The Weekend On One With Brendan O'Connor

Bellbottoms · 04-07-2021 8:09pm

elperello wrote: »

Maybe most people realise that life is not a bowl of cherries and hearing issues of death and illness discussed is just part of the package.

As for myself, I hear a sad story, reflect on it, relate it to my own life experience and then move on to something more lighthearted or a bit of music.

It is called light entertainment for a reason.

And while I see your point. You have to agree that it is ridiculous that almost every interview invariably ends up touching some horrible illness or event that happened in the interviewees life.

And once identifed the interview changes gears to extract every last part of misery out of the illness or event.

You might think I am exaggeration. But listen to Tubritys for a week and see how many interviews fall down the misery rabbit hole.

Del.Monte · 04-07-2021 8:48pm

Newstalk are dreadful too but they have a commercial interest in frightening people as their advertising for health insurance, healthcare products, nursing homes and funeral undertakers depends on it while RTE have almost zero commercial advertising these days.

elperello · 04-07-2021 9:39pm

Bellbottoms wrote: »

It is called light entertainment for a reason.

And while I see your point. You have to agree that it is ridiculous that almost every interview invariably ends up touching some horrible illness or event that happened in the interviewees life.

And once identifed the interview changes gears to extract every last part of misery out of the illness or event.

You might think I am exaggeration. But listen to Tubritys for a week and see how many interviews fall down the misery rabbit hole.

Basically Tubridy and D'arcy are running magazine type catch all programmes.

Their main function is to keep the ball in the air between the other shows without dropping it.

A book promo here, a sad story there, add in a bit of human interest and a little novelty item and throw in some music and bob's your uncle.

Every segment is not focused on sad stories. If they veered to far that way the producer would be on the ball and steer things back on track. Why ? Because at the end of the day it's bad for business.

If they were as bad as they are made out to be here the advertisers and listeners would desert them in droves.

I'm not accusing you of exaggerating but I've no intention of sitting through a week of RT shows with a stop watch and a notebook to prove a point so I'll leave that task to someone else.

AndrewJRenko · 04-07-2021 10:02pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

Newstalk are dreadful too but they have a commercial interest in frightening people as their advertising for health insurance, healthcare products, nursing homes and funeral undertakers depends on it while RTE have almost zero commercial advertising these days.

Both Newstalk and RTE are heavily supported by the car industry, which puts the fairly constant anti-cycling bias, particularly from PK on Newstalk, into context.

04-07-2021 10:56pm

elperello wrote: »

If they veered to far that way the producer would be on the ball and steer things back on track. Why ? Because at the end of the day it's bad for business.

If they were as bad as they are made out to be here the advertisers and listeners would desert them in droves.

I have to slightly disagree here. There is a very good reason why almost every trashy paperback novel (many of which feature on the radio programmes mentioned) seems to revolve around either a macabre or a mawkish tragedy -- it's a very easy, possibly lazy, way to elicit an effect in the reader. A certain cohort of novelist is notorious for it. A similar principle applies among broadcasters.

I can see the appeal if someone is churning out an eason bestseller once a year, or indeed if they're churning out 10 hours of radio per week and need to engage the listener. People lap this stuff up.

Any casual listener to RTE would notice a significantly stronger emphasis on death and tragedy -- usually involving young people -- than on the likes of the BBC radio programmes, or possibly even Newstalk. Compare Moncrieff to Ray Darcy, for example. Pat Kenny to Ryan Tubridy; or Andrea Gilligan to Joe Duffy.

The emphasis on death and human misfortune in Montrose is, I would have thought, obvious. It's paint-by-numbers stuff at this stage.

I don't believe it's a conscious policy or anything, they're responding to a somewhat strange demand, expressed in terms of listener engagement.

It isn't ubiquitous, and some people do exaggerate it. But I've never come across another station broadcasting this amount of the tragic-sentimental genre.

Furze99 · 05-07-2021 12:02pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I have to slightly disagree here. There is a very good reason why almost every trashy paperback novel (many of which feature on the radio programmes mentioned) seems to revolve around either a macabre or a mawkish tragedy -- it's a very easy, possibly lazy, way to elicit an effect in the reader. A certain cohort of novelist is notorious for it. A similar principle applies among broadcasters.

Women love the 'True Crime', like the way many love the crime dramas on TV. I'm often amazed at some of the depraved stuff my ladies watch. Same applies to radio I guess.

Shelga · 17-07-2021 11:33am

Who is this lady talking about her drug and mental health issues? Sorry, missed the intro!

Pelvis Parsley · 17-07-2021 2:27pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117623445#Comment_117623445

More of the same oul nonsense from Beefy.

humberklog · 18-07-2021 12:15pm

Cynical psychologist.

Mental health.

