RTÉ admits paying Tubridy €345,000 more than declared

What's the context behind the famous RT photo where he emulating JFK drawing in the background ? Why was it set up ? Is it a skit ? Did the photographer ask for that setup and RT was game or clueless ? Trying to understand why a public figure would allow themselves into that situation.

He's wearing more or less the same clothes as the illustrated JFK behind him. The boy is styled in a very similar way to the kid in the illustration.

I think we can assume it's very much the Noel Kelly way to plan this as a not so subtle suggestion that Ryan was to be a very presidential figure.

Not in a Paddy Hilary or Michael D way. Christ, they take us for such eejits and it probably would have worked too.

Now, from what I hear, Ryan will begin his Charlie Haughey, post Arms Trial style rehabilitation on the broadcasting version of the 'rubber chicken' circuit.

Starting on Lyric FM, on Sundays probably. A low impact gig where most people won't even be aware he's still on an RTE channel.

I would surmise this is the only thing preventing the Toymans prodigal son like return. I doubt Bakhurst and the rest of the establishment and golden circle give a damn about public opinion or depleting licence fees. We saw this with Leo’s exposure as a crook, it was all about the legalities rather than ethics and how a public figure should conduct themselves, technically if a law was not broken then carry on as usual. The month of July was to a large extent a slow drip feed of mundane dross trying to in some way redeem the Toyman. Fell on deaf ears but that didn’t seem to matter and this was upped to talk of a return date. The only stumbling block is RTÉ staff that clearly have some clout and detest him and the carry on by his ilk. Can’t really see any way for Bakhurst but to get rid of him as the staff won’t be persuaded that he should return.

Ah please stop posting those creepy pics 😐

The way Tubridy goes on about JFK. He wasn’t even born when JFK visited Ireland.

Sorry someone posted this up before I can't seem to find the OP

Timmy starts of by telling us that few could know. Well that's not really true, as the spending decisions (above board decisions) were all over the place along with axing of some programming strands. The way in which the service had been present over the last 10 years should have suggested issues within RTÉ, and I think many did suggest there were problems within RTÉ's management. I under this pseudonym, and a previous one, highlighted these here on boards, as did others in many of the forums from the broadcasting forum to the radio forum and to the TV forum. And I have written to many politician's about it all, I have no doubt that others have also.

He goes on to say the he and the politicians found out over the past few weeks that there were "serious failings in its management" and governance. IMO many knew the issues in RTÉ and its bad management across its services, it was no surprise to many outside the political sphere.

One example of bad management is that they did not know that they need to submit a proposal to the minister and the department to close its digital radio services. When they found out that this was required they were insistent that they would submit such a proposal, but they never did, instead just switching off DAB.

This was part of their fanciful "strategy 2024" that saw them selling of art works and the RTÉ guide, that sport would be moved to RTÉ ONE from RTÉ2, that they'd move Lyric FM to Dublin and Cork. The only part of that strategy that they completed was the move of the NSO to the NCH, which they did a year later than expected, and that was instigated by the legislators, RTÉ had no remit to do anything with the NSO without sanction from the Department. And as I say when they did get sanction they failed to move on it.

He then largely praises Mr. Bakhurst. The fact that he "stood down" the executive board and replaced them with a "leadership" team and that his words show him to be someone wanting to gain back the trust of the public, staff and the oireachtas.

However, for some reason Bakhurst gave one member of his leadership team a promotion to "Deputy DG", while only removing one of the executive team (Collins) as 2 had already departed (O'Leary and Coveney), while its likely that Jennings is out sick for the foreseeable future.

But Timmy believes that Bakhurst is in a much stronger position to drive change in the organisation. He fails to mention that he's headed off on holidays, has failed to hand over any new documentation to either the PAC or the Media Committee, citing the 4 reports that are being worked on and that they won't be ready until October at the earliest, seems to me that Bakhurst has already slowed everything down. But Timmy is willing to give him time.

How much time? remember Dee Forbes was given 7 years (5 years and a 2 year extension) to get RTÉ working, the media had her in a honeymoon period for 7 full years, rarely asking hard questions about decisions made in the organisation regarding everything from programming and to the player. For example, from the outset of her tenure the media let the management team cut children's content by 75% without question, a decision made initially by the executive board over seen by Bakhurst as Deputy DG and Noel Curran as DG in 2016 and continued by Forbes.

I heard few in the media calling out the Toy Show the Musical as a farce, they were worried in might have actually been a hit and just wanted to save face.

No what we have in this article is the basic old Irish political adage of

resign - marry - return

and sure when you get back all will be good and forgotten.

Waiting for NK to tell him when its safe to come back

Maybe even longer

I sincerely hope he's at his desk right now - if not that is taking the p*ss. Chairperson of those Oireachtas committees should reconvene and call him back to attend in person next week to deliver reports and explain himself.

...

D'Arcy swinging for Tubridy’s slot. It would suit him, plus the bonus of being finished for the day at ten o'clock. He's definitely not coming back for his old programme. No way D'Arcy would make these comments if there was even the slightest chance of him returning. No love lost between them.

@ButtersSuki It really is the classic case of a picture being worth a thousand words. This image should be Tubridy's epitaph.