RTE is about to experience the biggest shakeup in its history.
The new director general, Mr Bob Collins, informed staff yesterday of changes designed to equip RTE to face a future of increasing competition, greater strain on its finances, new technology and a fragmenting audience.
The old position of assistant director general has gone and is to be replaced by three managing directors with wide responsibilities in those areas where most change is necessary organisation and planning, television, and commercial revenue generating areas.
The director of television programmes, Mr Liam Miller, is to become managing director organisation and development; the director of news, Mr Joe Mulholland, is to become managing director television, and the head of RTE's commercial enterprises, Mr Conor Sexton, is to become managing director commercial.
Other changes announced yesterday include the director of radio, Mr Kevin Healy, becoming director of public affairs, the head of schedule planning, Mr Adrian Moyne, becoming special assistant to the director general, and Mr Peter Branagan, who is the director of production facilities and engineering, becoming director of technology.
Advertisements for the posts of director of radio, of news and of television productions will appear in the national press today.
Mr Miller is central to Mr Collins's strategy. His role will be to identify and implement a process of change throughout the organisation so that RTE can compete within the new broadcasting environment.
Crucially, he will also be chairman of RTE Commercial Enterprises Ltd, a recognition of the need to increase income for programme making. The director of technology will report to Mr Miller, which again is clear recognition of the speed with which technology is changing.
Mr Mulholland takes over both television programmes and production facilities, the area that uses most of the station's resources.
The commissioning editor of the independent production unit, Ms Claire Duignan, has been upgraded to head of independent productions.
Yesterday, Mr Collins, who will be the director general to bring RTE into the 21st century (his contract expires in April, 2002) spoke to The Irish Times about what broadcasting in Ireland will be like in five years' time.
He said he hoped RTE would continue to be the preferred source for radio and television programmes for Irish people. However, the station was facing cost inflation for buying programme rights and especially sports events.
Digital television would require significant investment but it would also require decisions to be taken, so that developments were not decided outside Ireland. This "inevitable development" could not be funded by any one broadcaster. There was a need for major investment and it might be necessary to look outside RTE for funding, he said.