Mary Wilson Must Go

Pandybelly

Hi,

Am I alone in believing that Mary Wilson is beyond any doubt, the worst presenter possible for Drivetime?
She constantly makes mistakes, asks silly go nowhere questions and is annoying to boot. Rachel English made a much better hand of the show and Philip Boucher Hayes or Fergal Keane would be so much better then MW.
Has she a minimum run on the show before she is replaced or must we wait until she decides she has had enough?

Anthony......

vinylrules

Do, do, do, do, do, you really think so?

Plowman

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JonathanAnon

Yeah, I've been posting here a while about her. I think either PBH or Rachael English should be doing the job, though I think Rachael left the job cos she had health issues.

She is slow thinking, constantly making mistakes, asking questions twice, asking stupid/irrelevant questions, pissing the guests off with childish/petty/tabloid assertions.... She was good at the court reports, put her back there.

irishh_bob

Plowman wrote: »

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boucher hayes for me , rachel english ( while better than the awfull mary wilson ) has one of those voices which screams HUMAN INTEREST story

torrentum

Pandybelly wrote: »

She constantly makes mistakes, asks silly go nowhere questions

I couldn't agree more.
It's astonishing to see the national broadcasters drivetime show presented like this. I stopped listening in february for these reasons.

Fiskar

Mary Wilson and the awful Claire Byrne are extremley hard to listen to. Rachel English was as bad IMO. Boucher Hayes or old friend Myles Dungan would be a lot better.

mike65

Mary Wilson
Rachel English
Philip Boucher Hayes
Myles Dungan


























Bloody Nora.

JonathanAnon

Fiskar wrote: »

.... or old friend Myles Dungan would be a lot better.

But could he take the time off from reading the American Constitution to take up such a position

Kickbox

For me it's her tone of voice!!! She was great as justice correspondent but she's just not a great presenter and her topics are always straight politics!!! I never hear any feature type topics!!

Rachel English while very competent her spit twirling voice goes through me!! Maybe I'm the only one who has observed the way her mouth makes a saliva esque noise when she speaks!! Aine lawlor is one of the few females I find good at a political/current affairs type show!

giftgrub

"Fill In" Boucher Hayes does my head...sounds like he's trying to simplify everything because he thinks we're all stupid.

the only reason i listen to drivetime over hook or cooper is the quality of guests and the fact that they tend to do more stuff in the studio instead of over the phone.

Aidric

Painful is the word I'd most closely associate with Wilson. I posted at length about her before so I won't repeat myself.
Matt Cooper has an easy ride I would deduce, given the ineptitudes in direct competition.

mike65

Matt Coopers ratings have been on a downwards spiral for the last few years, he seems to have been hit hardest by the fall in car-bound commuters. All of which suggests that RTE have it easy, no matter how lame or lazy the output people just keep listening.

Oafley Jones

I'm always surprised by the amount of mistakes that is made on Drivetime. You'd swear listening to it that it was everyones first week on the job.

RayM

Oafley Jones wrote: »

I'm always surprised by the amount of mistakes that is made on Drivetime. You'd swear listening to it that it was everyones first week on the job.

I think that's a general RTE problem, on both radio and television. Have you ever watched an entire edition of the Six-One news without hearing Bryan Dobson apologising for some cock-up or other? Me neither.

I don't think Mary Wilson is a bad presenter, but she's probably not suited to what should be a fast-paced, drive-time radio show. I'd prefer if Rachael English or Philip Boucher Hayes were presenting. Or maybe even David McWilliams, whose Newstalk morning show was always really good.

Lenny Lovett

Fiskar wrote: »

Mary Wilson and the awful Claire Byrne are extremley hard to listen to. Rachel English was as bad IMO. Boucher Hayes or old friend Myles Dungan would be a lot better.

It's a bit harsh comparing anyone to Claire Byrne.:D

Aidric

mike65 wrote: »

Matt Coopers ratings have been on a downwards spiral for the last few years, he seems to have been hit hardest by the fall in car-bound commuters. All of which suggests that RTE have it easy, no matter how lame or lazy the output people just keep listening.

I'm surprised to hear that because in my opinion he's a couple of levels above the competition. There's no accounting for taste or indeed standards it seems when it comes to the average listener.

mike65

I was surprised as well to be honest. Esp when you consider the two he goes up against.

steelcityblues

Cooper's the best of the three only by default!

Lenny Lovett

I think 'spiraling' is a bit strong. Yeah, his numbers have dropped but not ina 'free fall' style. Just a gradual reduction as have all his competitors. He's still a fine presenter and we're luck in Ireland to have three very good quality 'talk' drivetime shows on our national stations and an equally fine one on the quasi 4FM.

washiskin

I've been listening to her through gritted ears for the last while and to be honest she's getting worse.

