Your Public Service Media Do Mheáin Seirbhíse Poiblí

RTÉ 2FM has today announced the eagerly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2024. Chosen each year by a panel of experts, the class of 2024 are Big Sleep, Brad Heidi, Chubby Cat, Jordan Adetunji, Qbanaa, Saibh Skelly, Shee, Sick Love, Strabe and The Cope.
 
2FM will champion the ten selected artists throughout the coming year, with particular focus on the acts unveiling exclusive new music and interviews during Rising Week which takes place from Monday November 27th until Sunday December 3rd.
 
Adam Fogarty, Director of Music at RTÉ 2FM said: “2FM are delighted to announce our 2FM Rising list for 2024. The support of Irish artists and music is an integral part of 2FM’s identity and output, and through core initiatives like 2FM Rising we aim to support the next generation of amazing talent creating music in Ireland across our platforms.
 
“The list was carefully deliberated over and discussed with great passion over a number of weeks, and  the 2FM Rising list for 2024 is a wonderful representation of some of the most exciting artists and music coming from Ireland. We’re excited for another great year for Irish music in 2024.”
 
Previous 2FM Rising artists include Dermot Kennedy, Denise Chaila, Lyra, Pillow Queens, The Murder Capital and Wild Youth.

The 2FM Rising Acts 2024

Big Sleep
Big Sleep have been making waves both across Ireland and internationally in 2023. The Dublin-based outfit partly met at school and other members later joined having met through the city’s live music scene. With indie-pop qualities that blend alternative rock and soul sounds, the band cite artists including Big Thief, JJ Cale, Jamiroquai and The Cure as influences. It’s been a busy time for the four-piece. So far this year they’ve toured with Somebody’s Child, received international radio play (BBC R1, Radio X, RTÉ 2FM), with features on major Spotify editorials (Hot New Bands, New Music Friday) and toured across Europe with sold out shows in London, Dublin and Berlin to wrap up what’s been a hectic 2023 for the band. Big Sleep’s Sophomore EP Isn’t That Sweet is out now.
 
Brad Heidi
Galway based singer-songwriter Brad Heidi – who recently won the BAI Radio / Hotpress Irish Music Month’s “A New Local Hero award” – is fast becoming the next Irish singer songwriter to break through. Brad has been travelling around Ireland busking with just his acoustic guitar and a suitcase full of heartfelt songs. He was spotted by Collective Mgmt just before the lockdown and now Brad has gone from busking on the streets to selling out his first shows, playing the Main Stage at Electric Picnic 2023, and has also recently opened for Billy Joel in Hyde Park London. His self-released EP, which qualified for the official Irish album Charts, reached No.2 on the independent album Charts and his singles Dancing In My Head and Nobody But You have already broken the Top 40 on the Irish radio charts. Brad has also mastered TIKTOK where he has reached 1 Million Likes and was crowned by TIKTOK as the No.1 Most Followed Irish artist in 2022.  
 
Chubby Cat
Stamped with an individuality and style of her own, Chubby Cat has just been selected to perform at the prestigious Eurosonic Festival in the Netherlands. Hailing from Cork, but now firmly planted in the blossoming Belfast Music Scene, Chubby Cat has already been making waves in Ireland with her earlier singles, Not a Vibe, Big Dog Barking, 21st Century Panic Attack, and Baby Blue & Ache picking up support at Irish Radio, blogs and assorted DSP’s including Spotify’s New Music Friday, GLOW, UK & IE and New Pop UK. Chubby Cat was also included on’ Best of Fresh Finds 2022 – the influential Spotify International playlist, and named as one of the Hot for 2023 Irish acts by HotPress. Chubby Cat is building a significant live audience having recently being one of the standout performers at Ireland Music Week and is due to represent Ireland at the prestigious Eursonic Festival in the Netherlands in January. She supported hot UK act Crawlers and Tourist for their sold-out shows in Dublin, and also recently performed at the Independence Festival Cork, Output Festival in Belfast, The Mother Summer Block Party in Dublin and Sofar Sounds Belfast.
 
Jordan Adetunji
Jordan Adetunji hailing from Belfast is breaking all the rules with his genre merging rap and R&B post punk. The Alternative Hip-Hop Artist has gained a huge momentum with his tracks being featured in Spotify playlists such as Alternative Hip Hop, Chillmatic, and New Punk Tracks, as well as rap uk and Fresh Finds Rock. Jordan Adetunji has also been played by Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody on radio, remarking “he is the next star” after hearing and seeing him live. He has also featured in Dazed, ID, NME magazine for his creative work.
 
