Minimal Mention of Music in New RTÉ Strategy

Minimal Mention of Music in New RTÉ Strategy

Plan restates intentions to close RTÉ 2XM and RTÉ Pulse and explore the creation of an Irish-language youth radio station.

There are just four mentions of music in the new five-year RTÉ strategy document, which was published last week (25 June).

Titled A New Direction: Statement of Strategy 2025–2029, the new plan mentions music in just one of its goals, ‘Engage audiences with high-quality impactful content’, but there are no detailed plans for the art form. This is despite the fact that music is a key part of its radio and television output and the broadcaster is also home to the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

The 25-page plan is shorter than a previous document published last November, A New Direction for RTÉ, which also made very brief mention of music.

The current plan says that its ‘new audio strategy’ will have ‘a focus on Irish artists and music’ and ‘a range of curated music play-lists’. In other sections, it repeats a previous aim to close digital radio services (including RTÉ 2XM and RTÉ Pulse) while also re-stating its commitment to explore the setting up of a ‘new digital Irish language radio station targeting 15- to 34-year-old listeners’. The strategy also says that the broadcaster will have ‘an expanded schedule of live cultural performances and public events’ that will include the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, but this commitment was also previously made. The document adds that ‘RTÉ will issue a public call for ideas for additional live events to cover and make these available to audiences on RTÉ, live and on-demand.’

A commitment to further invest in the independent production sector and make more programmes outside Dublin is also included in the strategy, but there is no detail on the potential impact on music.

The newly launched RTÉ plan reflects an approach also seen in the Future of Media Commission’s 2022 report, which made no specific recommendations regarding music despite several submissions from music organisations. A new Oireachtas Committee report, however, has called for Irish media to start including regular arts bulletins in its news services, and 2FM have just announced that they are seeking new presenters.

Commenting on the launch of the RTÉ strategy last week, Director-General Kevin Bakhurst said:

This New Direction strategy is about ensuring the future and the relevance of a transformed RTÉ. It is about delivering a strong and independent public service, available to everyone; it is about creating a trusted organisation delivering for Irish audiences; it is about backing creative ambition and digital innovation; it is about supporting Irish culture and bringing people together; it is about reflecting all of the country and supporting the creative industry across the island.

To read the plan, see below. For more, visit www.rte.ie.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Published on 4 July 2024

comments powered by Disqus