Fair Trading Policy 2022

As a dual-funded organisation, RTÉ aims to trade fairly. Trading activities, both internally and with external parties,  ought to be accordance with market principles, in compliance with competition and other applicable laws and conducted in a manner that ensures that public funds do not confer any unfair competitive advantage.  As required by the Broadcasting Act, RTÉ’s public service activities should operate at arm’s length from its commercial activities.

RTÉ’s Fair Trading Policy & Procedures document has been reviewed and updated following internal liaison. You can view the updated document here.

If there are any queries or requests for further information, please contact:
Eleanor Bleahene, RTÉ Solicitors’ Office, RTÉ, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

To view RTÉ’s Fair Trading Policy Complaints Procedure, click here.

RTÉ Journalism Guidelines (2020)

RTÉ’s editorial values include a commitment to:

• Operate in the public interest, providing news and current affairs that is fair and impartial, accurate and challenging
• Be honest and transparent in all of our activities
• Take personal responsibility for pursuing the organisation’s goals
• Ensure safety of our staff, contractors and our guests – whether they are visiting an RTÉ building or on assignment around the world

These editorial guidelines set out RTÉ’s approach to embedding those values in all our journalistic activity no matter how it is created and however it is received by our audiences. Our guidelines are to be applied in a way which maintains independence and deserves trust without constraining legitimate journalistic enquiry.

To view these guidelines, click here.

To view the Irish language version, click here.

RTÉ Social Media Guidelines

All RTÉ staff and contributors should be aware of and should abide by the RTÉ Social Media Guidelines. To view these guidelines, click here.

RTÉ Social Media – Terms of Use

RTÉ’s social media accounts share information about RTÉ content and services. We welcome your comments, likes, shares and posts. As well as observing the native guidelines and terms of use on each platform, please note the additional RTÉ community guidelines below.

RTÉ manages its social media accounts in line with the regulatory environment in which we operate, and we operate under the RTÉ Journalism Guidelines 2020 and the RTÉ Social Media Guidelines. Our values as an organisation, which you can view here, guide our approach. We actively monitor comments on RTÉ social media accounts to ensure adherence to the above and to the specific terms below.

As a result, we reserve the right to remove posts, graphics, comments, video, photos or any other content, as well as mute, block or report users, in line with the below:

• Comments or replies that are potentially libelous, defamatory, insulting, abusive or disparaging
• Comments or replies that violate another’s copyright or intellectual property
• Comments or replies that condone or promote illegal activity
• Comments or replies that are misleading, fraudulent or deceptive
• Comments or replies that use language or express views that are vulgar, hateful, discriminatory, racist, violent, threatening or harassing
• Comments or replies that are spam or intended to cause technical disruptions to an account or platform
• Comments or replies that disclose personal information about a person
• Comments or replies that are not related to the post under which it appears.

While we prefer not to, RTÉ reserves the right to block individuals/accounts which post material that falls into the above categories.

RTÉ is not responsible for the accuracy of the opinions, information, advice or comments posted by others on our accounts.

If you have been adversely affected by comments on RTÉ’s social media accounts, please contact [email protected]. Contact details for a number of helplines are also available here.

See also Terms & Conditions for RTÉ.ie here.

Programme Classification Information 

RTE operate an onscreen programme classification system to let viewers know more about the content of scheduled programmes. Icons will appear on screen for 20 seconds at the start of each programme which will help people make informed decision to view or not to view.

The four classification categories are:    

(GA) General Audience: Indicates a programme suitable for all ages and tastes

(CH)  Children: Indicates a programme aimed specifically at children, including pre-teen or young teenage audiences

(PS) Parental Supervision: Indicates a programme aimed a mature audience. It might deal with adult themes, be moderately violent or frightening, or contain infrequent bad language. This classification label invites parents or guardians to consider restricting children’s access

(MA) Mature Audience: Indicates a typically post-watershed (9.00pm) programme which might contain scenes of violence, sexual activity, bad language or adult themes.

RTÉ Data Protection Individual Rights Guide

Your privacy and data protection rights are important to RTÉ. As described in the RTÉ Privacy Policy, there are a number of rights which you may exercise under data protection law. This guide explains what these rights are and how to exercise them. To view, click here.

RTÉ Data and Document Retention Policy

This is the data and document Retention Policy of RTÉ and forms part of RTÉ’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) compliance project. To view, click here.

RTÉ Energy Policy

As an organisation and individually, RTÉ is committed to managing its energy consumption and continuously improving its energy management system. To view our Energy Policy, click here.

RTÉ Environmental Property

Mindful of our public service obligations, RTÉ has put in place an Environmental Policy. To view, click here.

RTÉ Child Safeguarding Statement

RTÉ is committed to promoting and facilitating the participation of children, in broadcasting and across our range of services where appropriate. There are many ways in which RTÉ maintains a strong connection to young people; through the RTÉ Young People’s Department, which commissions and creates content for children; through ongoing content such as RTÉ news2day and The Late Late Toy Show. Children are routinely involved in our productions, and take part in national events at which RTÉ has a presence. Young people also gain work experience through RTÉ’s Transition Year Access Programme. Children, therefore, regularly participate in various aspects of our business.

To view the statement, click here.

RTÉ Code of Business Conduct

The Code of Business Conduct for RTÉ Staff is intended to steer the conduct of RTÉ employees as they carry out business activities. To view the Code, click here.