RTÉ One

For the RTÉ radio station, seeRTÉ Radio 1.

"RTE1" redirects here. For the channel's sister service, seeRTÉ2.For highways called Route 1, seeList of highways numbered 1.

RTÉ One

Country	Ireland
Broadcast area	Ireland Northern Ireland Worldwide(online)
Headquarters	Donnybrook, Dublin
Programming
Language(s)	English Irish Irish Sign Language
Picture format	1080i16:9(HDTV) (2013–) 576i16:9(SDTV) (2005–2024) 576i4:3(SDTV) (1961–2005)
Timeshiftservice	RTÉ One +1
Ownership
Owner	Raidió Teilifís Éireann(ultimately owned byGovernment of Ireland)
Key people	George Dixon (Channel Controller)
Sister channels	RTÉ2 RTÉjr RTÉ News TRTÉ
History
Launched	31 December 1961
Former names	Telefís Éireann (1961–1966) RTÉ (1966–1978) RTÉ 1 (1978–1995)
Links
Website	rte.ie/tv
Availability
Terrestrial
Saorview	Channel 1 (HD) Channel 11 (+1)
Freeview(Northern Ireland only)	Channel 54
Streaming media
Virgin TV Anywhere	Watch live(Ireland only)
RTÉ Player	Watch live(Available depending on rights)
Sky Go	Watch Live(Ireland only)

RTÉ Oneis an Irishfree-to-airflagship television channel owned and operated byRTÉ.It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched asTelefís Éireannon 31 December 1961, it was renamedRTÉin 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ 1 upon the launch ofRTÉ 2in 1978. It is funded partly by the government'slicence fee;the remainder of the funding is provided by commercial advertising. Because RTÉ is funded partly by the licence fee it shows considerably feweradvertisementsthan most other channels available in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

RTÉ One is available to 98% of the Irish population in HD on theSaorviewDTT service. It is also available in Northern Ireland viaSaorview,Freeview,Sky,and cable providerVirgin Media.The channel is also available online throughRTÉ Player.

History

RTÉ One began life asTelefís Éireannin 1961.It was renamed simply asRTÉin 1966, upon the renaming of the Radio Éireann Authority as Radio Telefís Éireann, and becameRTÉ 1upon the launch ofRTÉ 2in 1978.Originally the station broadcast in black and white throughout the country using the European625-line standard,as well as on the405-line television systemin the northern and eastern parts of the country; since the mid-50s, many people in these areas already had 405-line TV sets receiving BBC and UTV/HTV transmissions from Wales and Northern Ireland.A standards conversion unit was used to provide the 405-line service, but when this electronic device failed, optical conversion was used, reportedly by directing a 405-line camera at a 625-line monitor.The first programme to be pre-recorded for the new television service wasThe School Around the Corner,an interview/quiz show created and presented byPaddy Crosbieand produced byJames Plunkett.

PALcolour transmissions began in 1968, and the first programme made and transmitted in colour was "John Hume'sDerry."The firstoutside broadcastin colour for RTÉ Television was the 1971 Railway Cup Finals (Gaelic Athletic Association), and soon after that, theEurovision Song Contest 1971from Dublin. In the 1970s, the studios in RTÉ'sTelevision Centrestarted being equipped for colour, the first was the news studio in 1974, studio 2 in 1975, and finally studio 1 (the largest studio, used for productions such asThe Late Late Show) in 1976.

RTÉ was also the sole Irish TV channel until 1978, whenRTÉ 2(known as Network 2 between 1988 and 2004) was created. TheIrish languagestationTG4began in 1996 as Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG).Since 1998 RTÉ One also competes withVirgin Media One(formerly known as "TV3" ).

Since it began broadcasting, RTÉ One has competed withBBC OneandUTVfrom Northern Ireland, and in the 1980s RTÉ began competing with othersatelliteandcablechannels that are widely available across Ireland throughcablesubscription services due to the high take up of cable TV from pan-European and UK channels since the 1960s, and the continued roll out ofMMDSandsatelliteduring the 1980s and 1990s.

From 1961, RTÉ Television would only broadcast from 17:35 until around 23:30 during the Winter months. In 1975 this changed slightly with transmission starting at around 15:30 and concluding around midnight (00:00). 24-hour broadcasts began in the late 1990s. In 1988, RTÉ One launched a schedule with a new news bulletin at 13:00. Currently, RTÉ One does not offer "breakfast television", but from 2013 to 2014 the station aired an early morning current affairs show calledMorning Edition,which was also simulcast on RTÉ News Now. Virgin Media One is currently the only indigenous broadcaster in direct competition for this early morning market withIreland AMsince 1999. RTÉ One during theOlympicsand special breaking news or election coverage, will provide a special bulletin in the mornings. RTE 1 and N2 had separate Weather forecasts (November 1997 – January 13, 2002). On Monday January 14, RTE 1 and N2 weather forecasts were remerged.

On 6 July 2017, RTÉ One extended its on-air hours, starting at 6:00 am as opposed to the later 6:20 am as previously.

RTÉ One HD

RTÉ One HD was launched on 21 October 2013 — originally in upscaled HD — following the launch of a newSaorviewmultiplex. Native HD broadcasts began on 16 December 2013.

Since 2024, RTÉ One is now broadcast solely in High Definition (HD) on all platforms, with the Standard Definition simulcast ending on 2 April 2014 on the nationalDTTservice Saorview, and on 29 April 2024 on Sky.

RTÉ Television decided to launch the new HD service just before the Christmas period to draw audiences attention to the new service available to viewers. RTÉ have started to convert theirmain production studiosto HD, the first being studio 5 in 2012, which is used mainly for sports productions. Any programmes still made in standard-definition are upscaled on the channel and it is intended that the vast majority of the channel's output will be in high-definition in due course. RTÉ One in SD continues to be available onVirgin Media Irelanduntil more of their customers have upgraded to HD.

Sky Irelandlaunched the channel on 14 December 2015, as part of a new long-term partnership with RTÉ, however the channel is not available onSky UK's Northern Ireland EPG. In response to queries, RTÉ currently advises Northern Ireland Sky subscribers to contact Sky on the matter whereas Sky replies that it's an issue for RTÉ as to whether they make their HD channel available.On 11 April 2024, the channel was finally made available in Northern Ireland.Later that month, the SDTV feed was discontinued on Sky altogether, as such, the channel effectively became HD exclusive.

