RTÉ issued a statement saying it was suspending plans to employ a €60,000-a-year Fair City photographer following a backlash against the role, reports The Mirror.
Earlier this week it was revealed that the broadcaster plans to spend €240,000 on a multi-year contract with a dedicated photographer who will take at least 16 authorized photos a week on the set of the Irish TV series.
But in the latest twist to the RTE controversy, station bosses have said they will “suspend the current public tender process for Fair City photography,” reports The Mirror.
The tender initially stated that the position would require the photographer to spend an average of 20 hours a week on set, with “occasional weekends and night shift work.”
In a statement issued this afternoon, RTE said it would now suspend the tender process and “among other considerations” take time to review the number of images required and the duration of the contract.
They added “a revised tender document will be issued once these decisions have been made”, reports The Mirror.
RTE Director-General Kevin Bakhurst said: “Given the steep fall in the licence fee and the uncertainty over interim funding, and following last week’s announcements, we have decided to halt the current tender process for Fair City photography. While quality professional photography is essential to enable us to promote our programmes and engage audiences, it is not possible for RTE to commit to a four-year contract or to this level of spend given the challenges we now face,” reports The Mirror.
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