The Irish Diaspora will be asked to pay per view by state broadcaster RTE under new plans to boost income at the station.
The Sunday Independent claims that RTE is ready to bring in a ‘pay wall’ system online aimed at America, Australia and Britain.
The move is closely based on the system currently used BBC to monetise content on the internet.
RTE wants to charge overseas customers for viewing shows on its online player service.
The report says the new premium player service will be confined to 1.5 million viewers from abroad, primarily watching from the US, Australia and the UK.
An RTE source told the paper: “RTE is looking at entering a space where you don’t get everything for free. It is a significant shift.”
The Sunday Independent also reports that the broadcaster is in talks with Google at a ‘high level’ to share content.
The paper says the landmark move could reshape the Irish media sector.
The report says that discussions between Google and RTE centre around digitising RTE’s vast television and radio archive. A Google spokeswoman said: “No formal discussions have taken place.”
The move comes after director general Noel Curran told staff of the company’s financial state at a series of meetings.
The paper says that Curran is understood to have told staff that RTE may ‘break even’ this year following a massive cost-cutting programme which has seen 450 staff leave over the last two years.
The source added: “The worst of the cuts are over. RTE have stabilised the losses and we’re now in control of our finances.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.darao | Mar 16, 2013, 10:17 PM EDT
RTE should not apply what is essentially a tax on Irish citizens abroad. If it is going to charge for online content then charge everyone. See how well that would go down. Rte is an essential trade promotion element and should not be charged.
RedBranch | Feb 04, 2013, 08:42 PM EST
Coming soon, the Irish Govt. will be taxing the diaspora directly. Taking its cue from the US who require all citizens ex pat or not to file and pay accordingly.
STEVENSTAR | Feb 04, 2013, 07:43 PM EST
RIGHTLY SO NOTHINGS IS FREE IN THIS LIFE !!
ctcallen | Feb 04, 2013, 03:07 PM EST
Tá brón orm. This plan should not include TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta. Survival of traditional Irish culture and language will be negatively affected. Students of Irish and native speaking economic exiles will not be able to purchase paid for view programs. The economic loss will be seen in the future when there will be fewer educated tourists making return visits. Where is Michael D on this issue?
Seanmor | Feb 04, 2013, 11:42 AM EST
Will RTÉ's new charges also apply to residents north of the Border, who are consedered to be British subjects by the state government, and may be egarded as revolutionaries nuair a labhraireann siad Gaeilge, an teanga oifigiúil den stát sin?
lokionline | Feb 04, 2013, 10:44 AM EST
I rarely watch RTE video. Now I will not view at it at all.
jackinnj | Feb 04, 2013, 10:01 AM EST
#MsGail -- they are just lifting a leaf from the US Postal Service which also has learned nothing from the study of economics.
seanmac50 | Feb 04, 2013, 07:44 AM EST
What a stupid idea. We already pay a large license fee in Ireland which all goes to RTE. Surely we ow our departed brothers to other countries free viewing!
angrypaddy | Feb 04, 2013, 12:37 AM EST
You can stuff it where the sun dont shine just like the country
modochartaigh | Feb 04, 2013, 12:15 AM EST
I enjoy the RTÉ programs especially those as Gaeilge and I will be happy to support the station. I do hope it is not too costly as my government pension has been threatened with cancellation by the state's teabaggers. But I will be more than happy to support RTÉ whether buying dvd's or paying a fee. Sure I do wish Ireland had followed Iceland's lead and shoved the bankers into the sea. But the main thing now is to support what was for so long an impossible dream, even in Éire, programming in Irish. Aithnítear cara i gcruatán.
modochartaigh | Feb 04, 2013, 12:14 AM EST
I enjoy the RTÉ programs especially those as Gaeilge and I will be happy to support the station. I do hope it is not too costly as my government pension has been threatened with cancellation by the state's teabaggers. But I will be more than happy to support RTÉ whether buying dvd's or paying a fee. Sure I do wish Ireland had followed Iceland's lead and shoved the bankers into the sea. But the main thing now is to support what was for so long an impossible dream, even in Éire, programming in Irish. Aithnítear cara i gcruatán.
modochartaigh | Feb 04, 2013, 12:14 AM EST
I enjoy the RTÉ programs especially those as Gaeilge and I will be happy to support the station. I do hope it is not too costly as my government pension has been threatened with cancellation by the state's teabaggers. But I will be more than happy to support RTÉ whether buying dvd's or paying a fee. Sure I do wish Ireland had followed Iceland's lead and shoved the bankers into the sea. But the main thing now is to support what was for so long an impossible dream, even in Éire, programming in Irish. Aithnítear cara i gcruatán.