RTÉ One +1

Atimeshift channelfor RTÉ One (RTÉ One +1) was launched on 27 May 2011and shares channel space withRTÉjr.The channel was made available onSaorviewfrom its launch,UPC IrelandreplacedCity Channelwith RTÉ One +1 on 13 March 2012.Reeling in the Yearsdoes not broadcast on this channel due to music rights restrictions.

It was referred to as RTÉ One Deferred in the Easy TV commercialDTTmultiplex application, Easy TV was made up of RTÉ NL andUPC Ireland.RTÉ had also plans to create a third channel called RTÉ Three along with RTÉ One Deferred as reported in the Sunday Business Post in May 2008.

RTÉ Three was dropped for the alternative RTÉ Plus/RTÉjr.RTÉ Plus would have initially been a time shift channel for RTÉ One's prime time schedule, starting each night at 19:00 after RTÉjr ends for the night. This "Phase 1" of RTÉ plus was to begin broadcasting in May 2011. "Phase 2" of RTÉ Plus was to be made up of an entirely different schedule to that of RTÉ One, RTÉ had hoped that this would be made available in May 2012.Minister Pat Carey gave the go ahead for RTÉ One +1 for a maximum of 4 years at which point it will be reviewed. He did not give permission for the second phase in the channel as he was advised by the BAI that it may cause problems for commercial service providers such as TV3.

As part of a new long-term partnership withSky,RTÉ One +1 launched on Sky channel 115 on 14 December 2015, moving RTÉ2 HD down to 278.On 1 May 2018, the +1 channels and the Entertainment & Documentaries channel sections were moved to 201 - 299 to coincide with the non +1 channel. For example, RTÉ One is on channel 101, and RTÉ One +1 is on 201.

When launched, RTÉ One +1 broadcast from 19:00 to approximately 02:00. On 15 February 2019, RTÉ One +1 began broadcasting 24 hours a day to coincide with the launch of RTÉ2 +1.

Budget

References

The following figures were issued by RTÉ as part of their Annual reports 2008and 2012

Income

Income Type	2008	2012
Licence Fee	€81,992,000	€56,139,000
Commercial Income	€106,496,000	€65,351,000
Total Income	€188,488,000	€121,490,000

Total Costs

Cost Type	2008	2012
Network and other related costs	€17,773,000	€14,362,000
Sales Costs	€5,278,000	not given
Acquired Programming	€13,614,000	€14,897,000
Irish Productions	€147,999,000	€100,478,000
Total Costs	€184,664,000	€129,737,000

Profit and Loss

2008	2012
€3,824,000	(€8,247,000)

Breakdown of Irish Productions

Production House	2008	2012
RTÉ	€93,454,000	€70,448,000
Independent Producers	€54,545,000	€30,030,000
Total	€147,999,000	€100,478,000

The table below outlines RTÉ One's total in-house and commissioned programming by genre in 2008 and 2012:

Genre	2008	2012
Factual	€42,951,000	€27,919,000
Drama	€38,776,000	€21,425,000
Entertainment	€23,918,000	€18,073,000
Music	€2,215,000	€1,311,000
News,Current Affairs andWeather	€38,834,000	€30,866,000
Sport	€1,305,000	€884,000
Young Peoples Programming
Total	€147,999,000	€100,478,000

Programming

See also:List of programmes broadcast by Telefís Éireann § Former

2015/2016 season

On 13 August 2015, RTÉ One revealed its 2015/2016 line-up. As part of the new schedule two new dramas will debut on the channel these include the four-part drama seriesClean Break(2015) and five-part drama seriesRebellion(2016).The 2015/2016 schedule has a stronger focus on documentaries and a lesser focus on domestic drama when compared to previous seasons.

RTÉ One airs a variety of programmes each week, both homegrown programming and imported programming. A typical week of programming on RTÉ One would be as follows: On Sunday night RTÉ's flagship talent showThe Voice of Irelandairs at 18.30, with the results show following soap operaFair Cityat 20.30.Dragon's Denairs at 21.30 on Sunday nights. On Monday nights at 21.35, there is a questions and answers style show calledClaire Byrne Livehosted byClaire Byrne.The long running chat showThe Late Late Showhosted by Ryan Tubridy airs Friday nights from 21.35, it is the longest running chat show in the world. On Saturday night, game showThe Million Euro Challengeairs at around 20.15,The Saturday Night Showairs at around 21.45, similar toThe Late Late Showit has a variety of celebrity guests and music performances. Irish soap operaFair Cityairs four times a week onRTÉ One,it airs Sundays at 20:30, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 20.00, and Wednesdays at 19.30,Fair Cityis similar to the British format for soap operas such asCoronation Street.RTÉ Onealso airs British soap operaEastEndersweekly at the same times asBBC One.RTÉ One also air a host of films throughout the week including the midweek movie on Wednesday at 21:30 and the big big movie (usually a children's film) Saturdays at 18:30. RTÉ One also air news coverage throughout the week including a 13:00, 18:00, and 21:00 news broadcast every day.

News and current affairs

Main article:RTÉ News and Current Affairs

RTÉ News and Current Affairsprovides all of RTÉ One's News and Current Affairs Programming.

RTÉ News and current affairs television programmes include:

News programming

• Morning Edition
• RTÉ News: One O'Clock
• RTÉ News: Six One
• RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
• RTÉ News: Headlines(broadcast at regular intervals in the morning, early afternoon and at night)
• Nuacht RTÉ
• RTÉ News with Signing

Current Affairs Programming

• Prime Time
• Prime Time Investigates
• Claire Bryne Live
• The Week in Politics
• Nationwide
• One To One
• Oireachtas Report
• Euro Report

RTÉ News and Current Affairs coverage of all major political events such as General Elections, Budgets, Local and European Elections and Referendums. Since 2000 RTÉ has covered the US Presidential Elections live. It also covers major political stories from the Northern Irish Assembly, including elections.

Diversity

RTÉ as a public service broadcaster is committed to providing awareness about the diverse communities found within Ireland. RTÉ aims to providing access to different groups through different mediums.

RTÉ Diversity provides awareness of Ireland's multicultural society. From 2002, RTÉ produced a weekly multicultural show calledMono.The show aired between 2002 and 2005 and had a similar format asNationwide;but focused more on multicultural issues and had reports from all parts of the country. The show was produced by Kairos Communications for RTÉand was presented by Shalini Sinha.

