The salaries of RTE’s top presenters are to be cut by over 30 per cent from their peak in 2008, Noel Curran, director general, RTE, writes in an article in today’s Irish Times. Curran said reducing the salaries of the station’s top broadcasters is part of a process to make up a projected €34 million shortfall this year.
RTE host Pat Kenny would see his annual salary drop to €665,683 after a 30 per cent cut
By the time all of the existing contracts are “revisited” by the end of of 2013, payments will be slashed by over 30 per cent. A cut of 30 per cent in Pat Kenny’s salary would see his salary drop from €950,976 to €665,683, although he already took a significant pay cut when he left the Late Late Show in May 2009.
The next highest paid RTE presenter three years ago was the late Gerry Ryan on €629,865, followed by Marian Finucane on €570,000; Ryan Tubridy, €533,333; Eamon Dunphy, €328,005; Miriam O’Callaghan, €301,667; Derek Mooney, €286,909; George Hamilton, €219,833 and Sean O’Rourke on €218,656.
Curran said RTE predicts a €17m deficit this year after savings. He does not expect the organisation to break even until 2013, due to a series of government decisions to divert more of the licence fee away. RTE is to look for voluntary redundancies and it is thought that at least another 75 jobs may go.
