[article] Dail Commitee Urges RTE presenters to take pay cut

mike65

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0129/1232923373073.html

TOP RTE; presenters should set an example by emulating senior management at the station and taking a pay cut, an Oireachtas committee is to urge. A call for the station's most highly paid stars to take the pay cut was made yesterday at a meeting of the Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources by Senator Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) .

“RTÉ is facing a shortfall in its revenues for 2009 in the order of €50 million and the director general has already indicated to this committee that members of senior management have taken a cut in their salaries,” he said.

Well-paid contract presenters at the station should follow this example, said Mr Walsh.

The committee chairman, Fianna Fáil TD MJ Nolan, said it would be contacting the director general of RTÉ to ascertain whether there was a provision for these contracts to be renegotiated so that payment to RTÉ’s top talent could be reduced in the current climate.

It was subsequently confirmed yesterday that RTÉ has asked top broadcasters, including Pat Kenny and Gerry Ryan, to take a pay freeze for the duration of their contracts.

The move followed a decision by RTÉ’s directly employed staff to accept a freeze on pay, bonuses and annual increments, and salary reductions of up to 17 per cent for senior management.

The request for a pay freeze for the remainder of their contracts was made to its leading broadcasters in writing within the last month, it is understood.

The majority of those concerned have three-year contracts, with increases applying in the second and third years. Pat Kenny and Ryan Tubridy are nearing the end of their current contracts, it is understood.

Derek Mooney and Miriam O’Callaghan have indicated their willingness to accept cuts.

Last year, 2FM presenter Gerry Ryan, who earned €538,000, in 2006 – the latest year for which salary figures are available – objected to the suggestion that he should taken a pay cut.

Senator Walsh said the broadcasters were 'in a privileged position'

I'll overlook a senator banging on about RTE star names being in a previleged position

With some names apparently being willing and at least one (and prolly more) not being, it could get interesting in the RTE canteen.

Koloman

mike65 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0129/1232923373073.html



I'll overlook a senator banging on about RTE star names being in a previleged position

With some names apparently being willing and at least one (and prolly more) not being, it could get interesting in the RTE canteen.

We will now see which "stars" talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

Tristram

lol funsies!

mike65

Eamon Dunphy on Morning Irteland said he will take a 10% cut, but wouldn't be drawn into suggesting others follow.

Elmo

I would be happy to see a cap of 250,000 for both private and public sector emplyees they have being "living beyond their means" for far too long

Also I while I do agree that the "stars" at RTÉ should take a pay cut their is no reason to suggest that communicorp and TV3 aren't pay staff huge amounts of money.

E.G. Newstalk's contract with Eamon Dunphy (I know he is with RTÉ now) and George Hook, Ian Dempsey and Today FM, Ray D'arcy with both Today FM and RTÉ, Matt Copper TV3 and Today FM

I am sure these big names and the CEOs of the private companies are earn big sums of money.

PhiliousPhogg

The private broadcasters must be suffering from serious drops in advertising revenue so they must be under pressure to cut their wage bills too.

I'd love to see RTE play hard ball with the likes of Pat Kenny, Ryan Tubridy and Derek Mooney. I'd get more entertainment out of watching a flickering lightbulb than these guys' talk shows. If they want to be greedy c*nts let them go somewhere else. Remember Kenny's court dispute with his neighbour over a patch of garden? He conducted himself miserably. I think it's a disgrace a man like that is hosting Ireland's national talk shows.

PhiliousPhogg

BTW I was once behind the admirable Miriam O'Callaghan in a Centra shop as she bought about 10 ice creams for all her kids. Now 10 is no exaggeration. Magnums, Mars, etc, all the expensive ones. I felt like leaning over and saying "You'd never think we were in recession Miriam," but I held my tongue.

Elmo

PhiliousPhogg wrote: »

BTW I was once behind the admirable Miriam O'Callaghan in a Centra shop as she bought about 10 ice creams for all her kids. Now 10 is no exaggeration. Magnums, Mars, etc, all the expensive ones. I felt like leaning over and saying "You'd never think we were in recession Miriam," but I held my tongue.

There are very few women with 10 children to feed these days. BTW She has!