Dee Forbes
AS GOLDHAWK predicted, much revisionist accountancy speak has been heard from RTÉ management as it demands the latest round of cuts from its benighted staff – not all of whom are on bloated, six-figure salaries (as in the top 10 of broadcast celebs). But while SIPTU is divided, with some union reps urging staff to accept the latest round of cuts, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) staff are aware that despite plaintive cries of destitution from director general, Dee Forbes, revenue actually increased significantly last year.
As explained (see The Phoenix, 15/1/21), the pandemic had the unintended effect of seriously increasing revenue from a variety of sources. This was largely due to soaring ratings and the consequential rise in ad revenue. The reason for this was simply that many people stayed at home and had more time for TV and radio as well as an appetite for news and current affairs, while they also found that newspapers were less accessible. Meanwhile, the station was showered with state and HSE advertising concerning Covid-19 and found that it could demand previously expensive rates of advertising. To top it all, more than 25% of RTÉ staff were receiving the employment wage subsidy scheme.
Since this unusual revenue bonanza became known in Montrose, management played down the actual increases and argued that the extra revenue was being exaggerated. Recently, however, Forbes – who continues to rattle a tin cup outside Leinster House and Government Buildings pleading for an increased licence fee – exclusively revealed to staff the true state of affairs. She circulated a complimentary memo to the toiling wage slaves congratulating them on their endeavours and supplying figures that revealed the increases in programming and ratings.
Apparently, 2020 figures for TV are up by 12% on 2019 and are the highest since 2013, while radio listenership is up 6%. Page views on rte.ie are up a huge 63% and RTÉ Player grew by 37%. Even better news was contained in a special section dealing with particular figures from January 1 to January 24, 2021. According to it, rte.ie page views are up 72%; the RTÉ app 121%; audio streams 87%; and the RTÉ Player by circa 50%.
Unsurprisingly, the hacks are restive regardless of SIPTU’s restraint and even their NUJ Irish secretary, Seamus Dooley, came over as the soul of moderation in an interview on the issue – ironically, with RTÉ’s Drivetime. So management has come up with a master stroke and HR heads intend to telephone each and every one of the 1,000 plus staff with exhortations to support the cuts.
The psychologically trained HR professionals should tread carefully with the angry hacks however. The NUJ Zoom meeting last Friday saw more than 100 of them tune into the meeting and other, equally damning stats were trotted out, ie, nothing but pay cuts and no wage rises for more than 10 years. Judging by the tone and tenor of the speakers, opposition to the cuts was running at about four to one.
