RTÉ News

And talking about TV3, I was watching their news only a few days ago and for one of the first times ever, I saw a cock-up on TV3 News. They were in the middle of a report and suddenly cut to Claire Byrne whilst the very same shot was being shown on the background behind her giving the infinity-effect. Then the background changed to 'TV3 News' like normal and she realised she was in-vision (the audio from the report was still playing) so she looked down at her papers and was obviously recieving instructions from the director as she was nodding slightly. Then about 10 seconds after the original cut, we were back to the report again. Just one question - why was the main shot of Claire being shown on the background in the first place?

Anyway...

We don't know anything about the new set at all. I wonder does the person who posted about Úna know anything? It seems like they're an insider! The only piece of information that we have is this which was taken form a webchat with Bryan Dobson:

Jonny: Hi Bryan, you all do a great job. Just wondering are there any plans to give the news studios a face lift? Also, when the news finishes, we see you all talking as the music ends the show - surely there must be times when you have to make up something to say??!! What do you typically talk about?
Bryan: We're planning a new studio set, the current one is due an update! When the news finishes we sometimes talk about stories in the news, our plans for the evening, nothing in particular really!

This tells us nothing really - only that there will certainly be a revamp in September.

I also came across this in the webchat (although I have a feeling Telefis mantioned it already):

Patrick M: Do you feel RTÉ will ever launch a dedicated news channel? On-demand news is what we all crave, but the only option for Irish breaking news is the web, local radio or international news stations.
Bryan: As far as I know, there are no plans at the moment for a dedicated news channel. It would be very expensive to do well, and perhaps at the moment not the best use of RTÉ's limited resources. We still have huge audiences for our main television news bulletins, so people still seem prepared to sit down and watch a news programme at a particular time. I think this medium is more likely to offer the opportunity to deliver news on-demand. But rolling news is something we think a lot about, and is always a possibility.

This to me suggests that we'll have to wait until the launch of DTT before we see an RTÉ News channel. But in all fairness, I can see where he's coming from there.

Well that's really a given isn't it - how else would RTÉ establish a new channel Phen? Do you mean be granted a new analogue frequency? Is there even the space?!

Came across a few interesting bits and pieces on the internet re the Studio 3 gallery. A new DVE console, what I presume in this case to be the principal video control unit in the gallery (essentially the vision mixer's desk) was replaced according to a website between the 26th of December in time for a Jan 1st transmission. No year is given, but it can really only be the 1999-2000 changeover can’t it?

Here it is pictured to the extreme right:

http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/gallery_1.jpg


Also a new digital Calrec Sigma 100 audio desk was installed for the current 2003 revamp, one of the first installations of this new model in these islands. Not that it’s really anything to shout home about as it’s a 32 channel model, the smallest you can get, and the Sigma is the ‘budget’ model as it were of broadcast audio consoles, with the Calrec Alpha 100 being the big cheese most broadcasters use. Still the Sigma produces equally excellent audio, just it’s a smaller unit and has fewer features, but if it serves their needs then that’s all that matters. As it is it cost about €150,000!


Back to that gallery picture and you can see the monitor bank is filled with 4:3 monitors. The big monitor underneath the clock is the on air or ‘programme’ monitor, with the big one beside it the preview monitor. This is used for example when a mix/dissolve is used, where the vision mixer pre-selects a shot which then appears on the preview. When they execute a mix, this is the shot that is dissolved to. Similarly they’d sometimes use it to compose shots with graphics just before making a cut to it.

http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/gallery_1.jpg


The lower screens seem to range from Cameras 1-3, with the fourth presumably out of picture here – it is afterall a secondary camera taking the wides, so maybe the next one just off to the left.

The 6-8 monitors stacked vertically behind Anne are used probably for reports, but definitely for feeds such as satellite link-ups. The multitude of smaller monitors to the very bottom and elsewhere come alive with major events when a a myriad of feeds are coming in. No doubt Presentation also has a presence on a few of them too.

The small screens to the far right may be used by the VT op who is close to them, but this report material would also appear up on larger screens if the case.
There’s more monitors off picture to the left that are used for autocue amongst other things, and of course the picture windows and graphics probably have a dedicated monitor somewhere too. Astons are stockpiled on computers with their timecodes noted

As for seating, well the vision mixer sits to the right, the director in the middle directly behind Anne (with the talkback mic), and the PA keeping time and running order usually to the left in the chair that’s visible.

http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/gallery_1.jpg

They also seem to have a talkback, probably used when the director is incapacitated and the PA is instructed in speaking with the presenter/s.

Note the countertop Anne is leaning on – this seems to be designed so that production assistants can come running in from the Newsroom with material and leave it there for the main desk crew to turn around and have to hand – not sure, though even seems to have rubber paper-gripping strips on it. There’s also a PA/director’s timer unit beside Anne there.
The consoles for camera, lighting and sound ops are the next rank/s of desks. All desks are lit with narrow fluorescent tubes suspended over the surfaces to minimise light spill onto the monitor bank.
Has to be said that it’s pretty bad up at the front though - I'm surprised they put up with that.

