The broadcasting company RTÉ is set to receive 76 directives from a specialist panel concerning its governance and culture. These changes will increase government supervision, necessitate a broader disclosure of spending, including on hospitality and travel, improve risk management, and strengthen the board’s role in overseeing the performance of leading executives.
A new financing model for the broadcasting company is suggested in the report, albeit without recommending a specific model. Government insiders indicate that the ongoing discussions will most likely result in a lowered licence fee collected by the Revenue Commissioners. In addition, supplementary funding from the exchequer is foreseen for an interim period.
Catherine Martin, the Media Minister, received three reviews related to governance and culture, contractor fees, and other practices and occurrences at the broadcasting company on April 26th. It is projected that she will advise her government peers to agree to all 90 suggestions. The vast majority (76) are applicable to RTÉ, while a smaller proportion is directed at the government, with a recommendation to reassess the legislation that supports RTÉ.
It is anticipated that the broadcaster will be instructed to devise an action plan to apply these suggestions within six weeks, which will be subject to review by the Department of Media. The broadcaster will also be expected to provide a quarterly update on their progress to an external monitoring group.
The panel has proposed drastic alterations to the broadcaster’s internal approach to risk, compliance, and audit. As previously made public, the station will now fall within the jurisdiction of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the State auditor. RTÉ will also be directed to stop using confidentiality clauses in termination contracts, employ a chief risk officer and a compliance officer, establish a risk management policy, disclose expenditure on hospitality, travel and subsistence and implement measures to ensure the department that the broadcaster complies with all requirements for State bodies.
The report also emphasises improving the accountability of leading executives, such as the director-general, to RTÉ’s board, boosting the board’s functionality and abilities, and enhancing the broadcaster’s culture.
It is anticipated that Ms Martin will declare plans to present new laws implementing some recommendations and to perform an extensive evaluation of the existing rules regulating the broadcaster. The report further indicates the broadcaster’s need for a financially robust system, however, no specific method is suggested.
Three well-informed sources have hinted at the preferred option at the highest echelons of the government, that is, keeping the TV licence fee intact but at a rate lower than the present €160 annually. The responsibility of fee collection might be handed over to the Revenue Commissioners. This could potentially be supported by funding from the treasury, at least for a short period. However, a consensus is yet to be reached on the portion of the licence fee funding to be allocated to broadcasters and other media entities besides RTÉ.
This indicates a dismissal of Ms Martin’s favoured approach of having the broadcaster completely financed by the exchequer and the discontinuation of the licence fee. At the uppermost level of the government, this idea is met with significant resistance. Meanwhile, top sources emphasised that no definitive resolution has been made. The matter is likely to be decided before the summer break in mid-July.
It appears that the broadcaster will still rely on emergency funding from the Government until next year as it would take time to effect the legal and administrative alterations necessary for the recommended new system.