Director General Kevin Bakhurst addressed a rally of RTÉ staff in Donnybrook this afternoon, stating that it’s been a “horrendous time” for all workers.
The RTÉ head told the rally it has been a “rough few weeks” for the broadcaster and revealed he is “absolutely determined” to make it a better organisation for people to work in.
Staff held a rally outside the RTÉ studios today due to the broadcasters ongoing controversies.
The National Union of Journalists has now called for a focus to be put on public service broadcasting funding, following Tuesday night’s meeting of the Oireachtas Media Committee with Media Minister Catherine Martin.
Martin faced a three-hour grilling from TDs and Senators at the Oireachtas Media committee.
The meeting centred around the controversial resignation of the former chair of the RTÉ Board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh
Speaking at the rally this morning, NUJ Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said the resignation of Ní Raghallaigh and the circumstances surrounding her departure have now added a sense of “chaos” which has “engulfed the organisation”.
He added: “The ongoing political controversies, the carousel of allegations and counter-allegations and the drip feed of information have left an already demoralised staff reeling. What RTÉ workers now need is a sharp focus on the future.”
RTE journalist and NUJ representative Emma O’Kelly also spoke at the rally this morning.
Ms O’Kelly told the rally that members of the NUJ and RTE “remain concerned” at the “financial crisis” which has been caused by the delay in reforming the financing of the public service broadcaster.
She said: “Legitimate concern over corporate governance failures and understandable anger at the lack of engagement by former senior executives should not be used to further delay decisions on the funding of public service broadcasting.”
“Our call on the government is to act immediately to confirm a new model of funding for public service broadcasting, one which provides certainty to RTÉ staff, the independent production sector, and the public.”
Ms O’Kelly added: “If you look at something like Toy Show the Musical, it was RTÉ desperately looking for a goose that would lay a golden egg because we were starved of public funding.”
She also highlighted that lessons need to be learnt from “everything that has happened”.