Valerie Cox was reporting from Donegal about the last of the funerals of those poor lads (another thread should debate the "merits" of that in itself) and she mentioned that the press were asked to stay away from one of them; "WHY?" Mary roared over her..causing VC to mumble out an explaination like a bold child. Who feckin' cares why? It's the poor families' right to privacy you dumb bunny!

She clearly doesn't listen to ANY on the correspondents when they report in and constantly shuffles her papers. Completely rude.

Aidric

washiskin wrote: »

She clearly doesn't listen to ANY on the correspondents when they report in and constantly shuffles her papers. Completely rude.

She displays zero flexibility. It seems that she has her poor script and no deviation will be accommodated, even when the segment demands it.

Firetrap

I just can't help but think she's a bit lightweight and doesn't quite ask the right questions.

Barname

Wilson should have stuck to her gig down at the Four Goldmines, it was a big mistake of hers to take the drivetime gig

RTE are terrible at selecting real winners

PBH should be put in Joe Duffy's chair, send Joe to early retirement, he is burned out anyway

Pandybelly

Joe Duffy should have never been allowed on the airwaves. Its thanks to the relic Gay (Mr Road Safety) Byrne that we are stuck with him. He gives airtime to people that should not be allowed near a microphone with BS problems and so called human interest stories.
The sooner he is gone the better. Mind you, Damian O'Reilly is nearly worse..........

Derryleigh

Pandybelly wrote: »

Joe Duffy should have never been allowed on the airwaves. Its thanks to the relic Gay (Mr Road Safety) Byrne that we are stuck with him. He gives airtime to people that should not be allowed near a microphone with BS problems and so called human interest stories.
The sooner he is gone the better. Mind you, Damian O'Reilly is nearly worse..........

Is it Joe/Damian or the producers that decide what callers get on??

Lenny Lovett

Derryleigh wrote: »

Is it Joe/Damian or the producers that decide what callers get on??

They have call screeners who'll pass on interesting ones to the producer for inclusion. They often tend to call people who have texted the show and ask them to go on air and discuss/expand on their text response. A good call screener is vital for phone in shows.

Lenny Lovett

Aidric wrote: »

She displays zero flexibility. It seems that she has her poor script and no deviation will be accommodated, even when the segment demands it.

I think she and some of the other female presenters are under unfair pressure at RTE. Pressure to perform that their male counterparts are not subject to.

Paddysnapper

mike65 wrote: »

Mary Wilson
Rachel English
Philip Boucher Hayes
Myles Dungan


























Bloody Nora.

Isn't she still a Euro MP?

qwert2

Mary Wislon has an irritating voice, but Rachael English and Philip double barrel have the most irritating voices on radio!

Derryleigh

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

They have call screeners who'll pass on interesting ones to the producer for inclusion. They often tend to call people who have texted the show and ask them to go on air and discuss/expand on their text response. A good call screener is vital for phone in shows.

So no point in blaming the presenter if there are poor callers on air then

Lenny Lovett

In general, no. However, the presenter can make or break a call/talking point with their attitude. And can decide to drag out the call an, if they're very good, can extract much more from a caller than they intended to give out. Or else they can sometimes cut them off too early. A good example of talk radio would be Talksport or LBC and even 5Live.

Einhard

Pandybelly wrote: »

Joe Duffy should have never been allowed on the airwaves. Its thanks to the relic Gay (Mr Road Safety) Byrne that we are stuck with him. He gives airtime to people that should not be allowed near a microphone with BS problems and so called human interest stories.
The sooner he is gone the better. Mind you, Damian O'Reilly is nearly worse..........

In fairness, I presume RTE don't p[roduce programmes based entirely on your tastes. I like listening to Joe when I'm working, mostly because all the cranks are hilarious, but also because every now and then, genuine issues are raised. Not every caller is hysterical or over the top. Indeed, I'd hazard a bet that those types are in the minority.

Also, I think something along the lines of 400,000 people listen to LiveLine. RTE, both as a public service broadcaster, and a commercial entity, have to take this into account. If people stop listening, then Joe will stop boradcasting.

Incidentally, I don't share the distaste for Mary Wilson that many have here. I don't think she's brialliant or anything, and would probably listen to Matt Cooper if he had the resources Drivetime has. But I can't stand PBH, and Miles Dungan is worse. A good current affairs broadcaster should leave his/her opinion outside the studio door, something which neither of the those two seem capable of. Wilson is gulity of following agendas too, but definitely not to the same extent.

Derryleigh

Einhard wrote: »

In fairness, I presume RTE don't p[roduce programmes based entirely on your tastes. I like listening to Joe when I'm working, mostly because all the cranks are hilarious, but also because every now and then, genuine issues are raised. Not every caller is hysterical or over the top. Indeed, I'd hazard a bet that those types are in the minority.

Also, I think something along the lines of 400,000 people listen to LiveLine. RTE, both as a public service broadcaster, and a commercial entity, have to take this into account. If people stop listening, then Joe will stop boradcasting.

