[article] Rodney Rice retires

mike65

RTÉ broadcaster Rice retires

Broadcaster and journalist Rodney Rice has retired after 40 years service at RTÉ.

His weekend radio programme, Saturday View , which ends this weekend, was developed by Mr Rice 25 years ago. The programme will return in September with a new presenter.

Mr Rice started his career in RTÉ working as a reporter on 7 Days . He moved to RTÉ Radio 1 in 1972 to present Here and Now . Since 1986, Mr Rice has presented Saturday View , RTÉ Radio 1’s weekly round-up of the political world.

His final guest will be An Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

RTÉ Director General Cathal Goan said: “I have worked with Rodney for many years and in many ways he has been a pioneer. Long before globalisation really took hold and international development became a popular cause, Rodney, through the Worlds Apart radio programme, brought to an Irish audience both the wonders and hardships of life in many of the world’s most forgotten places."

"Yet despite his extraordinary curiosity of life beyond these shores, each Saturday he managed to focus on the local issues at hand as host of Saturday View. He has had a long, varied and rich broadcasting career. RTÉ will miss him very much as will, I’m sure, his loyal and diverse audience. I wish him the very best in his retirement.”

Clare Duignan, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio, says: “In his role as a leading broadcaster, Rodney has witnessed and reported on many of the key moments in Irish political history, from the early days of the troubles in the North to his insightful analysis of the working Government. Rodney enjoys a trusted place in the minds of the RTÉ radio listeners and I wish him all the best in his retirement.”

.

FlutterinBantam

Rodney was a good one indeed.

Excellent broadcaster.

I hope he has a happy retirement.

L1011

Am I confusing people here, or was it Rodney who had a stroke on air, trying to go on valiantly until the audio was cut? Someone did on RTE in the 90s and I've got it in my mind that it was him...

brettmirl

I think you are thinking about Gerald Barry who does the same time slot on a Sunday.

FlutterinBantam

Gerald Barry it was, not sure if on air though.

Would say Gerry would be following Rodders thru the gates to Nutley Lane soon.

He was a good one too, sorry ,is.

L1011

Was definitely on air cause I was listening at the time, whoever it was. Just googled "gerard barry rte stroke" and this thread came up first!

However, if its not Rodney this is gone off-topic...

brettmirl

Hmmm. I dont ever remember an RTE Radio presenter being struck down sick on air.

I do have a vague memory of one of the old TV weather presenters taking ill during a forecast. Can't remember his name, but he had glasses, sort of squinty eyes and grey hair.

FlutterinBantam

Lantern Jawed Dundalk man was it??

Rural features??

TheRealBoss

MYOB wrote: »

Am I confusing people here, or was it Rodney who had a stroke on air, trying to go on valiantly until the audio was cut? Someone did on RTE in the 90s and I've got it in my mind that it was him...

Yep ... something happened to Rodney while on air one day .... (didn't know it was a stroke though).

About three-quarters way throught the show, I think they went to a break and Rodney didnt re-appear ... show was cut short due to illness.

I think he returned the following week or not long afterwards anyway. I thought it was more recent than the 90s though.

ifconfig

Yes - he did become ill on air around June 1995 (according to Irish Times archive). I remember actually listening to that Saturday View at my father in law's house. I'd regard him as an excellent broadcaster and it was quite alarming to hear someone speaking one moment with the utmost of clarity and then to suddenly deteriorate into incoherence. It was remarkable that he was back on the show within a very short time (weeks rather than months) and obviously made a remarkable recovery thank God.

It's a bit of an end of an era when folks like Rodney Rice and John Bowman are bowing out of the mainstream RTE current affairs coverage shows.

BrianD

Excellent broadcaster and enjoyed his last show today. For many of us it seems that he has always been on the radio (and actually he probably has been). Interesting that he replayed the Flynn V McDowell confrontation as one of his highlights and listening back to it it was hard to believe that Flynn was so deluded that he thought it was OK to come on the radio and trot out that sort of claptrap about Robinson.

Also, Rice has one of those voices that it's almost impossible to tell what age he is!