RTE admits error over Dobson

RTÉ has admitted it made "an error of judgment" in allowing TV news anchor Bryan Dobson to be involved in training health board chief executives on how to answer journalists' questions.

The director of communications at RTÉ, Ms Bride Rosney, yesterday confirmed that Mr Dobson had been given permission by the director of news, Mr Ed Mulhall, to work with Promedia, the media company which provided the training.

"Ed was asked about providing training to a health body, and he didn't see a difficulty with it. Bryan made an error of judgement, and was very quick to acknowledge it.

"Both Bryan and Ed have acknowledged their error, and RTÉ acknowledges that we made an error of judgement."

As part of his contract with RTÉ, Mr Dobson, who conducted mock interviews with the executives, is required to seek permission from his divisional head, Mr Mulhall, before accepting any extra-curricular employment.

RTÉ journalists were involved in providing media training "all the time", Ms Rosney said, but "to get involved with this particular group at this particular time was not a good idea; at another time it might have been fine".

She added that most RTÉ journalists did the work without pay. Mr Dobson, however, has confirmed he was paid for his services.

RTÉ does not intend to establish a set of guidelines to ensure that inappropriate work is not undertaken by employees, and Ms Rosney said Mr Dobson would not be the subject of any disciplinary action.

"There isn't any question of discipline; we support Bryan in his decision and in the integrity he has clearly shown."

The Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Mr Seamus Dooley, said Mr Dobson had been "guilty of bad judgment" in becoming involved in coaching the executives.

"Bryan Dobson admitted it was a mistake and I would share his view that it was a mistake; he admitted it as an error of judgment and I would regard it as such."

He said journalists should not be engaged in extra-curricular activities that might be perceived as being in conflict with their work, but he would not be overly critical of Mr Dobson because he had been "direct" in dealing with the story.

He added: "I would have thought that eminent civil servants, such as the chief executives of health boards would not need, and the State should not have been funding, teaching in how to spin a line."

The general manager of Promedia, Mr Paul Little, has refused to disclose the names of any other journalists involved in media training with the company.

He said he could not comment on Mr Dobson's admission that his involvement with the company was a mistake.

However, he said, "the whole thing is a bit of a storm in a tea cup".