RTÉ pledge programme quality despite €56m losses

RTÉ will deliver quality programmes despite losing €56m last year, the organisation’s director general promised yesterday.

The national broadcaster had losses of €20.6m in 2002, but this does not include a further deficit of €35.4m when all costs are added.

Director-general Bob Collins said RTÉ's financial difficulties will not alter the organisation's commitment to quality programming.

The general election and referendum last year, combined with programmes marking the 40th and 30th anniversaries of Television and Raidió na Gaeltachta respectively was costly for the station, he said.

The losses come despite a decrease of more than 150 RTÉ staff members.

Two staff reduction initiatives since 2001 mean 439 less people work in RTÉ than in December 1999.

Forty-one per cent of RTÉ's revenues came from the licence fee last year while 44% came from advertising.

The organisation's annual report yesterday showed that four out of every 10 peak time TV programmes were produced at home.

The figure was 56% for RTÉ One and 25% on Network 2.

A strategic plan and several internal changes will be implemented at the organisation this year, chairman of the RTÉ Authority, Patrick J Wright said.

"This will ensure greater cost-effectiveness, transparency and a more streamlined service capable of responding to changing needs and circumstances," he said.

The Government decision to increase the licence fee by €43 to €150 last December will also help the organisation introduce changes.

"Despite the welcome increase in the licence fee RTÉ's financial pressures have continued into 2003 as a result of a world-wide drop in the advertising market and it is quite clear that the negative impact will be significant," Mr Wright said.

The chairman also expressed concern about the BBC's plans to introduce an unencrypted free-to-air service throughout the country. Mr Wright warned that the Government and the EU might have to intervene to protect home broadcasters.

Meanwhile RTÉ rivals, TV3, has announced that audience figures have more than doubled for its new series Go Racing.