List of RTEs rich and famous for 2008

mike65

Updated list from RTE

10 HIGHEST REMUNERATED PRESENTERS FOR THE YEAR 2008 ON AN EARNINGS BASIS

1
Pat Kenny Media Services Ltd.
(for the services of Pat Kenny)
Contractor
950,976

2
Balcom Management Ltd. (for the services of Gerry Ryan)
Contractor
629,865

3
Montrose Services Ltd.
(for the services of Marian Finucane)
Contractor
570,000

4
Tuttle Productions Ltd
(for the services Ryan Tubridy)
Contractor
533,333

5
CladdaghgreenLtd.
(for the services of Joe Duffy)
Contractor
408,889

6
Mac Consultants Ltd.
(for the services of Eamonn Dunphy)
Contractor
328,051

7
Baby Blue Productions Ltd.
(for the services of Miriam O'Callaghan)
Contractor
301,667

8
Derek Mooney
Employee
286,809

9
George Hamilton
Contractor
219,833

10
Sean O'Rourke
Employee
218,656

NOTE 1: DEFINITION OF EARNINGS BASIS

EMPLOYEES: The Earnings shown represent all amounts payable by RTÉ to the employee, including pension contributions and other benefits, irrespective of the timing of their payment, for his / her services during the years in question and encompassing both amounts earned under contract and in relation to any additional services provided over and above their contractual commitment. This treatment of the disclosure of Employee Earnings is analogous to the requirements set out in the Companies Acts in respect of the disclosure of Directors Remuneration.

CONTRACTORS: The Earnings shown represent the amounts payable by RTÉ to the contractor, excluding value added tax, irrespective of the timing of their payment, for presenter services during the period, and encompassing both amounts earned under contract and in relation to any additional services provided over and above those contractually committed.

NOTE 2: TREATMENT OF EMPLOYER'S PRSI & IRRECOVERABLE CONTRACTOR'S VAT

As with the computation of disclosable Directors' Remuneration under the Companies Acts, the amounts set out above for the earnings of employees exclude employer's PRSI which is viewed as being a charge on the company rather than an element of an employee's remuneration. RTÉ is responsible for employer's PRSI on the income of each of its employees at rates of 2.35% or 10.75%, depending on the time of the employee's recruitment. Correspondingly the amounts set out above for the Earnings of Contractors exclude VAT. It should be noted that due to its VAT status, RTÉ is not entitled to recover approximately half of the VAT charge billed to it by suppliers including the named contractors.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Some of these saw huge hikes between 2007 and 2008.

Some RTE bull****ter called Kevin Dawson is being challanged by Mary Wilson on RTE radio about the wages right now

chalkitdown1

Frickin ridiculous how much money these people make. What the hell does Marian Finucane actually do other than one radio show per week? Crazy money to give someone who does so little.

994

Put them all on €60,000, which is a respectable living salary. If they quit for a commercial broadcaster, so what? People will still hear Joe Duffy bull****, just on a different frequency, so no loss to the public and a substantial saving. None of the top 10 mentioned have ever given any impression of any genuine talent, skill or originality. But if the "stars" are on €1000+ a day, it justifies the executives who get by on a few hundred.

todolist

The director General said they paid Kenny a million to make sure no-other media organization would poach him.What TV/Radio station on this island besides RTE could pay such an inflated wage?

Elmo

todolist wrote: »

The director General said they paid Kenny a million to make sure no-other media organization would poach him.What TV/Radio station on this island besides RTE could pay such an inflated wage?

Ever hear of Communicorp?

But it is a ridiculous wage/salary.

What the hell does Marian Finucane actually do other than one radio show per week? Crazy money to give someone who does so little.

She does 2 shows and do you honestly thinking she just arrives in on a Saturday and Sunday morning and goes home as soon as the show ends?

Some RTE bull****ter called Kevin Dawson is being challanged by Mary Wilson on RTE radio about the wages right now

Good too see Mary Wilson negoitingating her pay check on national radio She is just a begrudger

Meeja Ireland

mike65 wrote: »

Montrose Services Ltd.
(for the services of Marian Finucane)
Contractor
570,000

This, to me, is the most shocking part of the press release. Why is Marian Finucane on eleven grand a week for a two-hour radio programme of no particular distinction, and a television series that seems to be set in 1978? (And which is obviously thrown out to give her something to do.)

