RYAN’S T OP EARNER
»»10 highest paid rte presenters revealed »»annual salaries to be published yearly
Ryan Tubridy has been revealed as the Rte’s highest paid presenter before his shock exit.
It came as the broadcaster published the earnings of its 10 highest earning presenters for 2022.
RTE’S director general Kevin Bakhurst has confirmed the station’s biggest names will earn a maximum of €250,000.
That includes contractors who are not staff at the station – and will not be paid anything above the DG’S own salary.
Tubridy, who has begun a new radio show on UK station Virgin Media, earned €515,000 in 2022.
He had no pay cut and was on the same money in 2021. Liveline presenter Joe Duffy is in second place with €351,000 in 2022 the same amount he earned the year before.
Claire Byrne was third, paid €320,833 in 2022, down on €350,000 she earned in 2021.
Miriam O’callaghan is fourth on the list with €263,500 for 2022 the same as 2021 ahead of Ray D’arcy with €250,000 for 2022 down on the €305,000 he made in 2021.
Brendan O’connor made €245,004 for both 2022, the same as in 2021.
The remainder of the best-paid list is made up of RTE employees with retiring newscaster Bryan Dobson making €209,681 in 2022, down on €209,282 he earned in 2021.
He’s followed by another radio host – Morning Ireland’s Mary Wilson, who was paid €197,643 in 2022, up on €196,961 in 2021. Ninth on the list was
Darragh Maloney who made €184,501 in 2022, down from €183,738 he made in the previous year.
And 10th on this list was Correspondent George Lee who earned €179,821 in 2022, down on the €179,131 he took home in 2021.
RTE said the cost of its highest earning presenters represents less than 1% of its total operating costs.
But Mr Bakhurst warned all of the stations’ top talent will no longer be earning lucrative fees for their services, which also includes contractors Duffy, D’arcy, O’callaghan, O’connor and Byrne.
When asked if the salary cap of €250,000 will be for contractors as well, he said: “Yes, it will be when their contracts come up.” The station boss
added it was “always a possibility” he could lose some top talent with his new measures.
Mr Bakhurst said: “That is always a possibility. It did happen with Pat Kenny.
“But there is not that many who are above that salary cap so we have to deal when their contracts come up, which we will do. They’re paid a lot of money because they have been paid historically a lot of money because they are extremely good and that is what the audience deserves and of course it is a danger.
“But I think on the other side the audience expects we show that we are getting real value for licence fee payers and I knew high salaries for presenters – and it is the same at the BBC – has always been an issue for some of our audience.”
RTE Deputy Director-general Adrian Lynch said: “Going forward, details of RTE’S highest-paid presenters will be published annually as part of the Annual Report starting with the 2023 Annual Report which will be published later this year.
“While RTE has committed to reducing the cost of its highest-paid presenters to ensure that no contractors or employees will earn more than the Director-general, our presenters play an important role in provision of vital news, information and entertainment to audiences right across the country.
“They also enable us to generate commercial revenue which is essential to fund RTE’S public services.”
Asked about RTE’S publication, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said “there is a change of environment in terms of what people may be expected to be paid” at RTE.
He added he was a supporter of RTE and other media organisations and good quality journalism was vital at a time of fake news and disinformation.
Asked about the differing views between his own Green Party and coalition partners from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael surrounding the licence fee, Mr Ryan said funding would have to be sorted out in the first half of this year.
He revealed the exact mechanism had been part of the debate in Cabinet, but having a solution “is the first absolute requirement.
Mr Ryan added: “I’m convinced government, all three parties will work together to deliver that.”