The RTÉ Megathread

Leg End Reject

Brought to you by popular demand this thread is a place for you to discuss all things RTÉ, Oireachtas Committee and flip flops.

Leg End Reject

Please post in line with the charter, this is not a chance to abuse presenters.

RoTelly

For those of you not aware there is a megathread on RTÉ in Current Affairs/IMHO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057868730/dee-forbes-banging-the-rte-tv-licence-drum-again-60m-uncollected-fee-poll-not-working-pl-ignore

So the question for this start to the megathread is how is Kevo Before doing?

RoTelly

So I just want to post this here rather then in the "other thread", the reason is that boards.ie needs to be clear in what they are asking or why they are asking for these changes.

lets be clear, and fair, the title of the Tubs thread was changed to suit the idea that it is just about his on air performance and not other aspects his attempt to rise back into the Irish Radio Sphere.

I think mods should come clean if they, or boards, were approached in relation to this change, and to be clear why the change took place.

I cannot see how any of the criticism of Tubs in that thread could be used to suggested some form of Character Assassination, posters are commenting of his performance after his exit from RTÉ.

I also posted a link to the thread in CA/IMHO here to show how it predates the scandal in RTÉ by a number of years, how how many posters on that thread called out RTÉ for their mismanagement of the national broadcaster over the years.

squonk

It’s to keep threads focused. We are trying to clean up the forum a bit. RT is the lightening rod for most of the RTE ire it is true but he didn’t single-handedly cause the entire controversy. RTE is bigger than RT and does need to be discussed. It’s possible though to comment/critique his on air show without reference to the wider issues. The RTE thread is the place for discussion of RTE and, by association, RT’s role in the affair.

Are we allow to talk about a book featuring the bookman and the related carry-on in Montrose on this thread?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123180233#Comment_123180233

Yet, no one asked for this change? Its purely coming from the mods? the thread title was clear, it was about Tubs, his commitment to repay the 150k (should he return to RTÉ), and his future prospects.

I'd argue that little about the RTÉ mismanagement has really been discussed on that thread. Some stuff on Kevo Before not talking to NK, but little about RTÉ's radio studio and its large move over to the new TV building due to the lack of maintenance on several of the older building on the RTÉ campus.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123180233#Comment_123180233

Regarding the scandal, it should be noted that the Grant Thornton investigation ultimately cleared Ryan Tubridy of any wrongdoing and that the responsibility for the payment discrepancies lay with RTÉ, itself, and not with Ryan.

Another point of note, within the report, is that Ryan waived his right to his €120k exit fee. Personally speaking, it seems like there is an awful lot of misplaced anger with this whole debacle.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123180305#Comment_123180305

It should also be noted that Ryan suggests he didn't know how much money he was getting from RTÉ when they published their reduced figure following his decision not to accept the 5 year bonus attached to his contract for his new contract, nor did he know of details of his other contract.

He allowed RTÉ to suggest to the public that he was paid X amount when he was actually paid more, while he may apologies for not questioning the figures he still has some responsibility.

It would also be good to note that the report that predated GT never actually suggested that Ryan Tubridy had done anything wrong, only that the amount paid was miss reported, the extra stuff carried out by RTÉ and ultimately Dee Forbes and RTÉ's mismanagement.

This also follows on from years of RTÉ suggesting that they had to keep their talent, we can now see that Radio 1 would always hold up regardless of the presenters (obviously good presenters are required but lets face it for 5 years John Murray kept Ryan's audience, while Ryan struggled to get an audience on 2FM).

All of this leads to the ignorance of RTÉ and many of their so called stars and how they relate to the wider audience.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123287296#Comment_123287296

It's a lot less than an ex presenter who was on the fiddle.

dvcireland

I wonder if long term self employed contractors have to purchase their own cravats and waistcoats ?

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123291372#Comment_123291372

It seems that Penneys is beneath them.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123291496#Comment_123291496

Penneys! Can't buy a decent pair of flip-flops from penneys. I'd like to know what Charites got donations from RTÉ.

zell12

Edit-

dvcireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123291496#Comment_123291496

Penney's could fill the vacuum left by New Look perhaps

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123292514#Comment_123292514

I see the vast majority of make up is from BT.

Meanwhile they released the Q4 registry of extra curriculars.

