Callan lands €150k morning radio gig
RTÉ vowed to release the longawaited Register of Interests as part of its moves to identify potential conflicts of interest among editorial staff after it announced Oliver Callan will take over Ryan Tubridy’s old 9am weekday slot on Radio One.
In a statement to the Irish Mail on Sunday, just hours after Mr Callan’s appointment was confirmed yesterday, RTÉ said: ‘RTÉ will commence a Register of Interests and a Register of External Activities this month.’
These registers will allow the broadcaster to determine potential conflicts of interest among those in editorial positions and make appropriate decisions.
The registers will be completed by relevant RTÉ employees and contractors, including RTÉ’s on-air presenters.
‘The Register of External Activities will be published quarterly by RTÉ.’
The move towards greater transparency comes in the wake of the hidden payments scandal.
Sources told the MoS that negotiations around Mr Callan’s RTÉ contract had stalled over the ‘issue of the register’.
An RTÉ source said: ‘That gig [Radio One 9am show] was always going to Oliver Callan.’
Another station insider said Mr Callan’s appointment was ‘due to be announced about a week or so ago. Nobody else was considered or offered the slot’.
In an interview with RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor yesterday following the announcement, Mr Callan revealed he will be paid €150,000 a year for his new role, which he will begin on January 29. He admitted there were no negotiations about his salary.
The comedian said: ‘I might as well get it out of the way because people will ask about money and so on and the circumstances.
‘I asked: “Can we discuss this?”, and I was told, “No, we are in a new world now”.’
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst previously indicated the new host would be on less money than Mr Tubridy, who had agreed a salary of €170,000 to resume his radio role before his dramatic exit from RTÉ last August.