Brian Dowling (RTE radio 1 Saturday 1-2pm)

Yorky

Has this man got a speech impediment? I find his accent / pronunciation distracting & irritating to the point of missing the topic under discussion.

Do RTE not have any criteria for spoken English?

honeybear

I think that he is a good political commentator on the news-usually that's a 5 minute slot. However, I don't think that he is suited to hosting an entire radio programme. He butts in a bit too much (I notice this as it is a very bad habit of mine!) He was filling in on Thursday on Drive time and was dreadful. Audrey Carville was filling in yesterday and she did a terrific job.

CountyHurler

honeybear wrote: »

He was filling in on Thursday on Drive time and was dreadful.

Yeah he sounded nervous and stumbling over his words... He's better on this show but still not great... But what would you expect, he's NOT a presenter.... He never made the decision to become a presenter, somebody in RTE just approached him and said "Claire Byrne is not gonna be around for a while, do you want to host her show"...

phelixoflaherty

Audrey Carville is definitely one of the more professional presenters on radio.

Radio is for life

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

Audrey Carville is definitely one of the more professional presenters on radio.

After working for RTE TV for many years, all I can say is that make strange decisions based on who they believe tbe public like and not actual research. If they did the research many of the current radio and TV staff would be gone and so many of the regional and local presenters would be hired. I mean, should Lottie Ryan or any other Ryan be on TV or radio?

foxtrot101

I don't mind him at all, much better than Claire Byrne anyway. I've an aversion to Byrne since her Newstalk Breakfast days.

Harry Angstrom

"Teachers pass motions"

Indeed they do, and most of them stink.

jimmyw

No, he is not that great at presenting a show, too bland for me.He is fine at his other day job though.

two wheels good

The show started off with a blatantly biased interview today.
BD was like a dog with bone trying to get Ruth Coppinger to admit that protesting inside a venue at a political party event was unacceptable.
He even had the pub owner who staged the event in Roscommon lined-up to give his opinion (and few real facts.)
Eventually, I think Ruth C and ML McD won the day with their responses.
Poor journalism really.

tampopo

Yeah, he just wouldn't give up. But not in a nice way!!!

washiskin

I can't understand the logic of putting him in the big chair for a show like that - surely as a political correspondent he has to rely somewhat on the goodwill/career ambition of politicians to get the inside track on what's going on Kildare St? If the polls are to be even given a second glance, it's likely to be an independent/non-mainstream leaning Dáil the next time round - does he expect them to have short memories?

P. Breathnach

two wheels good wrote: »

The show started off with a blatantly biased interview today.
BD was like a dog with bone trying to get Ruth Coppinger to admit that protesting inside a venue at a political party event was unacceptable.
He even had the pub owner who staged the event in Roscommon lined-up to give his opinion (and few real facts.)
Eventually, I think Ruth C and ML McD won the day with their responses.
Poor journalism really.

Coppinger tried to dodge the question. It's fairly standard practice for journalists to persist with things that people try to slide away from. If I were to fault Dowling's performance, I think it would be on the basis that he didn't clarify whether the meeting was a private or a public one. A public meeting is fair game for some amount of protest; a private gathering is not. [My understanding is that it was private, for party members only.]

Mary Lou is a more skilled performer. She suggested it was normal politics, and implied that SF meetings might be disrupted in the same way. Yeah, right.

Oops69

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Coppinger tried to dodge the question. It's fairly standard practice for journalists to persist with things that people try to slide away from. If I were to fault Dowling's performance, I think it would be on the basis that he didn't clarify whether the meeting was a private or a public one. A public meeting is fair game for some amount of protest; a private gathering is not. [My understanding is that it was private, for party members only.]

Mary Lou is a more skilled performer. She suggested it was normal politics, and implied that SF meetings might be disrupted in the same way. Yeah, right.

If it was in a private function room in a public house then as long as the room wasn't 'invaded ' and the protest was in the public part of the public house while those attending the meeting were en route to the private meeting , I think the protest was legitimate , I believe it was peaceful even if it may have been disruptive due to noise etc. , DoWling was like a lion who thought he had his prey from the onset of the interview ,he got a rude awakening though , he's an amateur.

newmug

Yorky wrote: »

Has this man got a speech impediment? I find his accent / pronunciation distracting & irritating to the point of missing the topic under discussion.

Do RTE not have any criteria for spoken English?

I LOVE BD's accent. Its about the only majority one in the sensory media. The rest are all versions of posh-dub, with one or two CAAAAARK accents for diversity.

P. Breathnach

Oops69 wrote: »

If it was in a private function room in a public house then as long as the room wasn't 'invaded ' and the protest was in the public part of the public house while those attending the meeting were en route to the private meeting , I think the protest was legitimate , I believe it was peaceful even if it may have been disruptive due to noise etc. , DoWling was like a lion who thought he had his prey from the onset of the interview ,he got a rude awakening though , he's an amateur.

The issue is not the rights and wrongs of the protest. The issue is that Coppinger tried to avoid the question, and Dowling kept after her.

Besides, nobody has the right to conduct a noisy protest in a pub if the publican decides it is disorderly behaviour.

tampopo

I have no problem with his accent at all...

Oops69

P. Breathnach wrote: »

The issue is not the rights and wrongs of the protest. The issue is that Coppinger tried to avoid the question, and Dowling kept after her.

Besides, nobody has the right to conduct a noisy protest in a pub if the publican decides it is disorderly behaviour.

With respect , the issue isn't what you declare the issue to be , this ploy doesn't work with everyone. The issue was BRian Dowling , having made his mind up on the answer he wanted , badgering coppinger immediately from the onset of the programme in order to get that answer and then becoming more and more aggressive when he didn't get it.
With regard to the pub landlord or licence holder allowing a protest on his premises , I'm not ofee with licencing laws but I'm sure if there was a breach the Gardai would take up the matter .

P. Breathnach

Oops69 wrote: »

With respect , the issue isn't what you declare the issue to be , this ploy doesn't work with everyone....

I was responding to your claim that the protest was legitimate. That's not a radio matter. What is a radio matter is that Dowling asked a question and Coppinger tried to dodge it.

two wheels good

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Coppinger tried to dodge the question. It's fairly standard practice for journalists to persist with things that people try to slide away from. If I were to fault Dowling's performance, I think it would be on the basis that he didn't clarify whether the meeting was a private or a public one. A public meeting is fair game for some amount of protest; a private gathering is not. [My understanding is that it was private, for party members only.]

Mary Lou is a more skilled performer. She suggested it was normal politics, and implied that SF meetings might be disrupted in the same way. Yeah, right.

"Dodging the question" is a bit harsh but she was prevaricating in the typical politician's way - which is not usual for her in fairness. MLMcD response was commendably direct.
But BD's tone was inappropriately strident and his approach throughout was far from balanced. Maybe he was thinking 'Paxman' - generating more heat than light.

Public or private : I think it was clear if was an FG event not a private e.g. family event. Fair game for a *peaceful*, if noisy, protest I say.
I couldn't help thinking "Shouty people shouting in public bar Shocker. Some expletives thrown about". (I hasten to add I don't approve of gratuitious swearing in public - which seems to a topical point in the media at the moment)

Oops69

How low can our politicians sink to get a few votes. I'm embarrassed for our country.

jimmyw

Its bad enough listening to these clowns wittering on about nonsense, but to hear them sound like a squeaky door hinge is utterly painful.......:mad: