A Bailout for RTÉ?

July 25, 2024 Admin Irish News

<h2>A bailout for RTÉ? | Newstalk</h2> ‘Some in RTÉ have shown financial ineptitude and outright dishonesty, and the Government have decided to reward them for it.’ Kieran Cuddihy reacts to the news that the Government is going to provide funding of up to €725 million over the next three years, while the licence fee will remain in place, with the charge staying at €160 per year. The Cabinet is to sign off on a new funding model for RTÉ at its final meeting of the summer this morning. The TV licence fee is set to remain along with new, dedicated funding for the broadcaster. After a difficult year for RTÉ Ministers are set to agree on a new model of funding the broadcaster. The licence fee model will remain with new electronic means of enforcement of collection due to be discussed. RTÉ will also be given dedicated multi-annual funding from the Government over a number of years. The aim is to move RTÉ to a model where it is getting extra subvention on top of the licence fee. The charge looks set to remain at €160 a year despite some pushing internally to lower it. Ministers will sign off on the new model at their final Cabinet meeting before the summer break. A number of reports into governance at the State broadcaster were published earlier this year – including one which went into detail about the use of the company’s barter account. It comes as the broadcaster has set out plans to move the production of Fair City and The Late Late Show away from its Montrose base in Dublin as part of a five-year plan. The plan will see increased investment towards the RTÉ Player and the development of an audio streaming app. RTÉ also aims to cut 400 jobs over the next five years as part of a voluntary redundancy programme with the first phase set to begin ‘imminently’. Credit to : Newstalk

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