# The Consumer Show on RTÉ One returns on Tuesday 19th April at 8.30pm



## Brendan Burgess (4 Jul 2010)

Eddie Hobbs and Keelin Shanley will be presenting a new consumer show on RTE television in the autumn. If you have a story to tell, they want to hear from you. 01 4125457  or consumers@rte.ie 

Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess (6 Sep 2010)

This [broken link removed] starts tonight at 8.30 pm. 

They want [broken link removed], if you are free on Monday afternoons for the recording.

I went to the recording of the shows of the comedy programme last year( whose name I foget) and it was very interesting to see how it was done. 

Brendan


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## seantheman (6 Sep 2010)

Brendan Burgess said:


> This [broken link removed] starts tonight at 8.30 pm.
> 
> They want [broken link removed], if you are free on Monday afternoons for the recording.
> 
> ...


Sounds like a memorable day out right enough


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## Ceist Beag (7 Sep 2010)

I'm glad I only wasted 20 minutes of my time watching this on the tv!


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## truthseeker (7 Sep 2010)

Id be far more interested on a follow up show to '*Im an Adult get me out of here' - *would love to know what became of the people who bought during the height of the boom on that show.


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## bigjoe_dub (7 Sep 2010)

that consumer show was woeful.  watched all of it.  hopefully when folk start reporting in some consumer issues they have it might get a bit more meaty when they start investigating. people will compare it to the consumer shows they see on the BBC and on that basis it failed dismally.


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## canicemcavoy (7 Sep 2010)

truthseeker said:


> Id be far more interested on a follow up show to '*Im an Adult get me out of here' - *would love to know what became of the people who bought during the height of the boom on that show.


 
Great idea. Also "House Hunters" with Liz O'Kane. I have to admire RTE, who have left her 2007 webchat online in all its embarrassing glory:

[broken link removed]


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## TLC (7 Sep 2010)

What about Eddie Hobbs backing property not so long ago, read it it's very interesting!
[broken link removed]


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## pudds (7 Sep 2010)

bigjoe_dub said:


> that consumer show was *woeful*.  watched all of it.  hopefully when folk start reporting in some consumer issues they have it might get a bit more meaty when they start investigating. people will compare it to the consumer shows they see on the BBC and on that basis it failed dismally.




+1

I cringed my way through it...Seems like this show is being done on a shoe string budget. Bold RTE


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## Purple (7 Sep 2010)

canicemcavoy said:


> Great idea. Also "House Hunters" with Liz O'Kane. I have to admire RTE, who have left her 2007 webchat online in all its embarrassing glory:
> 
> [broken link removed]



Experts; what do they know?


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## Boyd (7 Sep 2010)

*Mary*: Do you think that the  property market could crash?
*Liz:*  No... I don't think any government can afford to let that happen.

Governments, what can they do


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## David_Dublin (7 Sep 2010)

Is there something unnerving about the way Eddie looks at you, or is it just me? He looks like one of the bad guys out of a scarey childrens movie or something, I just cant place the face though...


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## truthseeker (7 Sep 2010)

David_Dublin said:


> Is there something unnerving about the way Eddie looks at you, or is it just me? He looks like one of the bad guys out of a scarey childrens movie or something, I just cant place the face though...


 
Lol - I agree. Its like he is smirking even when he isnt smirking.


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## Ceist Beag (7 Sep 2010)

David_Dublin said:


> Is there something unnerving about the way Eddie looks at you, or is it just me? He looks like one of the bad guys out of a scarey childrens movie or something, I just cant place the face though...



Clyde from the Ant Hill Mob in the Wacky Races?


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## David_Dublin (7 Sep 2010)

.....or that he can see your thoughts, or that his mind is whirring with devious thoughts or something, or like he's looking down his nose at you, or like the look a priest would give a boy he knows has done wrong or something. He just makes me ill at ease, I couldnt imagine anyone with a worse look for TV. As for his voice, he's not right for radio either. He's a caricature of himself.


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## David_Dublin (7 Sep 2010)

Ceist Beag said:


> Clyde from the Ant Hill Mob in the Wacky Races?


That might be it, it's certainly close.


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## TLC (7 Sep 2010)

So Eddie is missing out on two fronts - no face for radio or voice either!!
Isn't it quite sickening that rte/tv3 & the print media just keep rolling out the same old faces?  I'm fed-up looking and hearing from so called celebrities - on some TV3 thing a couple of the people from the last apprentice were on - celebrities and Amanda Brunker - who?  It's not just here of course it;s the same on BBC/ITV/sky etc - who are they - I don't know & to be honest don't care.  Am I the only person on the planet who has never watched any of these "reality" programmes?  Sorry if getting off the point, but these tv shows really annoy me.  What did anyone think of the Freefall programme about the banks, I only caught the end of it - any good?


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## canicemcavoy (7 Sep 2010)

Purple said:


> Experts; what do they know?


 
I'm curious about Liz's qualification myself. According to her bio, she bought a property in the UK and it went up in value. Some people might call this "lucky timing" rather than "expertise".


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## David_Dublin (7 Sep 2010)

TLC said:


> So Eddie is missing out on two fronts - no face for radio or voice either!!


Au contraire, his face is perfect for the radio, he'd just need a voiceover


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## TLC (7 Sep 2010)

David Dublin - good one!  We need a laugh every now & again because things are Soooooo bad!


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## pudds (7 Sep 2010)

They made a big deal about local authorities  making it mandatory that you join their insurance scheme which costs nearly *twice* what you could get in the high street on your own but made no effort to investigate the reasons for this or to name *who* is involved in this over charging, that was really annoying.

The presentation was terrible.. a class of trainee 11yrs old would have done a better job.


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## Brendan Burgess (8 Sep 2010)

bigjoe_dub said:


> that consumer show was woeful.  watched all of it.  hopefully when folk start reporting in some consumer issues they have it might get a bit more meaty when they start investigating. people will compare it to the consumer shows they see on the BBC and on that basis it failed dismally.



When the show was announced I phoned them and emailed them, offering offering to put a note up on Askaboutmoney looking for subjects. But they never got back to me, which I thought was odd. 

I suspect that after the first show, they will get calls with interesting problems.


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## PaddyW (8 Sep 2010)

canicemcavoy said:


> Great idea. Also "House Hunters" with Liz O'Kane. I have to admire RTE, who have left her 2007 webchat online in all its embarrassing glory:
> 
> [broken link removed]



Liz: Yes, every market is cyclical and if anybody thinks this downturn is a surprise, they are foolish. However, the market will come back.

Ouchies!


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## PaddyW (8 Sep 2010)

TLC said:


> What did anyone think of the Freefall programme about the banks, I only caught the end of it - any good?



I was watching it TLC, quite interesting I thought. On again next week, but dealing with other issues I think. Must tune in!


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## canicemcavoy (8 Sep 2010)

Brendan Burgess said:


> When the show was announced I phoned them and emailed them, offering offering to put a note up on Askaboutmoney looking for subjects. But they never got back to me, which I thought was odd.


 
Maybe he googled "Brendan Investments" here......


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## canicemcavoy (8 Sep 2010)

PaddyW said:


> Liz: Yes, every market is cyclical and if anybody thinks this downturn is a surprise, they are foolish. However, the market will come back.
> 
> Ouchies!


 
I wonder how her tennis coach lessons are going.


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## SlurrySlump (8 Sep 2010)

I thought the Ryanair bit was infantile. For some reason I cannot warm to the lady from the EU Consumer Advice Centre who seems to pop up on every programme. It's same old, same old.
If they have a section advising us to pay off our credit card debt before anything else I will head for the hills.


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## DeeFox (10 Sep 2010)

truthseeker said:


> Id be far more interested on a follow up show to '*Im an Adult get me out of here' - *would love to know what became of the people who bought during the height of the boom on that show.


 
I remember a particular episode where a young man was looking for a house. He had a young child (but was not with the mother) and minded her quite a lot.  He had an anxiety attack half way through the show because of the "scaremongering" in the media - the presenter had a talk with him and he ended up buying a property that was miles from his work and where the child was based.
It would be brave of RTE (and the purchasers) to do a follow up programme.


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## Brendan Burgess (10 Sep 2010)

Folks

Please stay on topic. This is for discussion of The Consumer Show not for Letting Off Steam generally.

Thanks


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## Odea (11 Sep 2010)

If people contact them with problems are they going to give solutions to these problems or is it going to be a show where we are told to get the AA to check out that car, or to read the small print on your insurance policy or to shop around to get the best price or to be aware about buying gift vouchers this Christmas or to check the weight of your suitcase when flying with Ryanair etc. The same old rubbish regurgitated on every other consumer show.


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## Brendan Burgess (11 Sep 2010)

Hi Odea

It's very difficult to come with new stuff. 

Lots of consumers are not very wise and this sort of "old" stuff has to be repeated. 

Brendan


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## Time (14 Sep 2010)

They have Tina Leonard on it. She does not give the best advice in all fairness. She advised people earlier this year to sue an post for failing to deliver a passport within the 10 day timeframe during the strike.


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## ney001 (14 Sep 2010)

Have to say I hate the set on the show - reminds me of shows from the 80's/early 90's - can't think what show in particular it reminds me of, maybe the 'Really wild show' or something.  Anyway it's pretty cheesy!


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## Brendan Burgess (14 Sep 2010)

They did respond to public opinion and dropped Eddie's " take on this week's news".



> Is there something unnerving about the way Eddie looks at you, or is it just me?



I suspect he got new glasses or needs new glasses as he appears to be straining to read the teleprompter which results in the menacing start.

Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess (14 Sep 2010)

I have just read Liam Fay's review of it in the Sunday Times. It is worth subscribing to read the article. 

"the search for a (telephone) handset that can do the backstroke was among the first campaigns of The Consumer Show, an irritating new series that posts as a fearless champion of the little guy but actually involves shameless pandering to the petty-minded" 

"more suitable as knockabout children's entertainment thatn grown-up consumer journalism..."

"Ultimately,however, the show's most distracting feature is the unignorable strangeness of Hobb's television persona. ...

