RTE Salaries 2020/2021

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120247157#Comment_120247157

According to RTE's Rate Card, Liveline charge avg €1,700 per 30 second slot (price varies on time of year). Ads shorter than 30 seconds are charged more per second (probably most ads?).

Based in 9min of ads per hour that's a minimum of €30,600 per hour of Liveline. 5 shows per week, 52 weeks per year = c. €8,000,000 per year in ad revenue (based on one hour show). This does NOT include promotions, competitions, show sponsors, which I would guess adds at least another €500k a year. It also doesn't include further ad revenue from podcasts, online, etc.

I've no idea of the costs of running the show but I'd say even after Duffy is paid there's a sizable profit.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248410#Comment_120248410

Have you listened to the ad breaks at all? What you are describing is the potential revenue. given the available slots. The point, which you seem to be missing, is that a vast majority of the used slots are freebies - promos, etc

2smiggy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248410#Comment_120248410

are RTE invoicing themselves for the ads ? many of the liveline ads are for other RTE shows !! running the electric off the gas and the gas off the electric , so to speak.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248520#Comment_120248520

A number of people were claiming that the reduction in salaries was due to Tubridy and others taking more holidays. That has been disproved in a post on this page. It was simply that their memory was faulty, unless they had an agenda to make up malacious lies. Your recollection of the advertisement content on more than 200 programmes every year could be equally faulty. It needs actual figures to prove it one way or another. Fair play for listening every day, but those others are also dedicated listeners to RTE radio.

The amount of government advertising on all radio is mental, It's crazy that there are still ads running shilling covid and flu vaccines.

2smiggy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248641#Comment_120248641

for those who don't get all their news off youtube, they may not agree with the description of 'shilling' of vaccines.

Aurelian

I'd be very surprised if they are getting anything like those rates as their competitor stations certainly are not.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248641#Comment_120248641

It makes sense to use the programmes with the highest listening figures to send out public service messages.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248520#Comment_120248520

lol, listen to Joe Duffy? lol....

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248410#Comment_120248410

Here we go again.

No-one - and I mean no-one - pays rate card. Advertising is bought in bulk by media agencies at huge discounts off rate card. And ads are not charged per second if they're shorter.

Liveline not only doesn't have 9 minutes of ads per show, often it has NO paying ads - promos for other RTE shows are not paid ads.

There's also no promotions or competitions on Liveline - it's not a "Text in to win a Coffin" type show.

Ad revenue from podcasts?!!!!!! Lol. The last time RTE released the podcast numbers their most downloaded show had less than 500 podcast downloads IN A FULL YEAR!!!!!!!!!

Online advertising? What online advertising revenue does Liveline generate?

I'm sorry but you really haven't a clue what you are talking about.

AND RE. RUNNING COSTS - at one stage Liveline had a team of 7 separate producers (not researchers!), plus researchers. If they're "only" (by RTE standards) making €100,000 a year each the running costs of this show are enormous.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248410#Comment_120248410

RTÉ make little in terms of over all profit most of their profit over the last number of years has been due to the gov returning revenue to them

2018 - TG4 portion of the license returned (worth €8m)

2020 - €10 extra in funding from the exchequer because they said they'd close lyric.

2022 - The move of the NSO and Choirs to the NCH worth about €8m also

That's not mentioning the return of some funding from the Dept of Soc Protection.

Check how much RTÉ Radio 1 bring in each year €14m ? You think Joe is bring in more than half of that? Read their annual report folks all of the figures are available to you. Just brush past the DG and Chairs waffle and the PR at the beginning to to the finacial section, its all brokendown for the world to see.

hotmail.com

Almost no discussion on RTE radio about the ridiculous salaries today.

RoTelly

Not really sure the disparity, I assume network sales and some programme sales but I think both should be above? Oh and Yes outside a snap general election Special events are know a number of years in advance e.g. Local Elections, Olympics, World Cups... I think I could be wrong but they take place every 5 to 4 years, but you know schedule events probably doesn't have the same ring.