Incidentally, I don't share the distaste for Mary Wilson that many have here. I don't think she's brialliant or anything, and would probably listen to Matt Cooper if he had the resources Drivetime has. But I can't stand PBH, and Miles Dungan is worse. A good current affairs broadcaster should leave his/her opinion outside the studio door, something which neither of the those two seem capable of. Wilson is gulity of following agendas too, but definitely not to the same extent.

Well said.

cml387

Possibly OT,but Drivetime is not a news program.

I say this because it has a sponsor (some bank??).

Pandybelly

Wasn't Drivetime worth listening to last week when Mary Wilson was off and PBH was on? He is so much better then her, then again, so is my cat.

Lapin

Bring back Five Seven Live with Rachel English.

Pandybelly

Lapin wrote: »

Bring back Five Seven Live with Rachel English.

Absolutely. She was so much better. She is on Morning Ireland at the moment and is knocking socks off Aine Lawlor.

humberklog

Lapin wrote: »

Bring back Five Seven Live with Rachel English.

As far as I'm aware she doesn't want it. Personal reasons. Wasn't it Rachael that walked away from it in the first place? As opposed to a shuffle up.

JonathanAnon

humberklog wrote: »

Wasn't it Rachael that walked away from it in the first place? As opposed to a shuffle up.

In October 2008, she was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid (but escaped a potentially more serious diagnosis relating to the lumps found in both of her breasts shortly after the thyroid trouble began). She is on medication for the thyroid problem, possibly for the rest of her life, and has stated that at some point she plans to treat the lump she still has in her throat.

Pity, she's one of the good ones.

Greenman

qwert2 wrote: »

Mary Wislon has an irritating voice, but Rachael English and Philip double barrel have the most irritating voices on radio!

Aine Lawlor makes me never to listen to Morning Ireland when she's on.:(

Pandybelly

Agreed! Shes no great shakes at interviewing either.

Plowman

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Pandybelly

Yes indeed, Aine Lawlor is hard to listen to to, like, y'know. :-)

Would agree that Keelin Shanley should be given a chance but maybe not Drivetime just yet. PBH or RE win hands down on that front. Then again the genial Derek Davis would be nice - NOT!.

fricatus

JonathanAnon wrote: »

...asking stupid/irrelevant questions, pissing the guests off with childish/petty/tabloid assertions....

I think you've summed it up there. I listened to Drivetime for the past few weeks when PBH was on, but now that Mary Wilson is back, I find I switch to Today FM and RTÉ is only put back on in the car when it's time for Morning Ireland.

There's one thing she does which drives me absolutely bananas. When she's asked a question, she'll cut across as the guest is finishing his/her answer, and give her own trite and often downright incorrect statement before cutting to news/traffic/ads/other interviewee.

Yes, a good presenter should put opposing points of view to a guest, but the guest should be allowed to address the point, not just have some inaccurate and silly assertion dropped on them as they're shoved out the door.

I wonder how many guests end up saying "well no I'm sorry Mary but that's just not true" into a microphone or down a phone line that's no longer live.

Aidric

fricatus wrote: »

I wonder how many guests end up saying "well no I'm sorry Mary but that's just not true" into a microphone or down a phone line that's no longer live.

78%

JonathanAnon

It's like having your best mate's silly, opinionated girlfriend asking you questions... You know she's gonna ask you stupid/intrusive/subjective questions, but you cant tell her to fk off.

Still remember the time she had Jim Mitchell on and pissed him off completely .... with HER INTRODUCTION, she didnt even get to the questions..

Derryleigh

JonathanAnon wrote: »

It's like having your best mate's silly, opinionated girlfriend asking you questions... You know she's gonna ask you stupid/intrusive/subjective questions, but you cant tell her to fk off.

Still remember the time she had Jim Mitchell on and pissed him off completely .... with HER INTRODUCTION, she didnt even get to the questions..

Didnt realise she was on it that long. Jim Mitchell must be ten years dead.

Oh Johnanon, the chief armchair critic of Mary Wilson and everyone else on radio has made a factual error. Now if Mary Wilson was to make such a mistake...........

JonathanAnon

sorry the brother, Gay Mitchell... I wish i could find the recording of that..

As I've said before I think Mary was a very pleasant and competent court reporter, but once she goes off script she's in trouble.. it's not a personal attack just for the sake of it... She's clearly not suited to the role.. I dont see why RTE keep pushing people in to roles they are not suited for, when they have demonstrated competence in another area..

coylemj

Right now she's giving mileage to Michael O'Leary's blatant publicity stunt where he's suggesting that co-pilots be done away with which for me is a complete disgrace - on Mary Wilson's part, not O'Leary who has the knack of getting free publicity whenever he feels like it. What kind of morons do they (RTE) take us for?

JonathanAnon

I'm normally very critical of Mary Wilson, but I thought she did well with Jack O'Connor today... Cant stand that man, hopefully this latest fiasco with SIPTU will force him to stand down...