Renewed redundancy fears surface at RTE

Concerns are growing that RTÉ could shed scores of jobs under restructuring proposals being considered by RTÉ management.

The loss-making national broadcaster could decide to add to the 400 redundancies already made in an attempt to reduce costs. The 'strategy review' follows the refusal of Ireland's Arts Minister Sile de Valera to grant the state broadcaster leave to increase the licence fee by €63 (£39). The eventual licence fee rise amounted to only €18 (£11).

Having been denied that application to raise more funds, the corporation revealed that it was operating with €40 million (£25 million) losses for the year and that it needed to cut costs. To that end, RTE asked consultancy firms, Logical Strategy and KPMG Corporate Finance, to identify areas for cutbacks – which may include a headcount loss of up to 150 staff jobs.

Broadcasting branch secretary Jimmy Jordan of the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (Siptu) said that RTE "needs a licence fee increase if it is to maintain its resent output".

He said that the union would be lobbying politicians in the run up to the general election to support its members.

RTE had been struggling in recent months as the market has seen some stern competition from TV3, UTV and BSkyB. It is thought that RTE Authority and RTE executives will consider proposals that include outsourcing all programme making except news and current affairs. Such a proposal would mirror Channel 4's 'publisher-broadcaster' status in Britain.

Other options such as selling a portion, if not all, of its 32-acre Donnybrook headquarters and removing non-essential services such as the RTE website may also be considered. A spokesperson for RTE confirmed that "everything is on the table for discussion".

While it is understood that the RTE Authority will consider the recommendations on March 27, it is thought that it may take several meetings before a decision is reached.

RTE, www.rte.ie

(GMcG)