Expunge

Fair play to Emma O'Kelly and the NUJ in RTE. They're not leaving this salary thing go, much to the annoyance of some of the old boys club in there, apparently. Sean O'Rourke was said to be not best pleased when she first raised it a few years ago. I can't imagine George Lee is too happy about it either.

Drives the General Sec. of the union, Seamus Dooley nuts as well.

Union representing workers at RTÉ sticks to its guns over motion on ‘exorbitant’ salaries - Independent.ie

"In a tweet posted on Wednesday when RTÉ released details of the earnings of it’s highest paid stars, the National Union of Journalists’ sub-branch – the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting branch – wrote: “NUJ members in RTÉ oppose inflated salaries. In 2019 we agreed no one in the broadcaster should be earning more than the top civil service salary (that’s c €216,000, still a lot!). This remains our position.”

“We note that the Netherlands has introduced a law that prohibits anyone working in the public or semi-public sector from earning more than €187,000, by pegging all top salaries to that of the country’s Prime Minister. This figure includes allowances etc.

“This measure, which includes those working at the Dutch public broadcaster, was introduced as a result of growing social outrage at high salaries."

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249668#Comment_120249668

Check how much RTÉ Radio 1 bring in each year €14m ?

Perhaps you could point out in the report where it states this? I don't see it.

I do see where the network brought in €130M in advertising and related sales. I find it very hard to believe that Radio1 would only account for around 10% of this but I'll await your correction.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249500#Comment_120249500

RTE player had 67 million streams, the News app had 149 million visits, but you believe their TOP radio show had less than 500 replays in the whole year?

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252043#Comment_120252043

Just posted, I had to go back and double check also seem like very little around 15m. in the PDF Page 116 (aka 114). but post above your post.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120251925#Comment_120251925

That's SURPLUS on commercial activity. Not REVENUE on commercial activity.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252085#Comment_120252085

So what would the disparity be? Radio 1

Programming Cost   - 27,293,000

Transmission Cost    - 5,879,000

2RN Power Charge   - 1,042,000

=====================================

Total Cost       - 35,540,000

=====================================

Commercial Surplus   + 15,690,000

Redistribution      + 1,810,000

Public Funding      + 18,323,000

=====================================

Total Income      + 35,823,000

=====================================

Loss before License Fee - 18,040,000

Profit/Loss      + 283,000

If Joe Duffy was bring in €8m you'd need 4 to 5 similar presenters to be able to cover the cost of Radio 1 based on the figures above. Meaning no need for Licence Fee Funding!

If Ray Darcy's salary was cut to 40k tomorrow, what's he going to do except accept it ? Today FM aren't going to bring him back, (Dermot and Dave have as many listeners now as he had at the end) Newstalk have no room for him. So where else could he end up? Would Classic Hits take a punt on him ?

Scotty #

Well, the radio1 cost for the year was around €35m leaving a commercial surplus of €15m. Wouldn't that mean a total income revenue of c. €50m? That would be a more realistic ratio of the €135m total network income.

You have to remember that RTE is a not-for-profit organisation. They have to spend whatever they make. They will never show large profits.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252187#Comment_120252187

I only see O'Callaghan having the ability to move to Newstalk, she might be lucky to take on the TONIGHT show on Virgin Media but in effect they are using staff.

Most radio stations are doing well and have their schedules tided up with other presenters. There is potential that Moncrief could go from NEWSTALK his numbers while up are generally not great, but that is the only slot that I could see being taken over by and of the top 10 earners in RTÉ.

I can't see him dropping to €40k ever but he possibly should have been offered why Mooney was getting for his show and Winning Streak.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252204#Comment_120252204

TBH I don't care about RTÉ make a profit or loss, they just need to make content.

If revenue is €135m and your suggesting that Radio 1 brings in €50m your suggesting that of the commercial services it earns over the average

Taking it that there are 9 main revenue streams

1. TV Ad sales for RTÉ 1
2. and 2,
3. Radio ad sales for Radio 1,
4. 2fm
5. and Lyric,
6. online advert sales,
7. other commerical services such as programmes sales
8. and network sales.

