RTE 1 Subtle Changes

Evan DietrichSmith

As an experienced and committed radio listener I have noticed a few subtle changes in R1 recently.

#1 Audrey Carville now working on MI instead of The Late Debate.

What's Audrey's background, know she is ex BBC-NI but the listener would like to know ,I think, would she be at a Monaghan league game in February .

I like her as a presenter, excellent diction, good grammar, and gets stuck in.

Now !

As a result Brian Dowling has taken the LD slot

Great time for him, good solid performer,but,and this is a big one in my book is subject to serious grammatical gaffes .

A few 'seens' have been heard and other stuff but what I really want to hear is what other serious radio 'buffs' think about this .?

Homer Jay Thompson

The late debate seems to change presenter every 6-9 months

AwaitYourReply

It reminds me of a similar way they handle Saturday's news & current affairs slot from 1:00-2:00pm on RTE Radio 1. For many years you had a lively and engaging programme called "Saturday View with Rodney Rice" but after he retired it's been "Saturday with whoever is available" rather than someone solid in place for a prolonged period. The theme signature tune for Saturday with...from 1-2pm also seems inappropriate and a bit over dramatic for this news & current affairs show - it sounds all wrong! "The Late Debate" on Tues/Wed/Thurs @10pm is another example of various presenters such as: Brian Dowling, Claire Byrne, Audrey Carville, Rachel English and possibly others that I may have missed along the way. If you want to build an audience you need to establish loyalty but this is always difficult if you are chopping and changing presenters from one month to the next.

Evan DietrichSmith

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

It reminds me of a similar way they handle Saturday's news & current affairs slot from 1:00-2:00pm on RTE Radio 1. For many years you had a lively and engaging programme called "Saturday View with Rodney Rice" but after he retired it's been "Saturday with whoever is available" rather than someone solid in place for a prolonged period. The theme signature tune for Saturday with...from 1-2pm also seems inappropriate and a bit over dramatic for this news & current affairs show - it sounds all wrong! "The Late Debate" on Tues/Wed/Thurs @10pm is another example of various presenters such as: Brian Dowling, Claire Byrne, Audrey Carville, Rachel English and possibly others that I may have missed along the way. If you want to build an audience you need to establish loyalty but this is always difficult if you are chopping and changing presenters from one month to the next.

Black card there, you missed the main man - auld Vinnie B who iirc started political 'debate' in that time slot.

I write debate like that as was usually Vinnie joshing with his mates Sean Ardagh et al whilst filleting some poor no marker wheeled in to defend those in power.

all interspersed with a great amount of coughing and harrrrumping.

Good times, good times.

AwaitYourReply

I stand corrected as I do recall listening to many of Vincent Browne's shows in that time slot. In fact, the slot was called: "Tonight with Vincent Browne" which is the exact same name of his current TV3 show on the box in recent years. If I recall correctly his RTÉ Radio 1 show used air from Mon-Thurs from 10-11pm. Ocassionally that show used be extended beyond 11pm news. I used enjoy the radio preview of tomorrow's morning newspapers editions but he was nearly always up against the clock. Vincent nearly took over Radio 1 in the late night slot at one stage as you could have his Tonight with Vincent Browne extended and for a while Vincent also had his "Midnight Court" programme on the same nights! Ah, happy times on da radio when Vinnie would start wailing and sighing heavily if any of his guests would not give him direct answers to long winded questions - It could be quite comical at times - Good times deffo!!