Hobbs has struggled to make his increasingly eccentric voice heard, he has alternated between the roles of Mr Angry and Mr Bojangles....

As a result, he has developed an exceedingly odd demeanour, ememplified by grandiloquent patter that contains all the attributes of comedy, except humour".


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## mcaul (15 Sep 2010)

I looked at the complete first episode to ensure I wasn't just commenting on 5 minutes.

I managed about 5 minutes of the second show.

For some reason, I then thought of Bunny Carr and his quiz show of years back. - Don't know why, but maybe this was as appalling & amateurship as the bunny carr show.

It was shockingly bad television.


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## Complainer (15 Sep 2010)

I'm sure you'll do wonders for their viewing figures - I'm determined to check it out now after all these stories.


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## Armada (15 Sep 2010)

Complainer said:


> I'm sure you'll do wonders for their viewing figures - I'm determined to check it out now after all these stories.


 

Me Too!!


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## Time (15 Sep 2010)

I deleted it as soon as Tina Leonard appeared.


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## BOXtheFOX (16 Sep 2010)

Time said:


> I deleted it as soon as Tina Leonard appeared.


  I am sure she will have a piece on consumers shopping rights as per usual. Unfortunately most of us have moved on from this and would now like to see more naming and shaming similar to what the Watchdog show on BBC does.


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## Brendan Burgess (16 Sep 2010)

I don't know what she said about passports, but whenever I have heard her, she seems to know what she was speaking about. 

Naming and shaming is not as simple as people seem to think. We are a very litigious nation. And for a consumer show or anyone else to start naming people, they would have to do huge research and spend loads on legal fees. Even still, they may well be the subject to law suits which they cost a fortune, even if they win. 

I would hope that Askaboutmoney users are better informed than average, so they are probably not going to learn much from a consumer programme. However, the public is still shockingly ignorant, and what appears boring to an askaboutmoney user may be new and useful to the tv watching public.


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## Slash (16 Sep 2010)

David_Dublin said:


> Au contraire, his face is perfect for the radio, he'd just need a voiceover



Oh, sneer, sneer! That's it: attack us culchies again. We don't need any namby pamby consumer shows, we have our own way of sorting things out down here. And we don't need any of you nanny-state laws and income tax, either, I'll have you know.

Poor old Keelin Shanley, who has done some good stuff for RTE, looked embarrassed.


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## Mrs Vimes (16 Sep 2010)

Brendan Burgess said:


> I would hope that Askaboutmoney users are better informed than average, so they are probably not going to learn much from a consumer programme. However, the public is still shockingly ignorant, and what appears boring to an askaboutmoney user may be new and useful to the tv watching public.


I just saw episode 2 last night. Agree that we are a self-selecting group, but really, does *anyone* not think supermarkets try to get you to buy as much as possible? They seemed to think this was so underhand it should be banned! And they gave the younger woman such a doing for not buying the cheapest toothpaste even though the one on bogof was a very different product to the plain colgate.


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## IsleOfMan (20 Sep 2010)

BOXtheFOX said:


> I am sure she will have a piece on consumers shopping rights as per usual.


 
Yup. Just on. The old faulty leather suite story.

Incidentally, are the audience alive?


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## Lance (29 Sep 2010)

Maybe it's time to give credit where it's due.

I thought the piece on Monday night about the different prices for drugs at pharmacies was very good especially Keelin Shanley's interview with the pharmacy rep. There should be more of this type of probing.

Eddie recommended checking the HSE website for drug prices. Pity this website isn't a bit more user friendly but that's another story!


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Apr 2011)

This programme is back on Tuesday nights from Tuesday 19th.


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## ajapale (17 Apr 2011)

*The Consumer Show*

from the rte site:

Financial guru Eddie Hobbs and journalist Keelin Shanley return to  our screens with The Consumer Show on RTÉ One on Tuesday 19th April at  8.30pm

In this new 10-part series Eddie and Keelin will be championing the  rights of consumers and telling viewers how to make the most of their  money, save for their pensions and get the best deal on their mortgages.  Throughout the series Eddie and Keelin will tackle a broad range of  consumer issues covering everything from home to health and diet to  finances.

   Just some of the areas Eddie and Keelin will tackle in this series  include the issue of _*personal debt and debt management*_, _*online ticket  touts*_ and how to protect against them, the shocking levels of _*salt to be  found in our diets*_, investments like _*buying or selling gold*_, how to  avoid the pitfalls when _*renting a flat or a car*_ and knowing your rights  when your _*mobile phone breaks down*_ and the costs of buying and running  _*electric cars*_.

    Each week Keelin and Eddie will be looking at ways to save money and  secure the best deals on mortgages, savings, tax and pensions as well  as revealing the surprising truth that lurks behind some everyday  purchases. 

   Eddie and Keelin will be joined again by consumer champion Tina  Leonard and reporter Joe O'Shea will provide reports on a variety of  consumer issues each week.

   The Consumer Show is about helping you know and fight for your  rights.  We're also interested in hearing about your good experiences -  in value or service - so please get in touch by ringing 01 2084636 or  email us on consumers@rte.ie


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