RTE in Crisis

Anton Savage: RTÉ pays its stars the big bucks because they’re worth it

Had he lived and stayed working till today, Gerry Ryan would have earned the station another €58.5 million. How much do you pay a presenter like that?

Gerry Ryan in RTÉ 2FM’s studio in 1999: The presenter was offered a significant sum to jump ship, but stayed to earn the station millions. Picture: RTÉ

In all the analysis of RTÉ, two beliefs have emerged as universal truths: there is no point in paying RTÉ presenters big money because they have nowhere to go, and if they do go it would have no impact anyway. The first of these is completely wrong. The second, partially wrong.

RTÉ presenters move. Quite a bit. It all began with Terry Wogan, who got hacked off with the money and airtime provided by RTÉ. ...