Essay: The Paradox of Activity

In the two strategy documents produced by RTÉ in 2015 – the RTÉ Statement of Strategy 2015-20191and the Public Service Statement 20152 – two main audiences are identified. The first is traditional audiences engaging with RTÉ content through traditional media technology (radio and broadcast television). The second involves ‘new’ audiences accessing RTÉ content through ‘new media’ technologies (video on demand services, online content via smartphone and so on). In both of these models the content itself is basically the same. There is a third type of audience emerging in all national markets that bypasses traditional technologies of access and traditional forms of media content.