Qbanaa
In the year since she released her debut single Truth and Desire Qbanaa has established herself as one of the rising stars of an Irish music scene that is continuing to incorporate new influences, cultures and sounds. The artist’s recent single Mundo En Mis Manos / World In My Hands received love from BBC Introducing, RTE 2FM, Nialler9, Hot Press and GoldenPlec. Written in what she calls ‘Spanglish’ (a mixture of Spanish and English). It’s a swansong for her early twenties, detailing her blossoming on her new adventure into womanhood. Based in Dublin, Qbanaa spent her early years travelling back and forth to Cuba, where music and salsa dancing were integral parts of her childhood. Singing in school choirs and with her grandmother in Spanish Mass in Dublin City Centre, until she moved outskirts of Dublin with her mother near the sea. Selected by District Magazine in the summer for their Future of Irish Music in 2023, July’s curveball Shrink saw her explore a new pop and drum n’ bass influenced sound and made an immediate impact – receiving support from the likes of Spotify, BBC Radio 1 and RTE 2FM. 
 
Saibh Skelly
In 2019, Dublin-based teenager Saibh Skelly began sharing her busking performances on YouTube, starting with a cover of Billie Eilish’s When The Party’s Over. It wasn’t until she invested in a video camera later that year that she noticed her videos gaining popularity. Kicking off 2023 with the catchy track So What?, Saibh continued to garner airplay and solidify her status as one of Ireland’s emerging stars. With an impressive track record of 16.5 million radio plays, 3.5 million YouTube views, 3.67 million TikTok views, and 2 million streams & Fresh from the success of ‘SAIBH X FIVE’, Saibh Skelly raises the stakes again with the brilliant SLY. Co-written and produced by Ash Howes (Gabrielle Aplin, Kylie) and Olivia Sebastianelli (Cosmic Gate, Purple Disco Machine), SLY is modern pop with a twist.
 
Shee
David Sheerin is an Irish producer living in county Limerick. He was raised on classic house and disco music and has released tracks through Edible Records, Part 4 recs, &Friends and Second Phase. Shee has been supported by Barry Can’t Swim, salute, TSHA, LP Giobbi, Sarah Story, Danny Howard and Young Marco.
 
Sick Love
Sick Love, led by frontwoman Rebecca Geary alongside Conor McLoughlin, Sean O’Connor and Cormac O’Neill, draw inspiration from Paramore, Blondie, No Doubt, Hole and Garbage, as well as pop influences like MARINA and Haim, and hip-hop artists like Cardi B. The group spent the last two years writing and producing their first full-length record, having developed significant early progress with the release of their initial series of singles which received strong DSP and critical support.  Scheduled for a May 2024 release on Paragon Records, with singles coming in February and April 2024, they recorded and produced the album in a farm cottage in Ireland, pushing the boundaries creatively and sonically. The result is an album that feels authentic and true to the heart of who Sick Love is.
 
Strabe
Strabe originally met six years ago at Cork Music Festival, bonding over their similar music tastes before quickly realising that they each represented the missing piece of the other’s creative dreams. Angelica, who is originally from Edinburgh, had pages upon pages of lyrics without a real home, while Dubliner Emmet had an electronic solo project without a voice tethering it all together. Their songs traverse deeper and deeper into the hue as the pair began piecing together How Our Love Grows and its bright, bittersweet explorations of grief, growth, and personal evolution.
 
The Cope
The Cope are audio-visual artists David Anthony Curley and Joe Furlong who met at an impromptu karaoke birthday party in late 2019 they bonded over 90s dance classics, French house music and the Beastie Boys. The pair swiftly started writing together in David’s studio, The Clinic Recording Studios. As they began to develop their sound over the course of the following 18 months, their debut album Dancer took form. Between Joe’s experience as a session bassist with some of Ireland’s most renowned artists and David’s success with his former band Otherkin, the duo knew they wanted the project to be about more than just the music. They have released several music videos and short films, the most recent two directed by David, which enabled them to build a visual world for their music to live in. Now based in Berlin and Antwerp respectively, the pair will be celebrating the release of their debut album Dancer on the 7th of December with a show in The Complex, Dublin.

Powerful RTÉ documentary reveals the story of 12-year-old Patrick McDonagh who died by suicide  

WATCH the trailer here.

Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost  is a new ground-breaking RTÉ documentary shining a light on the issue of alarmingly high suicide rates among the Irish Traveller community through the harrowing and deeply personal story of 12-year-old Patrick McDonagh. The documentary only hears from Traveller voices, with the story told from their perspective and not through the lens of settled community. It will be broadcast this Monday, November 27th at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

12-year-old Patrick from Finglas in Dublin, died by suicide a year ago. Sensitively following his parents, Michelle and Pat, as they come to terms with their loss, the documentary explores the wider multifaceted challenges facing the community and highlights the devastating impact on those left behind. Patrick’s father Pat McDonagh reflects on the bullying his son experienced which the family were unaware of until after Patrick’s death. In sharing their personal story, the family’s hope is to inspire other people to speak up and ask for help when they need it.

A special screening was held on in the Lighthouse Cinema in advance and attended by the President. The event was MC’d by Ray D’Arcy and included a panel discussion with members of the Traveller community.

In a statement, the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins said: “What an honour it was to attend an advance screening of Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost. Even though I am familiar with the issues with which the Travelling Community struggle, the personal testimonies of Patrick McDonagh’s parents, and Bernie Power moved me in a way I find difficult to describe. It would be so valuable if all members of the public could see this film, which describes a life lost to bullying. An incredibly talented boy, interested in all aspects of life and full of curiosity, within one year had his life destroyed. 

RTÉ and Alleycat Films have in my mind placed all of us in their debt in what is a splendid, valuable exercise in public service broadcasting. There are so many reasons I could think of why this film should be seen in every household, and it would be just incredibly valuable if it were seen in every school.” 

Leading Traveller voices from around the country including Senator Eileen Flynn and Director of the Traveller Counselling Service Thomas McCann, contribute to the documentary and delve into the complexities facing this marginalised and often discriminated against community.

This deeply moving, unprecedented film, created in close collaboration with the Irish Traveller community, hopes to provide an opportunity to ignite conversations, dismantle stigmas, and encourage proactive measures to address the underlying factors contributing to this  devastating crisis.

Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost was directed and produced by Alan Bradley of Alleycats Films for RTÉ.  Michéal MacDonnachada, a member of the Irish Traveller community, was an Assistant Producer throughout the making of the documentary. Kathy Fox and Grainne McAleer were Executive Producers for RTÉ.

Watch Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost  tonight, Monday 27th November at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.  

To Whom It Concerns…

The eagerly anticipated theme for this year’s Late Late Toy Show has finally been announced – and it’s none other than the beloved Christmas classic Elf. 

Patrick Kielty will be joined by Santa, Leon the Snowman, Papa Elf, and a whole host of workshop elves as they travel through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest, past the sea of twirly-swirly gum drops, and journey through the Lincoln Tunnel for the most magical night on Irish television. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, and this year’s show will have over 170 young performers and toy testers taking part. The children hail from all over Ireland, with the youngest elf aged just four years old.

Smiling is his favourite, and ahead of his debut Late Late Toy Show, host Patrick Kielty said: “I am so excited for my very first Toy Show and I am delighted to reveal that the theme for this year is an absolute Christmas classic – Elf, The Movie. Sitting down to watch it with all the family has become a big Christmas tradition in our house and I can’t wait to let Buddy and the elves loose in the Toy Show Workshop tonight. We’ve got some amazing kids, wonderful toys and lovely surprises coming your way. I really hope you have as much fun watching as we are going to have making it!”

There is no place like home, with a beautiful set tonight comprising of New York’s Central Park, The Toy Shop, Candy Cane Forest, and the film’s Post Office Workshop, created by RTÉ production designers. The RTÉ Costume and Make-Up Departments have been kept busy making elf shoes, customised elf ears, and designing costumes with rich velvet colours over the past number of months.

There’s room for everyone on the Nice List, and tonight’s show is all about Toys, Toys, Toys! Squishmallows, LEGO, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Bluey, Goo Jit Zu, Cookeez Makery, Biggies, Beast Lab, and Barbie Campervan are among some of the top offerings tonight at Santa’s Toy Show workshop. Sustainable toy options including Bio-glitter, PlayMais set, Geomag Race Track, Bio Buddi set, Green Beedz, and TOYI Upcycling Craft Kit also feature. Plus, there will be cost-effective toy options with Barbie Fashionista Dolls, ALDI Littletown Christmas Soft Stretchy toys and a toy DeLonghi Barista Coffee Machine – can it produce the ‘world’s best cup of coffee?’

