Talent is stunted due to RTÉ constraints – executive
A SENIOR RTÉ executive has said there is a sense of “stagnation” across the organisation over financial constraints which prevent new talent coming through its producer and director ranks.
The national broadcaster’s group head of factual, Seán Mac Giolla Phádraig, told the Labour Court RTÉ was “in a state of existential crisis” over the lack of promotional opportunities among programme makers. Mr Mac Giolla Phádraig’s comments were made at a resumed hearing of RTÉ’s appeal against a ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission which ordered it to pay €100,000 to a former employee for discriminating against her on age grounds.
The WRC ruled that producer and director, Anne Roper, had been forced to retire in 2018 when she reached her 65th birthday despite looking to work for a further 18 months and before a grievance process had been concluded. The Labour Court heard her employment contract did not specify a retirement age. RTÉ has argued that a compulsory retirement age of 65 is necessary to ensure “inter-generational fairness” as well as to create promotional opportunities and generate appropriate content to attract younger viewers.
Due to RTÉ’s financial constraints, Mr Mac Giolla Phádraig said new producers and directors could only be appointed as a result of promotion or retirement.
The Labour Court heard only two producers had resigned since 2012 and the last training course for new producer/ directors in RTÉ had been in 2014. He said the lack of new programme makers had an impact across all grades with many assistant producers and directors, who showed a lot of potential, leaving RTÉ out of frustration at the lack of promotional opportunities.
Mr Mac Giolla Phádraig admitted such a situation was not good for morale or programming “as we constantly need a flow of fresh ideas”. Mr Mac Giolla Phádraig said Ms Roper’s retirement had allowed RTÉ to hire a new producer as well as promote someone on a lower grade. The hearing continues.