TOP EARNERS LIST A ‘SMOKESCREEN TO DISTRACT PUBLIC’

VIRGIN media boss Bill

Malone has accused RTÉ bosses of using its top ten earners list as a “smokescreen” to distract the public from the six-figure salaries of station executives.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Malone urged Montrose bosses to follow the lead of the BBC and release a breakdown of managerial names, salaries and expenses into the public domain.

“Watch out for the smokescreen that RTÉ use every year. The top ten earners are only a distraction.” He added: “The BBC release information on everything, from managerial pay, right down to their expenses because it’s taxpayers money. You have to ask: why the secrecy from RTÉ?”

In 2019, 120 RTÉ staff earned over €100,000 as a basic salary. Of those, 24 earned between €150,000 and €250,000 and 98 earned between €100,000 and €150,000. No breakdown of names, roles or departments has ever been given. The executives’ expenses are also not made public.

Mr Malone said: “If it’s public money, they should be made accountable.”

Ryan Tubridy remains the highest-paid presenter at RTÉ with his 2019 pay packet of €495,000 ahead of the scheduled renegotiation of his contract in 2020, according to figures released last Wednesday. The second highest-paid was once again Ray D’Arcy, who was paid €450,000.

Mr Malone said: “Regularly, presenters and production staff talk to us about working for us and they argue their best price and I don’t begrudge them that. We have chats with stars of profile.

But invariably, if they talk to us and talk to RTÉ, they say ‘sorry RTÉ has offered us more’ and then when we up the amount, they go back to RTÉ and up their figure again. This happens on programmes, commissions and acquisitions and talent on a regular basis.

“RTÉ are losing money hand over fist and yet they can still outbid their commercial rivals? It is clearly using public funds to distort the market.”

Mr Malone was speaking as Virgin Media announced it increased young viewers [15-34] to its flagship news bulletins at 5.30pm by 150pc. Conducted by Amárach, the latest research also shows significant growth for Virgin Media Television, with 40pc of people citing the broadcaster as the main media source to access news on the pandemic.