RTÉ to cut 400 jobs in next five years | BreakingNews.ie

RTÉ will cut 400 jobs over the next five years as part of plans to secure a €20 million bailout from the Government.

This will be part of a phased voluntary exit programme, which will cost around €50 million.

This comes as RTÉ launched their New Direction Strategy on Tuesday.

Personnel costs as a percentage of  Operating Costs will reduce from 51 per cent in 2024 to 45 per cent in 2029.

RTÉ are set to close four digital radio services, with the launch of two new apps, one for news and one for audio.

The digital radio stations in question are RTÉ Radio 1 Extra, RTÉ 2XM, RTÉ Pulse and RTÉjr radio.

All users of RTÉ Player will have to sign in to stream shows, as RTÉ aims to become the preferred streaming destination of Irish audiences.

Other new features on RTÉ Player will include cross-device continue watching, parental controls, relevant recommendations and the ability to create watchlists and rate shows.

There will also be new online channels on RTÉ Player such as RTÉ as Gaeilge and RTÉ Archives.

There is also plans to move some areas of production away from Donnybrook, with investment in a new multi-functional
studio and production facility in Cork.

RTÉ on Tuesday said it will make use of a “reduced site” and produce fewer programmes in Dublin and more outside the capital.

Problems first emerged at the broadcaster after it emerged that its best paid presenter at the time, Ryan Tubridy, had received more pay than RTÉ had publicly stated.

As part of the changes, there is set to be further financial transparency in RTÉ’s Annual Report including the publication of earnings for the Leadership Team, alongside the top 10 highest paid on-air presenters first published in 2024.

Kevin Bakhurst, said: “We cannot deliver this plan alone. As is widely recognised, funding reform is critical to protecting public service media in Ireland. We will continue to need the outstanding support of our staff, our partners in the independent sector and the range of organisations we work with daily across Ireland. And we will reciprocate that faith placed in us by delivering a public service broadcaster fit for the future and for our audiences.”