Ear to the Ground

Dickie10

Does anybody think it strange that given the huge part agriculture plays in the Irish economy, we have an extremely poor media coverage set up in this industry.I know we have local radio for mart prices and newspapers arnt bad.But what about TV, I think its absolutely brutal that ear to the ground is our only output,if we were in Australia,New Zealand or USA we would have a dedicated TV channel for agri/Rural affairs.(as alan partridge might say "good idea for a programme/channel"), but I digress, ear to the ground seems to have its heart in the right place but it really seems to be aimed at the urban population rather than the on the ground farmer loking for ideas/advice.
BBC have a super show in Countryfile, which really shows up ETTG.The Adams farm slot is really good and gives great balance to talking to the bloke with no exp and to the farmer.Another bugbear with ETTG is the schedule, not only is it on for 25 mins with a break, as opposed to Countryfile full 59 min with no break, but it starts in Nov and finishs in mid march, right smack bang busiest time on farms, God forbid they would actually show any calving /lambing and all the trials,tribulatiions and successes that this season brings. All they seem to rant on about every year is Health and Safety which has its place an odd time,fox hunting or some such activity that dosent really bother 75% of people or rural crime, you can nearly predict the content b4 the show, oh I forgot that old fav of ear to the ground the annual visit to some german or dutch bloke milking goats or sheep,mmm great, that really shows the average farmer how to work the BVD tags!
I propose a full 1 hr show on rural/agri affairs with a slot from maybe 4 different farmers one for dairy,tillage,suckler/beef and sheep,follow them when their busy spell is coming up or in and around, the good the bad and the ugly of these sectors.the rural affairs end could deal with the usual ETTG greenpeace/eco warrior stuff. Id love to see an additional current affairs type show midweek bout 10 oclock on the EU and paperwork side of farming, inheritance, tax stuff like that.You could have minister for agri on each fortnight kepp him on his toes or colm McCarthy and solicters talking about the legal side of the business,.I really think this would go down well, sure isn't Vincent Browne on every night wrangling and grumbling and it seems to pull in viewers? all iall these are my proposals, now does anyone want to put them together properly and send them up to Montrose??!

jersey101

Theres nothing valuable in the show anymore its not reli targeted at farmers anymore i feel. Its all showing the urban population how paddy farmer farms. Feck all in it for me any way. If they had young farmers on it getting advice and showing how to go about things. Thats where i am at the minute, im a young farmer and im mad to learn as much as i can and all ye ever hear is what ye were told in college

roosterman71

TV3 did something a while back called "A Year on the Land" or something similar, where they went to a dairy farmer for one show, tillage another, etc. It gave a good high level view of what life is like, from a few different enterprise sizes (massive dairy herd to a small handful)

ETTG is for Dubs really. The national broadcaster is geared towards programming for the Dubs too I feel. Alot is pure drivel and its what your licence fee pays for.

Is there a channel on the Sky platform that has some rural/farming related focus? Used to be one called Rural TV, not sure if its still there though

onyerbikepat

It wouldnt bother me if I missed ETTG. Defo targeting an urban audience. Vets On Call wasn't a bad programme either.

macflea

farmingsunday on the horseandcountry channel on freeview in ireland was better i thought than ear to the ground. more farmer orientated . i think you can get it again on youtube.
www.wachstumsforum.ch/agri/e/farming_in_the_desert.pdf an interesting article on almarai who are farming in saudi in the desert

Dickie10

yeah the year on the land was a brilliant show, I must check out some of the sky chsnnels

Figerty

ETTG is not worth watching most of the time, bland and safe.
The Farming show on RTE Radio 1 on Saturday mornings is also rubbish.

To be honest the farming show on ClareFM on Saturday mornings was farm superior with decent, relevant advice on different topics during the course of the year relevant to farming.

Sam Kade

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

strandsman

Ella Ella!!!

freedominacup

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

And he spitting out the phrase per 100 kai-lows like it had a taste on it. You just knew in his heart he believed it was only a matter of time before they (meaning everybody) copped on and went back to cwts.:D

Conmaicne Mara

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

Was he bald? I remember having often seen M&M when I was younger but it's very hazy.

who the fug

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Was he bald? I remember having often seen M&M when I was younger but it's very hazy.

Picture here

Sam Kade

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Was he bald? I remember having often seen M&M when I was younger but it's very hazy.

As bald as a coot.

Sam Kade

RTE must be afraid of someone stealing their pictures
Kowjak

yellowlabrador

Maybe farmers can benefit from rte's inaction and make money themselves by making their own farming vlogs. We have a youtube channel which is mainly concentrated on old motorbikes and shooting but we also post farming clips. Low and behold, they are the most popular...Silage making, combine harvesters, farming equipment old tractors, are very popular and in fact we now make sure to film it because the advertising revenue is great. Get a camera, even a cheap one or a phone and film and upload and you'll soon have an audience. You could also do a daily vlog, talking into the camera, filming and showing people what you are doing. It doesn't have to take a lot of time .

Sam Kade

yellowlabrador wrote: »

Maybe farmers can benefit from rte's inaction and make money themselves by making their own farming vlogs. We have a youtube channel which is mainly concentrated on old motorbikes and shooting but we also post farming clips. Low and behold, they are the most popular...Silage making, combine harvesters, farming equipment old tractors, are very popular and in fact we now make sure to film it because the advertising revenue is great. Get a camera, even a cheap one or a phone and film and upload and you'll soon have an audience. You could also do a daily vlog, talking into the camera, filming and showing people what you are doing. It doesn't have to take a lot of time .

