Politicians shouting over each other: RTE should cut the microphones to stop this

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rob30

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I listened with disdain to Drivetime this evening. There were 5 euro candidates from West, all trying to shout over each other, and making it all unintelligable. I will also never forget Richard Bruton and Brian Lenihan also doing the same on primetime.

I recall working in the UK, and overhearing someone, who did not know I was there, describing such a scene as an irish parliament. It hurt because it is true!

The broadcasters should discourage such schoolyard behaviour by cutting the microphone for 10 seconds when this occurs. The humiliation alone of this happening in public view should help to stop it happing as much as it is now.
 
Totally agree with you.

I heard it too ..... embarrassing for both the listener and the presenter who seemed unable to take control of the interview.
 
rob30 said:
...I recall working in the UK, and overhearing someone, who did not know I was there, describing such a scene as an irish parliament. It hurt because it is true!...
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Sounds to me like a bit of 'Padddy'-bashing... the House of Commons has a far more adversarial system of debate. The Irish parliament comment, in that context, would be misplaced.

But to get back to the OP - I was listening to a radio debate on Saturday with Declan Ganley, Marian Harkin, Jim Higgins and a few of the other candidates and there was a lot of talking over each other. This was all down to Ganley, he has an amazing ability to infuriate the others and get them to blow their tops. I've yet to see him perform this stunt on TV but I imagine him sitting back and grinning everytime he sets someone off.

The only downside of this is that I think it makes Ganley look good!
 
AS someone who lived in NI most of their life, I had to suffer this for a long time in any TV/radio debates, and always thought that putting the panel in individual sound-proof boxes would be great.

You'd only hear the one person who was allowed to speak. Wouldn't it be great.
 
I have a dog at home. Friendly a bit scraggily and very loyal. Im thinking of asking him to run for european elections. Think about it, he wont cost a penny he wont waste anyones time and he will achieve exactly what every other euro candidate will achieve whilst their in office.

Pat cox as on the radio the other day about what some MEP did for a snail in Doonbeg and a phone in west cork. FFS!! the local TD, councillor or loby group can achieve the same thing. Out TDs ar esupposed to represent us. All we need at most is a euro commsion office!!

You could pat the dog too
 
rob30 said:
I listened with disdain to Drivetime this evening. There were 5 euro candidates from West, all trying to shout over each other, and making it all unintelligable.
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I heard the same item, and was struck by Sen. Mooney's claims that the sailboats in Galways would give rise to 'hundreds of thousands of tourists' and that the 'eyes of the world' would be on Galway.

Guy sure knows how to do hyperbole !
 
TarfHead said:
I heard the same item, and was struck by Sen. Mooney's claims that the sailboats in Galways would give rise to 'hundreds of thousands of tourists' and that the 'eyes of the world' would be on Galway.

Guy sure knows how to do hyperbole !
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200, 000 expected in Galway over the coming 2 weeks. 1.6 billion to watch on tv.

Spectacular event here, one that the authoirities got 100% right.

So not such a massive hyperbole...
 
Cayne said:
200, 000 expected in Galway over the coming 2 weeks. 1.6 billion to watch on tv.

Spectacular event here, one that the authoirities got 100% right.

So not such a massive hyperbole...
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1.6 billion people do not watch it. People throw this figure out at every sporting event. It was the same with the Ryder Cup and F1 throw it around every week. Its the potential number of viewers. It assumes everyone sits down and watches the thing.

Having said that, it is a great event. Going down at the weekend and really looking forward to it. Fair play to Galway, Failte Ireland and everyone else involved in getting it here.
 
Cayne said:
200, 000 expected in Galway over the coming 2 weeks. 1.6 billion to watch on tv.

Spectacular event here, one that the authoirities got 100% right.

So not such a massive hyperbole...
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TV audience - Sunny has already challenged that assertion, which was offered without any provenance.

Visitors - how do you quantify those in town specifically for the big boats, aside from those who will arrive in town anyway for the usual delights of Galway.
 
If you listened to Sky, ITV and UEFA you'd think that the entire world will be watching the CL Final tonight.:rolleyes:
 
Hyperbole is just part of modern news and TV.

As an example I watched a BBC1 Watchdog show last week and it was about noisy neighbours and how some people moved house because of it.

And what was their statistic?

"Approx 1 million people move house every year due to noisy neighbours".

I had a little think about this as the rest of the report continued as I just thought it was stupid.

I believe their is approx 20million (or slightly more) homes in the UK. So EVERY YEAR 1 in 20 people actually go through the hassle of selling up and moving because if noisy neighbours? And that's repeated every year!!

Give me a big pinch of that salt.
 
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