RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

PeadarCo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027663#Comment_121027663

He doesn't need to keep his head down or do what anyone here thinks. Realistically I doubt he gives a dam what is said here or on social media in general. Personally I just think this obsession about a stupid radio presenter says more about the posters in question than RT. To be fair as well the stuff on boards is tame compared to what is said on other platforms I imagine.

Tubridy has been an easy target. Nice public a person who everyone knows. The fact is the vast vast majority of people would behave similarly in the situation he was in. Unless people are saying that they would willingly and proactively turn down a few hundred thousand a salary every year.

The fact is a group of people in RTE have historically agreed pay deals with a large number of presenters(not just RT) that have been way higher than what their competitors are prepared to pay. That's the fault of RTE management over decades. The mess about the barter account is again RTEs fault not RT. The challenge now for RTE is that with RT gone they actually have to start rebuilding trust. Remember even before this the TV licence has been controversial. Getting rid of RT is the easy bit putting RTE on a secure long term footing will be far harder.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027974#Comment_121027974

He has become the face of the rot and corruption at RTE - he was after all RTE's poster boy and he lavished in it so only right to feel the backlash

Mena Mitty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121024484#Comment_121024484

He shudda given them the secret to make their first million while he was at it.

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027697#Comment_121027697

IMO he really needs to get out of Ireland for a bit and should take any broadcasting gig he can get in the UK, even if he doesn't see it as a long-term thing. Even if he ultimately gets another chance with RTE it's quite likely it won't happen under this DG.

Frank Grimes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027876#Comment_121027876

I'd say it was another solo run, like the statements and the Sinéad O'Connor piece - nobody in their right mind would advise him that the video (or the other stuff) was a good idea. The context is totally different but it reminded me of that video that Kevin Spacey released after the allegations came out, that weird rambling one where he was talking as his character in House of Cards. It just reeks of someone completely lost in their own bubble and making zero attempts to read the room and either getting no professional advice, or just outright ignoring it they did.

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121026388#Comment_121026388

Aren’t a lot of the top earners “contractors”? Why would they get redundancy??

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027974#Comment_121027974

He wasn’t offered it to “turn it down”, he, and his representative, demanded it.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028152#Comment_121028152

That's a FFamily secret. :)

Regards...jmcc

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027194#Comment_121027194

Just reading some of the coverage and it looks far more serious than that. There are management failures and some of the information was not properly logged or tracked. Ironically, this article on RTE's website sums up the main points well:

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/0825/1401561-rte/

The issue that may get some more coverage in the run-up to the PAC and Media committee appearances is how a barter account was used to pay Kelly's company for "consultancy" in order to route payments to Tubridy. The use of the barter account wasn't cost neutral. RTE had to pay a fee for processing the payments through the UK company. That made it more expensive to pay the invoices than if the invoices had been sent to RTE directly for payment and RTE had paid them directly.

At this stage, it would not be suprising to see RTE people compelled (the committees have the legal power to do this) to appear before the committees. If the government is looking for the ammunition for major reforms in RTE, this report has provided a lot of it. And all of this would have probably not come to light only for Tubridy and Kelly.

Regards...jmcc

stevejr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027876#Comment_121027876

Absolutely.

Tubridy is starting to resemble that Prince Harry lad. Big Spitting Image heads on the two of them anyway;

-Privilidged, pampered lives.

-Disloyal with a predisposition to bite the hand that feeds them.

-Greed.

-Extreme capacity for self-delusion. Fed by an..

-Extreme Narcissism.

And finally, more Greek stuff with the Icarus-like fall from grace.

Sadly, the world seems to produce a lot of people like that these days. But ultimately I wouldnt worry about largely harmless idiots.

It's the harmful idiots that we should be worried about.

The naked greed and sense of entitlement on display from the most influential echelon of our society. That's what we should be worried about.

Hidden from no one, yet ignored largely by everyone. Like a beggar in the street.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027876#Comment_121027876

But don't forget, his address was aimed at 17/18yr olds.

