RTÉ set to slash top stars’ salaries by 30%

RTÉ is implementing a 30% reduction in the salaries of its top stars, its managing director has confirmed.

Glen Killane said the cuts to salaries would be made when their contracts expire. He said that process was likely to be completed by the end of this year or early next year at the latest.

In addition, he reiterated that all staff had also voluntarily taken pay cuts in recent times.

Mr Killane, who attended the Cork Person of the Year Awards yesterday, said he was very pleased with the success of the station’s Love/Hate drama.

“We market it internationally through ITV Global and they have done a deal with Hulu, a subscription-based online distribution network in the US to screen it there,” he said.

The RTÉ boss said the company was committed to screening more home-produced quality dramas, but may in future have to seek joint funding from other broadcasters to achieve this.

He said television companies ideally wanted to purchase series like the Danish-produced The Killing.

“To make dramas truly international you need to have 20 episodes like The Killing. We could only afford to produce six-eight episodes of Love/Hate every year,” he said.

Mr Killane revealed there were plans to produce more comedy for RTÉ2 and to have more homemade factual programmes screened on RTÉ1.

“In the near future we will also be investing more in children’s programmes, especially for pre-school children on RTÉ Junior,” he said.