Dublin Calling
Posted on November 17, 2006
Filed Under Insights |
Talking to a couple of the people at the Irish Times recently it struck me how little impact blogging is having on the opinion forming duopoly of the IT and RTE. There are clubs and then there are folks lucky enough to sit on top of the opinion tree.
Despite Ireland having numerous newspapers and lots of radio, RTE and the IT firmly believe they set the agenda online as well as off. It’s not healthy but there’s quite some truth in that if you consider that Radio relies on the morning papers for its content and the Sunday Indo wouldn’t fill its word quota without a stab at the former inhabitants of D’Olier St and the guys and gals in RTE.
Nobody I’ve spoken to in Dublin is worried about blogging, though they do fear something more abstract - new media. However, they also see themselves as online pace setters. That is setting the necessary pace.
The IT just fired up an online TV service - provided at ultra low cost by a Finnish video news agency. It’s innovation by proxy - costs the IT nothing in learning or Euros.
I recently talked with a food programme producer who was having problems getting a recommission at RTE - the commissioning editor told him, we have two series lined up and they ain’t costing us a bean. Sponsors had ponied up the production cost.
What it means is that RTE and leading newspapers that are canny enough can glide into the ultra low cost future while those out there who hope to create business from the changing media landscape better be prepared to do more for less. Those in possession of the audience have already worked out they don’t have to pay for additional content.
Until somebody comes up with the mother of all ideas that takes audience share from the top two then change looks like coming slow. The problem seems to be that Irish audiences are increasingly drawn to Irish content and the folks best positioned to deliver that are RTE and the IT. Music seems to be one way through and there’ve been those reports about a new online service coming in the near future, not a minute too soon.
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5 Responses to “Dublin Calling”
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It’s surprising how slowly smaller tv markets such as Ireland and Wales have been at picking up on the use of alternative distribution.
The regulatory constraints in Ireland for traditional TV are stringent, so broadband TV would seem to be the way forward, especially considering the global market, but it seems very slow to develop.
Is this because TV is not commercial in these countries, or because of a lack of entrepreneurs willing to take on government sponsored monopolies ?
I think it’s just a question of jump starting it. The venture cap market looks for technology start-ups not content start ups so if someone finds a way through that then I’m sure it’ll develop. Sentanta did a good job of fund raising but are mainly terrestrial.
I imagine the pace being set by the large companies is a consequence of their size and tradition. Nimble they are not!
Sometimes I think we imagine that weblogs are more influential than they really are. Sure, younger people are mad into Bebo and Myspace, but there’s a huge number of 30-somethings and up who have never heard of blogs or used the Internet much. It’s hard to believe sure, but when all that have is access to the Internet through dial-up, or at web-cafes it’s not so hard to believe.
I hope that the new owners of Eircom can do something positive to spread the adaption of broadband but I’m not holding my breath. If they do it will do wonders for competition in the media market.
I’d go along with that Donncha. be nice to see things moving and to have new perspectives develop though.
Hi Hadyn,
Hope all is well - just thought i’d drop you a note to let you know Muse.ie is now live. Feel free to check it out.
Thanks,
Hugh