4 out of 10 highest paid wouldn't be RTE. Really??

**humberklog** · 09-10-2009, 23:32

Today RTE released the top ten earners for the '07-'08 period.

RTE's defence of these fees basically broke down to them saying that if they didn't pay them that wage then someone else would have, therefore they would have been left scrabbling about looking for (or schooling) alternative talents. This in turn could and would have only ended in disappointment for them (RTE), their sponsors and their audience.

The spokesman speaking on RTE Drivetime went on to say that if every station released the list of their talent's earning that there could be up to 4 other presenters from rival stations that would surpass some of the presenters' wages on their list.

Does anyone reckon that this is true?

I can't think of 4 presenters that I could imagine are on close to RTE's high rollers, especially when appearance time is worked out in relation to wage.
Ian Dempsey is the only one that comes to my mind but does anyone have any idea who this chap in RTE could be referring to?

liberal · 09-10-2009, 23:36

there is no market pressure to pay these poeple so well

they can't all go to TV3/Newstalk etc. and no one in the UK has heard of any of them

RTE make me sick, my mother pays the TV license

**humberklog** · 09-10-2009, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by liberal

there is no market pressure to pay these poeple so well

they can't all go to TV3/Newstalk etc. and no one in the UK has heard of any of them

RTE make me sick, my mother pays the TV license

Was hoping to keep the thread a bit cleaner and clearer on the subject at hand Liberal. It was about a statement made by a rep from RTE and I would like to know if anyone thinks that what he said might be true and if so who.

Sure you could throw your mam a few quid towards the TV licence and have a proper rant, but it is what it is...a TV licence and this is the Radio forum.

Fuzzy Clam · 10-10-2009, 00:44

I think Liberal does have a point though.

On subject, Matt Cooper must be on good dosh. Possibly D'arcy (God knows why

). Maybe Cagney on TV

I still find it hard to believe what he said.
I have a long time hatred of RTE and find it impossible to believe a lot of what they stated over the years. I suspect this is another," we are RTE so it has to be true".

I HATE RtE

deadhead13 · 10-10-2009, 04:15

I heard the Dawson interview and from what I remember he said something along the lines of - "...speaking to agents and from the best we can ascertain 4 of the top 10....etc. It is in agents interest to exaggerate what their clients could make elsewhere, so I would wonder how reliable this information is. If there are any non-RTE broadcasters in the top 10, I would imagine they would be very much at the bottom end of the scale. And RTE is the only one of these organisations funded by the licence fee payers and that is the crucial difference.

Firetrap · 10-10-2009, 12:18

I wonder what some of the Newstalk flagship names are earning? Especially the ones that were reasonably well known beforehand. George Hook? Tom Dunne, Claire Byrne?

**humberklog** · 10-10-2009, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firetrap

I wonder what some of the Newstalk flagship names are earning? Especially the ones that were reasonably well known beforehand. George Hook? Tom Dunne, Claire Byrne?

Yeah, that's what I'm wondering too. Surely it could only have been O' Brien's stables that could have been bumping the stakes up over the last few years. He would have also been quicker and more severe in his pay corrections.
T. Dunne?
Hooke?
Dempsey?
Cooper?

deadhead13 · 10-10-2009, 12:57

Newstalk latest filed accounts show accumulated losses of 19 million euros from when the station started to 2007. Given what has happen to advertising revenue since then, I doubt the finances have improved any. I'm sure the top names are reasonably well paid to keep them at the station, but nothing like over in montrose.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...245682787.html

**humberklog** · 10-10-2009, 13:26

I wonder if that in such a small country, population wise, and with so much filthy lucre knocking about in the recent enough past would it have been easy for presenters' agents to create the illusion/fear of their clients jumping ship to a greener pasture? Therefore RTE bieng scalped under a created economy?

The traffic really was one way in the end it seams: RTE paying out huge sums in order to retain their talents. With the exception of Dempsey I can't think of one other BIG player to leave the suckling nipple of the mothership for private enterprise.

It's looking like RTE were well and truely taken to the cleaners by the talents.

deadhead13 · 10-10-2009, 14:22

Their spokesman tried to spin the "stars" being on long term fixed term contracts as being to RTE's advantage i.e RTE doesn't have to renew them... come on, how long have that top 10 been at RTE. And in fairness to Mary Wilson she did point that out to him.

I agree, when TV3 and Today FM came along, RTE percieved a threat that was never realised and a handful of people made a lot of money as a result.

But, in today's Irish Examiner Pat kenny let it be know that this year his salaries will be 630,000 euros as a result of having to recently negotiate a new contract because the old one was up. The same thing will happen to there others in due course. They will still be paid far to much IMO, but to a certain extent - the partys over.

GSF · 10-10-2009, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Clam

On subject, Matt Cooper must be on good dosh. Possibly D'arcy (God knows why

).

There is no way RTE can know. If it was a professional interviewer rather than a soft toweling down by a fellow RTE staffer, they would have asked how they got private info from TV3 and Today FM. Otherwise the statement is unfounded speculation.

Cooper works harder than most at RTE. 12.5 hours live radio, plus 1 hour highlights, 2 newspaper columns, regular TV3 sports presentation, a book coming out. And far fewer holidays than RTE staff. Surely the 12 week holidays in RTE need to be factored into any comparison?

Greenman · 11-10-2009, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by humberklog

Today RTE released the top ten earners for the '07-'08 period.

Strange the way O Rourke,Duffy and Mooney were off on the said day!!!!

Wonder what Mary Wilson earns?

