The simple fact is that Fianna Fail, Labour, Greens and Fine Gael will not get rid of RTE. Why?
* Official reason: “We need a national broadcast service”.
* Unofficial reason: to spout their propaganda while the government keeps it on a tight leash, making it dependent on money from taxpayers it yearly gives to the setup.
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…But do we really need a national broadcaster service?
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If the laws that our TD’s say are good enough, are indeed good enough to keep media outlets in Ireland honest and unbiased (try not to laugh) then same laws applying to all media setups regardless of who owns them, state or private ownership, should be good enough to operate in Irish society!
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So why do we still need an “Independent” – supposedly neutral – setup if our broadcast laws are adequate as elected tell us they are?
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One simple truth is that our elected know that our media regulations are basic at best and not good enough. Another truth is that with such poor media regulations existing, it allows them and their biased mates, to continue exploring ways to expolit media situations.
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If we had decent, really decent laws that stated quiet clearly that news outlets MUST be accurate on matters and must true equally report both sides of matters that have divisions, then regardless of who owns a station, we would be closer to decent services.
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As long as RTE exists in its current status, it will continue to see people money extorted to pay for it. As long as elected back this often biased disgrace, they will use it to their own ends. As long as they don’t create the better media legislation that’s desperately needed, both RTE and rotten elected will continue to use current for their own ends.
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Let’s now more talk about financing this national farce.
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Right now 85% of TV owners are state pressganged into paying for something they might not want or use. In simple terms this is Mafia style extortion. That it’s the state that’s doing it – that makes it morally right? I say “No.”
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Legally right does not equate to automatic morally right. Truth. Here too, our rotten greedy elected wish us to quickly gloss over this nugget of reality.
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So, now seeing that the current licence system is not draining enough of taxpayer money, they wish to either
(a) impose a general increased tax on everything that will incorporate a percentage that will go to RTE
(b) impose a more specific tax because you have a net connection – so you must pay for RTE that way if you like it or not.
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(Your monthly service bill has tax, etc, already incorporated)
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In other words, YOU will be paying at least two times for a service you might not either want or use. Now or later, a possible third time too? All for the same thing.
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One: a tax for daring to use film and series services – that might have zero to do with RTE.
Two: a tax on your phone or home Internet service provider bills. Again, that have nothing to do with RTE either – other than they exist on the same island as you do!
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“Feck it!” say the usual rotten parties. Make the buggers pay for it, if they bloody like it or not. Sure, our pressganging is legal – so that’s alright!”
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I say this is not bloody right. This crap has got to end – as does the rein of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael etc and their rotten exploitive antics. You are free to disagree.
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PS. If some still want RTE? Fine. Make it like modern others. Pay per view. “NO” says the usual bunch with their prepared old excuses. We know why!