Anton Savage Radio Thread [Mod Note Post 1]

Robert McGrath · 03-12-2016 07:44PM

D'arcy had 15 years to build an audience.

Anton was given less than 2

Itssoeasy · 03-12-2016 07:50PM

Pokemon Battle wrote: »

Louise McSharry wants the gig.

She wants it ? She has a "gig" on 2fm.

Itssoeasy · 03-12-2016 07:55PM

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

It's hard to know who they could put into that slot to stop the listenership slide. Ray D'Arcy isn't everyone's cup of tea (he certainly isn't mine!) but there was something about him that was pulling in the numbers. I'd love to know why so many people stopped listening and went elsewhere. Was the program really that much worse than Ray D'Arcy's one? Was the fact that nobody ever got to learn anything about Anton as a person a factor? The unevenness of the program at times and the guests at times? Though in fairness, this was also a problem that afflicted D'Arcy's show? Even here on boards, the Anton Savage show thread was one of the quieter ones here whereas the Ray D'Arcy one from the same slot was always relatively busy.

Well a rule of thumb on boards is the quiter the thread the less issues listeners have.

sonic85 · 03-12-2016 08:03PM

It's the same thing with the likes of the Late Late Show. It's a big ball of sh1te but people still watch it and complain about it

UsedToWait · 03-12-2016 08:18PM

Dannyman76 wrote: »

I wonder which guests he was forced to interview. He was playing a lot more chart music lately as well. Sometimes I have to listen to 2fm, I'd hate to see Today Fm heading in that direction. Anton Savage was leagues ahead of anything else

I flick through the presets a lot in the car, in the (seemingly increasingly vain) hope of finding something interesting, or some enjoyable music.
I was just remarking to myself that in recent months, I've only had one single occasion to stop at 2fm for more than 3 seconds.

Sadly, Today FM has joined that club in recent months, and Spotify and podcasts are taking their place.

I say sadly, because I love radio as a medium when it's done well.

Between a seeming dumbing down in many areas, Anton's show included, and the ever more insufferable ads, Irish radio is pushing me, and I'm sure many, away,

wnolan1992 · 03-12-2016 08:35PM

Robert McGrath wrote: »

D'arcy had 15 years to build an audience.

Anton was given less than 2

You could argue that Ray started out small and built up large numbers, whereas Anton started with large numbers and lost a massive proportion of them.

wnolan1992 · 03-12-2016 08:39PM

UsedToWait wrote: »

While there may be no link, it was around the time Ann arrived as producer and that gob****e started in the afternoon..

I think Ann is a researcher, not producer. Could be wrong though, s'just I thought Pam was producer.

Ursus Horribilis · 03-12-2016 08:42PM

UsedToWait wrote: »

I flick through the presets a lot in the car, in the (seemingly increasingly vain) hope of finding something interesting, or some enjoyable music.
I was just remarking to myself that in recent months, I've only had one single occasion to stop at 2fm for more than 3 seconds.

I don't know what age you are (I'm 38) but I feel like I'm in some sort of age bracket Irish radio doesn't want to know about. I stopped listening to daytime 2FM years ago and used to dip in and out of Today FM. I live outside Dublin so I don't have the choice (if there is any) of radio stations there are in the capital. There's nothing on Radio 1 for me either. iRadio is for younger people. 4fm I can't pick up where I live. I can't get DAB either.

So increasingly I'm turning to Spotify, online radio stations. It's nice to have them there but you know, I'd love to be able to just turn on the radio in the car and not have to faff around with my phone.

Ursus Horribilis · 03-12-2016 08:50PM

wnolan1992 wrote: »

You could argue that Ray started out small and built up large numbers, whereas Anton started with large numbers and lost a massive proportion of them.

This is how I see it, I'm afraid. It's not as if they were reinventing the wheel when Anton stepped into the slot. I thought at the time that he was a good choice and a steady pair of hands. He had previously stood in for Ray and had done a decent job. It wasn't as if the content of the show changed dramatically either. For whatever reasons, Ray's listeners left in their droves and never came back

Laois_Man · 03-12-2016 09:14PM

Maybe it's coz the listeners didn't feel like they really knew Savage and so don't place as much stock in his views.

Maybe it's that he didn't give any of his own views much.

Maybe he was just TOO nice and there's no feeling of impending controversy as you listened to him. Maybe people actually like a presenter who annoys them a bit.

Maybe it's because Ray is a figure from many of our past childhoods and we have no such affiliation to Anton

D'Arcy often annoyed me - but I always wanted him to do well.

With Anton, I don't think I really cared. He doesn't feel likeable to me - he's just some guy with a little bit of a hyper act going on and its got no cutting edge.