Could they not pay, say, 80,000 a year to a talent-spotter, with instructions to find three vibrant new voices every year, who would each earn a tenth of what MF is on? Why continue to throw money at the past like this?

To be fair, she has talents. She can empathise, and she covers a broad range. But this is a sinecure for someone who used to be a star, and it is an extraordinarily expensive sinecure.

Does anyone think that the radio public woulkd have marched in the streets two years ago if she was offered a mere two grand a week? Or, you know, let retire gracefully, with a pocket full of memories and a voice that is increasingly hard to listen to?

Here's a question: if Marian Finucane auditioned now, with that voice, would any station in the country take her on?

todolist

What is communicorp?
Finuncane's Sunday show is all based on what's in the Sunday papers so there wouldn't be much preparation on that.She's on holiday a lot and she's vastly overpaid.It galls me to pay the €160 a year TV tax.

Elmo

Meeja Ireland wrote: »

This, to me, is the most shocking part of the press release. Why is Marian Finucane on eleven grand a week for a two-hour radio programme of no particular distinction, and a television series that seems to be set in 1978? (And which is obviously thrown out to give her something to do.)

I think Marian Finucane is one of our best and her voice is very sultry haha but seriously she is one of our best radio presenters. I haven't caught the current TV show "God Hates..."

But perhaps I am wrong and Marian Finucane arrives into work smoking a fag, knocks back a vodka and state "right, another ****ing 2 hours of this ****ing ejjits" and walks into work 2 days a week for 2 hours.

Elmo

todolist wrote: »

What is communicorp?
Finuncane's Sunday show is all based on what's in the Sunday papers so there wouldn't be much preparation on that.She's on holiday a lot and she's vastly overpaid.It galls me to pay the €160 a year TV tax.

Communicorp owns Today FM, Newstalk, Dublin 98 and Spin FM (Dublin and Southwest). UTV are another big media player and TV3 have plenty of money. However I would question if they would look to get the top 5 RTE presenters in saying that Ian Dempsey and Eamonn Dunphy were both poached from RTÉ by Today fm so who knows.

Meeja Ireland

Elmo wrote: »

But perhaps I am wrong and Marian Finucane arrives into work smoking a fag, knocks back a vodka and state "right, another ****ing 2 hours of this ****ing ejjits" and walks into work 2 days a week for 2 hours.

How much preparation would you say she does? Four hours? Two? Ten?

Even if the ratio of preparation to airtime was an absolutely unprecedented ten to one, which it plainly isn't, she would be on five hundred quid an hour.

Why?

Zardoz

Some seriously inflated wages and egos on that list.
Half of them have hardly no talent at all.
408k a year for Joe Duffy to go 'ya ya' for 1 hour a day ,discussing drivel with moronic callers is frankly the most outrageous inclusion.

994

Elmo wrote: »

I think Marian Finucane is one of our best and her voice is very sultry haha but seriously she is one of our best radio presenters. I haven't caught the current TV show "God Hates..."

But perhaps I am wrong and Marian Finucane arrives into work smoking a fag, knocks back a vodka and state "right, another ****ing 2 hours of this ****ing ejjits" and walks into work 2 days a week for 2 hours.

Even if she works very long hours, her work hardly merits €570,000 a year. A consultant surgeon with 20 years' experience working a sixty-hour week would not get half of that. And if (s)he did, the public would be up in arms at the scandalous waste of public money...

kumate_champ07

todolist wrote: »

What is communicorp?
Finuncane's Sunday show is all based on what's in the Sunday papers so there wouldn't be much preparation on that.She's on holiday a lot and she's vastly overpaid.It galls me to pay the €160 a year TV tax.

the papers are ready on saturday night, researchers prepare the radio programme and the presenter arrives a few hrs before going live so that they can be briefed. its something like 2 half days of work

CliffHuxtabel

chalkitdown1 wrote: »

Frickin ridiculous how much money these people make. What the hell does Marian Finucane actually do other than one radio show per week? Crazy money to give someone who does so little.

Did you ever hear of a little program called 'Does God Hate?' on sometime on sunday night?

this is cutting edge television and it totally justifies our licence fees

EdgarAllenPoo

I heard her doing a review of the papers this morning - one of the headlines was about her salary and the fact she works four hours a week, bet it killed her to read that on air or more than likely she could care less and went back to counting her money after the show finished.

