Radio boss hits out after €10m RTE 2FM bid & issues ‘2,500 TV licences’ alert

THE boss of Classic Hits Radio slammed Media Minister Catherine Martin for failing to respond to his massive €10 million cash bid to buy embattled station 2FM.

Kevin Brannigan, CEO of Bay Broadcasting, also blasted reports RTE are demanding an annual bailout of €80million for five years, on top of licence fee income.

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He told The Irish Sun: “2FM is running at a loss and is going to cost €30 million to €40 million over the next ten years.

“Yet six weeks ago we offered the Government €10 million to take 2FM off their hands.

“It beggars belief that the Minister hasn’t given our offer to buy 2FM any consideration when it could save RTE and license payers millions of euros.”

The radio chief also claims the recent loss of some of 2FM’s most popular hosts like The 2 Johnnies, Doireann Garrihy, Jennifer Zamparelli and Donncha O’Callaghan has hit the station’s worth.

Kevin said: “The departure of so many presenters is seismic and unprecedented for any radio station.

“It probably took a million euros off the value of 2FM, and the longer the confusion goes on, the worse the ratings will get. Schedule upheaval can only sow confusion among listeners and that’s never good for ratings.”

The commercial radio boss was also incensed that discussions between RTE and a staff member on a €400,000 exit package have been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission.

Kevin said: “Never in a million years would anyone in the commercial sector be in line to receive a severance package of €400,000.

“It’s eye-watering. Yet it’s mentioned by RTE with a shrug of the shoulders. That €400,000 is 2,500 TV licenses.”

Kevin’s Bay Broadcasting is the company behind Classic Hits Radio and Radio Nova, and it owns a 46 per cent share in Sunshine Radio.

Back in June, CEO Kevin told The Irish Sun he had written to Minister Martin to say his company would be willing to snap up the pop station for up to €10million.

He told The Irish Sun: “2FM has a very valuable position in the marketplace but has been operating in a bubble for years.

“It is being heavily subsidised by taxpayers’ money while it has continued to vastly under-perform in listenership and revenue terms.”

Repay loses

He added: “By buying 2FM off RTE, we can reduce the licence fee and repay the Government some of the millions they have lost on 2FM in the past few years — and continue to lose — and, effectively, save this station.”

A spokesperson for Minister Matin said “when the issue was first raised, the Department did state that this is an operational/editorial matter for RTÉ in the first instance”.

They added: “The Department did acknowledge the correspondence referred to.

“The Department is aware that RTÉ also issued a statement that 2FM was not for sale.”

However, Kevin blasted back saying: “The only response we got from the Minister was an auto-response to the email. And if the Minister responded in the press, it was an operational matter for RTE, we never saw it.”

Restructuring required

The Classic Hits Radio boss said his company’s €10m bid also took into consideration the fact that 2FM would have to be restructured.

He said: “The staffing level in 2FM is on a completely different level than would be justified, or tolerated, or afforded in the commercial radio sector.

“But we believe 2FM could be made profitable if run with the values and cost structures of the commercial radio sector.”

Station bosses have decided to hold off announcing any new full time replacements on 2FM until September with fill in hosts, including Beta Da Silva, who took over the Drivetime slot, told to just play music.

We revealed last month how TikTok star Kayleigh Trappe is tipped to get the slot permanently with husband and wife team Carl Mullan and his wife Aisling tipped to take over the morning show.

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