Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Marisa Mackle

David McWilliams says RTE 'makes a boll*x of cost control' and claims his Ma could present Late Late

Former RTE presenter David McWilliams has said he is not shocked by revelations about RTE management.

He said that RTE gets money from everywhere yet "makes a boll*x out of cost control".

The well-known economist presented a daytime chat show on RTE called The Big Bite between 2005 and 2006.

READ MORE - Former RTE TV host David McWilliams tells station's staff to 'grow up and face the real world'

David spoke on The David McWilliams podcast to former RTE sound engineer, John Davis.

He said: "I presented The Big Bite. I had a total laugh. It was one of the best shows I ever did. It was great fun."

But he went on to say: "Let’s just say, everything that has been revealed about RTE management does not shock us. Is that fair to say, John?"

John agreed: "Absolutely. Don’t get me started ‘cos my blood was boiling all week."

David went on to explain what RTE is to his listeners, saying "Just so you know, RTE is the public broadcaster in Ireland.

"It’s the BBC except it operates on all Irish things as a hybrid model.

"So the BBC and many, many public broadcasters only get their money from the State in a licence fee - and there’s no advertising.

"RTE, in a classic sleeveen Irish move, manages to get money from the State and it gets money from advertisers, so it should be the most well-financed public company in the world, but it is always broke."

David continued: "RTE gets money from everywhere, makes a boll*x of cost control and is always bust.

"They pay their ‘talent’ - rather than being PAYE employees, which they should be, given that they work exclusively for one company - the State broadcaster."

They have all decided to set up companies, so that they are companies rather than employees.

"And then on top of that you have the situation whereby the main talent, the main presenters - act and negotiate through agents, which is not unusual.

"But what makes it unusual here, John, is that there’s only one buyer, which is the State company."

John added: "And there’s only one agent as well and he manages all of the top guys in RTE, so he basically holds the purse strings and the power in RTE."

David added that the way RTE management dealt with public money was "appalling".

He added: "My Ma could present the Late Late. I’m really serious."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.