Kenny's Newstalk move - a long time coming

IT’S the biggest news in Irish broadcasting for years, but Pat Kenny’s departure from RTÉ was brewing for a long time.

The seeds of his sensational move were sown last year when The Frontline was cancelled. As an olive branch, RTÉ offered Kenny a much lesser role on Prime Time — its flagship current affairs show.

Station insiders admitted Kenny found it hard to believe that a journalist with his television experience was being asked to do so little. Coupled with management changes in the current affairs division, he found it all very difficult.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Kenny didn’t have his own show, and, with contract negotiations on the horizon, that meant much less money would be on the table.

Despite his hugely successful radio show, he felt unappreciated with a bit part role on television. His glory days of The Late Late Show and The Frontline were behind him and when the salary negotiations commenced, he’d be reminded of it.

In truth, his relationship with senior management in RTÉ never recovered from the fallout of the game-changing presidential debate on The Frontline.

In the weeks that followed, the publication of the various reports into what went on that night, meant it was obvious RTÉ corporate bosses had real difficulty containing Kenny’s views and ego in relation to what went on. It will be very interesting to see how their fractured relationship functions if Seán Gallagher’s promised legal action against RTÉ makes it to the Four Courts.

So after 41 years in RTÉ why did he leave? Despite his protestations, money had a lot to do with it. The reported salary of €2m over five years is very attractive and is likely to contain bonuses based on audience performance. It is a big payday towards the end of his career, and it also takes his salary away from public scrutiny as Newstalk is a private company.

In his new role, Kenny can also look at new TV projects. There is nothing to preclude him from returning to RTÉ, but you’d imagine it would be hard to entice him to present a science documentary if he wasn’t pleased on Prime Time. He has now entered that interesting place where Vincent Browne found himself after falling out with RTÉ. And don’t be surprised if he arrives on TV3 in the not-too-distant future.

The move is also a massive coup for Newstalk and Denis O’Brien. In the silly season, O’Brien has managed to capture a massive marquee name in Irish journalism. In one move, Kenny has massively added to the credibility of the Newstalk brand as a serious national radio station.

Without a doubt Kenny is Ireland’s most experienced and successful current affairs radio presenter. His award-winning radio show clocks in with a massive daily audience of almost 330,000 — 275,000 greater than the Tom Dunne show in the same slot on Newstalk.

In the months ahead, it will be interesting to see how many of those listeners remain loyal to RTÉ and how many switch to Newstalk. You would also have to assume Kenny’s contract contains assurances about Newstalk building a strong production team around him, which will be vital to the success of the new show.

The shadow-boxing for RTÉ to retain its dominant position in talk radio has begun.

RTÉ director general Noel Curran, is a very experienced operator who will relish the test being posed by Newstalk. In recent weeks, as negotiations with Kenny began to falter, he would have begun to work on Plan B.

In the coming weeks there are likely to be big changes in the Radio 1 schedule, which could see a greater role for Miriam O’Callaghan and maybe even the return of Ryan Tubridy.

There will also be an interesting battle around time slots too. This week Newstalk announced Kenny’s new show will run from 10am until 12.30pm. You would wonder why they would wait an hour when they could swoop for RTÉ’s listeners straight after Morning Ireland. So don’t be surprised when Newstalk jump the gun and start the new show early to steal a march on RTÉ.

For radio listeners Kenny’s move is good news, as it will spark the biggest upheaval in radio since Gay Byrne retired from Radio 1 almost 15 years ago. If nothing else, there are some interesting days ahead.

- Jack Murray is the managing director of Mediacontact.ie — a media intelligence agency in business since 2006.