As always, books will have a strong prominence on the show, with a large majority of the featured children’s titles from Irish authors. Irish toys set to feature include Arckit, CubeFun, 3D Model Croke Park, Little Angel Dollhouse and Holotoyz Tattoos, Antics Board Game, and a Bainisteoir Board Game. 

Patrick and The Late Late Toy Show elves – both big and small – will also have a few surprises up their sleeves for viewers and lucky audience members alike.

A list of the toys featured will be available on the show’s website www.rte.ie/latelate following the broadcast. All toys featured on the night will be donated to charities.

RTÉ Player   

Stream Free Worldwide 

In 2023, a global audience from over 139 countries tuned in to watch The Late Late Toy Show on RTÉ Player, with viewers from London to New York, Madrid, Dubai, Sydney to Auckland. Stream The Late Late Toy Show tonight on RTÉ Player at 9:35pm.

Subscribe to The Late Late Show YouTube channel for all the best bits, including Santa’s special visit to the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra.

ISL

The Late Late Toy Show with Irish Sign Language (ISL) will broadcast live on RTÉ News Channel and RTÉ Player. For the first time, this year’s ISL coverage features two deaf presenters – Sarah-Jane O’Regan and Jason Maguire – who will be working with hearing interpreters, Amanda Coogan and Ciara Grant. The Late Late Toy Show ISL is a real celebration of Irish Sign Language, Ireland’s third official language! The Late Late Toy Show ISL will also be available to stream shortly after the live broadcast.

Audio Description (AD) will also be available for the repeat on Sunday at 3.15pm and on Monday night at 12.40, and afterwards on RTÉ Player. A fully accessible version (with subtitles, ISL and AD) will be broadcast on Wednesday 29th November, which will also be available to stream. Audio Describers this year will be Clara Murray, Kevin Sherwin and Berni Stack.  

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal 

Working in collaboration with Community Foundation Ireland, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is back for its fourth year to improve the lives of children and their families by funding essential support, health, wellbeing, play, and creativity initiatives. It has so far raised an astonishing €17.5m and provided support to 226 different charities and given 359 grants over that time. It supported 147 different children’s charities last year alone and is estimated to have helped over 1.1 million annually since its inception.

Donations can be made via www.rte.ie/toyshowappeal and by the Revolut app.

RTÉ Social Channels

Catch all the excitement from behind the scenes on the official social channels. The brilliant Kayleigh Trapp will host a TikTok Live at 6.30pm on Friday, with an AAA pass. Kayleigh will be with Patrick in rehearsals and bring you on a never-before-seen tour backstage.

The official hashtag is #LateLateToyShow. You can follow the Late Late right now to make sure you don’t miss a single second of the greatest TV night of the year – @latelaterte on TikTok @latelaterte on Instagram, @RTELateLateShow on Twitter, @TheLateLateShow on Facebook.

The Late Late Toy Show airs tonight on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player at 9:35pm.

Here’s an exciting announcement that will be of great interest to primary and post-primary schools all over Ireland – the launch of the 2024 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition!

It has been four years since the last Music for Schools Competition, and RTÉ lyric fm are delighted to have it back in partnership with Waltons Music and the support of the National Concert Hall.

The 2024 Waltons RTÉ lyric fm Music for Schools Competition is a fantastic opportunity for both primary and post-primary school music groups of up to 40 students to develop a performance piece inspired by this year’s Competition theme, Music Moves. Twelve groups – six primary and six post-primary – will be selected to perform their piece in a gala Finalists Concert at the National Concert Hall on April 8th, 2024. And six of the Finalists – three primary and three post-primary – will win a total of €7,000 worth of vouchers for musical instruments and equipment from Waltons Music for their schools, including two first prizes of €2,000 in vouchers.

All primary and post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland are eligible to enter the Competition, and hundreds of schools from all 26 counties have participated in previous years.

“Participation in the Competition has brought our pupils to a place, both physically and emotionally, that we never dreamed we could reach. It made us go beyond what was our best effort, and find a creative musical niche for every child involved.”– Joan McNamara, Knockanean National School, Co. Clare

So get your thinking caps on and start working on your entry piece or song, performed by an instrumental, vocal or mixed group from your school. It can be in any musical style or combination of styles – past entries have included classical, Irish traditional, jazz, pop, rock, rap and folk – and can be performed by any combination of singers or instrumentalists you choose. Anything goes.