	Nothing	1 - 1000	1001 - 5000	5000 - 10000	10000+	Total
Q1	50%	26%	22%	1 - 2%	<1%	133
Q2	50%	29%	15%	6%	0	106
Q3	51%	27%	20%	1-2%	<1%	177
Q4	52%	31%	16%	0	<1%	116
						532
Q1	67	35	29	2	1	133
Q2	53	31	16	6	0	106
Q3	90	48	35	3	1	177
Q4	60	36	19	0	1	116
	270	149	99	11	3	532
	51%	28%	19%	2%	1%

It is strange how they get away with the 10k + figure, while Mr Befrobes suggests it is great that 51% of all are free of charge, the other might be considered full time jobs. No reference in to how many of the 14 5k + people are repeat offenders. Same for the 100 or so get getting between 1k and 5k.

And then there is the IT project which probably could have paid for 5 years of DAB radio stations. Which still haven't been axed.

RoTelly

It's even these things that get me

https://evoke.ie/2025/05/24/news/irish-news/rte-row-news-promo-using-actors

It was also confirmed that the promotion was created in-house, but some ‘additional filming crew’ were brought in to help shoot the ad. The video was paid for out of the existing PR budget. RTÉ would not say how much the promotional film had cost.

It annoys on 3 fronts

1. the PR budget that already existed, surely
2. one area to slash are PR and communications budgets
3. while "in-house" what do they mean by additional filming crew?

This is a company remember that in 2022 spent €70k on their 2022/2023 promo event here's a pic from that event

https://www.independent.ie/news/i-think-ive-too-much-energy-yet-ryan-tubridy-has-no-plans-to-leave-late-late-show/41938394.html

I not be surprised if RTÉ spend 70k on the launch of their 2023/2024 season before quickly cancelling it on foot of the payments scandal.

RoTelly

It crazy to think that the current chair and DG of RTÉ who signed off on their annual report 2023 did not know about the write down of the HR IT system and only found out when the Minister asked. How did they sign off on that report and not know what was in it?

RoTelly

RTÉ will back in the oireachtas tomorrow. Due to their IT write down and many other issues at the broadcasters. Should be good.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491083#Comment_123491083

How's Dee Forbes? Still at death's door.

riddles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491300#Comment_123491300

I hope the reciprocal redundancy payments designed by Forbes and the CFO are for review. If the PAC needs clarity on what redundancy means they can refer to the following https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment-and-redundancy/redundancy/what-is-redundancy/#15f334

specifically “It happens when your job in the company no longer exists, you are let go and are not replaced.”

squonk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491300#Comment_123491300

The poor woman hadn’t worked in almost 2 years. Thoughts and prayers as it sounds like a particularly life altering illness. Sad to see someone of her high flying ability reduced to long term illness benefit.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491300#Comment_123491300

I believe she is better now, based on 2 reports. Jim Jennings is also well, I think he is in this photo but I am not sure if it is him

But I am not sure can any one confirm if he is the man on the left. This was at a Wedding a few months ago, he did attend Rory Coveney's 50th

CollyFlower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491083#Comment_123491083

It's a private session so I don't think it will be televised.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123491784#Comment_123491784

:/ I hope its public, but it doesn't say it is either

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/committees/34/tourism-culture-arts-sport-and-media/

ah private session will be at 14:30

thesandeman

Evanne is on the committee. I wonder will it get personal 🤔.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123492305#Comment_123492305

So far no Senators have been added to the committee or at least they are no listed on the site.

This going to be a complete whitewash of RTÉ.

Evanne will be to the fore of helping RTÉ.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/05/27/rte-pays-out-4m-tied-to-misclassification-of-some-staff-as-self-employed/

Irish Times was given a copy of the Kay Before's speech and he will outline how RTÉ have turned a corner.

RoTelly

I see that Kay Before knows the whereabouts of 2 plants in the newsroom but didn't ask about 200k he was writing off in the 2023 annual report.

top floor

Whats with the RTE blanket coverage of Bloom festival? Isnt it a purely commercial event so is the coverage being paid for?

But if so then surely they should declare that up front. It seems strange that the promotion was not just an item on Morning Ireland but included as a news item on the 9 oclock news.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123495559#Comment_123495559

"Kay Before"?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123495880#Comment_123495880

Director General, he was there before Dee Forbes from what I remember and interestingly one of the TDs did mention he'd been in the organization longer than 2 years.