cillowen | Feb 03, 2013, 11:40 PM EST
Bye - its nothing but soft phorn and multiculturalism and me partners this and that laced with feckin and blinding. Was curious seeing the power Shatter and ilk has over natives.
mathair4 | Feb 03, 2013, 06:00 PM EST
I hope they don't do this. TG4 has the only shows as Gaeilge available to watch in the world. I think it would be a disservice for them to start charging for it. It's the only connection many people have here overseas to Irish language programming! My children and I love watching it, but won't be anymore if that is the route they take.
dickmac | Feb 03, 2013, 04:34 PM EST
If RTE wants me to pay I will cancel. I will be able to watch the news on many other channels. I do not think taking this action is very bright. Good Bye RTE !
anglo-norman | Feb 03, 2013, 03:26 PM EST
How STUPID
WoundedKnee | Feb 03, 2013, 02:38 PM EST
RichardP: " We don't charge people at home to watch them". Just how out of touch are you, RichardP? Are you in Ireland? Then you must be a real nut if you don't know that the Irish pay a hefty fee every year to watch TV. And they also pay thru commercials. Are you trying to tell us you live in Ireland and you don't know all this?
IrelandNorth | Feb 03, 2013, 01:46 PM EST
Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) is funded from television license fee and advertising revenue, which explains the inflated salaries narcissistic presenters are paid. RTÉ will be in for a surprise whe they see the low numbers subscribing. COuld well lead to a proverbial Scatterin'.
P O'Neill | Feb 03, 2013, 01:36 PM EST
Richard P , never heard of a license fee then?
Portia_O'Neill | Feb 03, 2013, 01:33 PM EST
It also has the advantage of furthering censorship so that the rest of the world doesn't know what's going down in the Republic - sort of like the Great Wall of China.
Ms.Gail | Feb 03, 2013, 01:29 PM EST
An interesting approach, goes counter to everything I learned in undergrad, grad school and decades of experience in marketing, audience building, advertising and broadcasting. They'd probably be better off offering packages to Netflix and Hulu, that seems to have worked for US, Australian and British TV. I’m sure anyone computer savvy and interested will just get an Irish IP address and low tech people like me can just ask a relative to Skype and turn the camera toward their television. Most program vendors are looking to increase market, not limit it. They’d better have a backup plan, like sell advertising on “RTE America.”
Ms.Gail | Feb 03, 2013, 01:24 PM EST
An interesting approach. Goes counter to everything I learned in undergrad, grad school and decades of experience in marketing, audience building, advertising and broadcasting. They'd probably be better off
lamarycontrary | Feb 03, 2013, 01:21 PM EST
Well, I'm am sorry to hear of your decision. Maybe you have not heard about the economy over across the pond. Our present government is taking money from those of us that worked for it all our lives to give to the ones that either did not or would not and they will not be listening to Irish music or programs. They are not Irish. I do hope you realize you get so much goodwill and free advertisment in showing off your beautiful country with your programming the way it is. I enjoyed some programs from RTE but I will not pay to watch them on the internet. I do hope you reconsider. Mary from Shreveport, Louisiana
RichardP | Feb 03, 2013, 12:47 PM EST
Come on home, we miss you terribly - and brings lots of money. Watch our programs - they're crap but they're Irish and you'll love them. We don't charge people at home to watch them because they couldn't be bothered but sure you have loads of cash so we'll charge you to see our stuff. We value the Diaspora far more now that we need your money again.
pilib04 | Feb 03, 2013, 12:23 PM EST
Pretty soon only the Belfast Telegraph will be free.
knockatee | Feb 03, 2013, 12:08 PM EST
I'm sorry to read this as I watch the news every day; will miss it.
CharlieM | Feb 03, 2013, 11:02 AM EST
Well, as the saying goes, to hell with RTE. The diaspora has already sent enough money home to float crackpot socialist schemes in the Old Country. Clearly RTE thinks it is a lot better than it really is. Over here we only pay for what's really worth the dollar.
porkheaven | Feb 03, 2013, 10:06 AM EST
I will no longer log into RTE.
ellenfromcork | Feb 03, 2013, 09:58 AM EST
I'm a huge online fan of RTE especially TG4. Even though I have no Irish I've become addicted to Ros na Run, Afric and Crisis Eile. I would certainly be willing to consider paying for this content.
McNamara31 | Feb 03, 2013, 09:33 AM EST
Very Bad Move. RTE does more to showcase Ireland in a very inexpensive way compared to paid advertising. Ireland does not market itself an its products well. They must move from just marketing to those of Irish ancestry to all global consumers. RTE should be creating tv series that would appeal to all Americans (like the BBC has done) rather than charge and turn people away.
WoundedKnee | Feb 03, 2013, 08:57 AM EST
Makes you see what a load of garbage the "Gathering" is. Money-gathering, that's all it is.