RTÉ Diversity commissions a monthly show for individuals withhearing impairments or deafness.Hands On(originally calledSign of the Times) airs every Sunday morning. The show is presented usingIrish Sign Language.The show is also subtitled using Irish or English subtitles. In 2009, the number ofHands Onprogrammes were reduced by 60%, from 20 to 7.

Diversity has also been showcased on RTÉ Dramas:The RiordansandGlenroefeatured several characters from the Irish Travelling Community.Fair CityandThe Clinichave showcased a broader range of diversity which includes members of theRoma community,LGBTmovement, African heritage, Eastern Europe and other ethnic minorities groups in Ireland.

In April 2010, RTÉ revealed a new multicultural programme which will air from March 2011. The show has a budget of €45,000 per episode.

Cláracha Gaeilge

RTÉ produced the television seriesBuntús Caintein 1967, which together with the corresponding series of books, aimed to promote the learning of the Irish Language. The television series was presented by Máire O'Neill and Aileen Geoghegan. In the early 1990s, they produced a similar show withBBC Northern IrelandcalledNow You're Talkingwhich used theUlster dialectof Irish. In they early 2000s, they produced a new series calledTuras Teanga,which was presented by newsreaderSharon Ní Bheoláin.

DuringSeachtain na Gaeilge(Irish Language Week), continuity is provided through the Irish Language. During this week they also have a range of shows that promote the learning or use of the Irish language. In 2010 they produced An Cór with Fiachna O Braonáin.

RTÉ also produced the highly successful Irish Language documentary strands Leargás, Scannal andCSÍ,which were first shown on RTÉ One with repeats onTG4.

Nuacht RTÉprovides a round-up of the day's events at 17:40 each weekday.

RTÉ has a dedicated commissioning brief inviting proposals for new Irish-language programming.

Education

In the early years of Teilifís Éireann most of the educational shows were aimed at children such asDáithí Lacha.In more recent years they have produced literacy programmes for adults such asRead, Write, Nowpresented byDerek Mooney.

Regional

Nationwideis RTÉ's main regional programme, in 2010 Gala began sponsoring the show. The shows average audience for 2009 was 400,000 viewers.The show began airing in the early 1990s.In 1999 RTÉ tested opt out for Dublin, Cork and Galway on UHF signals, however Chorus (a Dublin cable operator at the time) aired the Galway edition, while NTL (the other Dublin cable operator aired the Dublin version).RTÉ do not provide local opt-out or regional news. However RTÉ Cork produces a number of other Irish shows.Capital Dwas a programme for Dublin (similar in style to Nationwide), presented byAnne Cassin,it took a look at issues in Dublin. The programme did not return in 2012.Ear to the Groundis a farming magazine show.Nationwideis produced by RTÉ Factual whileEar to the Groundis produced by Independent Films for RTÉ.

Drama and comedy

1960s

In 1961 as Teilifís Éireann got ready to begin broadcasting it appointedHilton Edwardsas head of Drama, he was heavily involved in Irish theatre at the time. At this early stage they produced many international and local plays for television audiences such asAntigone,The Wild Duck,The Fire Raisers,The Government Inspector,The Physicists,Martine,The Well of the Saints,Candida,The Man of Destiny,In the Shadow of the Glen,Church Street,The Field,The Plough and the Stars,The Shadow of a GunmanandThe Hostage.Both of Edwards' successors Jim Fitzgerald and Chloe Gibson would continue with stage play adaptations but would also look for original dramas for television.Hugh LeonardadaptedJames Joyce'sDublinersunder the title Dublin and in 1966 he wroteInsurrection,an 8-part real-time series which depicted the events of the1916 Easter Risingwhich was broadcast on Easter Week on the 50th anniversary of the rising, it was RTÉ biggest drama production of the 1960s, involving on location filming and the Army. In its first ten years on the air RTÉ produced 103 plays of which 66% were Irish and 50% began life as stage plays. Half of the drama produced came from serials such as theDublinbased urban soapTolka Rowwhich began broadcasting in 1964 and finished in 1968. In terms of population RTÉ was one of Europe's biggest producers of television drama.

In 1965The Riordansbegan broadcasting, this would begin theWesley Burrowestrilogy of Irish Agrisoaps (Agricultural based dramas), it was followed byBrackenin 1978 (and was aired on RTÉ One) asGabriel Byrne's character (Pat Barry) moved fromKilkennytoWicklowand in 1982 two ofBracken's main characters Dinny and Milie Byrne moved toGlenroewhich ran until 2001.

1970s

In the 1970s RTÉ produced several urban dramas set outside Dublin.The Burke Enigmabegan in 1975 and was RTÉ's firstpolice proceduralsomething that they did not return to very often.Partners in Practicewas RTÉ's first medical drama and was loosely based on successful TV formats from abroad such asEmergency Ward 10,Dr. Finlay's Casebook,Marcus Welby M.D.andDr. Kildare.Partners in Practicewas set in the new sprawling suburban Dublin in the fictional town of Sallybawn. Sallybawn was based on the new 1970s sprawling developments such as Tallaght. The series was set in the fictional Sallybawn Health Centre. It ran for one season in 1972 and was written byCarolyn Swift.In 1978Louis Lentinbecame head of RTÉ Drama having produced Uncle Vanya (1970), King of Friday's Men (1967) and King of the Castle (1977).He startedThursday Playdate,these were once of plays which dramatized current events and current affairs in Ireland. He would also be responsible forThe Spikea controversial drama that was to run for 10 weeks only to be taken of the after the fifth episode. Problems surrounded both the content (A very critical look at the VEC system in Irish Education) and poor scriptwriting to deal with major issues.

1980s

RTÉ One had a major success with 1980sStrumpet Citybased on the novel byJames Plunkettabout the 1913Dublin Lockout.It was successfully sold around the world to various countries including theUSSR.The Year of The Frenchwas a major follow up period drama with twice the production budget asStrumpet City,however it was not as successful.The Year of The Frenchwas one of the many co-productions that RTÉ produced during the 1980s, it was co-produced with the UK'sChannel 4and France'sFR2.