Something like Ronnieboy

He puts up a video everyday don't know if he is still does.

yellowlabrador

Sam Kade wrote: »

Something like Ronnieboy

He puts up a video everyday don't know if he is still does.

Exactly he's had 80 000 views, that's money in the bank. You can be as technical as you like, many people will google when they have a problem and your video will come up. a bit like a video-boards with a world wide audience.
People with daily vlogs build up an audience to rival the soaps. Look at the shaytards, Chris Pirillo and Charles Trippy.

MfMan

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

Yes, but do you remember Landmark, and as a bonus, who the presenters were?

Sam Kade

MfMan wrote: »

Yes, but do you remember Landmark, and as a bonus, who the presenters were?

I do, Joe Murrary Jerry O Callaghan Kieran Kisan

MfMan

Sam Kade wrote: »

I do, Joe Murrary Jerry O Callaghan Kieran Kisan

Good man. Had forgotten their names. Jerry O'Callaghan was a red-haired guy, bit like actor Eamon Morrissey, wasn't he?

hugo29

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

what was the quiz show called again "cross country quiz" was it

mart and market, now thats a blast from the past, jayus we are getting old

Sam Kade

MfMan wrote: »

Good man. Had forgotten their names. Jerry O'Callaghan was a red-haired guy, bit like actor Eamon Morrissey, wasn't he?

Jerry O Callaghan was the red haired fella he's related to my first cousins on their fathers side. A west Cork man remember that film he and his brother made Broken Harvest?

Sam Kade

hugo29 wrote: »

what was the quiz show called again "cross country quiz" was it

mart and market, now thats a blast from the past, jayus we are getting old

Scary isn't it:( remember Halls pictorial

hugo29

Sam Kade wrote: »

Scary isn't it:( remember Halls pictorial

no cant say i do

remember "the fall guy" or "quicksilver" and I vividly remember "the riordans" m

Mac Taylor

hugo29 wrote: »

no cant say i do

remember "the fall guy" or "quicksilver" and I vividly remember "the riordans" m

My own best memories are the Hardy boys (not bucks!!), Simon&Simon, Magnum PI and my favourite "Wonder Women":D

hugo29

Mac Taylor wrote: »

My own best memories are the Hardy boys (not bucks!!), Simon&Simon, Magnum PI and my favourite "Wonder Women":D

aaah "wonder woman" and Charlies Angels

blue5000

hugo29 wrote: »

aaah "wonder woman" and Charlies Angels

Jaysus we're a long way from ear to the ground now:D

Sam Kade

MfMan wrote: »

Good man. Had forgotten their names. Jerry O'Callaghan was a red-haired guy, bit like actor Eamon Morrissey, wasn't he?

Joe Murray and Jerry O Callaghan

Sam Kade

hugo29 wrote: »

no cant say i do

remember "the fall guy" or "quicksilver" and I vividly remember "the riordans" m

I'm older than you so

hugo29

Sam Kade wrote: »

I'm older than you so

Waterloo won the Eurovision the year I was born

freedominacup

hugo29 wrote: »

Waterloo won the Eurovision the year I was born

Whippersnapper:p

farmertipp

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

I think it ended when he died. .about 25 years ago now I'd say

whelan1

hugo29 wrote: »

Waterloo won the Eurovision the year I was born

same year as me so

farmertipp

Sam Kade wrote: »

I say we bring back mart and market but I suppose Mick Dillon is long dead by now Not too many whippersnappers on here would know of Mick Dillon.

I think it ended when he died. .about 25 years ago now I'd say

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

same year as me so

Whippersnapper:P

whelan1

hugo29 wrote: »

Whippersnapper:P

big party next year:cool:

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

big party next year:cool:

I want to go to Vegas for mine,

whelan1

was somewhere last night and person in front of me gave their date of birth as 1996 :eek: i was like ffs i am so old

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

was somewhere last night and person in front of me gave their date of birth as 1996 :eek: i was like ffs i am so old

1996 was a good year,

Sam Kade

hugo29 wrote: »

Waterloo won the Eurovision the year I was born

I'm 10 years ahead of you.

whelan1

hugo29 wrote: »

1996 was a good year,

i got married in 1997:eek:

whelan1

Sam Kade wrote: »

I'm 10 years ahead of you.

jeez you are old:D

hugo29

Sam Kade wrote: »

I'm 10 years ahead of you.

Your nearly as old as freedom so:p

I wonder who is the oldest boardsie so

whelan1

hugo29 wrote: »

Your nearly as old as freedom so:p

I wonder who is the oldest boardsie so

freedom is the same age as us

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

i got married in 1997:eek:

That was young,

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

freedom is the same age as us

I know, it was a wind up:D

Actually he is year older;)

Sam Kade

whelan1 wrote: »

jeez you are old:D

Still at the right side of 50

hugo29 wrote: »

Your nearly as old as freedom so:p

I wonder who is the oldest boardsie so

Not me

whelan1

hugo29 wrote: »

I know, it was a wind up:D

Actually he is year older;)

ye , now that is very old, good to still be in my thirties:D

Sam Kade

whelan1 wrote: »

ye , now that is very old, good to still be in my thirties:D

You're almost at the top of the hill another couple of years and you will be descending down the opposite side then you will stop counting years

moy83

whelan1 wrote: »

freedom is the same age as us

I was 30 around the same day as freedom was 40 . I'm only a pup !

hugo29

moy83 wrote: »

I was 30 around the same day as freedom was 40 . I'm only a pup !

Jeez moy had you down as older