New figures indicate that the number of people purchasing TV licences has continued to fall significantly compared to the previous year. In the first three weeks of October, 34,882 TV licences were sold, marking a decrease of 37% compared to the 55,704 sold during the same period last year.
In September, 45,440 TV licences were purchased, compared to 66,281 in September 2022, a decrease of 31%. For the period between July to the third week of October 2023, 161,237 TV licences were sold, versus 245,146 for the same period last year, a drop of 83,909 or 34%, reports RTE.
This decline comes despite RTÉ’s efforts to regain public trust following a series of controversies, including revelations over misstated payments to Ryan Tubridy. These efforts have included changes to senior management, a commitment to increase transparency, and ensuring a high standard of corporate governance.
However, figures released from the Department of Media show that these steps have yet to change the outlook of TV licence fee intake. The ongoing decline in TV licence sales is a significant concern for RTÉ and the broader broadcasting industry.
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