23 Union supports National Symphony Orchestra


The National Union of Journalists has supported the call by the RTÉ Group of Unions for the retention of the National Symphony Orchestra within RTÉ, following the publication of the Boaden Review. The review by Helen Boaden and media consulting firm Mediatique recommended that the NSO would be separated from the national public service broadcaster. RTÉ would continue to pay for broadcasting rights. In a statement supporting the Trade Union


Group position, Séamus Dooley said: “The report correctly diagnoses the problem but suggests a solution which would seriously undermine the public service broadcaster. If there is a case for retaining the National Concert Orchestra under the umbrella of RTÉ – and there most certainly is – the same, compelling case can be made for the NSO. "We share the concern of Helen Boaden that without a properly funded and staffed set of orchestras, musicians may have no option but to leave Ireland for work. Starving the service would be an act of cultural vandalism but I am unconvinced that breaking up the orchestras is a desirable or viable solution. "RTÉ as the public service broadcaster must


continue to play a key role in the protection and promotion of our cultural heritage. The NSO, like the Irish language services and RTÉ archives for example, is a significant part of that heritage and deserves to be funded within the public service broadcasting model. "Outsourcing is a slippery slope. We have


already witnessed the undermining of the Young People’s department, through outsourcing. The board needs to have the courage to defend its mandate and demand funding for the NSO, rather than handing it over to a new or redesigned cultural institution. Given the mixed record of such institutions, music lovers share with RTÉ employees a genuine fear that the


NSO and RTÉ will both suffer because of this proposal. "RTÉ is unable to deal with the scale of the


current financial crisis without a radical overhaul of the licence fee collection system and a licence fee increase. That would require leadership from the Government but if we want a genuine, all-encompassing public service broadcaster it must be properly resourced.”


Johnston Press restructures again


Members in Johnston Press in the North have undergone the third restructuring in two years. The company sought the redundancy of one whole-time equivalent post, although it is understood it fell short of this goal. The restructuring will involve some staff moving between the company’s sports, news and communities teams. Meanwhile, two new posts


have been created in the Newsletter, including a full time reporter. Elsewhere the company has appointed a local democracy reporter, tasked with covering Derry and Strabane District Council. Local democracy reporter posts are being recruited by local media throughout the UK, in conjunction with the BBC, to cover councils and related stories.


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