RTÉ not seeking fee hike to offset revenue shortfall

YOUR front page report headlined ‘RTÉ planning hike in licence fee’ (July 4) suggested the station was “planning” a TV licence fee increase as a significant contribution towards offsetting its projected €68m revenue shortfall in 2009.

Those assertions are untrue and to describe the revenue shortfall as “losses” is incorrect.

In a briefing to journalists to launch its 2008 annual report, RTÉ’s director-general, Cathal Goan, said RTÉ was not factoring a licence fee increase into its financial and operations planning to cope with the revenue shortfall.