RTÉ Director General defends additional payments to Patrick Kielty, as contractually agreed and expresses desire to retain him as Late Late Show host
Both sources report that Patrick Kielty received additional payments beyond his €250,000 salary in 2024 and 2025 for hosting extra programmes, including the Christmas special, as permitted by his contract. RTÉ/RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst defended the payments, citing contractual terms, and emphasized tight control over presenter pay. He confirmed he would like Kielty to continue as host but did not disclose contingency plans. Speculation persists that contract negotiations are linked to Bakhurst’s own pending government pay decision. Both sources agree on core financial figures and quotes, though TheJournal.ie provides slightly more detail on executive compensation context.
Both sources provide largely consistent factual coverage with minor differences in framing and completeness. TheJournal.ie offers marginally more context on Bakhurst’s potential pay rise. RTÉ introduces a thematic frame around 'transparency' not present in TheJournal.ie, potentially shaping reader interpretation of institutional accountability.
- ✓ Patrick Kielty was paid additional amounts beyond his stated €250,000 salary: €266,323 in 2025 and €257,657 in 2024.
- ✓ The additional payments, totaling €23,980 across 2024 and 2025, were for presenting programmes beyond his standard Late Late Show contract, such as the Christmas special.
- ✓ RTÉ/RTÉ stated the extra work was required and compensated per terms in Kielty’s original three-year contract.
- ✓ Director General Kevin Bakhurst defended the payments as contractually justified.
- ✓ Bakhurst previously stated no RTÉ employee should earn more than him.
- ✓ Bakhurst has a base salary of €250,000, a €25,000 car allowance, and a €62,500 pension contribution.
- ✓ Bakhurst acknowledged 'real downward pressure on presenter salaries' and 'tight control' on top pay.
- ✓ There is speculation that Kielty is waiting for Bakhurst’s government-approved pay rise before negotiating a new contract.
- ✓ Bakhurst said he would 'love to keep Patrick – he’s great' and did not disclose any contingency plans to avoid inflating costs.
Mention of Bakhurst's potential pay rise
Mentions Bakhurst is 'reportedly in line for a potential pay rise' but omits the specific €20,000 figure and does not repeat it in the closing quote, slightly downplaying the financial stakes.
Explicitly states Bakhurst is 'reportedly in line for a potential pay rise of €20,000' and includes this detail in two places, including in the final paragraph where he comments on wanting the pay deal 'sorted'.
Use of branding and narrative framing
Replaces 'RTÉ' with 'RTÉ' throughout, but adds the standalone headline-style phrase: 'RTÉ 'paid a price for transparency', says Director General' – which acts as a narrative frame not present in TheJournal.ie, suggesting institutional cost for openness.
Uses 'RTÉ' consistently and includes the phrase 'RTÉ boss' – framing the organization as central. Includes Bakhurst’s quote about transparency implicitly by quoting him directly on planning limitations.
Headline structure and emphasis
Headline is nearly identical but uses 'would love' instead of 'says he'd love', slightly softening the attribution. Adds the transparency quote as a sub-narrative in the body, elevating institutional accountability.
Headline emphasizes Bakhurst’s personal desire to retain Kielty ('says he'd love to keep him') and positions the defense of payments as primary.
TheJournal.ie
Framing: TheJournal.ie frames the story as a straightforward defense of contractual payments within a context of pay restraint. It emphasizes factual reporting with direct quotes and includes full context on executive compensation, positioning the issue as part of ongoing public scrutiny of RTÉ’s pay practices.
Tone: Neutral and factual, with a slight emphasis on transparency and accountability through detailed financial disclosure.
Proper Attribution: Describes additional payments factually and attributes the discrepancy to 'required' extra programming, framing the issue as administrative rather than controversial.
"The national broadcaster said this was because it 'required' Kielty to present 'some additional programmes beyond his standard contract'."
Balanced Reporting: Includes Bakhurst’s full quote about downward pressure on salaries and tight control, followed by a direct challenge ('Asked how he could say this...'), showing balance in reporting.
"Asked how he could say this when Kielty was paid for additional programmes, the RTÉ boss said it was in the terms of his contract."
Framing by Emphasis: Repeats mention of Bakhurst’s potential €20,000 pay rise, giving it prominence and linking it to the broader pay equity discussion.
"He is also reportedly in line for a potential pay rise of €20,000."
Comprehensive Sourcing: Uses direct quotes extensively, including Bakhurst’s personal sentiment ('I’d love to keep Patrick – he’s great'), which humanizes the executive but does not editorialize.
"Additionally asked if he wanted Kielty to return to the programme, he said: 'I’d love to keep Patrick – he’s great.'"
RTÉ
Framing: RTÉ frames the issue around institutional transparency and its costs, using a thematic headline insertion to suggest RTÉ has suffered consequences for openness. The story still relies on factual reporting but subtly shifts focus from individual pay to organizational accountability.
Tone: Slightly more interpretive, with a focus on institutional narrative. Maintains neutrality but introduces a thematic layer ('price for transparency') that implies broader consequences.
Narrative Framing: Introduces the phrase 'RTÉ 'paid a price for transparency'', which is not a direct quote in TheJournal.ie and acts as a standalone interpretive frame, suggesting institutional cost for openness.
"RTÉ 'paid a price for transparency', says Director General"
Omission: Omits the specific €20,000 figure in the final reference to Bakhurst’s pay rise, reducing emphasis on the exact amount despite mentioning the possibility earlier.
"He is also reportedly in line for a potential pay rise"
Framing by Emphasis: Uses identical quotes but structures the narrative to foreground the 'transparency' theme, potentially shaping reader interpretation toward institutional sacrifice rather than just contractual explanation.
"Asked on Tuesday why RTÉ had not been able to calculate how many programmes..."
Editorializing: Relies on the same sourcing as TheJournal.ie but does not repeat the pay rise detail in the closing quote, creating a slightly softer tone on executive pay issues.
"I don't know - I'd love to get that pay deal sorted."
TheJournal.ie
TheJournal.ie includes all key facts about the payments, contract terms, Bakhurst's remuneration, and the speculation about Kielty's return. It also includes Bakhurst's response to questions about his own potential pay rise, which adds context to the broader pay discussion.
RTÉ
RTÉ covers the same core event and quotes but omits the detail about Bakhurst being 'in line for a potential pay rise of €20,000' in the final paragraph, which slightly reduces its completeness on executive compensation context.
RTÉ chief defends extra payments to Patrick Kielty and says he'd 'love' to keep him at Late Late Show
RTÉ DG defends extra payments to Patrick Kielty, would 'love' him to continue as Late Late Show host