However, in October 2008, RTÉ announced that they would be releasing a DVD of a cut-down version of the 1980s material. "Reeling in the 80s" is an altered version of the programme which contains only the images and music that the producers were able to secure rights to, and it runs to about 150 minutes (versus 240 minutes for the original series). It does, however, contain some original material that has been unearthed since 1999, and which has greater significance now, such as footage of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen.