Newstalk - Breakfast Show

jooksavage

Usually not a fan of Ivan Yates - his 'been-there-seen-it-all' schtick is pretty grating. Though I quite enjoyed his realistic predictions of a post-election scenario where FG go after deal-inclined independents like Michael Lowry. Chris, aghast at the prospect, came across as such a shrill amateur. The single most annoying cringe-inducing moment I've heard on radio recently:

Ivan: You need to learn about politics
Cherub-voiced Chris: You need to learn about ethics

Ugh.

jooksavage

Duplicate post

Del.Monte

jooksavage wrote: »

Usually not a fan of Ivan Yates - his 'been-there-seen-it-all' schtick is pretty grating. Though I quite enjoyed his realistic predictions of a post-election scenario where FG go after deal-inclined independents like Michael Lowry. Chris, aghast at the prospect, came across as such a shrill amateur. The single most annoying cringe-inducing moment I've heard on radio recently:

Ivan: You need to learn about politics
Cherub-voiced Chris: You need to learn about ethics

Ugh.

Not often I would agree with Chris but Ivan is like a typical muck savage, parish pump politician with no interest but what he personally can gain from anything. Anyway, am I the only one who is bored to death with the election already? Don't vote it only encourages them.

Mitch Connor

Del.Monte wrote: »

Not often I would agree with Chris but Ivan is a typical muck savage, parish pump politician with no interest but what he personally can gain from anything. Anyway, am I the only one who is bored to death with the election already? Don't vote it only encourages them.

Chris is arguing a 'should be scenario' that we will likely never see in Irish politics and politics in general.

Ivan is arguing the reality of politics and the desire to be in, or stay in, power no matter what.

wnolan1992

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Chris is arguing a 'should be scenario' that we will likely never see in Irish politics and politics in general.

Ivan is arguing the reality of politics and the desire to be in, or stay in, power no matter what.

This. Ivan wasn't saying that doing somewhat ethically dubious deals to stay in power was the "right" thing to do, he was saying that anyone who thinks they won't happen is deluded.

Likewise, I don't think Chris genuinely believes that the deals won't happen, I think he was just trying to argue that it's not the way things "should" work. Granted, I think he made a bit of a balls of bringing that across, but nonetheless I reckon that's what they were going for.

Muff Richardson

I find the election constituency forecast segment extremely tiresome and not in the least bit interesting.

I wish that useless b*llocks would just call the date so we could know when it will be all over.

theflipdave

somesoldiers wrote: »

Ivan's show on tv3 is on new. Going round pubs, drinking & interviewing people, how does he get these gigs?

True, but its good

Imhof Tank

Chris there yesterday slating Lowry for interfering in the mobile licence award process – he actually said ML interfered with John Bruton’s authority. A novel interpretation - and of course no mention of DOB in this context.

He has completely rewritten the Moriarty Report in his own head with all references to O’Brien’s name stricken from the record.

Such a company man.

No self- awareness either. As in, I don’t think he even realises what an effect he has on people.

Imhof Tank

Chris there yesterday slating Lowry for interfering in the mobile licence award process – he actually said ML interfered with John Bruton’s authority. A novel interpretation - and of course no mention of DOB in this context.

He has completely rewritten the Moriarty Report in his own head with all references to O’Brien’s name stricken from the record.

Such a company man.

No self- awareness either. As in, I don’t think he even realises what an effect he has on people.

PeterTheEighth

Paul Murphy telling people not to pay the water charges again. After him telling everybody not to pay the property tax, even ripping up property tax bill in the European parliament, before sellotaping it back together again and paying it. Why is he not being called on this?

Tony EH

After the way Colm Brophy conducted himself in that interview, I'll take Paul Murphy every day of the week, even if he is a one trick pony.

Muff Richardson

Anyone catch the Lowry interview? Was expecting a barrage of posts here. Didn't catch it myself but heard Chris beforehand claiming he "just happened upon Lowry, and was very grateful that he obliged him for an interview"...what an absolute crock. I'm guessing he was given the royal treatment.

Jadaol

listened to a bit of the show this morning and chris was interviewing some guy who represented an anti immigration group of some sort and had a muslim guy on. I learned absolutely nothing.

It was only a few minutes long and the questions were crap, even puerile. He just comes across as not being mature enough or professional enough to be able to ask the questions that matter in an interview. It's almost like he's a transition year student most of the time.

As a result i still don't know what that man's group are and what exactly they are protesting against.
Unlike chris i was prepared to hear him out rather than assuming it's some sort of racist agenda - rather than asking infantile questions, being rude and cutting him off

jooksavage

Jadaol wrote: »

listened to a bit of the show this morning and chris was interviewing some guy who represented an anti immigration group of some sort and had a muslim guy on. I learned absolutely nothing.