Once again, the theme of this year’s Competition is Music Moves. The entry deadline is Friday, February 9th, 2024. We’ll be announcing the twelve Finalist schools here on RTÉ lyric fm on Friday, February 16th. And the Finalists Concert in the wonderful National Concert Hall will be on Monday, April 8th.

Go to the Music for Schools Competition web page, newschool.ie for more information, entry forms and videos of past competitions – and start making music.

The Black & Irish Gala Awards (BIG Awards) are back for the third year and will be even bigger and better with a new media partnership with RTÉ, Ireland’s national public service media.

The Black & Irish Gala Awards powered by RTÉ will take place on Saturday 2nd December in the Osprey Hotel Naas, Co. Kildare when awards will be presented in 15 categories.

You can now vote on the nominees in each of the categories. The top three nominees will be shortlisted, the nominee with the most votes will win the award on the night.

VOTE here.

WATCH our promo here.

Patrick is getting Toy Show ready, as he preps himself for the biggest night of the year with a little help from the experts.

Check our this year’s promo as everyone is invited to Be Toy Show Ready!

 The Late Late Toy Show | Friday 24 November, 9.35pm – RTÉ One & RTÉ Player

-ISL: RTÉ News Channel
-Live & on demand from anywhere in the world at http://www.rte.ie/player 
-Repeated Sunday 26 November with Audio Description , Sunday 26 Nov | 3.15pm | RTÉ One

RTÉ Choice Music Prize

In association with IMRO and IRMA

2 0 2 4 K E Y D A T E S

Irish Album of the Year 2023 Shortlist Announcement – 8th January

Irish Song of the Year 2023 Shortlist Announcement – 12th January

Live in Vicar St, Dublin with an Exclusive RTÉ2FM Broadcast – 7th March

(Tickets on Sale Friday 17th Nov at 9am, priced €29.50 plus booking fees)

Returning Prizes

Irish Artist of the Year

Irish Breakthrough Artist

Classic Irish Album

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize will be back in 2024 and continue its principal role in championing Irish music. The key dates for 2024’s event were announced today on RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show.

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize Event, one of the music industry’s biggest nights, will be back in Vicar St on Thursday 7th March and celebrated in an exclusive live broadcast on RTÉ 2FM, along with a TV-special on RTÉ2 later that month.

Three new prizes were introduced last year and will be awarded once again in March – Irish Artist of the Year, Irish Breakthrough Artist and Classic Irish Album. RTÉ 2FM will broadcast a week of Choice Music Prize announcements from 8th -12th January, with All Irish All Day kicking things off on the station on Monday 8th January.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize Key 2024 Dates include:

• Irish Album of the Year 2023 – shortlist Mon 8th January
• Irish Artist of the Year – shortlist Tues 9th January
• Irish Breakthrough Artist – shortlist Wed 10th January
• Classic Irish Album – further details Thurs 11th January (the winning album will be announced ahead of the live gig next year)
• Irish Song of the Year 2023 – shortlist Fri 12th January

—-

Conversations – Thursday 7th March, BIMM, Francis St

Live Event with an Exclusive RTÉ2FM Broadcast – Thursday 7th March, Vicar St

RAAP, Culture Ireland, FMC and Minding Creative Minds are also official project partners of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

The Choice Music Prize website has published a list of Irish albums released to date in 2023. This list can be viewed via http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/2023-album-list/ and updated here http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/album-submissions/

Last year’s winners:

• CMAT – If My Wife New I’d Be Dead (AOTY)
• Moncrieff – “Warm” (SOTY)
• Fontaines D.C. – Irish Artist of the Year
• Cian Ducrot – Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year
• I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got by Sinead O’ Connor – Classic Irish Album

“2FM is delighted to continue our partnership with the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for the 8th year running. The RTÉ Choice Music Prize is an important annual event in the wider Irish music landscape, and we’re delighted to be able to continue to celebrate all that is great about Irish music and Irish artists. The inclusion of the ‘Irish Artist of the Year’, ‘Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ and ‘Classic Irish Album’ categories for the 2nd year running, coupled with the longstanding ‘Irish Song of the Year’ and the preeminent ‘Irish Album of the Year’ prizes allow us to more broadly represent the incredible past, present and exciting future of Irish music. 2FM will continue its support as the flagship partner station with content and promos across our platforms over the coming months, and this will be reflected more widely across the entire organisation as we get closer to the awards night.” – RTÉ 2FM’s Head of Music, Adam Fogarty

