JK
RTE2 means nothing to RTE, all their focus on anniversaries has been on RTE1. They celebrated their 25th and 50th on that channel. RTE2 has become what BBC2 is to the BBC, the dumping ground for programming RTE have no room for elsewhere. Sport and kids, all piled into one channel, topped up by imported American drivel, UK shows which anybody in Ireland has already seen, few Australian soaps and no news service at all (apart from the carbon copy BBC Newsround style programme).
TI
There’s nothing wrong with not celebrating anniversaries. Too much navel gazing by broadcasters can undoubtedly be off-putting for the general public. And if RTE Two is as bad many on here claim it is then what is there to celebrate anyway?
MR
mr_vivian
RTE2 means nothing to RTE, all their focus on anniversaries has been on RTE1. They celebrated their 25th and 50th on that channel. RTE2 has become what BBC2 is to the BBC, the dumping ground for programming RTE have no room for elsewhere. Sport and kids, all piled into one channel, topped up by imported American drivel, UK shows which anybody in Ireland has already seen, few Australian soaps and no news service at all (apart from the carbon copy BBC Newsround style programme).
Everything you have listed here is exactly how it has always been since as long as I can recall and I don't think it'll ever change. I've always seen RTE1 as a generic family channel and RTE2 as targeting a younger audience. They've got to squeeze in the kids tv to meet obligations I believe.
CH
Fun fact, it hasn't celebrated any of it's own Birthdays, but it celebrated UTV's 21st in 1980 when they showed the '21 today' Gala Performance from Opera House in Belfast. All the usuals performed such as Frank Carson and the Chieftains.
Would I be right in thinking that RTÉ's second channel hasn't celebrated *any* of its milestone birthdays?
It didn't celebrate its 10th birthday in 1988, as it had just rebranded as Network 2. Or its 20th in 1998, as it had just transformed into a channel aimed mainly at younger viewers. Or its 21st the following year - the traditional age of adulthood, celebrated by a not insignificant number of ITV stations.
It didn't celebrate its 10th birthday in 1988, as it had just rebranded as Network 2. Or its 20th in 1998, as it had just transformed into a channel aimed mainly at younger viewers. Or its 21st the following year - the traditional age of adulthood, celebrated by a not insignificant number of ITV stations.
Fun fact, it hasn't celebrated any of it's own Birthdays, but it celebrated UTV's 21st in 1980 when they showed the '21 today' Gala Performance from Opera House in Belfast. All the usuals performed such as Frank Carson and the Chieftains.
DE
Well, I *do* agree that there's nothing wrong with not celebrating anniversaries, and that there's only so much navel-gazing that a channel can do before it starts to annoy rather than entertain.
As I said, I'm not disappointed that RTÉ2 isn't celebrating its 40th. Nor have I been disappointed on any other occasion in my lifetime that a channel has not celebrated a milestone birthday.
As for what I think of RTÉ2 these days? Well, I'm still not a fan of its current image (four years already? Time flies), I wouldn't be at all amused by its home-grown comedies, and I also prefer the days when it had that bit more sport.
But I also don't think, "It's a bl**dy awful channel with too much cr*p and too many repeats, and it's clear that the powers that be have no love for it - so why don't they do everyone a favour and bin it off?" And I also appreciate that there is a not-insignificant amount of viewers who *do* like Jennifer Zamparelli (née Maguire) and Bernard O'Shea. Plus, it *does* still show good documentaries from time to time.
Simply put, I *do* still think RTÉ2 serves a reasonable purpose. And the same with BBC2.
There’s nothing wrong with not celebrating anniversaries. Too much navel gazing by broadcasters can undoubtedly be off-putting for the general public. And if RTE Two is as bad many on here claim it is then what is there to celebrate anyway?
Well, I *do* agree that there's nothing wrong with not celebrating anniversaries, and that there's only so much navel-gazing that a channel can do before it starts to annoy rather than entertain.
As I said, I'm not disappointed that RTÉ2 isn't celebrating its 40th. Nor have I been disappointed on any other occasion in my lifetime that a channel has not celebrated a milestone birthday.
As for what I think of RTÉ2 these days? Well, I'm still not a fan of its current image (four years already? Time flies), I wouldn't be at all amused by its home-grown comedies, and I also prefer the days when it had that bit more sport.
