46June 2015
T
RADE unions within RTÉ are planning to challenge the
broadcaster’s practice of using unpaid labour to keep its
digital audio broadcasting (DAB) digital channels in
operation, it has emerged.
Radio communications manager Maureen Catterson has
confirmed that  volunteers are currently rostered to pro-
duce content at a variety of locations for the station’s five
digital channels.
“They range from music enthusiasts producing and filing
content from overseas to individuals who are in full time jobs
who want to be part of the evolution of radio content”, Catter-
son said. “At the very beginning of any engagement it is made
clear that it is voluntary and there is no remuneration”.
The digital channels, launched in , include RTÉ Pulse,
a dance music channel, XM, Radio  Extra, RTÉ Gold, and
RTÉ Junior.
“The budgetary allocation for this section, most of which is
allocated to transmission-related costs, is very small. Cur-
rently without a commercial revenue stream to underpin the
section it is simply not possible to offer remuneration to the
team of voluntary presenters and content-makers on these
services. If the presenters were paid it is a reality that we
would have had to discontinue the services some years ago”.
“There have been many examples of volunteer Digital Radio
presenters breaking through to the FM services: Emma
Power, Carl Mullan, Louise Denver and Colm Flynn are to
name a few. These presenters are of course paid for their serv-
ices on any of the for FM stations”.
“With the majority of the Digital Radio budget being allo-
cated to transmission costs, from the outset in  it has not
been possible to offer anything other than production support
and mentoring to any volunteer to these services. RTÉ radio
has been very clear and transparent about this”.
“Unfortunately the challenging financial environment in
which RTÉ has operated for the last number of years has not
facilitated any change to this position. This position is con-
stantly under review. It is not unusual for broadcasters to
engage voluntary presenters on their digital radio services”.
“From the very start of the Digital Radio project, RTÉ Radio
has engaged with and outlined to the group of Unions within
RTÉ that the nature of the presenting work is voluntary”.
However, a union representative said that the use of unpaid
presenters only came to light when Scott de Buitléir resigned
from his position presenting LGBT programme “The Cosmo”
on RTE Pulse, during the marriage equality referendum, as he
felt he was being silenced.
In a blog post explaining his
decision, de Buitléir mentioned in
passing that he had worked
unpaid on the programme.
“I became aware of people vol-
unteering when I read Scott’s blog
post about resigning”, said Emma
O’Kelly, chair of the NUJ’s broad-
casting branch.
“The NUJ Broadcasting Branch
has not been made aware of any
NUJ members who have not been
paid for work in RTÉ. If any
member finds themselves in that
situation, we would urge them to
alert their union rep
immediately ”.
O’Kelly also confirmed that she
has spoken to the Trade Union
Group (TUG) in RTÉ, and that
other trade unions in the national
broadcaster said they were also
unaware of the practice.
“We in the Broadcasting branch
would be very concerned about
this matter, and we are going to raise it with RTÉ via the TUG.
The TUG would share our concern as well. Neither of us would
condone the use of unpaid workers in any part of the national
broadcaster”.
“There has been no approach to the TUG from RTÉ about
this matter, and RTÉ would come to the TUG with proposals
about internships, we are currently in fact in long-term dis-
cussions about internships for students, for graduates, but no
approaches have been made about the use of unpaid staff or
so-called “volunteers”.
“We will be raising it: it is on the agenda for the next meet-
ing of the TUG in mid June. We are going to contact RTÉ”.
One unpaid contributor who did not wish to be named for
fear of repercussions said he knew of two dozen unpaid con-
tributors, who worked as presenters and also produced their
own programmes.
And he said that paid and unpaid presenters and producers
worked side by side, as some RTÉstaff from FM also worked
on the digital channels.
“There aren’t really producers on the shows, you have do
everything yourself”, the contributor said. “There are prob-
ably three or four people a night doing their own shows,
they’re all voluntary”.
“I spend half a day every week on my show, four or five
hours. If I interview people and then edit the interview, it can
be double that.
There are weeks when RTÉ has got  or  free hours out
of me. I wish it was two hours, at least then Ireland’s
renowned national broadcaster would only be milking me for
two free hours a week”. •
Unions angry that RTE’s digital channels use volunteers. By Gerard Cunningham
DABbling unpaid
MEDIA RTé
If the
presenters
were paid it
is a reality
that we would
have had to
discontinue
the services
some years
ago
“
RTé Radio
Communications
Manager
Maureen Catterson