Newstalk Megathread

IRE60 · 26-04-2014 6:16pm

Interesting article on the vision for the station:
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/newstalk-targets-350-000-daily-listeners-by-end-of-year-1.1771343

I think, from doing the sums, the PK slot needs to be circa 125k in the survey next week to be holding his own.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 26-04-2014 8:57pm

They've been operating at a loss every year since their formation. You'd wonder if a big draw like Kenny still has them in the red will O'Brien think about giving up on it.

Hurk · 30-04-2014 4:09pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

He was a smoker himself up until fairly recently, I remember him talking about it when they ran a piece on smoking during workhours a while back.

The crowd who give them up are always a pain in the arse to listen to, the vaping industry is their next target in this country.

You're wrong here anyway. He's super anti-cigarettes but he never smoked one in his life.

CountyHurler · 01-05-2014 12:58pm

Fergus Finlay put his name forward for that Charities Regulator Board? He takes over 100K a year from a charity that is much smaller than Rehab. Surely it's people like him that such a Charities Regulator should be questioning?

Lapin · 01-05-2014 7:33pm

Best Off The Ball ever going on right now.

Literally laughing out loud here at the lads !

honeybear · 01-05-2014 8:01pm

I don't usually listen but caught some on a car journey. Funny alright tonight

neris · 01-05-2014 8:03pm

jason mcateers a good laugh and making it more funny to listen to

Harry Angstrom · 02-05-2014 9:11am

I must try that bankruptcy lark. Ivan has spent the week at Punchestown and he's off to Newmarket at the weekend for the Guineas meeting. Being "broke" ain't what it used to be.

CountyHurler · 02-05-2014 9:43am

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I must try that bankruptcy lark. Ivan has spent the week at Punchestown.

I listened to Ivan having one of his rants last week, giving out about David Drumm, chastising him for leaving Ireland and declaring bankruptcy in the States.. Ivan passed his debts on to the Irish taxpayer in a similar way, so I'm not sure how he's able to take the moral high ground on this issue..

Glebee · 02-05-2014 10:51am

CountyHurler wrote: »

I listened to Ivan having one of his rants last week, giving out about David Drumm, chastising him for leaving Ireland and declaring bankruptcy in the States.. Ivan passed his debts on to the Irish taxpayer in a similar way, so I'm not sure how he's able to take the moral high ground on this issue..

What pisses me off about his rants is that while he had his snout in the trough as a TD, not sure how much he done to change things. He ranted on before Good Friday about the liciencing laws needed chaning yet while hes party was in power I bet he done frig all to change. In fairness Chris did pull him up on this point....

jameshayes · 02-05-2014 11:12am

PK talking about prisons at the moment... just a thought, why in gods name did they call it Mount Joy, what a sh!t name for a prison.

Alias G · 03-05-2014 7:14am

jameshayes wrote: »

PK talking about prisons at the moment... just a thought, why in gods name did they call it Mount Joy, what a sh!t name for a prison.

Presumably after the same guy Mountjoy square is named after.

forgetfull_sam · 03-05-2014 3:17pm

CountyHurler wrote: »

Fergus Finlay put his name forward for that Charities Regulator Board? He takes over 100K a year from a charity that is much smaller than Rehab. Surely it's people like him that such a Charities Regulator should be questioning?

fergus finlay

quite possibly irelands smuggest man

Lteegan · 06-05-2014 10:14am

Interesting description there from Pat on the breakfast show, of Boko Haram as a 'mad eejit' .....sounds like there's great japes going on over there

Loafing Oaf · 06-05-2014 9:46pm

Lteegan wrote: »

Interesting description there from Pat on the breakfast show, of Boko Haram as a 'mad eejit' .....sounds like there's great japes going on over there

Could Pat have finally identified Boko Haram's mysterious overlord?

brooke 2 · 07-05-2014 3:03am

Sean Moncrieff today talking to some guy about cooking and eating placenta!! Tastes like beef, apparently!

His programme gets more bizarre by the day!!

neris · 09-05-2014 7:06am

the 630am business guys obsession with apple and its share price is getting beyond stupid.

buckfasterer · 09-05-2014 8:35am

neris wrote: »

the 630am business guys obsession with apple and its share price is getting beyond stupid.

I think he may be doing it now just to have a laugh as it was Ivan who said something to him a few weeks ago about it.

In fairness, it's a company that everyone knows about so it's easy to understand what's being said to a degree. I'd rather that than some unknown being spoke about.

CountyHurler · 09-05-2014 12:19pm

Not impressed by the triumphalist way that Newstalk are playing that ad about RTE not playing their "move the dial" advert. I mean Jonathan Healy is always spouting on about how politicians never answer a straight question, and when Pat Rabbitte does give him a straight answer Newstalk use the soundbyte as part of an ad that they replay 100 times a day..

soc160 · 09-05-2014 7:56pm

You think they'd give Franchesca Cummins a new microphone and ask her to stop doing her reports from a toilet block.

McDave · 10-05-2014 5:41pm

For my money, Ivan and Chris have now found a good balance. I've moved back to NewsTalk after a long hiatus. I think Shane Coleman has come along well, although I don't think he did especially well alongside Ivan when Chris was away. I like Shane on the Sunday Show.

George Hook is doing well these days too, although his ratings dropped recently. I flip between himself and Matt Cooper. But I kind of prefer Hook's curmudgeonly but essentially good natured persona.

The weak link on the news front is that awful git Jonathan Healy. Surely they can do better than a broadcaster with the delivery of a schoolboy.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 10-05-2014 7:55pm

Did anyone hear the documentary this morning about Unionists in east Belfast learning the Irish language? Very interesting stuff, the wife of Brian Ervine (Progressive Unionist Party) helped set up a programme, to date they've had over 170 people from the area take the course.

Radio docs are the one thing Newstalk always do well in my opinion.

irishproduce · 11-05-2014 9:13pm

Have news talk changed the policy on listen backs. I'm android and since last week there is a 24 hour delay on listen backs on the app. Previously though they could be got straight after the show. Strange. Maybe someone knows if they changed policy.

constitutionus · 12-05-2014 9:30am

dont know if its a policy but im on android too and the last few days i havent been able to get half the shows i used to on listen back.

one day it was only the breakfast show and pat kenny for the entire day.

irishproduce · 12-05-2014 3:19pm

That was the day that it changed.
No podcasts were available after Pat Kenny show.
now all podcasts are 24 hours behind.

If you use onecast you will be able to get some of them after the show finishes. Not sure why that is

Harry Angstrom · 13-05-2014 12:35pm

Healy's crusade against so-called "cheap" supermarket alcohol continues unabated. Today he's at the Vintners' Federation of Ireland annual whinge fest :rolleyes:

ThisRegard · 13-05-2014 12:53pm

He's so annoying, he's of the Joe Duffy school without the phone in part.

neris · 13-05-2014 1:03pm

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Healy's crusade against so-called "cheap" supermarket alcohol continues unabated. Today he's at the Vintners' Federation of Ireland annual whinge fest :rolleyes:

someone has to give the "poor" publicans a voice. Wonder has healy got a vested interest in a pub hence all his anti supermarket rhetoric

Cant remember what station it was last week but they had 3 pub owners on talking about the changes in the pub industry. One guy had taken over a very rural pub and was very positive about it and enjoying it. Another owned a very prominent pub at the samuel beckett bridge in dublin which if you pass by any evening is jam packed so this poor us thing by publicans is a load of crap. The publicans dont want to change and want things to stay as they were

irishproduce · 13-05-2014 2:45pm

irishproduce wrote: »

Have news talk changed the policy on listen backs. I'm android and since last week there is a 24 hour delay on listen backs on the app. Previously though they could be got straight after the show. Strange. Maybe someone knows if they changed policy.

Listen backs seem to be back to normal

SEPT 23 1989 · 13-05-2014 2:50pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Did anyone hear the documentary this morning about Unionists in east Belfast learning the Irish language? Very interesting stuff, the wife of Brian Ervine (Progressive Unionist Party) helped set up a programme, to date they've had over 170 people from the area take the course.

Radio docs are the one thing Newstalk always do well in my opinion.

I did but why was it on a 7 in the morning or was that a repeat?

really goes to show when its not compulsory and rammed down peoples necks there is an interest in taking up the language

irishproduce · 13-05-2014 2:52pm

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Healy's crusade against so-called "cheap" supermarket alcohol continues unabated. Today he's at the Vintners' Federation of Ireland annual whinge fest :rolleyes:

You got me. I bit and had a look at what was going on.
I read the news article on examiner's website and I am wondering what is the point of this conference?
What happens there? It seems to be just a public lobbying meeting as opposed to a conference.
My employer held a conference last Autumn and at that conference our CEO discussed our strategy for the year ahead, our target areas, areas of growth and how we could benefit from same etc but I don't remember him calling on the government to do this or that, or demanding that the government consider taxes. Would this group not be better discussing what they can do to form a strategy over the next 12 months and how they can benefit from any improvement in economy etc or is it just a case of inviting the media in to publicly lobby??

parasite · 13-05-2014 10:36pm

haha, Tom Dunne thinks Paul McCartney sang about a 'nurse selling puppies from a tray' and how politically incorrect it is, had me cringing anyway

Loafing Oaf · 14-05-2014 9:59pm

Is Dan McDonnell channelling Cunny Kenningham here: how many 'possibly sos' has he come out with?

Vorenus400 · 15-05-2014 6:47pm

Donal Skehan now on George Hook pushing his gourmet pie range. It wouldnt be too bad but I thought this slot was for unknown small businesses. Does he not get enough exposure with RTE.

ballsymchugh · 15-05-2014 6:58pm

i think it's time to put paolo tullio out to pasture. he's just a contrary old man now. today he was being pedantic about the difference between pudding and dessert based on what they do in buckingham palace.
it's time they started to vary the chefs. i thought the best one they had was the owner of an indian restaurant, but he was only on the once.

Vorenus400 · 15-05-2014 10:51pm

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i think it's time to put paolo tullio out to pasture. he's just a contrary old man now. today he was being pedantic about the difference between pudding and dessert based on what they do in buckingham palace.
it's time they started to vary the chefs. i thought the best one they had was the owner of an indian restaurant, but he was only on the once.

I like Paolo and his stories, especially the ones about being a cattle dealer or his time in boarding school. He has a good perspective on Irish life.

His advice on food isnt great though. its often rambling and always returns to same old recipes like the lasagne sheets being precooked and no cream in the carbonara

constitutionus · 16-05-2014 9:03am

jaysus but ivan tore the rep of the AGSI a new hole this morning !

hope his tax is up to date on the car

nicedryturf · 16-05-2014 2:23pm

constitutionus wrote: »

jaysus but ivan tore the rep of the AGSI a new hole this morning !

hope his tax is up to date on the car

Indeed!

I've grown tired of his snide, know-it-all cynic routine but he occasionally redeems himself with mercliless, richly-deserved grillings like the one he dished out this morning.

neris · 16-05-2014 8:50pm

constitutionus wrote: »

jaysus but ivan tore the rep of the AGSI a new hole this morning !

hope his tax is up to date on the car

heard him saying they had an agsi clown at some stage but missed it what did he say to him? In fairness to yates when he wants to lay into someone he doesnt hold back plus i dont think he has much time for unions or "representitive bodies" (to much time dealing with the ifa)

McDave · 17-05-2014 4:41pm

Chris O'Donoghue gets a nice (and IMO well deserved) write-up in today's IT:
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/media/radio-donoghue-is-no-sidekick-in-this-breakfast-double-act-1.1798761

Calhoun · 17-05-2014 5:32pm

I wouldn't say i agree with the article, while i don't dislike Chris i just don't think he has what it takes to drive a slot like that solo.

He has shown over the years how weak he is in a 1x1 interview situation and this "quiet relentlessness and probing curiosity." generally is him asking a really blunt question without any really finesse or maneuverability.

McDave · 18-05-2014 8:06am

My God! Who's that car crash presenter on Talking Books. Her accent is so bad in parts it's barely discernible as English. There are too many, and it has to be said many female, presenters with poor AA Roadwatch/Dorsh diction which gets directly in the way of providing information. There are certain programmes I simply won't listen to now because of unlistenable presenter accents.

McDave · 18-05-2014 11:38am

Not impressed with Tara Duggan standing in for Shane Coleman on the Sunday Show). Far too casual, referring to the Sunday Independent as the Sindo (too text-speaky) and to Gardai on Segways as 'branding' (would have thought branding Gardai is trivialising them).

Sounds like she and her guests are chatting in someone's kitchen. No structure. Very lightweight. Thought I was tuning into Nova or Spin when I 'moved the dial' this morning.

Harry Angstrom · 18-05-2014 2:16pm

McDave wrote: »

Not impressed with Tara Duggan standing in for Shane Coleman on the Sunday Show). Far too casual, referring to the Sunday Independent as the Sindo (too text-speaky) and to Gardai on Segways as 'branding' (would have thought branding Gardai is trivialising them).

Sounds like she and her guests are chatting in someone's kitchen. No structure. Very lightweight. Thought I was tuning into Nova or Spin when I 'moved the dial' this morning.

She should stick to the newsreading. She's awful on Hook's Friday show as well when she appears as a guest, although his Friday show is already a load of crap anyway.

Grolschevik · 21-05-2014 7:45pm

It has occurred to me on a couple of occasions recently that we might be witnessing in real time his descent into dementia...

Lteegan · 21-05-2014 7:48pm

I thought it was quite amusing actually, when he asked if it was about turtles......

Muff Richardson · 21-05-2014 8:29pm

It's all a charade which he gets caught out on the odd time. He's clued in on enough to ramble on and offer his two cents worth but anything that might associate him with the younger generation he refuses to have any knowledge about so he can keep up with the "I'm such an old fart now I don't give a ****e what anyone thinks about me" yet he's clearly talking through his hole and knows well enough or has at least heard of whatever the subject matter is. Fairly pathetic for a man of his age really.

Wish the fat useless slob would just pack it in, especially on TV and extra especially since I got HD on it.

Loafing Oaf · 22-05-2014 8:36am

Muff Richardson wrote: »

Wish the fat useless slob would just pack it in, especially on TV and extra especially since I got HD on it.

Has he caused you to "fall out of love with a piece of technology"?:P

nicedryturf · 22-05-2014 3:54pm

While we're on the topic of Hook's distaste for popular culture this side of 1960, what do you guys think of his Essential Songs of the 20th century with Bill Hughes? I only catch it the odd time but jeez, it all seems a bit musty. I've no problem with old music - I love jazz and blues - but there seems to be a real lean towards hokum that will satisfy Hook. One week it was Andy Williams and Moon River. The next it was Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Then it's Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. I'm sure Bill Hughes covers more contemporary stuff (one week I heard him talking about REM, the lunatic!) but I honestly can't imagine them covering Guns 'n Roses, the Sex Pistols or Nirvana, who like them or loathe them, have made a huge impact on popular music (at least as much as Bob Hope anyway!). That said, I only catch the show about half the time and may have missed the one where George enthusiastically explained East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry to Bill.

gluppers · 22-05-2014 5:11pm

nicedryturf wrote: »

While we're on the topic of Hook's distaste for popular culture this side of 1960, what do you guys think of his Essential Songs of the 20th century with Bill Hughes? I only catch it the odd time but jeez, it all seems a bit musty. I've no problem with old music - I love jazz and blues - but there seems to be a real lean towards hokum that will satisfy Hook. One week it was Andy Williams and Moon River. The next it was Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Then it's Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. I'm sure Bill Hughes covers more contemporary stuff (one week I heard him talking about REM, the lunatic!) but I honestly can't imagine them covering Guns 'n Roses, the Sex Pistols or Nirvana, who like them or loathe them, have made a huge impact on popular music (at least as much as Bob Hope anyway!). That said, I only catch the show about half the time and may have missed the one where George enthusiastically explained East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry to Bill.

I think they picked 'Simply the Best' by Tina Turner one week. They lost me after that

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