An idea for RTE radio

ivan087

With so much money from us license payers and advertising fee etc, would it not be possible to make Radio one a talk-based station.

Something along the lines of BBC radio four/Five live. Take away Mooney, Fanning, Tubridy and lump them all into 2fm (something along the lines of BBC radio 2 - MOR music and chat) and then set up a new station for pop/indie (BBC radio one).

This would increase advertising money (i would say) and money could be trimmed through salary cuts. It's easy to harp on about Gerry Ryan's, Tubridy's, Mooney's pay packets - but ****:mad: - why so much. Where are they all gonna go if there was a pay freeze on their wages - Today FM, Britain? Doubt it!

SEPT 23 1989

thats a great idea so therefore it will never happen this is the state broadcaster were talking about too many big hogs feeding from the trough

FlutterinBantam

"Big hogs feeding from the trough"

Fantastic!!! M

Man,thats the best description of life in Montrose I heard up to now.!!!


Can I have permission to use that metaphor at a future date or is it protected.??

Well done

Bard

I heard a rumour of Today FM and Newstalk being rebranded as sister stations and reorganised slightly (all talk-only content moving from Today FM to Newstalk) in order to compete more directly with RTÉ - now that Today FM and Newstalk are owned by the same people (Communicorp)...

Possibly won't happen though...

dulpit

I heard that (^) too a while back... Don't know how it would work, where would Matt Cooper go? I doubt Newstalk would move Hook from drivetime...

Another thing i had heard re. newstalk & today fm was that the news services would be handled by newstalk for both stations...

More Music

I don't think Today FM can just scrap their talk output. 20% of their programming must be news and current affairs. It forms part of their contract with the BCI.

I did hear Newstalk are to provide an INN type service to some stations. Today FM is possibly one of them.

Dudess

dulpit wrote: »

I heard that (^) too a while back... Don't know how it would work, where would Matt Cooper go? I doubt Newstalk would move Hook from drivetime...

Why not? To me it would make sense to replace him with Cooper.

Greenman

Dudess wrote: »

Why not? To me it would make sense to replace him with Cooper.

Dump Hook he's a pain.

ateam

Mooney and Tubridy are talk-based shows.

Dudess

Cooper is a better and far more accomplished journalist than Hook. Cooper also speaks clearly and doesn't sound like his false teeth are falling out...

And Hook is 70, Cooper is in his early 40s.

Bard wrote: »

I heard a rumour of Today FM and Newstalk being rebranded as sister stations and reorganised slightly (all talk-only content moving from Today FM to Newstalk) in order to compete more directly with RTÉ - now that Today FM and Newstalk are owned by the same people (Communicorp)...

Possibly won't happen though...

I don't see why not. Seems the sensible thing to do. And wouldn't it save a hell of a lot of money?

brettmirl

Dudess wrote: »

I don't see why not. Seems the sensible thing to do. And wouldn't it save a hell of a lot of money?

Save money, yes, but can't see the BCI allowing it.

mike65

Dudess wrote: »

Cooper is a better and far more accomplished journalist than Hook. Cooper also speaks clearly and doesn't sound like his false teeth are falling out...

Cooper says "widge"! Also he is a journo whereas Hook never was so he would be a better jouno I guess.

As for talk radio, there is no reason why it couldn't happen with the expansion of services - what RTE really need is a BBC2 so they can have space for BBC4/5, except they would never be able to offer a range of programming to come close to either in truth.

Mike.

spiderbeast

ivan087 wrote: »

With so much money from us license payers and advertising fee etc, would it not be possible to make Radio one a talk-based station.

Something along the lines of BBC radio four/Five live. Take away Mooney, Fanning, Tubridy and lump them all into 2fm (something along the lines of BBC radio 2 - MOR music and chat) and then set up a new station for pop/indie (BBC radio one).

This would increase advertising money (i would say) and money could be trimmed through salary cuts. It's easy to harp on about Gerry Ryan's, Tubridy's, Mooney's pay packets - but ****:mad: - why so much. Where are they all gonna go if there was a pay freeze on their wages - Today FM, Britain? Doubt it!

But surely the presenters you mentioned above would be used for a talk format as all their shows are purely talk based?

Dudess

mick_irl wrote: »

Save money, yes, but can't see the BCI allowing it.

Why not? These two stations are under the same company now, they're not in competition any more.
I think it would make perfect sense for Today FM's talk-based shows (TLW, Sunday Business Show, Sunday Supplement) which are FAR better than anything on NewsTalk (in my opinion) over to NewsTalk and in the process squeeze out some of the tedious shyte on the latter.

brettmirl

Cause the BCI seem to be anti-resource sharing for the most part.

They will claim it will lessen choice for the listener, threaten jobs, etc.

Dudess

I s'pose. I'd kinda stopped thinking of them along those lines though after they gave the green light to O'Brien to buy the Emap stations. I thought that was a wind-up when it was announced.

ivan087

spiderbeast wrote: »

But surely the presenters you mentioned above would be used for a talk format as all their shows are purely talk based?

ok, let me flesh out my 'grand vision'!

tubridy, mooney are talk-based shows (with some music), but they're 'entertainment' shows. why not shift them over to a station that plays MOR music and entertainment - quizes, celebs, competitions, etc. these shows could be extended by an hour or two by using more music.

Meanwhile over at RTE R1 they could concentrate on news, current affairs, documentaries and REAL public service content.

I know RTE could never reach the status of BBC. But to be fair RTE does current affairs fairly well.

I just think RTE R1 is all over the place and needs to find it's niche, especially in radio land these days.

DMC

Dudess wrote: »

Why not? These two stations are under the same company now, they're not in competition any more.

Today FM will have to still do 20% news and current affairs requirement of the BCI. 2.5 hours of The Last Word neatly fills that up.

While I agree that if the talk stuff of Today FM went to Newstalk, it would turn Newstalk into a better station, it would only ruin Today FM.

Today FM as a licencee did have a lot things to square up with the BCI when they were Radio Ireland. Now that might be ten years ago now, but for Today FM to go back to the BCI to rejig the licence to make ends meet might not wash again.

Back to the original topic as to RTÉ Radio One being a wholly talk station, there is the issue that where does the music go? Its only one show in the daytime now, but there is a market for that music.

Weather or not the new multi-city licences for the 45+ age group would cater for that is another thing.

There is no more space on the FM band for another RTÉ service. It might be a driver by RTÉ to get people to try DAB.

Dudess

DMC wrote: »

While I agree that if the talk stuff of Today FM went to Newstalk, it would turn Newstalk into a better station, it would only ruin Today FM.

I agree. What I love about Today FM (apart from the afternoon "jock" shows but meh, they need to pay their staff) is the way it gets the balance right and ticks all boxes - I think it stands well apart from its competitors. However, I think O'Brien's purchase of it means things will have to change - it's a shame, and one of the main reasons why I was disappointed O'Brien got it, but that's business.