-actors

[Brabantje]

If RTE tried AI, i guarantee you it will look like 8bit graphics.

[NewBroom]

It doesn't sound great, they are increasingly a rebroadcaster of content. Combined with a remit to communicate the government of the day thinking and spin. But this is to be expected when they and so many 'independent' content creators rely on state funding. The only way to be truly independent is to be financially independent. Which comes back to the public, if we're not prepared to pay for independent content - then we don't deserve it.

[Brabantje]

It doesn't sound great, they are increasingly a rebroadcaster of content. Combined with a remit to communicate the government of the day thinking and spin. But this is to be expected when they and so many 'independent' content creators rely on state funding. The only way to be truly independent is to be financially independent. Which comes back to the public, if we're not prepared to pay for independent content - then we don't deserve it.

I'd generally agree, however the persistent wasting of the same public money has turned people away from the idea. And the cost of what they describe as "the talent" is way over the odds, and that's before we get to the dodgy "subcontractor" contracts. RTE needs to earn its trust back. It is capable of producing quality content, but as a corporate body, it's just got lazy and entitled.

[Clanrickard]

TG4 and 1 RTE channel would enough. Foreign soaps and re-runs of series from 40 years is not public service broadcasting. And no ads.

[NewBroom]

It's a general thing these days, people used be happy to pay for newspapers, TV licences, films and music etc. They were selective in what they chose & paid for, but they paid.

Now too many expect unlimited amounts of free news, free music, free TV and free shows.

And that model will never work. It just results in manipulation and mediocrity. But as I observe, the public will get what the public deserve.