1. Put the audience at the centre of decision making

Audience needs are central to the delivery of PSM in Ireland.

Irish people feel ownership and connection with their PSM.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ is relevant to people in Ireland today at >80%

Commitment not achieved. 75% of Irish adults agreed, 5 points behind target and on a par with 2019. The particular features and challenges of 2020 may have impacted perceptions of relevance. See commentary in Introduction on the impact of Covid-19. RTÉ remains committed to improving this score.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ has high quality content and services at >75%

Commitment largely achieved. 72% of Irish adults agreed. This is up 4 points on 2019, but remains behind target. See commentary in Introduction on the impact of Covid-19: it was not possible to deliver much of the premium content originally planned for the year.

2. Be where the audience is – provide universal access, optimise linear, and adopt digital first

The media needs of all segments of Irish society are fulfilled.

Young people are engaged by Irish content and services.

Innovation in media production will engage digital natives with Irish content.

People will have easy and immediate access to Irish content on their device of choice.

• Maintain average weekly reach for all RTÉ services at or above 90% (18+)

Commitment achieved

• Maintain average weekly reach for all RTÉ services at or above 90% (18–34)

Commitment achieved

• Grow RTÉ’s average weekly reach via mobile and online to >56%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain RTÉ television share (adults 15+, all day) at 27%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain RTÉ radio share (adults 15+, all day) at ≥30%

Commitment achieved. This is best-estimate, as fieldwork for the national listenership survey (JNLR) was discontinued in Q1 and Q4 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

• Develop a new metric of Time Spent with RTÉ and report on adults 15+ and adults aged 15–34

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ programmes and services are easily accessible on a range of devices at >70%

Commitment achieved

3. Provide trusted, challenging and engaging content

In the era of fake news, Irish people have a trusted news source.

The powerful in Irish society are held to account, wrongdoing and bad practice in Irish institutions is exposed.

Education in Ireland is enriched through the inclusion of different perspectives and ways of learning.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ provides trusted N&CA at ≥80%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ generates national debate / political discourse

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ keeps me well informed at ≥80%

Commitment achieved

4. Champion Irish culture

Public discourse is stimulated and a mirror is held up to contemporary Irish society.

Irish people will benefit from the rich audio-visual heritage delivered through a state-of-the-art PSM archive.

Pride in our national identity is strengthened through engagement with the cultural and sporting experiences that bind us as a nation.

Irish children will see their experiences and hear their own voices on screen, on radio and online.

The Irish language will grow in prominence and become an integral part of the Irish media landscape.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ is an important part of Irish life at ≥80%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ enables me to connect with national events at ≥80%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ devotes the right amount of time to children’s programmes at ≥50%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ provides a comprehensive service for Irish speakers at ≥60%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain RTÉ RnaG weekly reach among adults 15+ at ≥3%

Commitment largely achieved. This is best-estimate, as fieldwork for the national listenership survey (JNLR) was discontinued in Q1 and Q4 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

• Meet the ‘365 provision’ to TG4 as per S120 of the Act

Commitment largely achieved. 2020’s hours were slightly short of the required level, as Covid-19 restrictions adversely impacted content production opportunities. RTÉ aims to compensate for this shortfall in 2021, meeting the requirement over a two-year period, restrictions permitting.

5. Celebrate diversity and cultivate Irish talent

People from every part of Irish society see their experiences represented in their PSM organisation and feel included.

There is a heightened awareness of the diversity of Irish society and enhanced social cohesion.

Ireland has a consistently creative and innovative PSM.

The creative economy in Ireland experiences growth and is strengthened and developed.

Ireland’s existing and emerging creative talents are showcased and celebrated.

Compelling Irish stories are told in a universal and powerful way.

Access to the arts will be broadened and democratized, enhancing public appreciation for our distinctive culture and heritage.

• Grow public perception that RTÉ reflects current Irish society to ≥80%

Commitment not achieved. 72% of Irish adults agreed, 8 points behind target, and on a par with 2019’s result. RTÉ remains fully committed to improving how it reflects society in Ireland today.

• Grow public perception that RTÉ has a range of new faces and voices on air to ≥62%

Commitment not achieved. 52% of Irish adults agreed, 10 points behind target. While there were some new faces and voices, it was a challenging year for productions, and a number of planned new shows were unfortunately cancelled.

The target had been for ambitious growth, and RTÉ remains fully committed to improving diversity of representation.

• Maintain high proportion of RTÉ Radio’s FM output as first-run indigenous at ≥80%

Commitment achieved

• Maintain high proportion of indigenous hours as a % of total peaktime hours on RTÉ One at ≥75%

Commitment achieved

• Statutory spend requirement met

Commitment not achieved. 2020’s spend was below the required level, as Covid-19 restrictions adversely impacted content production opportunities. RTÉ aims to compensate for this shortfall in 2021, meeting the requirement over a two-year period, restrictions permitting.

• Grow public perception that RTÉ One is good for Irish drama to ≥70%

Commitment largely achieved. 69% of Irish adults agreed, just 1 point behind target.

• Maintain public satisfaction with the quality of culture and arts on RTÉ at ≥67%

Commitment largely achieved. 65% of Irish adults agreed, just 2 points behind target. Arts and cultural performance were particularly impacted by restrictions.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ provides a broad range of orchestral music at ≥56%

Target revoked in 2020

6. Protect the future of PSM

The future of PSM in Ireland is protected and is sustainable.

It is run effectively and efficiently.

It is supported by RTÉ commercial activities.

It is open, accountable and transparent.

PSM legitimacy is strengthened and protected in Ireland.

• Meet annual budget

Commitment achieved.

• Deliver RTÉ’s portfolio of services within budgeted operating costs

Commitment achieved

• Operate RTÉ’s commercial activities efficiently to maximise the net return for RTÉ’s public service activities and achieve Group commercial revenue targets

Commitment achieved

• Total content and distribution spend as a % of Operating Costs is ≥80%

Commitment largely achieved. Covid-19 related restrictions resulted in a dramatically reduced content spend due to curtailed production and events. While other Operating Costs also reduced, the rate of curtailment in content spend was much higher.

• PROC* target achieved

*Personnel Related Operating Costs

Commitment largely achieved. For the reasons outlined above, PROC was a higher proportion of Operating Costs.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ is valuable to Irish society at ≥85%

Commitment largely achieved. 84% of Irish adults agreed, just 1 point behind target.

• Maintain public perception that RTÉ is trustworthy at ≥75%

Commitment achieved