Constantly using mental health as a lazy radio filler is just woeful practise.

sporina · 18-07-2021 12:25pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117624059#Comment_117624059

twas Hilda Hamilton - didn't hear it all either - must look her up - think she was a hockey player but took a E tab and she went psycho... jumped out a window - broke both legs - etc... she's been thru the mill

riclad · 18-07-2021 8:11pm

if you want a wide range of subjects regarding current affairs ,what is going on in the world listen to bbc radio 4 .The first 30 minutes of boc is basically an interview with an expert on whats going on with covid 19 restriction,s ,vaccinations etc it seems if you have had a serious problem , mental health issues , you will get an interview on radio 1.i think boc is doing his best and he does not choose who he has on as a guest every week. it seems like almost every celebrity is posting on social media about mental health issues they had at some point, its in vogue right now.they just play 1 song at the end of the program every week. marion never had to present a program in the middle of a global pandemic

mariaalice · 19-07-2021 9:27am

Without being disrespectful to anyone, the mental health stuff on boc is driving me bonkers 😅 It's putting me of listing to the program.

mariaalice · 19-07-2021 10:03am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117590673#Comment_117590673

There is something about the Irish psyche that likes misery in other words.

Pelvis Parsley · 25-07-2021 12:05pm

Beefy wittering on about GBNews (bonkers apparently, and not real news).

This lad used to write for the Sindo, like, listen, come here to me.

ShamNNspace · 25-07-2021 12:07pm

I wonder what is the point of having the expense of Jaqui Hurley and Des cahill and the whole crew that goes with them holed up in a complex in Tokyo, shur wouldn't they be better off reporting from the studio over a tv stream from the arena

25-07-2021 12:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117658737#Comment_117658737

then there'd be a queue at Dublin Airport. I think there would be a hierarchy as well. For the Business Class plane seats.

jippo nolan · 25-07-2021 3:18pm

There are nearly as many RTÉ staff in Tokyo as athletes!

Beechwoodspark · 25-07-2021 3:34pm

At this stage Dessie should see if he can compete in one of the more obscure sports while he’s over there.

jippo nolan · 25-07-2021 3:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117659472#Comment_117659472

Is fly catching with an open mouth an obscure sport?

Gen.Zhukov · 25-07-2021 10:53pm

BOC had a chat with Damien O'Reilly from Tokyo yesterday. WTF is DOR doing there? Checking out rice paddies I suppose. Brendan asked him laughingly...'How's the junket going'...it went down like a lead balloon.......in a centrifuge! Pure cringe.

On today's panel we had Jen Hogan. Who the F is JH I hear you ask and it's a great question. JH is famous for practically living on 'Today with Claire Byrne' and more notably, is one of the few women in Ireland to have had some babies (an incredible achievement in itself) and is just the sort of person needed to guide us through this massive crisis.

BOC is an extremely annoying presenter and the show is dying a death. Saturday is pretty much a guaranteed write-off. Sunday is hit and miss depending who is on but either way, Brendan will manage to make it a difficult listen anyway because of his inability to stfu. At least on Sunday there's the much better option of GR on NT.

drserious4 · 26-07-2021 4:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117589953#Comment_117589953

'Bad for business?' Business is irrelevant to RTE, they get handed money hand over fist whenever they need to bail themselves out and pay their overpaid and underworked 'stars'

Brendan Bendar · 27-07-2021 9:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117660999#Comment_117660999

Good call Gen. very observant, easy to see how you rose thru the ranks.

Olympics “team” is interesting, seems to be chosen on a rota basis.

Cahill seems to be there to get ‘emotional’ and highlight the tears and blubbering

Then you have various ‘lesser’ lights including Damian who has form in attendance, he was at Rio too.

Then u have Jaqui and Damian o Meara, Paul for the swimming, no one really appearing from left field yet…… Brenda Donoghue!!

will give a small prize (two likes) for whoever spots the most ‘off piste’ junketeer.

Keep your ears peeled.😉

EmmetSpiceland · 27-07-2021 10:25am

Could have sworn I heard Ryle Nugent’s dulcet “tones” during one of the highlights shows, B. Unfortunately, I was changing channels so didn’t hang around to confirm it.

dulpit · 27-07-2021 10:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117667176#Comment_117667176

He's in Tokyo, but isn't working for RTÉ. He's doing commentary for the world feed, RTÉ are using this for some events.

Brendan Bendar · 27-07-2021 2:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117667176#Comment_117667176

Good spot, E.

wonder will we hear the Wesht Clare drone of Dame Kay Sheehy……hmmm….. anyone note the connection to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Elmo · 27-07-2021 9:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117667224#Comment_117667224

RTÉ could not afford Ryle anymore.

Beechwoodspark · 31-07-2021 11:58am

2 complete plonkers from the “inna city” on the last 30 mins. All woe is me I’m a victim stuff

wetlandsboy · 31-07-2021 12:00pm

Something tells me they won’t be emigrating anytime soon- the dole and handouts here are far better than anywhere else. These idiots are the product of all that is wrong here.

Beechwoodspark · 31-07-2021 12:02pm

It was telling when BOC said to them “even though you’ve been complaining about how bad life is in the inner city yet you still want a free gaff there handed out to you”

paraphrasing but that was the gist

the stuttering and stammering out of them was something to behold.

Spanish Eyes · 31-07-2021 12:05pm

At this stage the only people who should be offered housing in the city are those working. End of story, my patience is wearing thin to think (maybe wrongly) that city centre expensive housing that few can afford might be assigned to those not contributing much to society.

As for this show, I am not a fan. At. All. But that's a personal thing.

The Weekend On One With Brendan O'Connor

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