RTE Radio 1: Late Debate

Diceicle

Though broadly she's fine, I would prefer a harder line taken on some topics - it seems a bit giddy with her at the helm.
Hannon was a useful as a chocolate fireguard this week though. Two politicos start going at each other - can't hear a word. She starts calling for 'one voice at a time' so everyone starts bleeting on into the mics. Total mess.
Still wish this show would ditch repeating the topics of the day (and its regular Brexit slot) and focus on more broad society topics (debating social housing / welfare / migration / where the country is going, and whatever you're having yourself) - between SOR, Drivetime, News at One and Morning Ireland all the core topics are well covered.

bobbyss

I find the programme repetitive and boring. She's boring too. Very little personality to carry things along. No sports chat I don't think. Any TV reviews etc? The programme needs to broaden out. It's all Oireachteas stuff and boring TDs.

Diceicle

bobbyss wrote: »

I find the programme repetitive and boring. She's boring too. Very little personality to carry things along. No sports chat I don't think. Any TV reviews etc? The programme needs to broaden out. It's all Oireachteas stuff and boring TDs.

It's only on for an hour tbf - limited in what they can cover.
They possibly could look to the Irish Times and independent podcasts for a good format.
Very good one recently with Clare Daly. Relaxed, informative and found myself agreeing with Daly - which I very much otherwise wouldn't - worth a listen

bobbyss

Diceicle wrote:

It's only on for an hour tbf - limited in what they can cover. They possibly could look to the Irish Times and independent podcasts for a good format. Very good one recently with Clare Daly. Relaxed, informative and found myself agreeing with Daly - which I very much otherwise wouldn't - worth a listen

The impression I get is that they talk endlessly about stuff already covered. I just think they need to lighten up and interject some sport, tv reviews or whatever.

bobbyss

bobbyss wrote: »

I find the programme repetitive and boring. She's boring too. Very little personality to carry things along. No sports chat I don't think. Any TV reviews etc? The programme needs to broaden out. It's all Oireachteas stuff and boring TDs.

???

It's a one-hour political programme. Why on earth would they be doing TV reviews? They cover sports stories insofar as they are major news items in themselves (whether to do with the GAA, rugby, women's boxing (Katie Taylor) , John Delaney and the FAI, etc) but the show would lose all focus if they attempted a magazine format.

Theres nothing wrong with the format of the show, in my view, they just need a presenter who is capable of moderating a panel discussion. Katie Hannon is an excellent investigative journalist, but not a debate-moderator.

Diceicle

bobbyss wrote: »

The impression I get is that they talk endlessly about stuff already covered. I just think they need to lighten up and interject some sport, tv reviews or whatever.

Agree with the first part but not the second.

bobbyss

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote:

It's a one-hour political programme. Why on earth would they be doing TV reviews? They cover sports stories insofar as they are major news items in themselves (whether to do with the GAA, rugby, women's boxing (Katie Taylor) , John Delaney and the FAI, etc) but the show would lose all focus if they attempted a magazine format.

I think there's too much pure politics on the programme and for that reason they should change it to a magazine type of programme which for this listener is of more interest.

If it's a politics programme then why feature Katie Taylor at all? If it's featuring her because it's a news item in itself then it's by definition not only about politics. Ditto for the GAA.

And if they talk about stuff other than politics then why not do film, tv etc?

bobbyss

bobbyss wrote: »

I think there's too much pure politics on the programme and for that reason they should change it to a magazine type of programme which for this listener is of more interest.

If it's a politics programme then why feature Katie Taylor at all? If it's featuring her because it's a news item in itself then it's by definition not only about politics. Ditto for the GAA.

And if they talk about stuff other than politics then why not do film, tv etc?

For a very practical reason, I suggest.

Between the end of Drivetime at 7pm, and the broadcast of Late Debate at 10pm, a lot can have happened in the news cycle. TV, arts and music have already been covered between RTE Arena and the John Creedon show. But Oireachtas business will often only just have concluded, and it's still only 5pm in the USA. That's why the TV equivalents, Prime Time/Claire Byrne /Tonight Show also air quite late.

