RTE recorded a surplus of €6.8m in 2004, up from €2.3m in 2003 as the national broadcaster said it was building on its recovery after 2002's restructuring programme.
In its annual report - published this afternoon - RTE said that its commercial revenues for the year were 'buoyant' in most areas, resulting in an increase of €21.5m. Television advertising accounted for €15.3m of this overall growth.
Licence fee income increased by €8.7m during the year. RTE said this resulted from 59,000 new television licences being sold during the year, and the Government decision to raise the licence fee by €2 to €152.
RTE said its operating costs, before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, for the year rose by €24.1m to €315.3m from €291.2m in 2003. Most of this rise was due to increased spending on home produced television programming.
Net cash flow generated for last year was €26m - the first positive figure since 2000.
RTE said it made €16.6m on the sale of a surplus transmitter in Dublin's Beaumont area. This was counter balanced by a writedown of €8.3m on plant and equipment, fixtures and fittings and by a building impairment charge of €10.8m.
The radio and television's headcount stood at 2,169 employees at the end of December 2004, of whom 407 were part-time workers. This compares to a headcount of 2,0,25 at the end of 2003. RTE said that it is estimated that the net number of workers has been reduced by 330 (13%) in the five years between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2004.
'2004 was a good year for RTE and the benefit of difficult decisions implemented over recent years has been clearly demonstrated,' commented RTE Chairman Paddy Wright.
He said that RTE is accountable to its audiences and to the Oireachtas and is - in his experience - one of the most regulated public organisations.
The current RTE Authority's term of office ends at the end of the month and Mr Wright said he was satisfied that the organisation has benefited from good governance, a huge commitment from staff, a focus on quality output and cost-effectiveness.
Challenges for the new Authority include the move to digital television and the development of new broadcasting legislation, Mr Wright said.
