RTE has been accused of leaking internal surveys to "put a positive slant" on its listenership figures. The chief executive of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) has called on the listener research body to take "immediate sanctions" against RTE.
Mr Michael O'Keeffe accused RTE of showing "a complete disregard, once again, for the procedures agreed by the Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR)
This followed a report in yesterday's Irish Times quoting internal figures showing that Marian Finucane's afternoon show Liveline was out-rating The Gay Byrne Show. An RTE source was quoted as saying that Today with Pat Kenny was doing only "marginally well".
An RTE spokeswoman said the company "strongly disapproved of the unauthorised release of material".