Elmo

RTÉ is the most obvious as it gets the licence fee, and of course there is some of that going to Independent Producers for programmes not shown on RTÉ. TG4 receive Exchequer funding. Both run advertising and even that money is the Tax payers money since both companies are owned directly by the people.

But TV3 and commercial TV is public funded, don't be stupid they are commercial they get no public money bar some of the Independent Productions that they produce with some of the licence fee. Well everyone buys products and those products are advertised on commercial television, where do you think that the products get the money to spend on advertising on Television but via their price, so TV3, RTÉ, TG4, Sky One etc all get some public funding because we buy products and their advertising budget is hidden in their price.

The price paid to the "stars" of RTÉ is too high.

Elmo

GDM wrote: »

I heard her doing a review of the papers this morning - one of the headlines was about her salary and the fact she works four hours a week, bet it killed her to read that on air or more than likely she could care less and went back to counting her money after the show finished.

I do actually think that that is what she does just 4 hours a week of work.

Poor Sean O'Rourke only getting 219,000 for 1 hour extra of work :rolleyes:

mike65

Pat Kenny statement

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1010/breaking8.htm

good to see he is not taking long summer hols from now on.

FlutterinBantam

No point arguing about this.... no justification whatsoever for that level of salary.

Goan should be sacked same as Molloy for reckless waste of taxpayers money.

Appalling management of a publicly funded resource..

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

No point arguing about this.... no justification whatsoever for that level of salary.

Goan should be sacked same as Molloy for reckless waste of taxpayers money.

Appalling management of a publicly funded resource..

I don't think you know the first thing about Cathal Goan. He is prob one of the best DGs that RTÉ have ever had, and the same goes for his work at TnaG.

Molloy resigned.

FlutterinBantam

I know plenty about Mr Goan, former current affairs editor.

And I know this much, if I had anything to do with RTE I would have him sacked for allowing that blatant abuse of taxpayers money to build up to such an extent.

Management is about maximising resources and revenue not doling out largess to your staff at the taxpayers expense.

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

I know plenty about Mr Goan, former current affairs editor.

And I know this much, if I had anything to do with RTE I would have him sacked for allowing that blatant abuse of taxpayers money to build up to such an extent.

Management is about maximising resources and revenue not doling out largess to your staff at the taxpayers expense.

RTÉ is one of the most scrutinized public bodies in this country. Unlike Mr. Molloy Mr. Goan did not run up a bill of expenses. You will find if you knew anything about RTÉ are well known around Europe for keeping costs down. Every year RTÉ has made a profit and only this year Broke even. And if you didn't already know RTÉ are required by Irish law to breakeven or make a surplus. The surplus is then hopefully pass on to other broadcast works.

RTÉ must provide 20% of its licence fee to Independent producers, 5% to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland which is in charge of redistributing it to Independent producers and they must also provide 1 hour of TV to TG4 each day. And they go beyond all of this providing nearly 40% of licence fee over to independent producers. Leaving them with 50% of the licence fee.

I don't think that Cathal Goan head should role for any of this or that he should be considered akin to Mr. Molloy who benefited from his expenses.

I do agree that the prices paid to some of the 10 people here are phenomenal and ridiculous. The last 3 in particular must be very annoyed that their pay checks are in the public domain particularly when similar broadcasters in other broadcasting organisations are possibly being pay around the same amount of money.

These cost have been in the public domain for the last 7 or so years. In 1999 Sile DeValre and Bertie Ahearn had a list of the highest paid earners give to them, without their names attached just prices paid. Both could have stopped RTÉ then at a time when Cathal Goan was in TG4.

FlutterinBantam

Elmo wrote: »

.



I do agree that the prices paid to some of the 10 people here are phenomenal and ridiculous. The last 3 in particular must be very annoyed that their pay checks are in the public domain particularly when similar broadcasters in other broadcasting organisations are possibly being pay around the same amount of money.

These cost have been in the public domain for the last 7 or so years. In 1999 Sile DeValre and Bertie Ahearn had a list of the highest paid earners give to them, without their names attached just prices paid. Both could have stopped RTÉ then at a time when Cathal Goan was in TG4.

I would include all ten and a good few more.

Goan should have broken the "Gay Byrne" linkage years ago and told these people where to get off.

I have no proof, but I would safely say that no one, no one in the Independant broadcasting sphere comes anywhere near those figures.

