RTE to spend E10m on World Cup, rugby

RTE will have to pay out up to E10 million to broadcast the World Cup and the Six Nations Rugby games this year. This comes on the back of falling revenue, including a drop of E10 million on licence fee income collected last year. Sources put the costs associated with being the Irish host broadcaster for the Six Nations - as well as broadcasting the World Cup - at E10 million. The main costs relate to rights acquisitions. RTE tenders for the World Cup as part of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). RTE, as well as other broadcasters, will also be hit with the new levy imposed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) in 2010. The body will be self-funded, unlike its predecessor the Broadcasting Commission. RTE expects this levy, details of which have not been announced, to cost them E4 million a year.