But I also don't think, "It's a bl**dy awful channel with too much cr*p and too many repeats, and it's clear that the powers that be have no love for it - so why don't they do everyone a favour and bin it off?" And I also appreciate that there is a not-insignificant amount of viewers who *do* like Jennifer Zamparelli (née Maguire) and Bernard O'Shea. Plus, it *does* still show good documentaries from time to time.
Simply put, I *do* still think RTÉ2 serves a reasonable purpose. And the same with BBC2.
JK
RTE2 has a real funding problem here. All of RTE is run on a shoestring, and the current financial situation at the Irish broadcaster is not good. At least with the BBC they know they have a decent funding for the next decade under the charter renewal, RTE because it is part licence fee funded and part advertising funded does not have that same sense of security.
RTE2 has become well and truly lazy in its content. Remember the days of Network(then RTE) 2: The Panel, Don't Feed the Gondolas, Nighthawks, Sports Stadium, The Den, The End, there were some decent programming, and had a slight edge to it, than RTE 1, but now it is just pure drivel when you look at prime time.
Let us take a glance at tomorrow, because today is a Bank Holiday in the Irish republic, meaning all Irish channels are working on 10% capacity.
From 6.55am, it is just kids programming from the RTE Junior and TRTE strands. The Simpsons at 5.30pm, followed by Neighbours and Home & Away from 6.00pm. By 7.00pm it is Young Sheldon and the Big Bang Theory. So US and Australia crap for two and a half hours, no home produce shows at all.
Then, the exposure of RTE 2 cutbacks is revealed, at 8.00pm prime time, they are airing the BBC Horizon programme "The Day the NHS Stopped" - Really guys? Really, a health service which has nothing to do with the Irish republic, I can imagine thousands watching that???
This is then followed by a cheap US film - Foxcatcher from 2014. Then from 11.25pm it is Suits, Training Day and Below the Surface - more US crap.
Can anyone spot the home produced programmes??
This schedule, even though it is half term in Ireland this week, is just pure ****, and the sad fact is, no one at RTE cares about content, it is simply to fill a 24 hour day, where many RTE executives wish it was 1988 and they still opened at 2.30pm and closed down at 11.30pm.
RTE2 has become well and truly lazy in its content. Remember the days of Network(then RTE) 2: The Panel, Don't Feed the Gondolas, Nighthawks, Sports Stadium, The Den, The End, there were some decent programming, and had a slight edge to it, than RTE 1, but now it is just pure drivel when you look at prime time.
Let us take a glance at tomorrow, because today is a Bank Holiday in the Irish republic, meaning all Irish channels are working on 10% capacity.
From 6.55am, it is just kids programming from the RTE Junior and TRTE strands. The Simpsons at 5.30pm, followed by Neighbours and Home & Away from 6.00pm. By 7.00pm it is Young Sheldon and the Big Bang Theory. So US and Australia crap for two and a half hours, no home produce shows at all.
Then, the exposure of RTE 2 cutbacks is revealed, at 8.00pm prime time, they are airing the BBC Horizon programme "The Day the NHS Stopped" - Really guys? Really, a health service which has nothing to do with the Irish republic, I can imagine thousands watching that???
This is then followed by a cheap US film - Foxcatcher from 2014. Then from 11.25pm it is Suits, Training Day and Below the Surface - more US crap.
Can anyone spot the home produced programmes??
This schedule, even though it is half term in Ireland this week, is just pure ****, and the sad fact is, no one at RTE cares about content, it is simply to fill a 24 hour day, where many RTE executives wish it was 1988 and they still opened at 2.30pm and closed down at 11.30pm.
WH
I can't even agree with that. It's not so much a documentary looking at the NHS, it's about a cyber attack on a public service, and that's pretty relevant wherever you're from.
Imported programmes have always been at the heart of RTE2. It was set up specifically to broadcast imports to try and take on UTV and BBC One NI.
Whataday
Founding member
Only part of that post I agree with is that the Horizon NHS episode is irrelevant. You may not like it but the rest of the schedule serves a purpose and compliments RTE One nicely.
I can't even agree with that. It's not so much a documentary looking at the NHS, it's about a cyber attack on a public service, and that's pretty relevant wherever you're from.
Imported programmes have always been at the heart of RTE2. It was set up specifically to broadcast imports to try and take on UTV and BBC One NI.