(Include sponsorship for TV and Radio Ads). that would mean an average of 15m per stream of revenue. Vast majority of ad sales comes from TV

Radio advertising in 2022 for Ireland came to €158m, total TV advertising came to €281.5 in 2021. total 439.5

148M in 2022 for RTÉ (but not just for TV and Radio). 33% of all advertsing and if we say that RTÉ has 33% of all radio advertising we get €52m across Radio 1, 2fm and Lyric. 30M over the surplus figure.

RTE pouched Darcy when he was years past his sell by date and his Today FM istenership was in decline. The time to have pouched him was the mid 00s to replace Gareth O'Callaghan on 2fm

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252060#Comment_120252060

That's what they published, I didn't pluck that from thin air. There was a thread on it at the time.

I see you ignored all the faults in your own post though.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252060#Comment_120252060

The Player had 67 million streams? 65million+ of that was people starting it and restarting it multiple times only to give up because it didn't work.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252789#Comment_120252789

That's what they published

Where? Was it 20 years ago? 250 or so shows broadcast live per year, >300,000 live listeners per day, and you reckon only TWO people on avg per show listen back later? Two?

I see you ignored all the faults in your own post though.

I gave the rate card prices and what it could yield per hour (btw, the limit is 10 min/hr not 9). I have no doubt the show is taking in several million per year but I look forward to listening to it later and maybe not hearing ANY commercial ads as you stated earlier.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252926#Comment_120252926

The BAI Rules Advertising and Teleshopping (Daily and Hourly Limits) apply to certain radio and television broadcasters within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland. In practical terms, this includes commercial radio and television services, community radio and television services as well as institutional and temporary radio services. The rules do not apply to services provided by the public service broadcasters RTÉ or to TG4 nor do they apply to other services commonly received in this country but licensed in the United Kingdom or in other jurisdictions.

Commerical Radio and TV - BAI

RTÉ Radio - Oireachtas AFIAK control this

RTÉ TV and TG4 - The Minister sets the rates

Scotty #

I gave it 45 minutes. Never again! What drivel. It's like Jeremy Kyle on radio.

Commercial ads in every ad slot though and a promo for an upcoming program (something every other TV and Radio station does) and the promo actually named the show sponsor and ditty about the company so actually a paid promo for their own show. So I'll stand over what I said earlier, the show is making more than enough to justify his salary especially coupled with the few TV docs etc he does throughout the year.

@RoTelly The rules do not apply to services provided by the public service broadcasters RTÉ or to TG4 - I stand corrected.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253429#Comment_120253429

You listen once and therefore that applies to every show. Right. 🙄

Did you hear any of the promotions and competitions you mentioned too? On a show that doesn't have any.........

RoTelly

@Scotty # yeah it is one of those things the sponsorship, basically if you are promoting your own TV/Radio show it doesn't count towards the number of ads spot ads allowed, so not only do you get the sting at the start and end of the show and the breaks but you also will be sold the idea that you ad will play out during other programmes.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120254110#Comment_120254110

I have listened to the show on occasion, usually when if pops up on my Spotify recommendations (another source of income and listener for radio1?) that's what formed my earlier opinion of it. It's the same old shite in every show, Joe plays the innocent thick while having callers with differing opinions argue with each other. It's a Jeremy Kyle/Jerry Springer style of hosting. Obviously it's popular, but it's not for me.

I couldn't believe yesterday that he'd spent the whole 45 mins that I'd listened to talking about Tiger Woods and his joking with a friend. I couldn't listen to any more. Someone told me later, they spent the rest of the show talking about it too!

Regarding the ads, I don't believe for a second that there are days that the show runs no commercial adverts.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120256207#Comment_120256207

Right, so I and the other posters (regular listeners btw) who said the same thing are all lying?

On the Liveline thread there used to be many posters who posted an “adwatch” post after every ad break. It was a regular occurrence that there were commercial (non RTÉ) ad breaks.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120256207#Comment_120256207

I heard the last 30min of that particular episode.

It was a tough listen.

Hearing several women shouting over the top of each other. And one was incredibly triggered and hysterical about a practical joke 2 friends several thousand miles away played on each other, as if they did it just to offend her.

