RTÉ faces deficit of €17m for 2009
29 September 09

RTÉ will claw back more than €55m in savings this year, but will still have a net deficit of €17m, according to a weekend report.

The Sunday Business Post quotes sources at the station as saying that it is optimistic that it can break even next year, based on its estimation that the fall-off in the advertising market has bottomed out. The sources said that commercial revenue for this year at the State-owned broadcaster would be down by around €75m. RTÉ has already implemented a 12.5pc reduction in salary for senior staff in recent months, an early retirement programme, and a career break offer for staff.

The station's commercial director told a sales conference with media agencies and advertisers last week that the fourth quarter looked like being the best of the current year. The decline in bookings was beginning to ease, she said. She said spending had continued through the month of September, unlike in previous months when advertisers were only spending during the first few days of the month.