RTÉ announces cost-cutting measures

RichMc70

Monday, 20 October 2008 17:44
RTÉ is introducing measures and cuts in programming to reduce staff costs by €10m next year to deal with the broadcaster's worsening financial situation.The cuts have been triggered by a significant fall in advertising revenue, which is expected to be €25m below target by the end of the year.Among the measures envisaged are a six month pay freeze before implementation of the national wage agreement in September 2009 and the non-replacement of staff who retire.


In addition, no increments, merit increases, ex-gratia payments or bonuses will be paid to staff at any level.However a special pensionable payment of €400 will be made to all full time staff earning less than €50,000 a year.All areas of general discretionary spending, including foreign travel, will be cancelled or curtailed significantly.In a staff information bulletin, Director General Cathal Goan said RTÉ is reviewing activity to try to break even in 2009.Mr Goan said the public service broadcaster is obliged by law not to plan to incur net deficits, so it will try to break even in 2009.He also added that 'some curtailment of programming' is planned.He said RTÉ must concentrate on its core purpose of high quality service to the public.However, if the financial situation worsens the station will have to re-examine its plans

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1020/rte.html

Basically, expect to see even more repeats on tv for the foreseeable future (as if it isn't bad enough already).:(

The UberFrog

And what's the betting they'll cut the good programmes? At the minute, RTÉ's saving grace is getting Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, Lost etc. almost when they're released. Fingers crossed they don't stop that! But how much says we'll get double episodes of season 3 of The Simpsons instead?

Mr E

They could go a long way towards that 10m figure by reducing the inflated salaries of some presenters in RTE.

jor el

If they're looking for €10m, they should go after Beverley Cooper-Flynn for the €1m they let her away with last year.

At least this answers the question of why Michelle Heaton was on Podge & Rodge last night. They probably paid her with bubblegum and a meal voucher for Bennigans.

Dodge

The UberFrog wrote: »

And what's the betting they'll cut the good programmes? At the minute, RTÉ's saving grace is getting Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, Lost etc. almost when they're released. Fingers crossed they don't stop that! But how much says we'll get double episodes of season 3 of The Simpsons instead?

Foreign purchases are far, far cheaper than home made stuff

jaycen

Emm, Pat Kenny anyone??? Time to empty the bin.

spadder

As a commercial enterprise, if it's not making money, even with the huge license fee we have to pay,then let it fail or sell it off. The few good homegrown radio programs will migrate to other stations if there is a demand. Most of RTE TV's output is just BBC ripoffs.

Helix

meh

cut the whole thing and get rid of the license fee

elshambo

Get rid of Fairly sh*tty

Give Pat and Gerry the shoe

Sack anyone who is on telly just because they are an "Irish Celibrity" aka they drink in the right pubs (wrong pubs:)), are from certain area's of Dublin and suck plenty of........:eek::D

TarfHead

Sell off 2FM.

Gerry Ryan reckons he attracts in more advertisiing revenue than RTE pay him. See how that would hold true if he was 'liberated' into the real world of commercial radio.

spadder

I really resent paying 160 quid a year to bankroll this shower of wasters.

I would gladly contribute to the BBC license fee for the quality of their TV, Radio and websites. Why not sell RTE to the BBC? ( not sure if they would want it, mind) just give it to the BBC.

Climate Expert

jor el wrote: »

If they're looking for €10m, they should go after Beverley Cooper-Flynn for the €1m they let her away with last year.

At least this answers the question of why Michelle Heaton was on Podge & Rodge last night. They probably paid her with bubblegum and a meal voucher for Bennigans.

yep, complete disgrace.

Dodge

spadder wrote: »

I really resent paying 160 quid a year to bankroll this shower of wasters.

I would gladly contribute to the BBC license fee for the quality of their TV, Radio and websites. Why not sell RTE to the BBC? ( not sure if they would want it, mind) just give it to the BBC.

I'd imagine that if RTE had the same amount of income from Irish tv licenses as BBC do from British TV licenses, their output would be a little better... :rolleyes:

loyatemu

TarfHead wrote: »

Sell off 2FM.

and network 2

Let RTE concentrate on home-grown programming, leave the bought-in stuff for commercial broadcasters.

Cut Pat Kenny's salary - if he doesn't like it, get someone else to present the LLS. Its the brand that people are attached to, not woodentop Kenny - it would probably do even better with a human presenting it.

AnonoBoy

loyatemu wrote: »

Let RTE concentrate on home-grown programming, leave the bought-in stuff for commercial broadcasters.

As someone already pointed out it's far cheaper for RTE to buy in shows than to produce their own quality shows.

jor el

Climate Expert wrote: »

yep, complete disgrace.

About Beverley Cooper-flynn, or that they actually wasted good bubblegum on Michelle Heaton? :pac:

Dodge wrote: »

I'd imagine that if RTE had the same amount of income from Irish tv licenses as BBC do from British TV licenses, their output would be a little better... :rolleyes:

I'd imagine that if the BBC had a dual source of income, licence fee and advertising, that their programming would be even better again.

The simple fact is that RTE is one of the best funded broadcasters in Europe. In the UK, the BBC have a single source of funding, the licence fee. The rest of the broadcasters have advertising only. RTE get both.

What I hate is paying 160 euro a year for channels I can't even receive, unless I pay Sky or Chorus to get them. In the UK, the channels are broadcast free to air, because the broadcasters pay for the encoding on the satellite. RTE don't pay, hence you get no RTE (or TV3 for that matter) when you cancel your Sky sub.

Roll on terrestrial DVB TV.

Catari Jaguar

jor el wrote: »

They probably paid her with bubblegum and a meal voucher for Bennigans.

haha, south park...

Fire Jerry Ryan, Ryan Tubridy and Pat Kenny. That's over a million euro saved.

fourfiveone

To be fair the sports coverage and the current affairs isn't too bad. I got the gawks watching Who do you think you are? How many of a foreign holidays can you screw? more like. All RTE cronies as well - Duffy, Bird, Flood, Linda Martin - even Fr Dougal nailed the licence payer for a trip to NY to find out about his granny's second cousin or something.