Its high time people tried to worry less about trivial things happening in the world, or getting upset on behalf of half the world's population.

This is an interesting piece of history, RTE top earners 20 years ago https://www.irishtimes.com/news/rte-reveals-salaries-of-top-presenters-1.1138769

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120284925#Comment_120284925

Green denotes those on under 200,000 per year.

RoTelly

Sorry formal wasn't working on some of those under €200k

also sorted by 2021 and then by 21 year total (AKA 20 year total for those who can count!)

Tubs has not quite caught up on Pat!

Updated correctly Yellow indicates no longer at RTÉ.

hawley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293616#Comment_120293616

Tubridy was in RTE in 2002 and 03 but hasn't any wage listed for those years. It's staggering when you see how much money they've drawn from RTE in these years. And then they pretend to empathise with ordinary people. It's utterly vile.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293616#Comment_120293616

728K for Pat Kenny?? Presumably Newstalk had to better that to prise him away but that is a ridiculous amount of money. Given Pat's actual talents, as opposed to the pseudo-talent of Tubs and Lord Tubs he is still better value than those two spoofers though

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294773#Comment_120294773

IMO that was a bit of jiggery-pokery from RTÉ. The year Pat left RTÉ (mid-year) he earned 728,000, part of that was a bonus for finishing his 5 year contract.

Just look at Claire Byrne, she earned 188,000 in 2012, for what her daytime show was cancelled in March of that year, when did she join Prime Time? 2013? Was she working on Radio for RTÉ in 2012?

And you can imagine that the "Today" tv show presenters are just missing out on the top ten. 2 of whom are parttime. .. sorry they are all part time with a 4 month summer break!

Also Gerry Ryan died 30 April 2010, he earn 336,000, I assume some insurance or assurance ???

hotmail.com

I don't understand why Prime Time needs 2 hosts.

Newsnight on BBC 2 just has one host.

Prime Time is often just long reports and the hosts do nothing.

amlinopta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295567#Comment_120295567

Two 40 minute programs per week. Three hosts , several reporters and host of backroom staff. Go figure.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295567#Comment_120295567

It's the rte way.

Dave Fanning is leaving, to be replaced by 2 people.

Go figure.

By an organisation that's meant to be trying to save money.

Isn't it mad that in the early 00s RTE were paying Gay Byrne over 200k per year to not join a rival station? They were pleading poverty back then too.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295773#Comment_120295773

He’s not really leaving though is he? He’s moving to RTÉ gold!

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295447#Comment_120295447

I’ve always said it would be even more interesting to see the figures for earners 11-100. The Top 10 are the headline grabbers for sure, but I’m sure we’d be even angrier at the fees paid to those in the 11-100 bracket.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297462#Comment_120297462

Larry Gogan was rumoured to be at 11th place for years, getting 160k for 4 hours at the weekend on 2fm, considering that he had 2 million cash in the bank according to his will, it's probably true.

RoTelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297633#Comment_120297633

Tony Tormy in Fair City getting 150,000 in 2016 and 99,000 in 2017.

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/fair-city-actor-makes-employment-25441606

KReid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120244862#Comment_120244862

What's interesting is, if you take that total and kind of put it to scale, the total amount paid out is about 3% of the intake from the license fee. These presenters taking a pay cut is miniscule in the grand scheme of things really.

I found an article saying the Late Late Show pulls in around 200k on sponsorship just for The Toy Show. It's yearly rate. Must be high too.

I wouldn't disagree that these people are overpaid, but Rte should really be looking elsewhere in terms of cuts, it's such a small amount to save.

Wouls be interesting to see a similar table with how much management earn. As long as the public focus is on the presenters, the management will be safe.

Ahwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120302299#Comment_120302299

"One hundred and nineteen staff members at RTÉ last year earned in excess of €100,000 in basic salary.

22 earned between €150,000 and €250,000

the remaining 97 earned between €100,000 and €150,000"

https://www.independent.ie/news/more-than-100-rte-staff-members-earned-more-than-100000-basic-salary-last-y