In 1983 RTÉ produced a World War II drama titledCaught in a Free State.The four-part series was set against the backdrop of Irish Neutrality during the Second World War. It surrounded the true stories of German Spies in Ireland. The series was a co-production withChannel 4.Other Channel 4/RTÉ co-productions from the 1980s includeThe Irish R.M.andEchoes.

In the mid-1980s RTÉ developed a sitcom calledLeave It to Mrs O'Brienwhich centred on the housekeeper of a Parish Priest. It is often quoted as one of the comedies which shows that RTÉ cannot produce good comedy. The series was a critical and audience failure. RTÉ would not produce another sitcom until the mid-1990s, while being criticized for not commissioning another series that featured a Parish Priest Housekeeper.

In 1989, RTÉ returned with a new drama series based inDublincity calledFair City.In 2010, the show has celebrated its 20th anniversary since it first broadcast. The show continues to air four nights a week on RTÉ One.

1990s

In 1993, RTÉ One began to broadcastTG4's soapRos na Rún.The show initially broadcast for a short season each year. The show no-longer airs on RTÉ One, but instead airs each night on TG4. The show also airs on television in Scotland and America. In 1994 RTÉ broadcastFamilybyRoddy Doyle,a co-production with theBBC.

In 1993 RTÉ produced a sitcom set in a newspaper office calledExtra! Extra! Read All About It!(also known asExtra! Extra!). It was poorly received, critics stating the scripts lacked any humour and that the direction was poor. Reviewing the programme for theSunday Independent,writerColm Tóibíncalled it "probably the worst programme RTÉ has ever shown".TheIrish Times'Brendan Glacken was equally scathing: "Speaking ofExtra! Extra!,as I am afraid we still must, even seasoned RTÉ observers seem unable to answer the question why a series so pathetically weak should have been allowed to reach the screen at all ".TheIrish Independentlater listed it as one of the worst Irish TV shows ever.

In the mid-1990s RTÉ return to sitcom with the development ofUpwardly Mobilewhich ran for 3 seasons. The series was a critical failure but it often land in RTÉ top programmes each week. At the same time British stationChannel 4commissionedFather Ted,which RTÉ is often incorrectly accused of turning down. RTÉ would not return to sitcoms until 2001 whenThe Cassidysappeared onRTÉ Twothis was also a failure however two other successive comedies appeared in the same year onRTÉ Two,Bachelors WalkandPaths to Freedom.RTÉ One's next comedy series would not appear until 2003 with the arrival ofKillinaskully.

In the late 1990s RTÉ co-produced many period dramas based on novels by significant modern day Irish novelists, such asFalling for a DancerandAmongst Women.They also produced thepolice proceduralMaking the Cutand its spin-off seriesDDU.

2000s

As a replacement for the axed rural soapGlenroeRTÉ commissionedOn Home Ground,surrounding a ruralGAAclub.The series was not well received and was replaced in 2003 byThe Clinic.The Clinic was an award-winning primetime television medical drama series produced by Parallel Film Productions for RTÉ. The show ran for seven seasons between September 2003 to November 2009. The last episode aired on RTÉ One on Sunday, 15 November 2009. The show was so successful that it also aired in Finland, New Zealand, Australia,Iceland,Scotland and Portugal.

Since 2000 RTÉ has increased its output of specialized dramas. These drama's have discussed a broad range of issues such as the Irish Hepatitis C scandal inNo Tears(2002)which featured Academy Award WinnerBrenda Fricker.

In 2003 RTÉ returned to comedy with the rural basedKillinaskullyseries. The series was produced by Irish ComedianPat Shortt.The series was a critical failure but according to one critic this was due to the rural/urban divide and "because TV critics tend to stand very firmly on one side of that gap, they have seldom attempted to understand the popularity of something so old-fashioned, predictable and lazy.".The series was a huge audience success for the channel often getting over 500,000 every Sunday night, with its Christmas specials becoming some of Ireland's most watched TV programmes during its run.

In 2004 RTÉ co-produced with Denmark'sTV2a gritty drama series based on criminality in Dublin City.Proofaired for two seasons and starredOrla Brady.In 2006 RTÉ broadcast a fictional drama based on a nuclear fallout calledFallout.Following this another drama appeared on RTÉ One in September 2006, thedocudramaabout theStardustdisaster, entitledStardust,to mark the 25th anniversary of the incident.

In 2007, RTÉ began the drama seriesSingle-Handed.Three episodes of the series ran over the course of three years when ITV bought the rights to the show in 2009, which led to the co-production of the fourth series with Britain'sITV.

In 2007, RTÉ airedDamagea drama which focused on rape and sexual abuse. In 2008, RTÉ producedWhistleblowerthis drama highlighted irregular obstetric practices within Irish hospitals. Another drama in 2008 includedBitter Sweet.This drama follows the difficulties encountered by three female friends who undergo difficult changes to their respective lives.

In 2009 RTÉ commissioned a secondPat Shorttcomedy titledMattie.Mattieinitially centred on the move of a ruralGardato the big city, however the series received poor reviews and audience figures were lacklustre. RTÉ attempted to re-launch the show asSTG Mattiethe following year this time keeping Garda Mattie in country surrounding and adding alaughter track.

In June 2009 RTÉ broadcastFather & Sonco-produced with ITV.

2010s

The 2010Live AidbiopicWhen Harvey met Bobby(surrounding the relationship betweenBob GeldofandHarvey Goldsmith) was co-produced with theBBC.Wild Decembersbased on the novel byEdna O'Brienaired at Christmas 2010.

In 2010 their drama seriesRawmoved fromRTÉ Twoto RTÉ One. RAW ran for 5 seasons with its final season airing in 2013. The series centred on a busy Dublin Restaurant.

The seriesLove/Hate(starringAidan Gillen) detailing the lives of the Dublin's criminal underworld began in 2010. Love/Hate has since gone on to become one of Ireland most respected TV dramas, before ceasing production after 5 seasons in 2015.

In 2011 RTÉ co-produced Brendan O'Carroll'sMrs. Brown's Boyswith Boxpic andBBC ScotlandforBBC One.The series airs first on RTÉ One as BBC One is largely available across Ireland.

TheBBC Twodetective dramaThe FallstarringGillian Andersonwas produced in association with RTÉ and aired on RTÉ One. RTÉ will also airQuirkea Dublin-based detective series, starringGabriel Byrneand commissioned by theBBCandThe Irish Film Board.

