RTÉ records €9.1m deficit for 2023, according to annual report

RTÉ recorded a deficit of €9.1m last year, an increase from €2.8m in 2022, according to the broadcaster's annual report.

The report shows that despite the controversy which hit RTÉ last year, its revenues fell only marginally by €3.7m to €344m.

RTÉ revenues are made up commercial revenue and income from the TV licence.

Commercial revenue fell €1.4m to €150.7m, while licence fee revenue fell €2.3m to €193.3m.

Special events cost the organisation €7.6m in a year, when RTÉ coverage included the World Cup and the visit of US President Biden.

The annual report confirms the top ten salaries in the broadcasting organisation.

In this report, managers' salaries have been published for the first time, with five of the top ten coming from the permanent leadership team.

Management finances

For the first time, and in line with the previous commitment of RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst to enhance the transparency of the organisation, RTÉ is publishing the earnings of the top 10 employees and contractors, ranging from its highest paid on-air presenters, as well as remuneration details of the permanent members of its leadership team.

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In 2023, five of the top 10 included permanent members of its leadership team.

These figures involving executives were leaked in August, but on that occasion, just the overall figures were published.

In the report, the broadcasting organisation provided the breakdown of the executive pay.

The executive salaries are published in alphabetical order, so Mr Bakhurst is first, but he is not in that top 10 as he only started halfway through the year.

His figures relate to six months only.

The figures provide in the report now include the financial breakdown, which includes, salary, pension, allowances, and 'other' for members of that team.

'A difficult year'

Mr Bakhurst said 2023 was "a difficult year for all of us in RTÉ and for the many who had placed their trust in us".

He said he and his leadership team have faced the key issues "head on" and have been committed to delivering the transformation RTÉ needs to rebuild "trust and restore confidence, both internally and externally".

He said: "As I have said many times, one of my biggest sources of frustration when I look back on last year is that the hard work and dedication of our staff and partners in the creative sector and their many achievements on air, on screen and online, and elsewhere, were overshadowed by the revelations.

"I believe this is changing following a year in which our focus on serving our audience has seen RTÉ deliver incredible live sport, vital investigative journalism, important news and analysis, engaging discussion and debate, great original Irish drama and entertainment, wonderful live music and performances, excellent factual programming, and so much more, in English and in Irish."

Mr Bakhurst said he was thankful for the multi-annual Government funding.

He said the funding will enable them to plan ahead and to "achieve our vision to evolve RTÉ into an organisation that is relevant and cherished, that brings the country together for important national moments and events, that produces important and engaging public service programmes and content, that delivers value for money, and is trusted again".

"I and my team are committed to the work required to make that happen," he said.

Chair of the Board of RTÉ, Terence O'Rourke, said that while 2023 was a "challenging" year, RTÉ is focused on the important work which is under way to "transform the organisation".

He also noted that RTÉ is moving forward with an "ambitious" five-year strategy.

"The Board is dedicated to ensuring that this work is underpinned by the highest standards of corporate governance and transparency," he said.

Read report in full