It was only 6 or 7 yrs ago that these same people really admired this ToyMan as a hero.

Perhaps he thinks these now grown up teenagers still hold him with a sense of awe?

stevejr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028498#Comment_121028498

"It was only 6 or 7 years ago that these same people admired this ToyMan as their hero as a hero"

gifted

I know that the PAC & the Media committee have the power to compel DF, BOK and Jennings to appear but what happens if they do a John Delaney on it, as in, say nothing when they appear? It's not as if they are worried about losing their jobs?

Also, how many times can they use an illness as an excuse not to appear?

rock22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028429#Comment_121028429

A question not being asked is does RTE really need a barter account. The argument in favour , from G.O'Leary, is that it brought in advertising that wouldn't be brought in any other way. But that really means people who wouldn't pay to advertise on RTE will use this barter account. The same as if I wanted to advertise and I brought in a load of turf to 'barter' for air time. I would get nowhere , unless RTE needed a load of turf. But it seems RTE accepted a lot of stuff, hotels accommodation, etc. that they didn't need and wouldn't otherwise pay for. So in reality what RTE got was of little value to them. Except the cash out at the end of the year which was subject to30% and more fees.

It would be interesting to know how many of these advertisers would , ultimately, pay for advertising if RTE would not accept the ' load if turf' .

stevejr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028592#Comment_121028592

I'd be a layman myself. Are there any Accountants on here that would kindly make a post about the mechanics of a 'barter A/C' or accounts?

And how it would look on a legitimate company's books. Montrose Inc. a bad Twilight Zone episode, where neither proper Accounting Principles nor f**cking sanity, exists.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027876#Comment_121027876

His advice would be extremely welcome and useful to a lot of LC students today. The most important things are indeed family and perspective. Family is indeed worth infinitely more than points

The students of today should grasp that perspective and realise that even if they didn't get the points they wanted due to a lack of ability and/or effort, they can all just leverage off their family connections to get a high paying job in the national broadcaster.

Cluedo Monopoly

It was clear from the start that O'Leary was lying through her teeth and hiding stuff. She could not wait to get out of there. Her spending and use of the barter account needs to be fully investigated. In a normal country she might do jail time.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028585#Comment_121028585

It is in their best interests to cooperate with the various committees. They've used the illness card to get out of appearing but patience seems to be running out. There are some other reports due and this could spiral out of control for these people and for RTE.

Regards...jmcc

Andrea B.

Is there not a risk they could become suicidal and sue if they are asked difficult questions?

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028592#Comment_121028592

The barter accounts themselves are not the issue. It is the lack of control, access and tracking of how they were used. The Mazars report uses very restrained and precise language but it is quite damning for RTE.

Regards...jmcc

squonk

I think at this stage RT is modelling himself on Eoin McLove. Certainly listening to the amount of women ringing Joe Duffy almost in tears that he was off the air. The world is a funny place. I can’t imagine any celebrity I would be that dependant on and I love my favourite actors or bands but I’m realistic about the whole thing. If they blot their copybook badly done day then I’ll acknowledge it and call time in my fandom.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028717#Comment_121028717

Send him a cake jumper, see how he reacts.

stevejr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027974#Comment_121027974

I joined Boards.ie many years ago now. There was a Mod on a certain forum who once said;

Some people's knickers are getting too twisted and some people's not enough.

I think that just about the right amount of twisting is going on. Here, and in general.

Apologists for Tubridy, if they're decent people, would not encourage their children to behave in the manner he has. Nobody likes hypocracy.

More worryingly, his clownish PR Strategy of appealing to the children, is nothing but a misguided attempt to indoctrinate young plastic minds. It makes reasonable people/parents uneasy.