A drama surrounding the disappearance of a young girl aired in 2014, titledAmber.It is directed byThaddeus O'Sullivanand starsEva BirthistleandDavid Murray.Due to financial difficulties at RTÉ the series broadcast date was postponed for 2 years, the four-part series aired across 4 consecutive days. The four-part caused controversy with viewers and critics due its open ending.

It was reported that a fifth season ofSingle Handedwas to be produced by RTÉ and ITV, however the series did not get the required funding. A drama surrounding the Irish banking crisis has yet to be announced.

A series surrounding the life of formerTaoiseachCharlie Haugheyis expected in 2015. Aidan Gillen will play the title role inHaughey.

For the first time in nearly 30 years RTÉ returned to theTelevision playin 2014. Three Irish writersFiona Looney,Deirdre PurcellandPat McCabewrote 3 different plays forPlay Next Door.The writers were sent to different parts of the country and were told to set their work in a building in the locality. A documentary followed each of the writers as they lived in the towns, it was followed by the play.

Entertainment

Chat shows

RTÉ's flagship chat show isThe Late Late Show.It has aired on the channel since the summer of 1962. It is the second longest-runningchat showand Europe's longest-running chat show. From 1962 until 1999 it was presented byGay Byrne.In September 1999,Pat Kennytook over the role and after hosting nine seasons as Late Late host he stepped down to host a new political programme. In September 2009,Ryan Tubridytook over as host. In its early years the show was known for its controversies. Most Irish chat shows continue to use a similar formula to The Late Late Show, most shows are live and contain a mix of serious and entertaining interviews.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the biggest rival to The Late Late Show wasThe Live Mike,hosted by Mike Murphy. The show was a mix of comedy sketches and interviews. Mike Murphy decided to leave the show and it was replaced bySaturday Livein the mid-1980s, the series had a new host each week. It in turn was replaced byKenny Livehosted by Pat Kenny, who had been a guest presenter onSaturday Live.Kenny Livewas more entertainment focused thenThe Late Late Show,however towards the end of the show Pat Kenny would do a one-to-one interview on topical subjects, e.g. Families of missing people.

Most summers RTÉ provide a chat show. They have includedLimelighthosted byCarrie Crowley,Good Grief Moncreiffhosted bySean Moncreiff,BiBihosted byBibi Baskin,Kennedyhosted byMary Kennedyand the most recent seriesSaturday Night with MiriamwithMiriam O'Callaghan.The show is well known for its wide variety of guests, which often include musicians, who usually perform on the show.The Duckworth Lewis Methodmade their television debut onSaturday Night with Miriamin 2009's season opener.

Before hostingThe Late Late Show,Ryan Tubridyhosted his own Saturday night chat show between 2004 and 2009, calledTubridy Tonight.After Pat Kenny left Kenny Live RTÉ produced a similar series to the 1980sSaturday Livethis time calledSaturday Night Liveagain with a different host each week, the series last until 2002. In 2003The Late Late Showwent into competition withDunphy Liveon TV3, however it only lasted until December 2003. Though RTÉ had stopped producing a Saturday Night chatshow that year, TV3 decided to airDunphy Liveon a Friday Night.

RTÉ produced two pilot shows for Saturday Night in 2010.The Saturday Night Show (2010–2015)andTonight with Craig Doyle (2010).Both of these shows are aimed to replace the highly successfulTubridy Tonightwhich ended in 2009,

Hosted byBrendan O'ConnorcalledThe Saturday Night Showit was given an initial run of 8 weeks, it now airs every Saturday night.

Craig Doylewas also given his own chat show.It replacedThe Saturday Night Show.Tonight with Craig Doyleand ran on RTÉ One from 18 April 2010 for 8 weeks.

In 2011Gay Byrnereturned withFor One Night Only.It started with an hour-long interview with boybandWestlife,which included many of their hits, similar episodes includedImelda MayandChristy Moore.

In 2013Imelda Mayreturned for her own music showThe Imelda May Show.

Game shows/quiz shows

In the 1960s and 1970s RTÉ ran theQuicksilverquiz show presented byBunny Carr.The show would tour the country and visit different towns. The contestants were picked at random to answer the questions, due to this random selection process the show is fondly remembered for questions such as "What the term for a malebee?"and the answer" awasp?".It also coined an Irish phrase" stop the lights ", usually stated when something is surprising.

In the 1980s RTÉ produced game shows likePlay the Game,and Gerry Ryan'sSecretsand quiz shows "Murphy's Micro-Quiz-M" (hosted by Mike Murphy),Where in the World?(hosted by Theresa Lowe),Rapid Roulette(hosted by Maxi) andKnow Your Sport(hosted by George Hamilton).

Since 1989 RTÉ have produced a game show with the Irish National Lottery.Winning Streakwas the first such show originally hosted byMike Murphy,who had had previous success with his chat showThe Live Mikeand the Irish version ofCandid Camera.He had also presentMike's Micro Quiza family quiz show that included a "hi-tech" games machine. Winning Steak started off as a half-hour show on Friday nights in the late 1980s and by the mid-1990 was an hour-long Saturday night game show. In the mid-1990sWinning Streakwas joined by other National Lottery game shows includingMillionaireandFame and Fortunehosted by Marty Whelan,Telly Bingohosted byLiz Bonnin.

In the 1990s RTÉ had international success withThe Lyrics Board,while it was derided by the critics the format was sold in many European countries. The show was originally presented byAonghus McAnallyduring its initially run and in the 2000s byLinda Martin.Quiz shows includedChallenging Times(hosted by Kevin Myres) andDodge The Question(hosted byJonathan Philbin Bowman). The 1990s saw RTÉ's version ofTalkabouthosted by Ian Dempsey and later by Alan Hughes.

After Gay Byrne's decision to leaveThe Late Late Show,he was brought back by the station to host the Irish version ofWho Wants to Be a Millionairehowever after two seasons the show was dropped as RTÉ were unable to find a sponsor afterVodafoneEircellpulled its sponsorship, the producers (Tyrone Productions) and RTÉ were in discussions with the National Lottery for a scratch card version of the show, ironically the National Lottery had defended the use of the term Millionaire a number of years previously due to its scratch card and TV game showMillionairehosted by Marty Whelan for RTÉ. RTÉ One broadcast two editions of the Irish version ofTest the Nationpresented byMiriam O'Callaghanin 2006 and 2007.