Also the on air lighting of Anne is terrible as usual, relying entirely on the working light available. The background is nice and subtle for once, but it beggars belief that not even a basic 150w pepper light and stand is made available for this link to illuminate the subject - even when it happens five night a week! Indeed a small lighting installation on the gallery ceiling ought to be made for this, but nothing!!!
And the obligatory ridiculously clunky lapel mic from 1976 of course

Thanks for your input. It's really very interesting if you think about it, and I thank you. I just wish RTE could expand a bit more to have a large Studio, preferbealy, (but unlikley) the size of the N 24 set, or BBC news set, but I doubt that they would spend a penny for a much needed expansion.

Of course not. What I meant was that I wouldn't put it past RTÉ to launch a digital-only channel before DTT was launched ... like going widescreen on subscription-only services at present. But obviously a news channel would be FTA so its not a completely ridiculous idea.

Just curious - you know the 2-presenter shot they do at the start of the 6.01 after the titles - isn't that taken by Sharon's camera?

No I don't think so Phen, though it's very similar alright. I think the centred two-shot camera is as good as permanently fixed in that position; even in the above picture you can see it next to Anne for what is an upcoming Nine where it won't even be used!
The setup in Studio 3 seems to be as below (posted before) with the cameras denoted by circles. Apologies for saying a few posts back that there are four cameras - there are five as far as I remember!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/RTNewsPlan.jpg

The cameras directly either side of the central one take the two principal presenter shots, while the far left one is presumably that of sports presenter - quite far away though if the case. It's definitely used for the News on Two stand-up routine:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Camera1.jpg


The far right is of course the robot camera that is also moved around to the desk to get the main News on Two presenter shot, as well as Six One's 'and now with the sports news, here's Clare' shot, and this monitor one on Nine:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Camera3.jpg


Saying that about the centre camera, I don't know why Sharon's camera (below) always has the wood unit in shot considering the principal newscaster position to the left (Bryan/Anne camera) doesn't, suggesting a different angle...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Camera2.jpg



I get you now about digital Phen. Given the trials are starting in September, who knows what we'll have in a few years time, but for the moment RTÉ as a public service broadcaster couldn't possibly fund an extra channel on subscription digital, available only to a minority (allbeit a large minority) - not a chance!

how much money does RTE get in licence fees and advertising?

Things couldn't be any more rosy at the minute ABC Australia - the station is at last in a healthy financial state after years of disaster. RTÉ is funded 45% by licence fee and 55% by commercial revenues, though this could be 50-50 if licence fee evasion in Ireland wasn't amongst highest in Europe at as much as 16% . It was even worse until recently, at something like 20-25%! The current healthy position is due to a much-needed 40%ish licence fee increase in around 2003 to €150 (now €155 as it's also index-linked to inflation), and a bouyant advertising market.

Overall income is €370 million, with licence revenues at €170 (though potentially €200 million with full payment), and €200 million from commercial.
Some of the key points and figures from 2005 can be viewed on their snazzy 2005 Annual Report page here:

http://www.rte.ie/about/ar2005/english/highlights.html

When they revamp, and am in the middle of It, where is the news hosted from?

Wow, thanks for that, i did hear that RTE did many a tidy profit of about 16 million euros (about $27.5 million Australian), i hope they use some of that money for a new set.

Also, how many viewers in Ireland does it require a TV show to be called a success? In Australia 1 million in primetime (6pm-Midnight) is the accepted threshold.

R.e. the gallery, normally some of the larger monitors (not sure which in RTÉ, they may be turned off for this peice to camera) are showing the channel outputs. For example during a dull feature on BBC Newsline I was able to watch the snooker on BBC2.

Yay! That's my question!

Indeed, most control rooms have this setup. Very handy for during children’s programming especially! They often have the radio coming through in the The Den gallery. Maybe this explains the shoddy nature of RTÉ News - they're too busy watching other channels lol

Some special pictures now, taken from a report on News 2 around 2002 about RTÉ being in the doldrums.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio33.jpg

Apologies for the quality - they're VHS stills.
So here's the money shot, Studio 3 in all its glory

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio31.jpg

You can just about make out all five cameras, with the fifth robot camera closet to us on the left with its substantial motorised base. Note each remote pedestal's base is marked out with white tape on the floor so if they need to be manually moved they can easily be put back into exact position again.

The blue flooring and curtain is of course for the 'virtual' News 2 of that era. I'm not surprised they ditched it - it must have been a nightmare squeezed into that tiny corner. I presume all the cameras had to be manually pulled way back to where the furthest camera is and turned around to allow space for the News 2 operation. Indeed the whole 'news proper' set is angled in a manner that permits these opposing corners to be freed up.

A slightly different shot showing the lighting setup:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio32.jpg

Incredibly disorganised looking rig, though it was multi-purpose for many years... Can you imagine what it's like now for the Week in Politics too?!
Mainly softboxes up there, though there seem to be more directional units too, one of which you can often see in the reflection of the news desk with a clumsy big diffusion gel over it.

Here's Anthony coming out of Studio 3 into the little lobby:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio34.jpg

...with the gallery behind him:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio35.jpg

...and then out onto the news corridor:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/Studio36.jpg

That's Studio 3 running along behind the white wall. The Newsroom runs along the opposite side - note the brown concrete columns from which the complex was built permeating through the building. Classic
Even that timber panelling hasn't changed since 1961!

Also another quick view of the exterior, also from the report:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/RTE1TV/RTExterior.jpg