RTÉ has announced a series of strong measures to try and combat their difficult financial position.
The national broadcaster has released a plan to save €60 million, in a bid to keep the station alive.
Part of their plan includes huge salary reductions for top contracted staff, and 200 job redundancies.
Main changes include:
- The RTÉ Guide is for sale
- RTÉ will close its current studio in Limerick in 2020; production of RTÉ lyric fm will move to Cork and Dublin
- RTÉ will continue to provide a mid-west news service in Limerick
- RTÉ will close the Digital Audio Broadcast network, as well as RTÉ’s digital radio stations (RTÉ 2XM, RTÉ Pulse, RTÉ Gold, RTÉjr Radio & RTÉ Radio 1 Extra)
- RTÉ Aertel will cease
- The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra will transfer to the National Concert Hall
- RTÉ need to reduce projected costs by €60 million over three years (2020-2023), in addition to the reduction of 23% delivered between 2008 and 2018
- reduce the fees paid to their top contracted on-air presenters by15%, in addition to the 30+% cuts as agreed in previous years
- Reduce staff costs—we will consult with staff and unions on a number of initiatives, to include pay freeze, tiered pay reductions, review of benefits, work practice reforms
- The Executive Board will take a 10% reduction in pay; the Board of RTÉ will waive its fees
- They need to achieve a staff headcount reduction of c. 200 in 2020
In most recent figures released Ryan Tubridy is the highest-paid on-air talent on €495k, with Ray D’Arcy on €450k.
Speaking about the new plan Director General Dee Forbes said:
“The challenges in front of us are real. But RTÉ does have a plan, which we are confident can address many of the challenges we face and bring Ireland’s national public broadcaster to stability.
“However, Government needs to act to ensure there is a future for public service media in Ireland. I am clear about what role RTÉ should play in Irish life, but I am also clear that we cannot do it unless Government fixes the TV Licence system.
“We shouldn’t be under any illusions; we are in a fight – a fight to sustain a viable public media in Ireland.”
