Newstalk Megathread

Poly · 06-01-2011 9:53am

Do you think someone in NT had a look at the forum?;)

Chris doing a fine job running the show on his own.

ButtersSuki · 06-01-2011 11:02am

Poly wrote: »

Do you think someone in NT had a look at the forum?;)

Chris doing a fine job running the show on his own.

Gavin's filming "Dragon's Den'. He did a 5 minute ad for it at the end of Breakfast yesterday and made sure to say how amazing he was of course.

Poly · 06-01-2011 11:14am

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Gavin's filming "Dragon's Den'. He did a 5 minute ad for it at the end of Breakfast yesterday and made sure to say how amazing he was of course.

I missed that, I was hoping he got the boot. The show moves faster, sounds younger and more energetic when Chris is on his own.

barneygumble · 06-01-2011 11:30am

Chris is doing an excellent job on his own.

I heard him say that Ivan is due back on Jan 17th. I'd be more than happy to listen to Chris fly solo until then.

readyletsgo · 06-01-2011 12:25pm

I would listen to Chris on the Breakfast show if it was just him, get rid of Ivan! Not that he is 'old' but NT needs YOUTH behind it to keep going in the mornings, bit more spark!

Same with the evenings, I can not stand listening to that Hook bollox in the evening at all, sounds like he is going to have a heart attack when he is breathing down the mic. Rank! Retire George!

Chris is great, him on his own without Ivan or get someone else YOUNG in to co-host.
Tom Dunnes brilliant for a laugh in the morning, he cant go wrong really.
That midday show is good I guess, but it's a lot of repeating the news for an 1 and a half hours but still good I guess.
Moncriffe(sp?) Brilliant! He keeps NT on the airwaves!
Hook, just get rid of him. I know he is away for a few days at the moment and I have enjoyed his show so much without him this week haha.

Newstalk, shake things up please. And get some women on your radio station for chr!st sake!!!!

telekon · 06-01-2011 12:50pm

readyletsgo wrote: »

I would listen to Chris on the Breakfast show if it was just him, get rid of Ivan! Not that he is 'old' but NT needs YOUTH behind it to keep going in the mornings, bit more spark!

Same with the evenings, I can not stand listening to that Hook bollox in the evening at all, sounds like he is going to have a heart attack when he is breathing down the mic. Rank! Retire George!

Chris is great, him on his own without Ivan or get someone else YOUNG in to co-host.
Tom Dunnes brilliant for a laugh in the morning, he cant go wrong really.
That midday show is good I guess, but it's a lot of repeating the news for an 1 and a half hours but still good I guess.
Moncriffe(sp?) Brilliant! He keeps NT on the airwaves!
Hook, just get rid of him. I know he is away for a few days at the moment and I have enjoyed his show so much without him this week haha.

Newstalk, shake things up please. And get some women on your radio station for chr!st sake!!!!

I hope thats a joke...

I like Chris and all but I bet Ivan needs to reign him during every ad break. Did you not hear the JP McManus and Gerry Adams interviews? Chris has the exuberance of youth and no matter how great that is, a more experienced balanced head beside him is required for the meantime.

What do you want, Newstalk to be the radio version of that teenage sh*te on RTE television? :rolleyes:

Ivan is only just gone 51 by the way...

Lapin · 06-01-2011 2:26pm

readyletsgo wrote: »

I would listen to Chris on the Breakfast show if it was just him, get rid of Ivan! Not that he is 'old' but NT needs YOUTH behind it to keep going in the mornings, bit more spark!

Same with the evenings, I can not stand listening to that Hook bollox in the evening at all, sounds like he is going to have a heart attack when he is breathing down the mic. Rank! Retire George!

Chris is great, him on his own without Ivan or get someone else YOUNG in to co-host.
Tom Dunnes brilliant for a laugh in the morning, he cant go wrong really.
That midday show is good I guess, but it's a lot of repeating the news for an 1 and a half hours but still good I guess.
Moncriffe(sp?) Brilliant! He keeps NT on the airwaves!
Hook, just get rid of him. I know he is away for a few days at the moment and I have enjoyed his show so much without him this week haha.

Newstalk, shake things up please. And get some women on your radio station for chr!st sake!!!!

You have a point about Moncrieff.

Everything else you said is debatable.

As for Chris in the morning, he needs to chill out a bit and stop trying to create sensationalism out of nothing. His attempts to find fault with JP McManus were immature and petty.

Rebel1977 · 06-01-2011 4:16pm

Ivan is great on radio I think, great interviewer, love the way he winds up Phil Thomson and Paddy cerrand on the sports.

Poly · 06-01-2011 4:26pm

Chris and Ivan make a good double act.
The youthful exuberance of Chris vs. the world weary Ivan.

Reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbUxePfsoWE

FlutterinBantam · 06-01-2011 6:42pm

readyletsgo wrote: »

I would listen to Chris on the Breakfast show if it was just him, get rid of Ivan! Not that he is 'old' but NT needs YOUTH behind it to keep going in the mornings, bit more spark!

Same with the evenings, I can not stand listening to that Hook bollox in the evening at all, sounds like he is going to have a heart attack when he is breathing down the mic. Rank! Retire George!

Chris is great, him on his own without Ivan or get someone else YOUNG in to co-host.
Tom Dunnes brilliant for a laugh in the morning, he cant go wrong really.
That midday show is good I guess, but it's a lot of repeating the news for an 1 and a half hours but still good I guess.
Moncriffe(sp?) Brilliant! He keeps NT on the airwaves!
Hook, just get rid of him. I know he is away for a few days at the moment and I have enjoyed his show so much without him this week haha.

Newstalk, shake things up please. And get some women on your radio station for chr!st sake!!!!

he heh, tells it all doesn't it.

Can't even spell the presenter's name or bother to look it up.

Just shows one, yet again, that no matter what kind of shooite one churns out, someone will like it.

Bottom of the barrel here, I'm afraid:D

goonoutofthat · 06-01-2011 6:47pm

Newstalk Breakfast is very very poor! Chris is poor, Ivan is poor.

Rebel1977 · 06-01-2011 6:51pm

Ivan and Chris are top class dont know how you can its rubbish

Heroditas · 06-01-2011 6:58pm

Rebel1977 wrote: »

Ivan and Chris are top class dont know how you can its rubbish

I agree. However, there always seems to be a weak link on that show. Previously we had Claire Byrne. Now we have

Margaret E Ward

Rebel1977 · 06-01-2011 7:23pm

Claire is good to look at thats it.

Margaret E Ward is funny thou. Love when Phil Thompson calls Oisin 'Ocean'

readyletsgo · 06-01-2011 7:54pm

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

he heh, tells it all doesn't it.

Can't even spell the presenter's name or bother to look it up.

Just shows one, yet again, that no matter what kind of shooite one churns out, someone will like it.

Bottom of the barrel here, I'm afraid:D

Ugh, whatever guys. Just my opinion from listening to the station for 5 years. And not to worried about my spellin on here lol.

I just dont like Ivan in the mornings is all.

Byyyeeeeeeeeee

minstrel_boy · 06-01-2011 10:44pm

Chris is rubbish!! He doesnt earn the respect of any of his interviewees and in turn they give him nothing. There's too little going on upstairs for him to be a success!! All he does is come in at the end of Ivans interviews and asks a question that we all know cant be answered and then bleats with his " I need a yes or a no" or "I need a one word answer" speeel. The worst thing is, he loves himself for askin the "killer" questions!!!! He should start by asking the ordinary questions that would give him some credibility! He should spend less timing talking at his interviewee and more time listening to them

Yesterday's interview with Ivan Yates says it all for me. The evening before, Matt Cooper managed to get way more out of Yates on the last word than Chris could manage on Breakfast ( and he's his colleague for God's sake).

telekon · 06-01-2011 11:42pm

minstrel_boy wrote: »

Chris is rubbish!! He doesnt earn the respect of any of his interviewees and in turn they give him nothing. There's too little going on upstairs for him to be a success!! All he does is come in at the end of Ivans interviews and asks a question that we all know cant be answered and then bleats with his " I need a yes or a no" or "I need a one word answer" speeel. The worst thing is, he loves himself for askin the "killer" questions!!!! He should start by asking the ordinary questions that would give him some credibility! He should spend less timing talking at his interviewee and more time listening to them.

Agree 100% but I think thats why I like him. Totally unprofessional but oh so very very entertaining!

barneygumble · 07-01-2011 10:36am

Poly wrote: »

Do you think someone in NT had a look at the forum?;)

Given the continued aural torture inflicted by Margaret E Ward, it seems not.

Angela Douglas (businesswoman AND broadcaster) is braying away at the moment, for the second time in a week.

That's Newstalk turned off for the next little while then.

yosser hughes · 07-01-2011 10:51am

Has Newstalk made a profit yet? One would wonder how long tax exile Dennie O'Brien is prepared to bankroll them. There is a media bubble in this country and advertising is shrinking.
Presenters like Chris O'Donoghue need to retrain to do something else as he just does not have the intellectual capacity or charisma to forge a career in the media game,given the economic climate. Claire Byrne was an embarassment and lightweight.There are too many lightweight presenters now.We need quality,it doesn't matter what age they are or what gender.
To be honest I can't see newstalk surviving the year.
Moncrief is the only capaable presenter at the station and maybe the Off the Ball show. I don't like the presnter of that show but you can tell they put a lot of work in there and it leaves RTE standing.Ken Early would be my choice as presenter there. NT should use him more.

fred funk }{ · 07-01-2011 10:56am

The breakie show has come on so much since the days of Gilroy and Byrne. The addition of the extra hour was very a significant step forward as there tends to be an interesting interviewee on.

With regard to M. E Ward, I don't think she's that bad at all, she has grown on me since she started.

telekon · 07-01-2011 12:24pm

fred funk }{ wrote: »

The breakie show has come on so much since the days of Gilroy and Byrne. The addition of the extra hour was very a significant step forward as there tends to be an interesting interviewee on.

With regard to M. E Ward, I don't think she's that bad at all, she has grown on me since she started.

Yea, she's grown on me too. Its just the initial shock of hearing that accent so early in the morning....

......can we save all the hatred for a more worthy cause, like R.Tubridy instead?

fred funk }{ · 07-01-2011 1:39pm

telekon wrote: »

Yea, she's grown on me too. Its just the initial shock of hearing that accent so early in the morning....

......can we save all the hatred for a more worthy cause, like R.Tubridy instead?

Yes, her accent is very strong for 6.30 in the morning but it's tolerable. I don't listen to Tubs at all, he just irritates me with all his book/Kennedy "let me tell you what book I'm reading at the moment" sh1te.

Rubik. · 07-01-2011 3:27pm

yosser hughes wrote: »

Has Newstalk made a profit yet? One would wonder how long tax exile Dennie O'Brien is prepared to bankroll them. There is a media bubble in this country and advertising is shrinking.
Presenters like Chris O'Donoghue need to retrain to do something else as he just does not have the intellectual capacity or charisma to forge a career in the media game,given the economic climate. Claire Byrne was an embarassment and lightweight.There are too many lightweight presenters now.We need quality,it doesn't matter what age they are or what gender.
To be honest I can't see newstalk surviving the year.
Moncrief is the only capaable presenter at the station and maybe the Off the Ball show. I don't like the presnter of that show but you can tell they put a lot of work in there and it leaves RTE standing.Ken Early would be my choice as presenter there. NT should use him more.

Newstalks latest filed accounts showed accumulated losses of 19 million euro from when the station started to 2007. Communicorp as a whole made a 5.2 million euro pretax loss last year, with it Irish business(Newstalk, Today fm...etc) sustaining a 24% drop in income. So I think it is safe to say the answer to the question is no, it still hasn't made a profit.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/1215/1224285580760.html

Cole · 07-01-2011 5:58pm

barneygumble wrote: »

Angela Douglas (businesswoman AND broadcaster) is braying away at the moment, for the second time in a week.

That's Newstalk turned off for the next little while then.

+1

I tuned in for the panel discussion at 9. Is that the best they can do?
Barry Devlin, a relationship expert??? and the you know, loike, fantaaawstic, loike Angela Douglas. As soon as I heard her name, I switched off.

You can add 'vacous panel show guest for hire' to her list of titles.

ballsymchugh · 07-01-2011 6:07pm

Rebel1977 wrote: »

Claire is good to look at thats it.

Margaret E Ward is funny thou. Love when Phil Thompson calls Oisin 'Ocean'

he did it again this morning, the lads in the studio were sniggering when he said it. had a grand little chuckle.

Cole wrote: »

+1

I tuned in for the panel discussion at 9. Is that the best they can do?
Barry Devlin, a relationship expert??? and the you know, loike, fantaaawstic, loike Angela Douglas. As soon as I heard her name, I switched off.

You can add 'vacous panel show guest for hire' to her list of titles.

was barry devlin introduced as a relationship expert? thought that was the other guy. barry devlin was plugging the horslips stuff the whole way through, and didn't name the album at all!

Cole · 07-01-2011 6:21pm

ballsymchugh wrote: »

was barry devlin introduced as a relationship expert? thought that was the other guy.

No. I was referring to the other guy, don't know his name. They must have been really stuck for guests today.

Aidric · 07-01-2011 6:28pm

telekon wrote: »

I hope thats a joke...

I like Chris and all but I bet Ivan needs to reign him during every ad break. Did you not hear the JP McManus and Gerry Adams interviews? Chris has the exuberance of youth and no matter how great that is, a more experienced balanced head beside him is required for the meantime.

What do you want, Newstalk to be the radio version of that teenage sh*te on RTE television? :rolleyes:

Ivan is only just gone 51 by the way...

That Chris bloke is a genuine lightweight, sounds like a giddy teenager as well. I was listening to a few podcasts during the week and could barely conceal my contempt for the chap. Adams in particular took him to the cleaners.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 07-01-2011 8:44pm

Wish someone would bring OTB's Eoin Mcdevitt down a peg or two , he's become quite smug over recent months.

McDave · 08-01-2011 11:11am

Heroditas wrote: »

I agree. However, there always seems to be a weak link on that show. Previously we had Claire Byrne. Now we have

Margaret E Ward

I actually like MEW. She's very bright. I think she's out of place doing that slot though, and her American accent grates a bit, especially when she's being "up" about business!! But at least I'll listen to her, and won't dive for the remote like I do the second Amma MocNomora appears on Morning Ireland's "Bazness Nooz"

I also liked Claire Byrne. She was a good foil to Ivan Yates, but her big weakness was when she had to improvise. And Yates (IMO unnecessarily) slagged her too much.

Foxhound38 · 08-01-2011 11:54am

Hook and Moncrieff are great, but the differences in quality between them and the rest of the Newstalk hosts is starting to gape - they keep NT on the airwaves.

Ivan has improved greatly in the last few years - he was aweful when he started but seems to be growing into the role nicely. Dunphy is obviosuly brilliant (best interviewer in the country as far as I'm concerned), but he's on too seldom.

Actually, it would be great if they could bring someone like Vincent Brown onto a show with George Hook to act as an equally opinionated foil - t'would be entertaining

hacx · 08-01-2011 4:29pm

I actually like MEW.

McDave · 08-01-2011 5:05pm

@ hacx

Actual cats aren't bad either!

And the actual Margaret E Ward is quite cute too! http://ie.linkedin.com/in/margaretclearink

Aidric · 08-01-2011 5:20pm

McDave wrote: »

And the actual Margaret E Ward is quite cute too! http://ie.linkedin.com/in/margaretclearink

Indeed, striking.

fred funk }{ · 08-01-2011 10:03pm

Aidric wrote: »

Indeed, striking.

Yes boys, I agree. I have mentioned it in this thread before that's she's a little hottie.

Have a look at the in-studio cameras during the breakfast show and you'll get a good look. She wears some sexy glasses too.

mike65 · 09-01-2011 11:48am

That Bobby Blobby fella who does the Businsess Show is awful, how did he get this gig?

Cole · 09-01-2011 1:31pm

mike65 wrote: »

That Bobby Blobby fella who does the Businsess Show is awful, how did he get this gig?

I'm not a regular listener, but tuned in today because there was a piece on the show of interest to me. He is terrible but seems like a likeable enough guy.

Newstalk seem to hand out presenter jobs to anyone who has a public profile. Successful businessman and Dragons Den 'star' does not necessarily transfer to being a successful presenter of a radio business show. Having said that, I'd listen to Bobby Kerr anytime over his Dragons Den colleague....the insufferably pompous and smug Gavin Duffy.

telekon · 10-01-2011 10:28am

Newstalk going to town on the Cowen-Fitzpatrick story.

RTE saw it fit to have it as the 3rd or 4th story on the bulletin.

Thank god for newstalk.

JonathanAnon · 10-01-2011 1:55pm

telekon wrote: »

Newstalk going to town on the Cowen-Fitzpatrick story. RTE saw it fit to have it as the 3rd or 4th story on the bulletin. Thank god for newstalk.

Yeah I think it is hugely significant.. I mean Cowan and Lenihan realistically should have sent in the guards / fraud squad the minute they decided to save Anglo, yet they gave Drumm and Fitzpatrick enough time to delete all the evidence while still guaranteeing it... This was a ridiculous amount of trust to give two individuals of dubious character. The fact that it has emerged that they appear to be closer friends than was first thought is significant in this context... I think Cowan has to go at this stage.. He has no credibility at all.

Sergeant · 11-01-2011 5:37am

telekon wrote: »

Newstalk going to town on the Cowen-Fitzpatrick story.

RTE saw it fit to have it as the 3rd or 4th story on the bulletin.

Thank god for newstalk.

Totally agree. I've been living abroad for the past few months, and have been relying on podcasts to listen to Irish radio. It has made me come to realise how important Newstalk is. For all its faults, it is a much needed alternative to RTE.

While I'm a fan of Rachel English, Pat Kenny, and other individual presenters on Radio One, there always seems to a "slant" when dealing with the heavy current affairs issues. It may be editorial, or it may be the malaise that seems to have set-in down in Montrose.

I'd rather have George Hook wearing his political allegiance on his sleeve and being open about it, instead of the staidness of RTE.

yosser hughes · 11-01-2011 10:56am

JonathanAnon wrote: »

Yeah I think it is hugely significant.. I mean Cowan and Lenihan realistically should have sent in the guards / fraud squad the minute they decided to save Anglo, yet they gave Drumm and Fitzpatrick enough time to delete all the evidence while still guaranteeing it... This was a ridiculous amount of trust to give two individuals of dubious character. The fact that it has emerged that they appear to be closer friends than was first thought is significant in this context... I think Cowan has to go at this stage.. He has no credibility at all.

That's all fine but it suggests that Cowen and Lenihan are somehow innocents abroad when it comes to Anglo.Cowen,Lenihan and many more knew a hell of a lot more than they are letting on.The bank guarantee was given with a lot more knowledge by Cowen and Lenihan than they are trying to make us believe.It was an act of treason.
The fact that the guards allowed themselves to be used in a publicity stunt when they arrested Sean Fitzpatrick tell you just how seriously the gardai will take this.
The pillars of this state are corrupt.The gardai,the media,the church and of course our politicians.

[According to the former Director of Anglo-Irish interviewed by the Mail] Brian Cowen was ‘acutely aware’ of a threat to Anglo Irish Bank months earlier than he has admitted, a former director has sensationally claimed.

He also alleges that Sean Fitzpatrick was brought into the Taoiseach’s inner circle as early as 2007, a full year before the infamous bank bailout. And the disgraced chairman even sat in on ‘kitchen cabinet’ meetings as Mr Cowen plotted for power. And Mr Cowen ‘intervened with the National Treasury Management Agency to get them to deposit with Anglo Irish – but they didn’t

McDave · 11-01-2011 8:41pm

Sergeant wrote: »

While I'm a fan of Rachel English, Pat Kenny, and other individual presenters on Radio One, there always seems to a "slant" when dealing with the heavy current affairs issues. It may be editorial, or it may be the malaise that seems to have set-in down in Montrose.

When push comes to shove, RTE kowtows to FF.

Lapin · 12-01-2011 12:42am

Lapin wrote: »

Tonights edition of Coleman at Large was by far the best one I've heard yet.

A rational discussion on political reform among other things, from a panel not made up of egotistic chatterboxes, and conducted in a manner of respect for the opinion of others around the table.

It was refreshing to listen to a debate on the radio without everyone talking over each other at every opportunity. And even more encouraging to hear the presenter let the discussion flow without stamping his own opinion all over it.

Fair play to John O' Donovan who was sitting in for Marc Coleman this evening.

I hope Newstalk (and Coleman) take note and we, the listeners, get to hear more programmes presented in this manner.

The comments I posted last week (above) hold true as Marc Coleman returned to present his own programme this evening.

The first hour of tonights discussion centered around a topic of particular interest to me (alcoholism and the pub/off licence trade) and I was looking forward to an interesting debate on the matter.

Despite a balanced studio panel, the discussion shortly descended into a shouting match between those with vested interests in the trade. As usual Coleman was quick to interrupt and add his own views. And while I actually agree with much of what he had to say, I would have liked to hear what the others had to say too.

In the end the listener was none the wiser after an hour of pubs v supermarkets bashing each other.

It was an interesting discussion in places with some good contributions from Senator Ronan Mullen (whose views I usually disagree with), but it could have been handled better.

Welcome back Marc and Happy New Year.

As a new years resolution how about letting your panel air their own views without correcting them mid sentence with your own opinion everytime you disagree with something they say. Let the listeners make up their own mind.

Poly · 13-01-2011 8:22am

Gavin Duffy “the Dragon” is back this morning, I think “The Snake” would be a more appropriate name for him

Poly · 13-01-2011 8:26am

Darragh from this parish is on now discussing 50cent and twitter.

telekon · 13-01-2011 11:21am

Chris had to apologise for "slang" he used earlier in the programme when discussing the Sinn Fein wedding at Druid's Glen.

Now let me guess, Chris used the word "shinner"?

Sweet Jebus, Chris! :rolleyes: C'mon, youre not writing for the Phoenix, keep it some bit professional...

Can you imagine Cathal Mac Coille banging on about the "shinners"!! :eek:

McDave · 15-01-2011 5:50pm

Poly wrote: »

Gavin Duffy “the Dragon” is back this morning, I think “The Snake” would be a more appropriate name for him

A very bland and uninteresting presenter. Ivan Yates won't be back a moment too soon.

Lapin · 16-01-2011 10:40am

Jebus !

A right little catfight going on between Margaret E Ward and Gloria Hunniford at the moment on The Right Angle with referee Carol Coleman.

GSF · 16-01-2011 10:51am

Lapin wrote: »

Jebus !

A right little catfight going on between Margaret E Ward and Gloria Hunniford at the moment on The Right Angle with referee Carol Coleman.

about what?

Koloman · 16-01-2011 9:14pm

McDave wrote: »

A very bland and uninteresting presenter. Ivan Yates won't be back a moment too soon.

Good news. Ivan will be back on the Breakfast Show tomorrow.

Fulton Crown · 16-01-2011 11:27pm

McDave wrote: »

A very bland and uninteresting presenter. Ivan Yates won't be back a moment too soon.

have to agree..guy just does not seem to be properly prepared..lots of ahs and ums....have to admire Yates for his performance - give his personal business diffficulties,

Duffy just has too much on ..he was filming Dragons Den for 12 hours and then went on Newstalk......the level of unprepardness was very apparent.

The guy Chris Donoghoe is excellent in my opinion ...works well with Yates.

Newstalk Megathread

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