Remembering (and peeking back at) some of the names that came up two years ago when D'Arcy left - and I think most of the same names would come up again - although some of them have come a long way in RTE and such places since and probably wouldn't be interested now, and a couple of new ones (not saying I'd want all or any of these - but the new presenter is probably certain to come from this list)

Sean Moncrieff,
Brian McFadden (WTF?),
Vogue Williams,
Louise McSharry,
Mairead Farrell,
Ray Foley,
Paul McLoone,
Eoghan McDermott,
Louise Duffy,
Lucy Kennedy,
Muireann O’Connell,
Killian O'Sullivan,
Martin King,
Brian Ormonde,
John Toal,
Baz Ashmawy,
Kathryn Thomas,
Neil Delamare,
Claire Byrne,
Simon Delaney,
PJ Gallagher,
Grainne Seoige,
Alison Curtis,
Dara Quilty,
Adrian Kennedy,
Jeremy Dixon,
Damien McCaul,
Steven Cooper
Ray D'Arcy (wouldn't that be hilarious)

sonic85 · 03-12-2016 09:24PM

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

This is how I see it, I'm afraid. It's not as if they were reinventing the wheel when Anton stepped into the slot. I thought at the time that he was a good choice and a steady pair of hands. He had previously stood in for Ray and had done a decent job. It wasn't as if the content of the show changed dramatically either. For whatever reasons, Ray's listeners left in their droves and never came back

The sort of people who like D'Arcy aren't the type to appreciate Anton. The listeners who left would've been die hard D'Arcy fans so when they left they were never going to come back.

I did start to notice in the last while they were reading out the odd text that came from somebody who was crying in the kitchen or crying trucker etc. Veering back to the bad auld days

jimmyw · 03-12-2016 09:29PM

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Probably had a meeting after the show that culminated in a "If you don't start doing things our way, you're fired!", "You can't fire me I quit!" showdown.

It must have happened that quick, he said he was off on Monday, now it appears he will be off full stop.I believe his contract was to the end of the year.

Yes some of the items such as Eoin Murphys celeb ****e was not good,and similar stuff but there is bound to be some rubbish on shows.But all in all, I thought it was different and light hearted and Anton was a good host.

Ah well, another nail in the stations coffin.How many of the other presenters will either get a shakeup, or axed?

Pokemon Battle · 03-12-2016 09:34PM

I reckon the last word with Matt Cooper will be axed if they are really planning a wider shake up.

heldel00 · 03-12-2016 09:44PM

Pokemon Battle wrote: »

I reckon the last word with Matt Cooper will be axed if they are really planning a wider shake up.

Oh God I hope not. Matt Cooper is the only reason I know anything about the goings-on in the big bad world!

Anton was a breath of fresh air after Moany-hole. I'll miss him.

Ursus Horribilis · 03-12-2016 10:14PM

Pokemon Battle wrote: »

I reckon the last word with Matt Cooper will be axed if they are really planning a wider shake up.

It might not be as simple as that. Even though Today FM is mostly a music based station, there's most likely something written into their remit which obliges them to provide a certain amount of current affairs programs. Matt Cooper's program has a solid enough audience. It also would have decent enough advertising I should imagine. What would they replace it with?

03-12-2016 10:33PM

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

It might not be as simple as that. Even though Today FM is mostly a music based station, there's most likely something written into their remit which obliges them to provide a certain amount of current affairs programs. Matt Cooper's program has a solid enough audience. It also would have decent enough advertising I should imagine. What would they replace it with?

Maybe a younger person on as the host....Gavan Reilly maybe taking over....or worse could you see Paula McSweeney as the current affairs host

Ursus Horribilis · 03-12-2016 10:38PM

I'm not convinced it'd make much difference what age the person presenting that short of show is. Unless (gawd help us all), the powers that be decide to sex things up a bit and have more Kardashians and less current affairs.
I find Gavan dull but perhaps that's just me.

GT_TDI_150 · 03-12-2016 10:39PM

I noticed Ray Foley wasnt in for his slot on RedFm in Cork this morning ....co-incidence? I think not ...

Cant stand him at all so deffo wont be tuning in to Todayfm in the mornings if this would be the replacement

hufpc8w3adnk65 · 03-12-2016 11:27PM

GT_TDI_150 wrote: »

I noticed Ray Foley wasnt in for his slot on RedFm in Cork this morning ....co-incidence? I think not ...

Cant stand him at all so deffo wont be tuning in to Todayfm in the mornings if this would be the replacement

Who was filling in for foley and what reason did they give?

