Comments on: The Cafe Season Grand Finale

By: nay

nay — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:02:54 +0000

Zig and Zag were on Golden Wonder packets and the Big Breakfast for me…
I’d mow lawns for a family-orientated music programme that didn’t go off air every few weeks, a respectable, watchable forum, an attempt to return to form. Even 2FM on Sundays and a crash trolley would be start. WETV does show Irish bands for two hours each weekend but it’s pretty corny.
We need an informed show that prides itself on depth. We have a lot of talent and creativity available who could venture fresh and dynamic perspective rather than sticking to autocue. Dan Hegarty is a saving grace of 2fm who’s actively aware of the immediate Irish music scene and the live School of Rock final featuring MJEX is exactly what we need to see more of from RTE. Expertise proves as important as budget in the long-term and someone at RTE is making the right choices of bands to feature on screen. There’s just not enough!
Budgets of course play a massive role and in terms of funding from license fees, the BBC is sorted by the populous British. With only one region of coverage, our national audience is tighter and condensed compared to the sprawl of BBC proper. RTE make revenue from advertising unlike the BBC. While both broadcasters make programs filling music through a schedule, there’s no flagship show for RTE.
We need a dedicated programme of live performances. videos, genuine, compelling charts, interviews and soundbytes at an accesible time presented with flair and panache.
It’s not supposed to be easy.

Television in other countries doesn’t seem much better, no :p

By: Markg

Markg — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:18:19 +0000

My proudest TV memory was when a panel of British media savvy teenagers poised a similar question the to Head of Yoof Programming at the Beeb in the early 90s.

The highlighted Blue Peter as being twee and encompassing everything that was great about Britian. In the 1950s. One bright spark cited Jo Maxi as the type of programming the BBC should consider for it teen audiences.

Where am I going with this? Well, the televisual grass, just like the real stuff always seems greener on the other side.

By: cash

cash — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:44:06 +0000

I don’t think you can make a straight comparison between the quality of BBC kids shows and that of RTE. The difference in budgets is huge.

Having watched TV in a few other countries i think that Irish TV stand up fairly well to our european neighbours. Its just that british TV, and the bbc in particular is miles ahead of everything else, and that with it being in the same language, a lot of stuff rte do just wont be as good.

id be more woried about the lack of any decent domestically produced drama or comedy to be honest with you.

By: TheDecline

TheDecline — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:34:23 +0000

you must have just misse dthe den at its zig & zag heights, it was brilliant then and probably the only thing i can think of that started on rte and they managed to export(well not so much rte exporting it, but still)

By: UnaRocks

UnaRocks — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:58:02 +0000

WeTV have good bands on too. http://www.rte.ie/tv/wetv/index.html