Public appearances by RTÉ staff cut back
Controversy over Claire Byrne attending event may have sparked change
RTÉ presenters and reporters could be blocked from public appearances at a range of events under suggested guidelines designed to avoid possible conflicts of interest.
All public appearances now have to be cleared at a monthly management meeting, according to records released under Freedom of Information legislation.
Among the events which could end up blocked are investor conferences, whose primary purpose was to serve commercial interests of banks or stockbrokers.
Also considered risky for the same reason will be awards ceremonies for best retailers, best insurance companies, or similar such events.
Awards ceremonies celebrating politicians like ‘best local representative’ could also be prohibited because of their potential to involve the RTÉ worker ‘in too close a relationship with politicians’.
The new system comes after last autumn’s controversy over the appearance of presenter Claire Byrne at an event hosted by Davy Stockbrokers.
A formal email announcing the new ‘streamlined process’ was sent by Jon Williams, the Managing Director of News and Current Affairs, in an advisory to staff in January.
He wrote: ‘All of us are here to serve the public – and our audiences must have confidence in the integrity of what they read, see, and hear. That’s about perception as much as reality – so RTÉ already has guidelines around external activities.’
Under the new system, all requests for outside appearances will now have to be discussed at a monthly meeting of managing editors for approval.
Mr Williams explained: ‘That will mean a bit more process for those of you who wish to engage in external events.’
‘The group will meet on the first Wednesday of each month – and, ordinarily, that is the time requests will be considered. Only in exceptional circumstances will it be possible to consider requests outside this meeting.’
The advice followed a meeting of senior managers at RTÉ last October where options for a new internal policy were discussed.
After that meeting, an email from David Nally, managing editor of RTÉ current affairs television, said only events whose primary purpose was ‘the furtherance of an objective with genuine public service remit’ should be agreed to.
He proposed creation of an internal policy over what type of events would be allowed and suggested it could be included in the contracts of independent presenters.
Most charity work, most book launches, and appearing at tidy towns, community games, awards ceremonies with obvious public service merit were fine, he said.
Mr Nally said there would continue to be ‘grey areas’ but that at least setting down criteria would make it easier to make judgments on a case-by-case basis.
He wrote: ‘This is a sensible and appropriate move that will help to ensure clarity and consistency in the future.’
In a statement, RTÉ said: ‘Continued focus by RTÉ to ensure the process for requests for news and current affairs staff to partake in external activities are efficient and transparent to all involved is in the public interest.’