Lunchtime with Jonathan Healy on Newstalk

Mick Murdock · 08-12-2014 1:17pm #1

This guy is f*cking unbearable. He's the oldest woman in Ireland. Such a negative cynical little whingebag (irony isn't lost on me here). Tries way too hard to ask the 'tough' questions when it's completely unnecessary. He's giving Dil Wickremasinghe a run for his money. Shocking radio.

No major complaints about Newstalks weekday programming otherwise just this fella.. argghh

Hello.

heybaby · 08-12-2014 1:26pm

Mick Murdock wrote: »

This guy is f*cking unbearable. He's the oldest woman in Ireland. Such a negative cynical little whingebag (irony isn't lost on me here). Tries way too hard to ask the 'tough' questions when it's completely unnecessary. He's giving Dil Wickremasinghe a run for his money. Shocking radio.

No major complaints about Newstalks weekday programming otherwise just this fella.. argghh

Hello.

Very harsh and very much unjustified. Healy would be easily one of the best current affairs broadcasters in the country, he strikes me as very articulate and never afraid to take on politicans / industry leaders if he feels they are trying to blag their way through an interview. Also, Dil Wickremasinghe is a woman... not a bloke.

Harry Angstrom · 08-12-2014 3:37pm

I can feel the smugness coming through my radio when I listen to Healy. He's a second rate broadcaster who thinks he's one step away from being a Woodward/Bernstein.

Aidric · 08-12-2014 3:44pm

His approach is very Daily Mail. If he spent a little less time being outraged and instead concentrated on conducting a professional interview he'd be ok.

Harry Angstrom · 08-12-2014 3:51pm

He seems to have studied at the Marian Finucane School of Research. Today, he said that nobody has been convicted for the killing of Shrien Dewani's wife. He must have missed the bit where 3 men were given prison sentences for it.

CountyHurler · 07-01-2015 1:12pm

"Jerry Buttimer, you're a straight shooter" :eek:

PureDaycent · 07-01-2015 4:16pm

Some people can't handle radio presenters that get stuck in. Healy is a brilliant presenter.

nicedryturf · 07-01-2015 4:17pm

heybaby wrote: »

Very harsh and very much unjustified. Healy would be easily one of the best current affairs broadcasters in the country, he strikes me as very articulate and never afraid to take on politicans / industry leaders if he feels they are trying to blag their way through an interview. Also, Dil Wickremasinghe is a woman... not a bloke.

One of the best current affairs broadcasters in the country? Really?

I know the bar is pretty low but still: his political interviews typically end with him trying to needle a verbal gaffe out of some junior minister so he can puff on with all that "You heard it here first: so-and-so said such-and-such about x,y and z". He's not providing any insight (or giving the politicians the actual kicking they deserve), just winning a cheap soundbite that Newstalk can play over and over as a link during commercial breaks. And that's him at his best. The other half of his show has him sighing earnestly to the endless parade of hardship stories (which can be blamed on uncaring bureaucracies, the drinks industry, the internet, etc,) Someone in the other Newstalk thread brilliantly described it as "Bart's People" journalism.

Lapin · 07-01-2015 4:56pm

PureDaycent wrote: »

Some people can't handle radio presenters that get stuck in. Healy is a brilliant presenter.

I don't mind them getting stuck in but I don't need radio presenters taking on the self appointed role as guardian of the nation.

The bee in his bonnet over Arthur's Day some 15 months ago was a particular gem.

He practically predicted a riot in every town with A&E units packed to the rafters with kids getting pumped out and garda stations full drunken brawlers.

He even challenged a senior exec from Diageo to mooch around a few A&E units with him on the night for a gawk at the deprivation he predicted.

Mr Diageo rightly snubbed him and went out for a pint instead, just as I and many thousands of others did and had a great time. There was no trouble, and the hospitals were quieter than usual on the night.

There was a palpable sense of a clown defeated on his programme the following day. I'm no big fan of Diageo and saw the Arthur's Day lark for the publicity stunt it was. But I don't need a sanctimonious radio presenter telling me that and trying his best to turn it into something it never was to begin with. He went well down in my estimation after that episode.

Healy should stick to reporting the news instead of trying to create it. Or pack it in altogether and go saying mass or something.

Aidric · 11-01-2015 6:48pm

Lapin wrote: »

Healy should stick to reporting the news instead of trying to create it. Or pack it in altogether and go saying mass or something.

Is he affiliated to the Iona institute?

Pinturicchio · 11-01-2015 10:37pm

He's insufferable. He's always either attempting unnecessarily pally "banter" with his regular guests or else trying to get a minor politician to say something they can misconstrue and stick into Newstalk's increasingly tabloid-like news bulletins for the rest of the day.

nicedryturf · 21-01-2015 10:32am

Lapin wrote: »

I don't mind them getting stuck in but I don't need radio presenters taking on the self appointed role as guardian of the nation.

The bee in his bonnet over Arthur's Day some 15 months ago was a particular gem.

He practically predicted a riot in every town with A&E units packed to the rafters with kids getting pumped out and garda stations full drunken brawlers.

He even challenged a senior exec from Diageo to mooch around a few A&E units with him on the night for a gawk at the deprivation he predicted.

Mr Diageo rightly snubbed him and went out for a pint instead, just as I and many thousands of others did and had a great time. There was no trouble, and the hospitals were quieter than usual on the night.

There was a palpable sense of a clown defeated on his programme the following day. I'm no big fan of Diageo and saw the Arthur's Day lark for the publicity stunt it was. But I don't need a sanctimonious radio presenter telling me that and trying his best to turn it into something it never was to begin with. He went well down in my estimation after that episode.

Healy should stick to reporting the news instead of trying to create it. Or pack it in altogether and go saying mass or something.

I heard him on Monday after Conor McGregor's win. He was at pains to clarify that it wasn't his "cup of tea". I'd wager he's quite disappointed that the next fight isn't coming to Ireland. He'd be in his element, whining on about all of the bloodletting and youth-corrupting-violence.

CountyHurler · 21-01-2015 11:13am

Pinturicchio wrote: »

He's insufferable. He's always either attempting unnecessarily pally "banter" with his regular guests or else trying to get a minor politician to say something they can misconstrue and stick into Newstalk's increasingly tabloid-like news bulletins for the rest of the day.

Then when the politician refuses to come on the show again, he'll announces "we've been trying to contact Mr x, but he wont come on with us".. in that usual smug, jocose tone that he adopts when he thinks he's got one over on somebody...

tbh, I can understand why politicians wouldnt want to go on Newstalk...