An advertisement for RTÉ’s news and current affairs department – featuring actors and filmed by external contractors – is to air over the next few days, the national broadcaster has confirmed.
The ad, which cost €77,000, prompted an angry outburst from a number of RTÉ news reporters earlier this year, when they discovered their background roles were to be played by extras.
They were also said to be furious that RTÉ went to some lengths to spruce up the newsroom for the cameras. This included the introduction of new plants, which were removed when filming ended.
They accused RTÉ management of manufacturing fake news and said the broadcaster should stand for integrity and honesty.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) chapel in RTÉ wrote to management in May, asking for a temporary cessation of filming.
An RTÉ spokesperson responded at the time: ‘The ad will feature a number of RTÉ journalists well known to the public. A couple of extras were engaged to feature in the background at the time of filming and shot to be out of focus.
‘Most newsroom staff at the time of filming were engaged in their full-time roles of producing news content for the public.’
The advert will look at the daily working lives of three of RTÉ’s journalists, including Europe Editor Tony Connelly. The Oireachtas Media Committee previously heard from Deirdre McCarthy, RTÉ’s managing director of news and current affairs, that the cost for the advert was €77,000.
Union representatives told members on Thursday that the advert will be broadcast on Monday from noon. The ad had been ‘viewed and approved for broadcast by the leadership team’, staff were told.
An RTÉ spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Daily Mail: ‘The promotion is due to air over the next few days.’
