The headline and the representation of RTÉ’s correspondence with the Public Accounts Committee on the front page of today’s Irish Examiner is incorrect.

The relevant section of the correspondence, included  below, does not state that the RTÉ Player will require investment of tens of millions of euros.

It clearly states that “the level of investment is conservatively estimated to be several million Euro of capital investment as a minimal requirement.”

The tens of millions reference is to the investment of significant capital funding made by linear broadcast services over decades.

Relevant section of RTÉ correspondence with the Public Accounts Committee, dated 9th February states:

“RTÉ’s estimated figure for the required investment needed in the RTÉ Player.

Further product technical scoping and benchmarking will be required to generate specific estimates, but as confirmed by the Director General at the Joint Oireachtas session of 26 January, the level of investment is conservatively estimated to be several million Euro of capital investment as a minimal requirement. In addition, further evolution of the service needs additional specialist skills which will require increased operating expenditure.

On demand and live streaming technology requires extensive investment and infrastructure to deliver parity of service with linear broadcast services, which have been in operation for many decades, with continued investment of significant capital funding to the level of tens of millions.”

ENDS