Big Tone · 12-10-2009, 15:43

I notice there's no mention of "Uncle Gaybo" in all these posts...that's probably because he's under the radar on his RTE Golden Hancuffs of over €300,000 a year so he wont go work for Denis O Brien, but they daren't disclose that info...crazy thinking in RTE, in their own cocoon up there in Donnybrook!

**humberklog** · 13-10-2009, 12:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Tone

I notice there's no mention of "Uncle Gaybo" in all these posts...that's probably because he's under the radar on his RTE Golden Hancuffs of over €300,000 a year so he wont go work for Denis O Brien, but they daren't disclose that info...crazy thinking in RTE, in their own cocoon up there in Donnybrook!

Holy mother of god. I never heard of the like.
How come he wasn't mentioned in thew top 10 as the wedge would out do one or two in the list.

deadhead13 · 14-10-2009, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firetrap

I wonder what some of the Newstalk flagship names are earning? Especially the ones that were reasonably well known beforehand. George Hook? Tom Dunne, Claire Byrne?

Claire Bryne pretty much answerd the question today in the Herald - "I work for a private sector company and as such don't have to reveal what I earn, but I can tell you that Marian wouldn't have to work for very much of the year before she hit my pay grade".

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/is-mari...s-1912870.html

09-10-2009, 23:32	#1
humberklog Moderator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: dublin Posts: 3,770 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Songwriting	4 out of 10 highest paid wouldn't be RTE. Really?? Today RTE released the top ten earners for the '07-'08 period. RTE's defence of these fees basically broke down to them saying that if they didn't pay them that wage then someone else would have, therefore they would have been left scrabbling about looking for (or schooling) alternative talents. This in turn could and would have only ended in disappointment for them (RTE), their sponsors and their audience. The spokesman speaking on RTE Drivetime went on to say that if every station released the list of their talent's earning that there could be up to 4 other presenters from rival stations that would surpass some of the presenters' wages on their list. Does anyone reckon that this is true? I can't think of 4 presenters that I could imagine are on close to RTE's high rollers, especially when appearance time is worked out in relation to wage. Ian Dempsey is the only one that comes to my mind but does anyone have any idea who this chap in RTE could be referring to? Last edited by humberklog; 09-10-2009 at 23:48.

10-10-2009, 00:44	#4
Fuzzy Clam Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: middle earth Posts: 713 Adverts \| Friends	I think Liberal does have a point though. On subject, Matt Cooper must be on good dosh. Possibly D'arcy (God knows why). Maybe Cagney on TV I still find it hard to believe what he said. I have a long time hatred of RTE and find it impossible to believe a lot of what they stated over the years. I suspect this is another," we are RTE so it has to be true". I HATE RtE

12-10-2009, 15:43	#13
Big Tone Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 461 Adverts \| Friends	I notice there's no mention of "Uncle Gaybo" in all these posts...that's probably because he's under the radar on his RTE Golden Hancuffs of over €300,000 a year so he wont go work for Denis O Brien, but they daren't disclose that info...crazy thinking in RTE, in their own cocoon up there in Donnybrook! __________________ I'm down here in the Deep South!

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09-10-2009, 23:36	#2
liberal Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 287 Adverts \| Friends	there is no market pressure to pay these poeple so well they can't all go to TV3/Newstalk etc. and no one in the UK has heard of any of them RTE make me sick, my mother pays the TV license

10-10-2009, 04:15	#5
deadhead13 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,711 Adverts \| Friends	I heard the Dawson interview and from what I remember he said something along the lines of - "...speaking to agents and from the best we can ascertain 4 of the top 10....etc. It is in agents interest to exaggerate what their clients could make elsewhere, so I would wonder how reliable this information is. If there are any non-RTE broadcasters in the top 10, I would imagine they would be very much at the bottom end of the scale. And RTE is the only one of these organisations funded by the licence fee payers and that is the crucial difference.

10-10-2009, 12:18	#6
Firetrap Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: On the internet Posts: 3,200 Adverts \| Friends	I wonder what some of the Newstalk flagship names are earning? Especially the ones that were reasonably well known beforehand. George Hook? Tom Dunne, Claire Byrne?

10-10-2009, 12:57	#8
deadhead13 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,711 Adverts \| Friends	Newstalk latest filed accounts show accumulated losses of 19 million euros from when the station started to 2007. Given what has happen to advertising revenue since then, I doubt the finances have improved any. I'm sure the top names are reasonably well paid to keep them at the station, but nothing like over in montrose. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...245682787.html

10-10-2009, 13:26	#9
humberklog Moderator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: dublin Posts: 3,770 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Songwriting	I wonder if that in such a small country, population wise, and with so much filthy lucre knocking about in the recent enough past would it have been easy for presenters' agents to create the illusion/fear of their clients jumping ship to a greener pasture? Therefore RTE bieng scalped under a created economy? The traffic really was one way in the end it seams: RTE paying out huge sums in order to retain their talents. With the exception of Dempsey I can't think of one other BIG player to leave the suckling nipple of the mothership for private enterprise. It's looking like RTE were well and truely taken to the cleaners by the talents.

10-10-2009, 14:22	#10
deadhead13 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1,711 Adverts \| Friends	Their spokesman tried to spin the "stars" being on long term fixed term contracts as being to RTE's advantage i.e RTE doesn't have to renew them... come on, how long have that top 10 been at RTE. And in fairness to Mary Wilson she did point that out to him. I agree, when TV3 and Today FM came along, RTE percieved a threat that was never realised and a handful of people made a lot of money as a result. But, in today's Irish Examiner Pat kenny let it be know that this year his salaries will be 630,000 euros as a result of having to recently negotiate a new contract because the old one was up. The same thing will happen to there others in due course. They will still be paid far to much IMO, but to a certain extent - the partys over.