RTÉ crisis: Bakhurst thanks TV licence fee payers for loyalty as sales drop by almost €1 million

The number of TV licence fees that have been paid has declined by almost a third with revenue down some €1.3 million in the wake of the huge controversy of RTÉ's secret payments to Ryan Tubridy and separate spending on corporate hospitality.

The Government is monitoring the situation amid speculation that RTÉ will require a State-funded bailout though it has been made clear that any such request will require reforms at the broadcaster.

There was a drop of 8,250 TV licences purchased in the first two weeks of July compared to the same period in 2022.

In total 20,163 €160 licence fees were paid over the first two weeks of July a 29 per cent fall from last year, amounting to €1,320,000 less revenue.

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Minister for Media Catherine Martin said she understood the frustration that licence fee payers felt about the controversy that has engulfed RTÉ.

She suggested that withholding the licence fee may be an “initial quick reaction” to the revelations from RTÉ and normal payments will resume once the controversy subsides.

She urged the public to continue to pay their licence fee because of the importance of public service broadcasting in the country.

When asked if she believed RTÉ will need a government bailout, she responded by stating that the Government will monitor not only RTÉ's licence fee revenue but also its commercial revenue over the rest of the summer.

“I think it is too early to see if that is a long-term trend. I’m looking at the longer time trend when I assess what the budgetary ask will be in September,” she said.

The long-term future of public service broadcast funding will only be made, she added, in an “atmosphere of trust” once the various outside examinations into RTÉ's activities are carried out.

Minister for Finance Michael McGrath said the fall in TV Licence purchases is “not really surprising” as RTÉ “has been in the eye of a storm”.

He urged people to continue paying the fee “to respect the work of the ordinary workers in RTÉ who continue to provide high quality public service broadcasts.”

[ RTÉ crisis: Drop of almost €1 million in TV licence sales and renewals in June and early July ]

Mr McGrath said: “The question of any additional Government support doesn’t arise at this point in time.”

He said that if such a request is made in the future the Government will be “looking very closely” at the progress made in governance and reforms at RTÉ.

Mr McGrath said: “That would very much influence Government’s thinking and public support on this issue.”

It was reported on Tuesday morning that there had been a fall in TV licence purchases of more than 6 per cent during a five-week period across June and July compared with the same weeks last year. The figures for the first two weeks of July alone show a sharper drop in TV Licence sales.

The revelations about RTÉ's financial governance first emerged on June 22nd.

RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst responded the initial reports of a fall in TV Licence sales saying he is “very grateful to those who have continued to buy a TV licence during a period when events have cast such a dark shadow over RTÉ. They have every right to feel let down.”

He added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate that we are working hard to rebuild trust in this organisation, and we will continue to do so. We must.”

[ Jane Suiter: Is Kevin Bakhurst the right person to turn RTÉ around? ]

Mr Bakhurst also said he wanted to thank RTÉ's “hard-working staff”, who “despite everything, remain focused on producing great programming and content for our audiences, across television, radio and online”.

Elsewhere, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was asked if he had any concerns that the controversy over RTÉ would stop people from paying the licence fee, a situation that could force the State to step in with more financial support.

He replied: “I hope not. As I’ve said before, I’m going to continue to pay the TV licence fee.”

Mr Varadkar was speaking in Brussels on Monday before the reports about the drop in TV licence sales.