This week on the show, Niall opens the lines for what quickly becomes one of the most heated conversations of the year: Is RTÉ biased—and should Ireland scrap the TV licence fee altogether?The debate kicks off after a major international media storm. The BBC has been thrust into the spotlight following accusations that it edited a video of Donald Trump in a misleading way—an allegation so serious that Trump is now suing the broadcaster for manipulating the news. The fallout has reignited global conv...
This week on the show, Niall opens the lines for what quickly becomes one of the most heated conversations of the year: Is RTÉ biased—and should Ireland scrap the TV licence fee altogether?
The debate kicks off after a major international media storm. The BBC has been thrust into the spotlight following accusations that it edited a video of Donald Trump in a misleading way—an allegation so serious that Trump is now suing the broadcaster for manipulating the news. The fallout has reignited global conversations about trust in public broadcasters. And here at home, many callers say the controversy mirrors long-standing complaints about RTÉ’s perceived left-leaning bias and a failure to represent the full spectrum of Irish public opinion.
Some argue that, just like the BBC, RTÉ is protected by guaranteed funding and faces little accountability. Callers across the country tell Niall that the compulsory licence fee is outdated, unfair, and out of touch with a modern media landscape where almost everything—from newspapers to Netflix—is paid for by choice. Their solution? Scrap the licence fee entirely and move RTÉ to a pay-per-view or subscription model so that only those who want it, pay for it.
But is that really the fix?
Niall digs deeper with listeners into the pros and cons:
Pros callers highlight:
Freedom of choice: no one forced to pay for content they don’t watch.
Market pressure could push RTÉ to improve quality, impartiality, and trust.
A system closer to how people actually consume media in 2025.
And the potential downsides:
Without licence-fee funding, RTÉ would struggle to provide the live broadcasting it currently delivers—news, sport, cultural events, emergencies, and national moments.
Rural, minority, and niche programming could disappear entirely under a commercial-only model.
Public-service journalism—already fragile—could shrink or be replaced by whatever content is most profitable.
A subscription RTÉ might become just another streaming service, losing its national role.
Throughout the episode, callers passionately debate what a public broadcaster should be in a modern democracy. Is RTÉ biased—or just unpopular with whichever side disagrees with its coverage on a given day? Is guaranteed funding essential for independent journalism, or does it shield the organisation from accountability?
Niall lets the country speak, challenge, argue, and question:
Should we scrap the licence fee? And what would Ireland look like without a publicly funded RTÉ?
