OPINION: Taxpayers would support RTE's bailout if they made this one major change

I've spoken about little else with family and friends in the last 24 hours than the RTE funding announced by Minister Catherine Martin on Wednesday. €725 million of taxpayers' money will be making its way into accounts at Montrose over the next three years - that's the punishment in this country for ineptitude, or so it seems.

It is now a year since the RTE scandal dominated the news cycle; slush funds, flip flops, Ryan Tubridy's Renault deal and everything that came out about the bad practices at the broadcaster. It was a national disgrace and RTE execs, excluding former Director General Dee Forbes, were rightly hauled over the coals in Government buildings.

I made a prediction for how this 'uproar' would unfold and without saying I told you so, it's all come to pass. "There is a public flogging where every politician in the country is only too delighted to get involved and throw a few rotten tomatoes. Then there is a review from all angles, internal, the government, independent bodies, blah, blah, blah. We're razzle-dazzled with wishy-washy PR speak; 'there will be learnings from this' and an 'action group is being established' and on and on it goes until they think people aren't looking anymore."

That's what I wrote in February 2024 and it would appear they think we're 'not looking anymore' because the licence fee has been retained and funding increased for RTE. Kevin Bakhurst is the new Director General and stands behind this five-year strategy they've spelled out in order to gain this trust from the Government with our money.

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He welcomed the funding on Wednesday: "Our five-year strategy, which was necessary even before the issues of the past year or more emerged, is about creating a trusted organisation that delivers for Irish audiences. It is about backing creative ambition and digital innovation, supporting Irish culture, and bringing people together. It is about reflecting Ireland and supporting the creative industry across the island. It is a plan based on the core values of public service. We are determined to build a strong, modern RTÉ that will play a defining role in Irish life; an RTÉ that Ireland will be proud of. We will not take the opportunity that today's announcement presents for granted."

I won't describe it as waffle because I'm sure it's meant with good intent, but this statement and RTE's new strategy is lip service. It's not accountability. The Government says it will review with new multi-annual funding model in three years. Where is the accountability now before we commit to this huge investment? Dee Forbes hasn't answered a single question for her failings as Director-General, others who sat at the top table resigned with nice pensions or resumed roles in the organisation. The ordinary citizen sees no recourse for what went on and is rightly angered by yesterday's news. It's like your child spending all their pocket money on rubbish in the shop and your punishment is to give them more money on the promise they won't do the same again.

A simple solution was staring everyone involved in the face that would have avoided the public backlash this week. It also would save the taxpayer a lot of money. That solution is to split RTE into a public service division and a commercial division. We spoke to former RTE journalist Ciaran Mullooly at the Ploughing Championships last year and he made this exact recommendation.

He said: "I do not think the television licence fee should be funding the Late Late Show or a lot of our drama and entertainment shows. That should come from commercial income."

He went on to say that the payments scandal came at a time "RTE's facilities around the country are understaffed", pointing out, "we don't have a camera person in the Athlone regional studio or the Dundalk studio." He said the studio in Athlone has been downgraded and "doesn't even have a television camera in there."

"That's why people like me get annoyed when we hear that money is being spent on other things," he added.

In that scenario, the TV licence money or central exchequer funding could fund things like the real journalists working for RTE right now, some of whom are not being paid enough for a start. It could fund programmes like Prime Times Investigates, the News, Morning Ireland, sports coverage, election coverage and even programmes like Nationwide that showcases many facets of Irish life. I would gladly pay my TV licence for that service, real public service journalism and programming.

The other side of the house would be a fully commercial enterprise. It would seek to keep 2FM on the air without State funding. If you get the commercial uptake to fund it and make money from it, great. If not, you close it down. 2FM does not provide a public service. Entertainment shows like quizzes, Home of the Year, the Late Late and others should be commercially produced. If they're not viable, so be it. That is the real world. It's clear RTE has not been living in the real world for the last few decades, not when high-profile presenters are getting paid in a year what an ordinary worker makes in ten.

Enough of my rambling because none of this matter now. RTE has been handed a blank cheque, but never fear, they promise to be the best boys and girls in the class this time!