So George Hook said on Newstalk yersterday anyway.

How can Sean O'Rourke have any credibility querying TDs on expenses and salaries when he is getting that kind of a wodge from RTE.

No way sir!!

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

I have no proof, but I would safely say that no one, no one in the Independant broadcasting sphere comes anywhere near those figures.

So George Hook said on Newstalk yersterday anyway.

How can Sean O'Rourke have any credibility querying TDs on expenses and salaries when he is getting that kind of a wodge from RTE.

No way sir!!

What other company does George Hook work for? RTÉ, do you think that the price he is paid for by Communicorp and RTÉ comes to around 200,000, I wouldn't be surprised. Ray D'Arcy and his check from RTÉ and Today Fm he is getting around 300,000. And Ian Dempsey is getting as much as he got from RTÉ in 1998 which I am guessing is now over 200,000. TV3's and Today FM's Matt Copper is certainly doing well.

I do think 200,000 is allot of money but to give use the next 10 which would bring employee number 20 down to around 100,000 or less I would hope.

And Ray D'Arcy was suggesting 2 years ago he was doing just as well as many on that list. And as pointed out by Pat Kenny many of those people have seen a drop of at least 40% this year.

Again I am only playing Devil's Advocate, I could be like everyone here but what would be the point?

And again I have stated I would like to see them reduced down to 200,000 unlike some who only want to see 50% taken from them.

FlutterinBantam

Someone in Authority, whatever it is, and it's not Goan, should slit these fat cats inflated salaries and bring us back to reality.

Goan is part of the mix, no use expecting action from him.


:mad:

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Someone in Authority, whatever it is, and it's not Goan, should slit these fat cats inflated salaries and bring us back to reality.

Goan is part of the mix, no use expecting action from him.

Goan is prob the only DG in any public sector that got his employees to take a 10%-15% pay cut across the board.

Perhaps the BAI and the DCENR might do it.

FlutterinBantam

Put it to ya this way.

If you think that deserves praise, it shows the kind of people who were in charge out there.

It was either that or fold up tent, the old reliable of license fee hike wasn't there and everyone knew it.

Also the cat was out of the bag with the furore over PS paybill and taking a 10-15% cut on an already over inflated wage when the COL is coming down would hardly deserve too much kudos.

Game is up lads.

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Also the cat was out of the bag with the furore over PS paybill and taking a 10-15% cut on an already over inflated wage when the COL is coming down would hardly deserve too much kudos.

Cost of living is coming down, but many people out there still have mortgages to pay on over priced house. (This is just a general comment nothing to do with PS). There are many in the Private sector that turned down Public sector work due to the prices paid.

Madame Razz

What do the 'normal' monkeys in RTE get paid?? Those lesser known individuals on radio/TV say?? Are they way down the scale versus the stars or not too far behind???

FlutterinBantam

Elmo wrote: »

Cost of living is coming down, but many people out there still have mortgages to pay on over priced house. (This is just a general comment nothing to do with PS). There are many in the Private sector that turned down Public sector work due to the prices paid.

That's what happens, they paid the price.

Do you expect John Q Taxpayer to subsidise their Nutley Lane dormer?

No matter what way it's dressed up Goan lacked the balls to tell these overpaid people to take a 33% cut or sling yer hook buddy.

Nice little cartel nestled in the leafy suburbs, cleaning out John Q and nobody saying boo.

Total mishandling of scarce resources.

FlutterinBantam

Madame Razz wrote: »

What do the 'normal' monkeys in RTE get paid?? Those lesser known individuals on radio/TV say?? Are they way down the scale versus the stars or not too far behind???

They would be nowhere near but on a good wodge by any standards.

We would be talking 80k- 140k range.

Elmo

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

We would be talking 80k- 140k range.

I agree presenter wise, which is what your looking at for most normal presenters in the private broadcasting i.e. those with prime time show like George Hook but this excludes his RTÉ pay check wouldn't be surprised if he was number 15 on RTÉ's list.

Madame Razz

80-140k???

:eek: that's a lorra cash!!!

Elmo

Madame Razz wrote: »

80-140k???

:eek: that's a lorra cash!!!

we are talking about the next 10 presenters. I can't imagine many of the news reader get 80 - 140k. You also have to look at what are the average earnings of a Journalist?

Madame Razz

I've no idea what the average salary of a journalist is? Surely it's relative to the amount of work they do?