RTE axes more jobs

The RTE authority has announced a number of major cutbacks this afternoon as the state broadcaster seeks to recoup its financial losses of recent years.

Among the new causalities are the television programmes 'The Week in Politics' and the annual charity fundraising event 'Telethon'.

Other significant redundancies include are 70 television jobs, 10 newsroom staff as well as the entire news staff of the classical radio station Lyric FM and 13 digital media positions.

There will also be 200 fewer home produced programmes and a reduction in the amount of output from RTE Cork. RTE say the economic downturn is having a fundamental effect on its financial situation like many other businesses.

The news comes despite the station getting a further increase in the television licence fee this week. It is believed the station will show more repeats of programmes.