Sir, – The revelation of the outrageous levels of salaries/incomes (Home News, March 28th) for the so-called “star presenters” in RTÉ leaves one breathless.
I believe that most reasonable and objective citizens would support a zero tolerance policy, ie the dropping of a zero on all the salaries quoted. Those levels would then perhaps be about right for the amount of time actually worked by most presenters.
One is reminded of a phrase, attributed to a royal personage during the Blitz on London in 1941, that could be adapted by the RTÉ presenters along the lines of : "Now we can look the (viewers of) Eastenders, Fair City and Nationwide in the eye . . . one's pitch has been levelled somewhat". – Yours, etc,
PATRICK JUDGE,
Rochestown Avenue,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – Whether you like or loathe our top-billing RTÉ personalties, orthodox economic theory would suggest that the rate paid to them should be what the market is willing to bear. That is to say, the rate in or around where an alternative purchaser would resile from paying more, or the rate below which a competitor might still be willing to purchase.
Intervening factors to be considered include their inherent quality (credibility or trust, intelligence), quality of substitutes, demand on the part of viewers and perhaps the supply of alternatives.
No disrespect to some of the personalities involved, but I am intrigued as to the competitive process that was engaged in to retain the talent of say, (but not limited to) Brendan O’Connor, and what the basis of his price is? In this era of value for money, productivity and performance management, should these details not be published? If the personalities involved don’t like it, there must surely be other bidders? – Is mise,
CORMAC O’CULAIN,
Thomas Davis Street South,
Christchurch,
Dublin 8.