RTÉ Choice Music Prize Conversations will take place at BIMM, Francis St, Dublin on Thursday 7th March. Conversations is an international music forum designed to encourage frank exchanges amongst both panellists and the audiences to challenge some of the biggest prevailing issues confronting artists and industry professionals.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize will once again celebrate the best in Irish recorded music. The Prize has become one of the music-industry highlights of the year since its inception in 2005. The Irish Album of the Year prize only is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of eleven Irish music media professionals and industry experts. The winning AOTY act will receive €10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). All shortlisted acts will receive a specially commissioned award on the night.

“IRMA are delighted to continue their association with the RTÉ Choice Music Prize. The talent that exists within the Irish Music scene right now across many genres is very impressive and the RTÉ Choice Music Prize continues to shine a light both domestically and internationally on quality Irish Music across a number of key award categories. IRMA is looking forward to the week of shortlist announcements beginning on January 8th and to the Live Event on March 7th” – Willie Kavanagh, Chairman of IRMA

#rtechoiceprize

About the RTÉ Choice Music Prize

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize is organised by David Reid. Editor of RTÉ Brainstorm, Jim Carroll is the chairman of the judging panel (for AOTY). It is unique in that the judging of the Irish Album of the Year focuses simply and solely on the music (as opposed to sales or airplay). The full list of judges for the

Various prizes will be on the RTÉ Choice Music Prize website from w/c 8th January. This is the 19th year of the prize. Past winners can be found via http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/past-prizes/

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize Live Event will be dedicated to the memories of Sinéad O’Connor and Brian Geraghty (RTÉ), both of whom passed away earlier this year. Sinéad was the first winner of the Classic Irish Album category and attended the Live Event earlier this year to accept the prize; Brian was central to securing RTÉ’s support of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize and, as a true advocate, remained closely involved.

Stay up-to-date with the latest RTÉ Choice Music Prize news by following @choiceprize, @rte2fm, @rte and @rte2 on Twitter and Facebook and @explorerte and @rte2fm on Instagram using #rtechoiceprize.

Further information can be found at:

http://www.choicemusicprize.ie

http://2fm.rte.ie/

http://www.rte.ie/

http://twitter.com/choiceprize

RTÉ today published a ten-point plan setting a new direction for the radical transformation of the organisation. The document launches against the backdrop of an acute funding crisis that threatens the very existence of public service media in Ireland.

The document sets out a vision for a new RTÉ in the form of commitments and actions. In tandem, RTÉ has confirmed that it will implement a series of cuts to planned expenditure in 2024 as part of an immediate cost-control programme.

Developed to respond to the urgent need for transformation and a restoration of trust, the plan is the first step in a consultation with Government, with the audience, and with staff, the creative sector, and other stakeholders. The plan sets out the framework for the eventual strategic plan for 2024 – 2028, which will be provided to Government and the regulator in the new year.

The public are being invited to give their views on the New Direction document at www.rte.ie/newdirection

The New Direction plan details 10 key areas of reform, transformation and change:

1. A New Vision for Public Service
2. A New Approach on Value for Money
3. A New Take on Nationwide Production
4. A New Organisation
5. A New Strategy for Sectoral Support
6. New Digital Products
7. New Digital Experiences
8. New Protections for Free-to-Air Access
9. A New Approach on Financial Management
10. A New Framework for Better Governance

Among the key commitments in the plan are:

• A 50% increase in commissioning spend by 2028, as part of a hybrid-production model, which will see increased investment in independent production to access and support creativity across Ireland.

• A new ambition to better reflect Ireland by investing in production centres outside Dublin, including a planned Cork content hub, with renewed commitments to Limerick and Galway. In addition, the plan details a pathway toward digital transformation and personalisation, with increased investment in digital products and skills.

• A smaller RTÉ through investment in technology, skills and people, with a 20% net headcount reduction over the period of the 2024-2028 strategy, supported by a voluntary exit scheme.

• A range of financial and governance reforms, with the launch of new registers and reporting functions, including

1. a Register of Commercial Interests
2. a Register of Commercial Activities

• Published Expenses

1. Salaries of Leadership Team
2. Anonymised Top 100 Salaries

• The setting of a maximum pay cap (no salary will exceed that of the Director-General), and a review of and reduction of allowances, as well as an evaluation of options for the future use of the Donnybrook campus, including reducing the size of the footprint needed for RTÉ’s production and broadcast facilities.