It was only a few minutes long and the questions were crap, even puerile. He just comes across as not being mature enough or professional enough to be able to ask the questions that matter in an interview. It's almost like he's a transition year student most of the time.

As a result i still don't know what that man's group are and what exactly they are protesting against.
Unlike chris i was prepared to hear him out rather than assuming it's some sort of racist agenda - rather than asking infantile questions, being rude and cutting him off

You're probably talking about the interview with that pr**k from Identity Ireland. I suggest you listen back to the podcast if you REALLY need to decide if something called IDENTITY IRELAND is racist.

Ol' Donie

What the f*ck is Identity Ireland?

Ah, don't tell me, I'll just get annoyed.

Del.Monte

jooksavage wrote: »

You're probably talking about the interview with that pr**k from Identity Ireland. I suggest you listen back to the podcast if you REALLY need to decide if something called IDENTITY IRELAND is racist.

Apart from the term PC is their an 'ism' for those pr**ks who are intolerant of anybody who dares raise their head above the parapet on issues such as same sex marriage, abortion, immigration etc?

wnolan1992

I heard the interview, and I agree with both of you Jadaol and jooksavage.

The Identity Ireland thing is a load of sh*te, and I wouldn't piss on the man if he was on fire.

HOWEVER, if you're going to have him on, you need to at least conduct the interview with a degree of impartiality that allows the listener to make up their own mind on a subject. Probe the man's ideology and watch it crumble, as opposed to smashing into it repeatedly like a battering ram only causing him to throw up more defences.

This is Chris' biggest failing. He can't be impartial when it's a subject he has a deep personal opinion on. It was the same during the Marriage Equality Referendum build up.

wnolan1992

I heard the interview, and I agree with both of you Jadaol and jooksavage.

The Identity Ireland thing is a load of sh*te, and I wouldn't piss on the man if he was on fire.

HOWEVER, if you're going to have him on, you need to at least conduct the interview with a degree of impartiality that allows the listener to make up their own mind on a subject. Probe the man's ideology and watch it crumble, as opposed to smashing into it repeatedly like a battering ram only causing him to throw up more defences.

This is Chris' biggest failing. He can't be impartial when it's a subject he has a deep personal opinion on. It was the same during the Marriage Equality Referendum build up.

jooksavage

wnolan1992 wrote: »

I heard the interview, and I agree with both of you Jadaol and jooksavage.

The Identity Ireland thing is a load of sh*te, and I wouldn't piss on the man if he was on fire.

HOWEVER, if you're going to have him on, you need to at least conduct the interview with a degree of impartiality that allows the listener to make up their own mind on a subject. Probe the man's ideology and watch it crumble, as opposed to smashing into it repeatedly like a battering ram only causing him to throw up more defences.

This is Chris' biggest failing. He can't be impartial when it's a subject he has a deep personal opinion on. It was the same during the Marriage Equality Referendum build up.

That's fair enough. I've never been a fan of Chris (and have complained about him here). He's pretty bad when it comes to contentious issues and he definitely didn't give yer man the interview he deserved - a stronger host would have ripped him on apart on the basis of his dead-end politics instead of shouting him down.

Oddly enough, I recall Marc Coleman (of all people) making a complete fool out of a similarly-minded Ireland-for-the-Irish guest a few years ago by conducting the interview in Irish (a language not familiar to same guest).

In the overall scheme of things, if I had to pick a side, I'll have to go with the incompetent radio presenter over the populist hate-monger but the point is well made.

PeterTheEighth

wnolan1992 wrote: »

This is Chris' biggest failing. He can't be impartial when it's a subject he has a deep personal opinion on. It was the same during the Marriage Equality Referendum build up.

I was gonna post pretty much the same point. When somebody comes on the program with a view that he strongly disagrees with, he's not mature enough to leave his personal opinions at the door, and carry out a balanced interview. He invariably ends up getting in a hissy fit and throwing his toys out of the pram in a tantrum.

He will never be treated as a serious broadcaster because his interviews are not balanced. One of the traits of Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny was that you would always find it difficult to work out how they actually felt themselves on any particular subject. They deliberately kept their views secret so as not afford their critics the opportunity of accusing them of being biased.

jooksavage

PeterTheEighth wrote: »

I was gonna post pretty much the same point. When somebody comes on the program with a view that he strongly disagrees with, he's not mature enough to leave his personal opinions at the door, and carry out a balanced interview. He invariably ends up getting in a hissy fit and throwing his toys out of the pram in a tantrum.

He will never be treated as a serious broadcaster because his interviews are not balanced. One of the traits of Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny was that you would always find it difficult to work out how they actually felt themselves on any particular subject. They deliberately kept their views secret so as not afford their critics the opportunity of accusing them of being biased.

A couple of years ago, the general defence for him was his age: he's so young, he'll improve with time etc. I haven't seen much in the way of improvent since though.

wnolan1992

jooksavage wrote: »

A couple of years ago, the general defence for him was his age: he's so young, he'll improve with time etc. I haven't seen much in the way of improvent since though.

Thing is, by and large I think he does well with the political stuff (minus the odd cock-up here and there (see the Paul Murphy interview)). But he's generally pretty poor whenever it comes to social issues.

DeanAustin

The interview this morning was dreadful. I don't mind Chris but he was utterly unprofessional this morning. He didn't allow the Identity Ireland fella speak. The low point was when he asked how many members Identity Ireland had and yer man said 400. Later in the interview, Chris then said "Ah do you really have 400 members?". You can't doubt the fella like that on air. Either have your research done properly or accept what he's telling you (like Chris would have done if yer man was representing "All Inclusive Ireland").

As someone else said, regardless of your opinion on the guest, if you're going to have them on, you have to give that guest a fair hearing.

Muff Richardson

It's been mentioned time after time that Chris hasn't the maturity to remain composed during an interview about issues he feels strongly about. I may have agreed with this some time ago early on in his career but now I'm not so sure. Chris doesn't strike me as being particularly intelligent and is most definitely not competent in his role as an interviewer, I wouldn't be surprised if he himself has come to realise that he isn't all that good at it so he has weighed it up and realises his popularity is the only way to go so just going hell for leather and taking a bias aggressive stance against anything non pc that will get the text line hopping with "good on ye Chris" type shîte is the option for him as he is so limited. He does seem like a nice person, but he is utterly pathetic as a broadcast journalist.

Jadaol

Muff Richardson wrote: »

It's been mentioned time after time that Chris hasn't the maturity to remain composed during an interview about issues he feels strongly about. I may have agreed with this some time ago early on in his career but now I'm not so sure. Chris doesn't strike me as being particularly intelligent and is most definitely not competent in his role as an interviewer, I wouldn't be surprised if he himself has come to realise that he isn't all that good at it so he has weighed it up and realises his popularity is the only way to go so just going hell for leather and taking a bias aggressive stance against anything non pc that will get the text line hopping with "good on ye Chris" type shîte is the option for him as he is so limited. He does seem like a nice person, but he is utterly pathetic as a broadcast journalist.

I think without doubt there's a level of immaturity but I think you're more on the money with the intellect. I really don't think he has nor ever will have the wherewithal to ask the questions needed.

As said earlier a more competent interviewer would pick the subject apart. He'd do well to try and be more like Pat Kenny than Vincent Brown.

He might have felt nice and smug afterwards but here I am giving out about him rather than the other fella

A waste of an interview

Jadaol

Plus what I think sets the likes of Pat Kenny apart, and people touched on this here. Is that usually his only agenda going into an interview is to find out the reasons for something.
He might call it out as being rubbish afterwards but usually after having picked it apart first.

Poor Chris thinks he's supposed to give his agenda first

foxtrot101

Jadaol wrote: »

Plus what I think sets the likes of Pat Kenny apart, and people touched on this here. Is that usually his only agenda going into an interview is to find out the reasons for something.
He might call it out as being rubbish afterwards but usually after having picked it apart first.

Poor Chris thinks he's supposed to give his agenda first

I agree with most of what has been said about Chris over the past few posts, but in fairness to him Newstalk wants it's presenters to express opinions as a way to differentiate itself from RTE. It's just that he's not very good at it.

PeterTheEighth

Jadaol wrote: »

Is that usually his only agenda going into an interview is to find out the reasons for something.

But I think that is the key. It was almost like Pat was on one of those debating teams where you're given an argument (contrary to the guest) and you have to debate them on it. Pat's was incredibly well researched, and never let his own opinions shine through.

I think Newstalk have let Chris away with it because his views are usually those that would be popular with their listeners but it does nothing to enhance his reputation as a credible journalist.

davef1000

Listening to the nighttime repeat and just heard Ivan ask the blind sprinter if it's nice to be recognised.

wnolan1992

davef1000 wrote: »

Listening to the nighttime repeat and just heard Ivan ask the blind sprinter if it's nice to be recognised.

Didn't hear this interview, but I'm not sure why this question would strike you as odd? Pretty standard question for athletes I would've thought.