Music

• RTÉ One has shown many Irish traditional music shows includingThe Pure DropandCome West Along The Road.
• Number 1was a pop music quiz show from the 1980s and they also airedTop of the Pops.
• During the 1980s they had several live music shows with famous Irish stars of the time includingTheSandy KellyShow.
• In the late 1980s and early 1990sMarty Whelanhosted a popular talent search calledGFI: Go For It.In the mid-1990s RTÉ co-produced a talent series with BBC Northern Ireland calledLet Me Entertain Youhosted byGerry Ryan,a 16-year-oldSamantha Mumbawas one of the finalists.
• RTÉ One has also several documentaries about Irish Country Music and the Showband era entitledA Little Bit Country/Showband,hosted and produced by Shay Healey. In 2009 they broadcastAll Ireland Choir Competition 2009.

Reality TV

Since the start of the 2000s RTÉ have produced several Reality TV programmes for RTÉ One. In 2001, RTÉ One broadcast the successfulPopstarsformat to find Ireland's next top pop band. The eventual winners were the band members ofSix,including onNadine Coyle,however due to her age at the time she had to be dropped from the band, and went on to appear inPopstars: The RivalsonITV1becoming a member of the girl bandGirls Aloud.Due to the success in the Popstars format RTÉ set about looking for a new series for 2002,You're a Starwas a similar show toAmerican IdolandThe X Factor,running from 2002 to 2008, during which they select acts to go to theEurovision Song Contest.In 2008 it was replaced by theAll Ireland Talent Show.TheAll Ireland Talent Showhas since been replaced by the international Singing formatThe Voice of Irelandwhich begins on RTÉ One in January 2012. In 2010 they broadcastFame: The Musicala reality TV talent search for stars of the stage version of the highly successful film and TV seriesFame.

Other reality shows include two seasons (2001 and 2002) ofTreasure Islandsimilar in format toSurvivor.Senator Mark Daly appeared in the second series, coming third overall.Cabin Fever(2003) which had a group of people set sail around the Irish coast, this caused controversy when the ship ran aground halfway through the series.

RTÉ One has also producecelebrityversions of their reality TV shows.Charity You're a Star,Celebrity FarmandFáilte Towershave all gained respectable audiences but critics have been less than impressed. RTÉ's most successful celebrity reality TV isThe Restaurant.

Factual

Garda Patrolran for a number of years on RTÉ One. It was a fifteen-minute weekly show asking for help with crimes from the public. In the early 1990s RTÉ revamped the show as a monthly hour-long show calledCrime Line,hosted byDavid HarveyandMarian Finucane(Towards the end of the series was hosted byAnne Doyle). In the mid-2000s RTÉ replacedCrimeLinewith a similar showCrime Call.Crime Callis presented byAnne CassinandCon Murphy.

• Radharc(an Irish term for view, vision, spectacle or sight) aired from the 1960s and the 1990s. They were documentaries filmed byCatholicpriests. The series produced 400 documentaries which focused on some regional stories but mainly international stories about CatholicMissionariesaround the world and world events. The series came about during the 1950s as public discussion centred on the new television services. The documentaries all took a religious angle on events.The Irish Film Institute (IFI) are the custodians of the Radharc documentaries.
• To the Waters and the Wild
• Waterways
• Who Do You Think You Are?
• Blood of the Irish

History

• Reeling in the Yearsis one of RTÉ most popular history strands, it provides a history of Ireland from 1962 to 2009, it began as part of RTÉ Autumn 1999 schedule as Reeling in the Years 1980s, 1990s in 2000, 1970s in 2002, 1960s in 2004, 2000s in 2010, 2010s most recently in 2021 it's possible a future series on the 2020s will be made in 2030. It was archive clips from Irish and international archives showing the big events of the world from an Irish perspective including 2Eurovisionwins, 3 Irish general elections in one year, the Recession, Migration,DeLorean Motor Company,GUBU,Ronald Reagan's visit to Ireland, All Ireland Championship wins etc. 1960–1969, 1970–1979 and 1990–1999 were all broadcast, events included the Dublin/Monaghan bombings, U2's first TV appearance, Slane Concerts, the axing ofThe Riordans,Riverdance,Miley and Fidelma's hay shed love inGlenroe,Twin Peaksto more serious news such as theOmaghbombings,The Good Friday Agreement,The resignation of the Minister for Foreign AffairsRay Burkeand the inauguration of presidentMary Robinsonetc.
• True Lives
• Hidden Histories

Arts

• Arts Livesis a series of arts documentaries produced by independent producers for RTÉ. They may also be co-funded by other broadcasters from around Europe. Some of the documentaries include:The Riordans:Tea, Taboos & Tractorsabout the successful rural soap opera,John O'Conor's Beethoven Boot Camp,Hugh Leonard:Odd Man In,Patrick Collins:Through Sligo Eyes,Graham Linehan– Funny BusinessandRonnie Drew– September Song.
• The Viewwas a weekly arts and cultural review programme broadcast each Tuesday night up until 2011. It was original broadcast on RTÉ Two asLater on 2.

Young people's programmes

Main article:RTÉ Young People's Programmes

Up to 1988 the majority of RTÉ's children's programmes were aired on RTÉ One. In the early years these shows includedDáithí Lachaan Irish Language animated series about a duck. In the 1970s they producedWanderly Wagonwhich was developed for RTÉ byEugene Lambertand a spin-off show in the 1980s calledFortycoats & Co.however Eugene Lambert is on the record as saying that he was not involved and that RTÉ just rehashed oldWanderly Wagonstories. The 1980s saw RTÉ's first Saturday morning children's strand calledAnything Goes,this was followed byAction Station SaturdayandPajo's Junkbox.In the 1990s their Saturday mornings includedPajo's The Whole ShabangandScratch Saturdaywhich includedTheFantaRoadshow Chartwith Andy Ruane, various changes took place on Saturday mornings during the 1990s with the final RTÉ One children's morning strand coming from RTÉ Cork calledThe Swamp.In the late 1990s all children's weekend programming was fully moved toNetwork 2withT/XandThe Disney Club.Dempsey's Denaired on the channel from 1986 to 1988,Zig and Zagmade their debuts on RTÉ One. Since 1988 the majority of RTÉ's children programming airs on its sister channelRTÉ Two.RTÉ Twoprovide different strands of programming tailored at different age groups these include:RTÉjr(1- to 6-year-olds),TRTÉ(7- to 15-year-olds),TwoTube(16- to 22-year-olds). Since 2011 RTÉ has a dedicated service for preschoolers called RTÉjr.

Every Saturday night RTÉ One at 18:30 airsThe Big Big Moviethis strand features movies which a tailored towards a family audience.

Daytime

In the early 1980s, RTÉ began testing daytime television for audiences on RTÉ One. This was a major commitment sinceRTÉ Twowas failing to gain audience that it required. Their first daytime show was hosted byThelma Mansfield– one of their regular continuity announcers –Good Afternoonwas a mix of live interviews, music, children's television and soap operas.

In 1986, RTÉ debuted its new afternoon show which featured a mixture of daytime chat and children's television. In September the channel airedLive at 3broadcasting from 15:00 each weekday. This was followed by a new children's seriesDempsey's Den.Live at 3 was presented byDerek Davisand Thelma Mansfield from 1986 to 1997. It included a broad range of topics (healthcare, cookery, DIY, fashion and culture). It was a major departure for the daytime schedule and in an interview with TV Now Derek Davis described how many other European broadcasters were travelling over to Ireland to visit this mix genre daytime TV chat show.

In 1997 with the departure of Derek Davis, Live at 3 was merged with another TV series called12 to 1.12 to 1was similar in style toLive at 3only it concentrated on Light chat with hostsMarty WhelanandCiana Campbell.Ciana Campbellhad prior to this tested out a live afternoon phone in show (calledOver to You), similar in format to RTÉ Radio's successfullyLiveline,this eventually led to12 to 1.

In the late 1990sMarty Whelan,Ciana CampbellandThelma Mansfieldall remained as part of the daytime TV line-up and featured onPM Live.In 1999, Thelma Mansfield retired from RTÉ to concentrate on her art career.This later led to the demise ofPM Live,which was replaced in September 1999, withOpen House.

Open Housewas the first time that RTÉ had an independent producer produce their daytime TV service. Tyrone Productions produced the show in the RTÉ studios and it was hosted byMary KennedyandMarty Whelanfrom 1999 to 2003.

In 2004, RTÉ revamped their daytime schedule and axedOpen Houseand replaced it with two new shows,The Afternoon ShowandThe Big Bite.The Big Bite was an unusual departure for RTÉ's daytime schedule as it had heavier content than previous shows which aired in this time-slot, it was hosted by economistDavid McWilliams.The Big Bite was replaced withSeoige and O'Shea,which was also produced by Tyrone Productions.Joe O'SheaandGrainne Seoigepresented the show together for 2 seasons until Joe O'Shea left in 2007, he was replaced by Grainne's sisterSíle Seoigeand the show was renameSeoige.Seoigelasted one season and was replaced by an extended version ofThe Afternoon Showproduced by Green Inc Productions for RTÉ.

The Afternoon Show was first presented byAnna Nolan,Blathnaid Ni ChofaighandSheana Keane.Anna Nolanleft the show after a year to focus on more serious TV such as RTÉ'sWould You Believeseries of documentaries. Blathanid and Sheana both worked on the show together for a number of years until 2008 (when it was reported they had had a falling out), various presenters stepping into either Blathanid's or Sheana's shoes, with the final series being presented by Sheana andMaura Derrane(formerIreland AMpresenter).

In 2010, RTÉ One revamped its afternoon schedule, which will debut in September 2010. RTÉ set about seeking tenders from independent producers, as a consequence of this process RTÉ axedThe Afternoon Show.Two new afternoon shows began in September 2010,4 LiveandThe Daily Show.4 Livewas presented by Maura Derrane (former co-presenter ofThe Afternoon Show), whileThe Daily Showwas presented by TG4 Weather ManDáithí Ó Séand formerTV3 NewspresenterClaire Byrne.Both shows were broadcast from 16:00 to 17:45 GMT.Both new daytime shows are produced by Green Inc. for RTÉ.The programmes were axed in March 2012. In October 2012 RTÉ moved their main afternoon programmes to Cork.Todayis hosted by Maura Derrane and Dáithí Ó Sé, while Claire Byrne moved toPrime TimeandRTÉ Radio 1'sSaturday with Claire Byrne.On Friday's Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh and Norah Casey (Dragon's Den Ireland).

In January 2013 RTÉ launched their first morning TV news service on RTÉ One andRTÉ News NowMorning Edition,the programme airs from 9 am to 11 am Monday to Friday.Morning Editionis presented byKeelin Shanley.

In 2017Stellify MediaproducedGoodbye House,a property show in which three siblings compete to find the perfect home for their parents.

Lifestyle

In the 1980s RTÉ One's lifestyle programming consisted of shows such as

• Check Up– A weekly health show
• Head 2 Toe– A weekly fashion series
• See Here– A weekly consumers show
• Family Matters– A weekly issue based show for parents, hosted by Eamon Lawlor and Caroline Murphy.

Much of RTÉ's lifestyle output was produced in-house until the 1990s when Independent Producers began producing shows such as: -

• About the House– An Educational/Lifestyle show about home renovations
• Ear to the Ground– A weekly Agricultural magazine show
• Beyond The Hall Door– A studio based Interior design show by the 2000s it had left the studio to do up homes
• Bon Voyage– A travel show
• Darina Allen– A cookery Show

Most of RTÉ's Lifestyle programming is air Monday to Friday between 19:00 and 21:00, and repeated on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Their current set of lifestyle programmes includeAbout the House,Showhouse,HeatandRachel Allen: Bakes.

Imported programming

1961–1969

RTÉ One has always relied on a certain amount of programming from abroad and they have also always been under pressure from UK TV channels to provide programming from other countries. The 1960s on RTÉ is characterized by American and British imports such as Annie Oakley,Everglades,Have Gun Will Travel,The Donna Reed Show,The Adventures of Robin Hood,Batman,The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,The Andy Williams Show,The Dick Van Dyke Show,Robinson Crusoe,Lucy Show,Dr. Finlay's Casebook,The World Around Us,The World of WoosterandSherlock Holmes.Children's programming at this time consisted of such shows asThe Road Runner Show,The Flintstones,SkippyandQuick Draw McGraw.In 1963 they also broadcast Italian lessonsParliamo Italiano.