Criticisms of the show's recent and current presenters are definitely valid, but suggesting that they should squeeze a magazine programme into the format, in that tight little window ... Yikes.

bobbyss

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote:

Between the end of Drivetime at 7pm, and the broadcast of Late Debate at 10pm, a lot can have happened in the news cycle. TV, arts and music have already been covered between RTE Arena and the John Creedon show. But Oireachtas business will often only just have concluded, and it's still only 5pm in the USA. That's why the TV equivalents, Prime Time/Claire Byrne /Tonight Show also air quite late.

Well you would certainly get the impression that nothing happens at all between those times as far as I am concerned. Often the first item on the programme has been the first item on the six k click news.

In any event I personally would like a break from all the politics and a bit of a sports injection would be welcomed. Unfortunately she knows nothing about sport. There's no dedicated sport segment which offers a bit of depth right through from ... well I don't know really. Sure we have Des
popping up along the place but that's only snippets taken from newagencies.

bobbyss

bobbyss wrote: »

Well you would certainly get the impression that nothing happens at all between those times as far as I am concerned. Often the first item on the programme has been the first item on the six k click news.

In any event I personally would like a break from all the politics and a bit of a sports injection would be welcomed.

Between RTE Radio 1 and 2FM, the arts, music and sport are well covered between 7pm and 10pm weeknights (Arena, John Creedon, and Game On, respectively)

Political news should be a priority thereafter, and of all the criticisms of Late Debate, their lack of sports and music coverage is a pretty weak one, I suggest.

Clon63

Is the Late Debate gone again?

I know it was on last week with the American election.

Big political day so turned it on to hear Panty Bliss.

Watching Matt Cooper on TV3 instead.

NIMAN

Clon63 wrote: »

Is the Late Debate gone again?

I know it was on last week with the American election.

Big political day so turned it on to hear Panty Bliss.

Watching Matt Cooper on TV3 instead.

Two doses!

Out of the frying pan ......

AwaitYourReply

Clon63 wrote: »

Is the Late Debate gone again?

I know it was on last week with the American election.

Big political day so turned it on to hear Panty Bliss.

Watching Matt Cooper on TV3 instead.

According to the RTE website:

DUE TO GOVERNMENT LEVEL 5 RESTRICTIONS ON UNNECESSARY TRAVEL, THE PROGRAMME IS CURRENTLY ON A BREAK

https://www.rte.ie/radio1/the-late-debate/

When the initial Coronavirus Lockdown and severe domestic travel restrictions were first eased last summer, I don't recall "The Late Debate" coming back probably because the Dáil was about to go for it's summer recess. However; one would have thought it would still be possible to run this programme as guests do not have to be live in studio. We have things like Telephones, Video Calling and other ways to communicate. How does "Off The Ball" on NewsTalk 106-108 manage or Niall Boylan at Night on Classic Hits 4FM manage during the same restrictions? The Late Late Show on RTÉ One TV is still airing albeit; without a live studio audience but it still has guest contributors invited on to chat with Ryan Tubridy! A preview of the newspapers could also be given more airtime and other tweaks while travel restrictions are in place.

RINO87

Time to bring Back JK and The Classic Rock Show!!

it sure beats "It was better in the XYZ..." or Panti Bliss, again -think that series is on its second repeat cycle now

AwaitYourReply

I used enjoy "Tonight with Vincent Browne" on weeknights which used go out on RTÉ Radio 1 in the 2000's prior to his move to TV3 now Virgin Media One. Vinny B also had a series called the "Midnight Court" also around the same period while working at Radio 1. Talk radio broadcast live from Ireland during late evenings is erratic. There was a time when Radio 1, NewsTalk and other local independent radio stations did LIVE late night. Now RTÉ has pulled back using COVID-19 as an excuse, Newstalk axed shows like "Late Night Live with Declan Carty", Marc Coleman (former NewsTalk Business Editor) did 2-3 nights a week for a while and you also had a Sunday night show whose presenter names I've forgotten but I think it was a double-act. In Cork, RedFm 106 had a live show called: "Cork Talk's Back" first presented by Charlie Wolf/later replaced by Victor Barry. Now most speech shows broadcast in late evenings are shows which had been broadcast earlier during daytime. Classic Hits (formerly 4FM) does have Niall Boylan but a lot of repeat shows or repeat segments.

In contrast, in the UK you have BBC Radio Five Live, LBC (Leading Britain's Conversation), Talk Radio and recently launched TimesRadio broadcasting live late night talk shows between 10-10:30-01:00am X 7 Nights a week! https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/live

ford fiesta

Is there really a need for "The Late Debate" anymore? What are its listener figures?

The groundbreaking days of Tonight with Vincent Browne are long gone..

AwaitYourReply

ford fiesta wrote: »

Is there really a need for "The Late Debate" anymore? What are its listener figures?

The groundbreaking days of Tonight with Vincent Browne are long gone..

I would think that listener figures for "The Late Debate" are probably dropping and this is hardly helped while RTÉ Radio 1 messing around with the format too much. If they do not consider it valuable enough in their current/future schedule going forward, they should make a decision and follow through rather than adopting a stop/start approach.

Boulevardier

WTH is going on with Late Debate?

As far as I know, RTE have made no announcement that they are discontinuing it. They have merely stopped broadcasting it and have replaced it with useless repeats of other shows instead.

Unless someone on this thread has heard from RTE, I am going to make enquiries of my own.

Boulevardier

After a lot of trying, I have had this from the RTE information office:

"Due to government restrictions The Late Debate programme is currently not in the schedule, this is being kept under review however, we do not have a return date at present."

I would ask. what government restrictions?? All other current affairs panel shows, both Radio and TV, have continued without a problem.

RINO87

They need to find something for that time slot pretty quickly - it's been rehashing documentaries that have been repeated a number of times already

denishurley

Just heard a promo - back next Tuesday

Boulevardier

Great news. The RTE info people had said they did not know when it would be back.

Gooser14

Does anybody know when the Late Debate is likely to be back on the programme schedule?

yogalady

Late debate use to be on radio 1 tuesday to thursday 10pm to 11pm with different presenters but mostly Katie Hannon. Just dissappeared. Anyone know why or if it coming back?
Thanks

real rocker

yogalady wrote: »

Late debate use to be on radio 1 tuesday to thursday 10pm to 11pm with different presenters but mostly Katie Hannon. Just dissappeared. Anyone know why or if it coming back?
Thanks

A previous thread on this indicated that the decision is Covid related as intended guests could not be facilitated in studio. I guess the fireworks would not work on a remote link basis.

ford fiesta

It's a lame excuse to be honest.
Other shows seem to manage with guests in studio and in other studios/locations.

amlinopta

ford fiesta wrote: »

It's a lame excuse to be honest.
Other shows seem to manage with guests in studio and in other studios/locations.

Off air while level 5 applies, according to a post from 8 Jan on their Twitter page. Lazy

Late Debate was a great place for journalists to cut their teeth in tough political interviews. It produced Cormac O hEadhra, Audrey Carville, and Claire Byrne. Katie Hannon, too, had been more of an investigative reporter before she got the last gig.

For some unknown reason, RTE tried to fix something that wasnt broken, and put three rotating hosts in the slot. It sort of lost personality and fizzled out, even unrelated to covid.

amlinopta

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Late Debate was a great place for journalists to cut their teeth in tough political interviews. It produced Cormac O hEadhra, Audrey Carville, and Claire Byrne. Katie Hannon, too, had been more of an investigative reporter before she got the last gig.

For some unknown reason, RTE tried to fix something that wasnt broken, and put three rotating hosts in the slot. It sort of lost personality and fizzled out, even unrelated to covid.

It was Katie Hannon, Sarah McInerney and Fionnuala Sweeney one night a week for a short while. Katie presenting on her own when they knocked it on the head.

bobbyss

I used to like it when Vincent Browne was on the radio about 11ish. Maybe a forerunner to Late Debate I don't know.
I just find Katy Hannon so, so dull and dreary. Always on about local, domestic politics. Very little, as I recall, international stuff. A studio full of TDs from down the country. Her flat accent puts me off also. Browne was argumentative and I liked that about him.