GT_TDI_150 · 03-12-2016 11:32PM

MrMac84 wrote: »

Who was filling in for foley and what reason did they give?

think it was KC ... no idea of the reason given ... only tuned in for 10mins while in the shower

ThisRegard · 04-12-2016 12:18AM

Pokemon Battle wrote: »

I reckon the last word with Matt Cooper will be axed if they are really planning a wider shake up.

Not a chance, it's the best drive time current affairs show at the moment.

Chip Whitley · 04-12-2016 03:44AM

If they're going to keep it as a magazine type show then I could definitely see Hector getting it. Not saying I'm a massive fan but he could do it, has a national profile and is familiar to the TodayFM schedule and listeners already.

My own preference would be fitting Ray Foley back in there somewhere. Maybe move some stuff around so that D&D are on afternoons as a lead-in for Matt Cooper and knock Fergal D'Arcy back to late evenings.

As it is now, D&D are the only reason I'd listen to TodayFM at all, and only a year ago I was an all-day listener. This new management are ****ing away an established and loyal listenership.

Jamiekelly · 04-12-2016 04:30AM

statto25 wrote: »

That is radios worse nightmare. I can't imagine anything worse than that. Fergal D'Arcy doing a magazine type show would be a categorical disaster.

Couldn't agree more. Major radio stations poaching talent from fringe stations rarely works out. It's like watching a bunch of 60 something year old former civil servants moving names around time slots and wondering why the sheep aren't following their sheperd.

2fm managed to get Chris and Ciara from iradio because they were being killed in youth listenership. I used to listen to it. It was great, stupid humored but you knew from the amount of swear words and actually controversial material they were joking about that they were being given the freedom and scope to make the show their own with as little editorial interference as possible. Worked an absolute treat. If something isn't broke, don't fix it...

Unless you work at 2fm or Today fm.

As per usual the upper management put restraints on C&C the second they stepped into RTE. I remember about 3 weeks in I was listening and I heard Chris say **** me and almost immediately Ciara had a heart attack. Letting him know it wasnt iradio anymore and how they couldn't do that anymore.

Never heard a sigh as painful from Chris. It was a genuine moment of "oh no,I can't even be myself here"

Not surprised to see the listener ship for them has dropped aswell. I stopped listening because it became nothing more than saturated innuendo jokes and the occasional rant with a "feck" thrown in to be edgy.

RTE turned them into bland shells of themselves and I'm actually delighted Anton decided not to bow down to that. Him and Matt Cooper are the only Today FM presenters I can listen to.

Oh and whoever allows Neil Delamere to be on ANY kind of radio show, stand in or guest, should be sacked. No one seems to like him. And talking about dead animals on a morning show as an off the cuff convo should immediately disqualify you from doing the rest of the show. How he did not get pulled off the air straight away I'll never know. I've actually seen shop staff change the station when he came on. Looks like Centra workers have more decency than Today FM. If they know customers don't want to hear him. They should to.

(TLDR) - Radio has cancer and the chemo is gonna be rough for a lot of ears.

nice_guy80 · 04-12-2016 12:25PM

Paula McSweeney - good on the eye, not on the ear.

decent female radio presenters are few and far between

wnolan1992 · 04-12-2016 12:45PM

I could see them maybe doing the following:

7-10: Ray Foley
10-12: Ian Dempsey OR Hector OR Neil Delamare
12-2:30: Dermot and Dave
2:30-4:30: Fergal D'Arcy
5-7: Muireann O'Connell

Now, this is unlikely for a number of reasons (Foley's failed breakfast show at 98 under the current CEO of Today FM being the main one, licence terms could prevent Last Word from going). I'd then see Matt Cooper moving to NT to take over drive, with Chris Donoghue and Sarah McInerney taking over from George Hook at lunch.

It's unlikely to happen, but that schedule would bring me back to Today FM in a big way. I currently only listen to Ian Dempsey because I can't listen to NT anymore, but his show is tired and if there any decent alternative I'd take it. I think moving him to a mid-morning show where, as another former presenter of The Den, he'd appeal to some of the lost listeners of Ray D'Arcy. The show could be more music based than at present.

BaZmO* · 04-12-2016 12:52PM

Not a snowball's chance in hell of that line up happening.

Pokemon Battle · 04-12-2016 01:12PM

Today fms current imaging is bloody dire.

ziggy · 04-12-2016 09:14PM

This post has been deleted.

wnolan1992 · 04-12-2016 10:04PM

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

That was a totally deliberate mistake to test you. You win the prize. PM me to arrange delivery.

jesuisros · 04-12-2016 10:32PM

MrMac84 wrote: »

Who was filling in for foley and what reason did they give?

He was on holidays

Anton Savage Radio Thread [Mod Note Post 1]

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