'Urgent need' to update and redesign the RTÉ Player, says Bakhurst

'Urgent need' to update and redesign the RTÉ Player, says Bakhurst

THERE IS AN “urgent need” to invest in digital products such as upgrading the RTÉ Player, the News app and a new audio app, according to RTÉ’s Chief Executive Kevin Bakhurst.

As part of the new strategy for the next five years, which aims to ensure “the future and the relevance of a transformed” national broadcaster, a new sign-in feature will be introduced for all RTÉ Player users in an effort to make the service more personalised.

The RTÉ Player will also have a “redesigned and further improved interface” and new features, such as Live Restart. This will be introduced in 2026.

Last week, the broadcaster moved to clarify that there are no plans to charge audiences for use of the RTÉ Player.

In his opening statement to the Oireachtas Medica committee today, the RTÉ boss said the building stock on the complex is also in need of large-scale investment.

The “prohibitive cost of maintaining RTÉ’s significant existing aging infrastructure” means that RTÉ will be a smaller organisation on the Montrose site in a few years time.

“However, RTÉ will remain the largest content creator in the country, and will continue to produce tens or thousands of in-house hours of live and recorded audio and video programming,” states Bakhurst.

The RTÉ boss hit back at what he dubbed as allegations, stating in his opening statement that he wanted to be clear what his new strategy is for the national broadcaster.

“I am aware that there are some allegations that our increased commitment to commissioned content is some form of privatisation of a public good. That is untrue.

“Working in partnership with the creative sector has been a long-standing obligation in the provision of public service media, both for RTÉ and TG4,” he states.

Bakhurst said some of the broadcasters most-watched programmes, be it factual documentaries such as Birdsong or popular programmes such as Dancing with the Stars are made in partnership with the independent sector.

“We are focused on delivering more of the kind of content that our audiences most value through a blend of in-house and commissioned content. This will allow us to strengthen the Ireland’s creative production sector while protecting the unique public service that is RTÉ,” he says.

Some 1,400 staff will remain in the broadcaster at the end of the five-year plan, Bakhurst will confirm.

Bakhurst will also state that previous strategic plans have failed because they did not go far enough in terms of the reforms needed structurally to achieve sustainability into the future.

He said his plan goes further, stating that he is confident that his new plan is the “best way forward for RTÉ and offers not only the best value for money for our audience, but also the most effective way that RTÉ can remain viable and thrive”.

The committee will also hear of a number of actions being taken to date, which include a  new formal approval process being established for significant expenditure projects, which goes through both the Interim Leadership Team and the Board.

All submissions to the board relating to expenditure approvals must now include

a risk assessment and a business case, Bakhurst will say.

The level above which board authorisation is required has also been lowered to €1 million. This applies to sports rights, programme acquisitions, programme commissions and operating expenditure.

RTÉ has developed a new policy around the contra account to formalise the process and framework around an contra deals such as ticket purchases.