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@rtesecretpro - An account that should never have gotten legs



Recently a controversial Twitter account by the name of 'RTE Secret Producer' has emerged. Its premise: a brave RTE staff member stands up against their employer and sets out to expose the hidden culture which prevails within the organisation. It sounds like a plot to a low-budget thriller.

The account has spurred much debate and has riled up many of the anti-RTE cynics who inhabit our country. Moreover, some of the Irish media - in competition with RTE and unlike RTE, not subsidised by the license fee - are probably happy to have a go at their media nemesis.

I have a few thoughts about this Twitter account...

First of all 

I have read Facebook comment after Facebook comment praising this mystery staffer for their bravery and for being the good Samaritan to expose the 'flawed' organisation. Although when one examines the level of 'exposure' through the Twitter account, one notices that this secret producer's ramblings amount to little more than office politics, a dislike for a certain Genre Head (the role that involves selecting programs to commission for TV) and the apparently worrying fondness among colleagues for egg and chips. Is this staff member really blowing the whistle on anything of substance?! No, not really.


Secondly 

I found one tweet to be particularly salient. The secret producer was apparently asked by numerous people if he/she could suggest a way to change RTE, a 'grand vision' to reform the organisation they seem to believe is in great disrepair. The vision was so meagre it only extended to a particular job title in a particular department. Perhaps a decent suggestion, but hardly achieving the aim of 'saving the organisation'. Have a read of the thread by clicking into the tweet.





Lastly

Do I believe that this person should be disciplined for their actions? Perhaps. If they are in violation of the organisation's social media policy or the conditions of their contract they should be sanctioned. And before a cynic tries to suggest that RTE are exercising their power to 'silence' a 'whistleblower', I believe that sanctions would face employees involved in similar scenarios in private organisations.

In my opinion the secret producer account is not to be taken seriously. 

RTE like many large organisations comes up against criticism from staff, the media and other stakeholders. This is particularly common for RTE seeing as it is publicly-funded. RTE, like many media organisations, is facing challenges of its own as it moves into the digital age. Radio listenership is falling and live TV viewership is slowing as the structure of the media industry changes beyond recognition. RTE needs to find practical solutions to these changes. This Twitter account is providing no solutions to these. This secret producer is no visionary in my opinion, more a disgruntled staff member whose horizons do not extend past their own personal grievances with their job and colleagues.

 Do I wish for this staff member to be exposed? No.

 Do I wish for an end to this hysteria and approval of this account? Most certainly.

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