Weeknight Late Date

Losty Dublin

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I guess when you give the gig to a jobbing musician, this is simply what you can expect. It’s a farce and disrespectful to a programme that had a small but very loyal listener base. Was listening to Lillian Smith earlier, banished to a time of morning when there’s hardly anyone listening. Always available and passionate about her work, the way she’s been treated is a disgrace.

I'm not a fan of his by any means but lets be fair here. Fiachna is RTÉ staff. Heaven of heaven but he could be off on leave or working daytime off mic, or taking time off in lieu for working odd hours, hospital or other appointments. In short, there's a lot of reasons why he isn't on air.

Joe_ Public

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I'm not a fan of his by any means but lets be fair here. Fiachna is RTÉ staff. Heaven of heaven but he could be off on leave or working daytime off mic, or taking time off in lieu for working odd hours, hospital or other appointments. In short, there's a lot of reasons why he isn't on air.

I think I am being quite fair to be honest. Its nothing personal against Fiachna. I am critical of some aspects of his, like how he regularly plays his own band, but all in all, I think he's a decent broadcaster and I think he could do a good job filling in for others, as he does on Creedon from time to time, but it just doesn't make sense to me to give a guy a regular presenting job on weekend nights when the band he performs in is most likely to be playing gigs. Nothing to do with family or other issues he may have and nothing personal at all. Is he even RTE staff? Would have assumed he was freelance or contract, but not 100 per cent on that.

serfboard

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Fiachna is RTÉ staff.

Are you sure about that?

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Would have assumed he was freelance or contract

That's what I thought too.

ford fiesta

Somehow I doubt Fiachna and the late date crew are permanent staff. I don't think a Radio 1 presenter has been made permanent in a long time.

Losty Dublin

serfboard wrote: »

Are you sure about that?That's what I thought too.

My bad in part, I misread his LinkedIn. He's a producer as well but on Freelance terms.

aroundthehouse

I happened to catch this show one night, it was quite enjoyable

Red Fred

F. O'B. off again tonight. It's like lucky dip of stand ins.

ford fiesta

Red Fred wrote: »

F. O'B. off again tonight. It's like lucky dip of stand ins.

F O'B in Japan with The HHF.

Prior to a few years ago in the good old days of Late Date, there would be only 1 or 2 Late Date stand in presenters.

The past 12 months for example there has been over 25 different presenters!!

Red Fred

ford fiesta wrote: »

F O'B in Japan with The HHF.

Prior to a few years ago in the good old days of Late Date, there would be only 1 or 2 Late Date stand in presenters.

The past 12 months for example there has been over 25 different presenters!!

Last night there was a female stand in (only heard her last link, so didn't catch her name). Tonight Aonghus McAnally's name came out of the hat. At this rate the RTE canteen and cleaning staff might get a shot at presenting it!

Joe_ Public

Red Fred wrote: »

Last night there was a female stand in (only heard her last link, so didn't catch her name). Tonight Aonghus McAnally's name came out of the hat. At this rate the RTE canteen and cleaning staff might get a shot at presenting it!

Niamh McManus was her name, new one on me. There’s a pretty large staff out there so may well be a few more spins of the Late Date presenter roulette wheel to go through yet.

honeybear

ford fiesta wrote: »

F O'B in Japan with The HHF.

Prior to a few years ago in the good old days of Late Date, there would be only 1 or 2 Late Date stand in presenters.

The past 12 months for example there has been over 25 different presenters!!

I am suspicious that this is a general strategy at RTE-wages are a big controversy but if they reduce hours worked and reduce wages it appears that they have made an effort to address controversial wages. I’ve lost track of the amount of Morning Ireland presenters. Drivetime’s main presenter is Mary Wilson but John Murray, Philip and more recently, Sarah often fill in for her. I’m an avid radio listener and it is very noticeable to me