THE DIRECTOR GENERAL of RTÉ has told staff of incoming measures to ensure a minimum cut to expenditure of €10 million in 2024, including scaling the number of Fair City episodes aired a week from 4 to 3 from January onwards.
Kevin Bakhurst said the cuts are aimed at addressing the public broadcaster’s immediate and significant financial challenges, he added that RTÉ’s running costs will increase next year due to “special events” and inflation.
An initial and limited Voluntary Exit Programme will aim to see 40 staff members leave, with their exit funded by the proceeds of a land sale in 2017. The reduction in staff numbers will take place alongside an ongoing recruitment freeze, and the maintenance of “tight” controls on spending.
In-house Sunday evening summer factual programming will “not be produced in 2024″, Bakhurst also told staff, as well as in-house Saturday evening entertainment show in the Spring.
Other productions will be deferred, such as the third season of The Money List, until 2025, and the transmission of Young Offenders will be deferred until 2025 too.
Bakhurst said that “additional savings” will be delivered through production savings in news and current affairs, as well as sport.
He added that a range of capital and strategic projects will be postponed, including a planned “brand refresh” and planned podcasting and short-form content units.
Bakhurst said that RTÉ management will be focusing on making production resources required to deliver the Olympic Games, the European Football Championships, local and European elections and other programming.
The Director General said that management has spoken to those impacted by the announced cuts directly.
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