Irish Examiner view: Late Joe Barry oversaw great change at RTÉ

Corkman displayed the ability to move with the times and get the job done

Joe Barry. Picture: RollingNews.ie

The tenure of Cork’s Joe Barry — who died this week — at the head of RTÉ coincided with a remarkable transition for mass media and for the national broadcaster.

Mr Barry, from Dunmanway, worked for RTÉ for 41 years and sat on the RTÉ Authority for another four. When he joined the organisation, radio was the only form of broadcast output from the GPO studios in Dublin. It was not until 1958 that preparations started for the new medium of television, with the establishment of the Television Commission.