Budget:          €90,000 - €130,000 per hour

Duration:       6 or 8 x 50 minutes

TX:                 January 2026 onwards

In situations where a higher cost per hour is warranted, producers must provide comprehensive explanations and supporting details to justify the increased cost. This additional information should clearly outline the specific factors and circumstances that necessitate the higher rate.

Factual entertainment is the backbone of almost all linear TV schedules and at its most potent is able to not only unite audiences around a live TV viewing moment but also drive audiences to streaming, or catch up, on player. In recent years the scale and ambition shown by broadcasters and producers in this area has opened up a new world of possibility and it is this that we are keen to build on with opportunities on RTE One RTE Two and RTE player

We are seeking constructed formats which reflect positive and uplifting ‘journeys’ (like ‘Bake off’) or which celebrate mischief without causing real harm (like ‘Gogglebox’ or in a very different way ‘The Traitors’) impart information in unexpected and unpredictable ways (like ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’ or ‘Love In The Country’) or embrace the extremes of challenge (like ‘Hell week’).

We are looking for ideas that are entertaining whilst still being built on a key tenet of behaviour or experience and thus resonating well with an audience. Formats should include story, revelation, surprise, humour, emotional engagement and in particular a veracity and authenticity in the casting – be that in host, or participants. A perfect example of a format delivering all of this is ‘Race Around The World’.

Projects that have or will attract co-production finance and or an international broadcaster are of significant appeal.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system  Login | RTE (rtegroup.ie)  under the programme category "Entertainment – Factual Entertainment”

RTÉ Comedy develops and commissions a diverse range of scripted and unscripted comedy content across RTÉ One, RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player. Comedy output can build an emotional connection with mainstream audiences, helping to give all platforms a lighter, contemporary feel.

Comedy production is one of the purest forms of creativity, and it requires taking bigger risks. But when these risks pay off, they can generate the biggest wins for RTÉ. From the development of new comedy voices, (No Worries If Not), to channel defining content like The Tommy Tiernan Show, The Young Offenders, Mrs Browns Boys, and through to international coproduction in scripted such as Sisters, our audiences have an unquestionable appetite for this genre.

So what are we looking for?

RTÉ ONE Post 21.30

We are looking for proposals for 6 x 30 sit-com that will appeal to a broad post-watershed RTÉ One audience.

Proposals should demonstrate strong writing with a confident warm tone, and should have at its heart and voice, a clearly Irish view on the world. Tonally reference points would include, Killinaskully, Mrs. Brown’s Boys, The Young Offenders, Derry Girls, etc. Accessible, inclusive, mainstream, and most importantly funny.

We are open to single camera proposals for the right project, but crucially we are not seeking proposals for Comedy Drama or Young Adult Comedy / Drama. Proposals that can be housed within a multi camera studio model are particularly appealing.

At this stage, we are looking for an early stage pitch document that gets to the heart of the idea quickly and that;

• Brings the core concept of the series to life, clearly highlighting the key engine driving the comedy. What will make this punch through?
• Can highlight a core of well-drawn characters, and what ties them together or pulls them apart.
• Can define the idea clearly as a Comedy, not a Drama.
• Illustrates the world in which the comedy takes place.
• Describes an overview of the series arc or journey across six episodes.

We ask that you clearly demonstrate the comedy writing and the tone, but we are not looking for full scripts at this stage.

Diversity, and the reflection of a contemporary Irish society will be a consideration in any pitch.

The production budget amount and proposed funding model must be detailed in the programme submission for RTÉ's consideration.

Projects that have or will attract co-production finance and or an international broadcaster are of significant appeal.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system  Login | RTE (rtegroup.ie)  under the programme category "Comedy SitCom”

History of the Fund

In November 2016, RTÉ and ARTE G.E.I.E., the Strasbourg branch of the Franco-German public broadcaster ARTE, joined forces to develop and co-fund exceptional documentary projects, aiming to bring more Irish content to European audiences. Since then, ARTE G.E.I.E. and RTÉ have invested in a diverse range of Irish documentaries covering factual topics, current affairs, history, and the arts. The collaboration between ARTE commissioning editors and Irish production companies has flourished, creating numerous opportunities for Irish creative talent.

Practical Information

The fund operates on a rolling basis, with projects being developed and funded continuously. We seek standout single documentaries that have secured development or broadcast commitments from an RTÉ Commissioning Editor, which can then be pitched to ARTE’s specific documentary strands. Most documentaries for ARTE are 52 minutes long and do not include commercial breaks. The RTÉ version of the programme should be a 50 minute duration with two commercial breaks as agreed with the RTÉ Commissioning Editor.

RTÉ and ARTE welcome ideas from all genres, including Factual, Specialist Factual, Science and Natural Science, History, Archaeology and Human Endeavour, Current Affairs/Geopolitics, and Arts, Culture, and Music. We are particularly interested in compelling Irish stories with international appeal, whether they focus on ancient or contemporary history, arts, or society/current affairs. Ambitious factual, specialist factual, and arts documentaries that resonate with both Irish and European audiences are highly valued.

Given that ARTE documentaries are broadcast in multiple territories, projects led by voiceovers that can be revoiced in several languages are preferred. Presenter-led documentaries or series are generally not suitable for ARTE, except in rare cases where the presenter is a global icon, such as Angelica Huston on Joyce by Blueprint Films.

Completed projects must be delivered to ARTE 6-8 weeks before the broadcast date to allow time for translation, subtitling, and revoicing in French and German, as well as Polish, Spanish, and Italian for on-demand services. The costs for revoicing and subtitling are covered by ARTE and should not be included in the programme production budgets.

How To Apply

Production companies interested in submitting a programme proposal for the fund should initially submit their proposal through RTÉ’s e-Commissioning system Login | RTE (rtegroup.ie) . Indicate that the idea is suitable for co-production with ARTE and provide information on any other third-party funders if applicable. If the proposal is approved for further consideration, Sarah Ryder, RTÉ’s ARTE lead, will present it to the relevant ARTE commissioning executives.

Further information

For more details on the RTÉ / ARTE G.E.I.E. co-production fund, please contact Sarah Ryder at sarah.ryder@rte.ie.