1970–1979

RTÉ began expanding its schedule during the 1970s with educational and children's programming being broadcast from 11 am. Children's shows imported for the channel includedTarzan,Modern Madcaps,The Road Runner Show,Land of the Giants,Apple's Way,Babar,Noddy,Sesame Street,Gemini Man,Clue ClubandScooby-Doo,while educational programming includedEducation: Zarabanda,First Steps in First AidandGerman Lessonother daytime shows includedSouth Riding,The PallisersandThrill Seekers.Prime time imports includedLights Out,The Spanish Farm,The Brady Bunch,Bridget Loves Bernie,Fawlty Towers,Little House on the Prairie,"The Waltons", "Poldark"The Muppet Show,Anne of the Thousand Days,Midnight Is a Place,Are You Being Served?. In 1978 RTÉ One began broadcasting many UK TV show such as ITV'sSale of the CenturyandMatch of the Daywhich was simulcast with the BBC.RTÉ Twobegan broadcasting on 2 November 1978.

1980–1989

During the 1980s many of the language courses on during daytime hours moved to the weekend, children's was presented first asGood Afternoonwith many adult daytime shows mixed in, until 1986 whenDempsey's Denstarted to broadcast, imports for Children includedThe World of Jules Verne,Ludwig,Yogi's Treasure Hunt,Danger Bay,Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table,Supergran,European Folk Tales,KaboodleandThe Real Ghostbusters.Other daytime shows includedUpstairs DownstairsandEmmerdale Farm.Prime time imports included American shows such asTheCheryl LaddSpecial,Here's Lucy,Ride on Stranger,Falcon Crest,Miami Vice,Benson",Dallas",Magnum, P.I.,ThePaul AnkaShow,Remington Steele,Murder, She Wrote,Spenser for Hire,The Cosby Show,The Twilight Zone,The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,Evening Extra,Turning Point,On the Town,Our House,The Ray Bradbury Theatre.British imports includedAre You Being Served?,Codename Icarus,The Paper Lads,Dempsey and Makepeace,Tomorrow's WorldandExecutive Stress.

In 1988 RTÉ Two re-branded as Network 2 which saw RTÉ move many of its children's and imported shows over to Network 2.

1990–1999

Children's shows remained on RTÉ 1 on Saturday morning for most of the 1990s imports includedDuckTales,Batman,Family Ties,TheDisneyHour,Katts and Dog,Nellie the ElephantandThe Pink Panther Show.Daytime TV consisted of repeats and daytime soaps such asLittle House on the Prairie,The New Adventures of Black Beauty,CHiPs,Delia Smith's Cookery Course,Emmerdale,Knots Landing,A Country Practice,Perry Mason,Carson's Law,The Love Boat,G. P.,The Sullivans,Santa Barbara,Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased),Take the High Road,Forever GreenandHighway to Heaven.American prime time show imported at the time includedStar Trek: The Next Generation,Mancuso, F.B.I.,The Cosby Show,St. Elsewhere,MacGyver,Masquerade,Father Dowling Mysteries,Dallas,Midnight Caller,Home Improvement,Space: Above and Beyond,JAG,Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,RoboCop,Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,ERandThe Practice.British shows broadcast includedBergerac,Agatha Christie's Poirot,After Henry,The Ruth Rendell Mysteries,An Audience with...Victoria Wood,Lovejoy,Hearts and Minds,Ballykissangeland from 1992 to 2001Coronation Street.Educational programming at the time moved to Sunday morning includingEspana Viva,A Vous La FranceandRussian Language and People. 28 January 1991 saw the last episode of cult favouriteTwin Peaksbroadcast on RTÉ 1.

2000–2009

Since the late 1990s RTÉ One's prime time schedule is made up of nearly 100% Irish programming, some exceptions includeEastEnders,The Midweek Movie,The Big Big Movieand with a few classic repeats intermittently such asFawlty TowersandOnly Fools and Horses.RTÉ One's other daytime imports are made up of soap operas (such as the Australian soapsNeighboursandHome and Away,the New Zealand soapShortland Street,the British soapsDoctorsandEastEnders), American detective dramas (including the highly repeatableMurder, She Wrote) and since 2001 they have broadcast American daytime chat shows (includingThe DoctorsandDr. Phil,they also broadcastOprah). American dramas broadcast from 2000 to 2009 includedER,Grey's Anatomy,The Practice,Prison Break,Damages,Shark,Angel,Two and a Half Men,Medium,Mad Men,andThe West Wing.British dramasSpooksandWaking the Deadhave also aired on the channel.During the 2000s RTÉ broadcast the ITV soapThe Billover two half-hour episodes Monday to Friday at 17:30, rather than the original hour-long episodes. RTÉ One also broadcast the revived ITV soap,Crossroads.

2010–2019

RTÉ One launched its 2010 schedule withThe Mentalistas a replacement for the long running Sunday night dramaER.Other imports includedWho Do You Think You Are?both theBritishandAmericanversions which coincided with their broadcast of the Irish version. On 4 August 2010, RTÉ launched its schedule which included importsMad MenandMasterchef Australia.RTÉ One also broadcastPacked to the Rafters,The Bill,MediumandMcLeod's Daughters.Daytime repeats now includeDesperate Housewives,The Good WifeandBrothers & Sisters.New episodes of The Good Wife move to RTÉ One in 2013. A&E'sLongmirebegan airing in 2013. Late night TV consists largely of imported programming such as Australian drama serialsRush,Blue HeelersandTangle.

2020–present

MainlyCOVID-19to start the new decade. New look planned for Autumn 2022. New idents for the 1st time since November 3rd, 2006 on April 25, 2023.

On-air identity

In 1966, the radio and television stations adopted the common brandRadio Telifís Éireannin line with the renamed broadcasting authority,and the ident used theacronymRTE, with nosíneadh fadadiacriticover the E ofÉireann.The 1995 logo was the first to readRTÉrather thanRTE.

A new appearance and ident of RTÉ One (including the "ONE" in a new font) launched on 1 January 2014. The channel is now referred to as 'RTÉ ONE HD' onSaorview.

References

Sources

• McCaughren, Samantha (9 February 2006).”Irish Viewers to get a '6' Sense Soon!”Irish Independent,Business p. 10. Accessed 10 December 2009.

External links

• RTÉ Oneat RTÉ.ie