Ironically, Tubridy severely underestimates the level of intelligence of his target audience. For most of them are more mature.



lee_baby_simms

The leaving cert instagram video has a sort of desperate energy to it. Ryan comes across as someone who is as dependent on being held in high regard with the public as he is on oxygen.

squonk

Yeah I looked at it again and it’s just weird and vacuous. If you unfortunately didn’t do as well as you’d hoped that kind of “Sure it’ll be grand and the universe holds the key “ advice doesn’t matter a damn. You’re either looking at a plan B in taking your second or Nth choice or coming to teens with knuckling down for a repeat year. What he should be saying is Keri your options open, highlighting all the post leaving options there are now and if your heartbroken, go away, have some fun with friends or family the a bit, try to put it out of your mind and revisit in a week. You’ll have a clearer picture. In the end no matter what, you have work to do but you’ll get it done. only somebody who has everything handed to them believes in this cosmos bullshit. Sometimes you do find yourself the right person in the right place at the right time but your previous work put you there. Telling kids who tried their best that sometimes it’s just a cosmic thing man that you didn’t get across the line is just awful imho.

HildaOgdenx

He was probably used to having that 'wisdom' to impart over the years unless of course he was usually on holidays when the results came out!

There's nothing original in what he said. Of course there will be disappointed students but I am not sure if they would see that message or take any comfort from it, if they did see it.

Slightly bizarre, imo.

Tork

He would be better served stepping out of the public eye for a while and waiting this out IMHO. If a job offer comes up in the UK, he should take it. If nothing like that comes on the table, he could work behind the scenes writing a book or producing some documentaries for TV. At the moment he is the face of all that's wrong in RTE and these public pronouncements are going down about as well as can be expected. The heat will eventually go out of this story and a time will probably come when it's OK for him to resume a broadcasting career in Ireland. Where and for how much are questions for another day. He is guilty of being a greedy bastard but when you compare this to the more recent scandals on British TV (Phillip Schofield, Huw Edwards, Dan Wootton) he's almost a choirboy. Maybe the grown-ups of Ireland will never want to see him back on air but this is something he brought onto his own head. I also think that if he ever comes back to RTE they'll handpick new staff for his show - people who weren't around at the time of the pay cuts. That is the sort of thing that will continue to rankle with the existing staff for quite some time yet.

I'm showing my age here but I grew up watching the Toy Show in the Gay Byrne era. It was a show I loved to watch as a kid but not for the reasons Tubridy seems to think. I had no interest whatsoever in Uncle Gaybo or what jumper he was wearing. As far as I was concerned he was just some auld lad directing proceedings. If we'd had a VCR at the time, I'd definitely have fast-forwarded through Billie Barry and all the other singing and dancing kids. The only things I wanted to see were The Toys, with the books bit coming a poor second. Have kids really changed that much? Tubridy's desperate clinging onto his image as the Toyman and trying to appeal to the children of Ireland is beyond pathetic. Does he not understand that (1) Kids watch his show once a year and then promptly forget about it until the following year? (2) To a child, anybody over the age of 12 is elderly and they're not all that interested in the ones who aren't directly involved in their lives.

I doubt many of the actual teenagers who've done their Leaving Cert give a jot what Tubridy has to say. They'll remember him from those once-a-year Late Late Shows when they were children and are unlikely to have watched many other episodes of it. They're also learning or about to learn where the greed of the older generations has got them. Words from a fat cat who has lived a sheltered, very privileged life have about as much relevance to them as a pep talk from Elon Musk.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121027876#Comment_121027876

I dunno. 250k followers on Instagram and 45k likes and counting for that pile of $hite video. I think that's enough love to keep anyone comfortable in their own reality.

If he was to lose that core following then you might see him publicly urinating on Grafton Street at some stage but until then I'd say he's happy enough to belive in his own importance.

mistersifter

The video reminded me of his previous advice to young people a while back, which was to always "choose fun".

He was talking about how he once started studying to become a barrister but had gotten bored after a short spell at Kings Inns (very expensive I assume), so he just packed it in for his cushy number in RTE.

It was deluded speech that showed how little understanding he has of the pressure most people are under to get stable jobs and pay the bills.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121028517#Comment_121028517

That’s it , mine is 11 and couldn’t give a fiddlers about the toy show , in fact on the contrary tubs may have ruined it