The public are being invited to give their views on the New Direction document at www.rte.ie/newdirection

Targeted Cost Reductions

About 90% of adults in Ireland access RTÉ’s content and services at least once a week. While RTÉ’s broad remit and obligations, set out in the Broadcasting Act, remain in place, total funding has now declined significantly. Longer-term decline due to systemic issues with the funding of the public media system has been overtaken by a widescale breakdown in trust arising from the recent controversy; in the second half of 2023, licence fee sales declined by a further 30%. This trend looks set to continue over 2024, which could result in a €40m decline in TV Licence revenues.

To help close this public funding gap, and to address these immediate and significant financial challenges, RTÉ will implement a minimum of €10m cuts in expenditure planned for 2024. These cuts will include:

• Cuts to content, to be confirmed in the coming weeks
• An initial and limited Voluntary Exit Programme, to deliver a headcount reduction of 40. This will be funded by the 2017 land sale proceeds
• Ongoing freeze on recruitment
• Ongoing pause on discretionary spend
• Postponement of a range of capital and strategic projects

Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, RTÉ, says: “The document we have published today sets out the strategic direction and vision for a transformed RTÉ, and is the blueprint for RTÉ’s forthcoming Statement of Strategy 2024-2028. RTÉ’s unique public service character, and values, have guided each of the ten points in the outline plan.

As we await a decision on how public media in Ireland will be funded, we recognise the urgent need to restore trust. While RTÉ will become smaller in size across the life of this strategy, the scale of RTÉ’s public service ambition, and our ambition for the role that RTÉ will play in Irish life, will not be diminished.

The destination of this new direction plan is, ultimately, a better RTÉ. RTÉ will deliver high-quality programmes and content and will be more agile so that we can meet evolving audience needs. We will provide better value for money. We will work harder with the independent production sector and diversify outside of Dublin. Over its almost 100-year history, RTÉ has served the public through the talent, integrity and commitment of its staff. Whilst acknowledging that we need to reduce our workforce, we remain committed to supporting and developing the extraordinary people that we have both in RTÉ and across the industry.

2024 will be a challenging year and one in which we will have to manage our cost base carefully. Hard choices will be made. My hope, however, is that we will enter 2025 armed with a robust strategy that makes the best use of the monies available to fund our national media service, monies we will invest as wisely and strategically as possible to improve the invaluable contribution of public service media to life in Ireland.”

RTÉ has announced that Gavin Deans is to take up the role of Commercial Director, leading RTÉ’s commercial division. As part of RTÉ’s permanent leadership team, Gavin will lead the development of a new commercial strategy for RTÉ, optimising revenues for reinvestment in public service media through an evolution of RTÉ’s revenue streams, markets, and strategic partnerships.

Gavin was formerly Managing Director of Media Central, Ireland’s largest media sales house, where he led and implemented commercial strategy across Media Central’s portfolio of radio stations, digital, events and sports businesses. As a champion of client solutions, Gavin delivered a range of media firsts for key clients, including Heineken, Vodafone, Coca Cola and PWC. Formerly a Sales Director at Communicorp (98fm, Spin 1038), Gavin has extensive previous experience in print and digital media.

Gavin says: “RTÉ holds a special place in Ireland’s media landscape. I am genuinely inspired by its commitment to delivering high-quality content and serving the needs of the public. At the same time, I understand the challenges that RTÉ and the media sector face. As I set about the task of evolving a best-in-class commercial strategy for Ireland’s national public service media, my focus, and that of my new colleagues in RTÉ, will be to deliver the maximum amount of revenue possible to safeguard RTÉ’s public service portfolio for current and future generations.”

Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, says: “I am delighted to welcome Gavin to RTÉ and to the leadership team. As we prepare to deliver a new strategic vision for RTÉ, the role of our commercial division will be critical. As a dual-funded broadcaster, the monies we generate from our content is re-invested into the creation of new content. Commercial revenue will be an essential pillar of a sustainable RTÉ and, with his unparalleled experience as an innovator in the sector, I am confident that our excellent commercial team will have a leader that can drive results for RTÉ, and for the audiences we serve.”

Gavin will take up his role as Commercial Director in February 2024.