Goodbye Newstalk 106

I think they had to put on another presenter in the ams to interpret what Gilroy was muttering away to himself.

Karen Coleman is another one who manages to 'interview' without needing an interviewee :)

Bring back (liable to say anything but always interesting) Dunphy!!!
 
PM1234 said:
Karen Coleman is another one who manages to 'interview' without needing an interviewee :)

Bring back (liable to say anything but always interesting) Dunphy!!!
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The two are not dissimilar - both pander and cosy up to guests who happen to agree with their views and rudely berate anybody else - e.g. compare Coleman interviewing somebody with left wing or pro Palestinian views versus those with (even vaguely) right wing or pro USA or Israel views. Unbelievable. Although the biscuit taker for me was when they were discussing women in positions of power somebody cited Angela Merkel as an example and Coleman dismissed this by saying "sure she's practically a man, just like Margaret Thatcher". The mind boggles. And the switch goes to off. :rolleyes:
 
Fair point but at least Dunphy paused for breath.......and we knew there was somebody else in the studio :)
 
Agreed with much of the above. Moncrieff is a lightweight bore. Hook just isn't sharp enough and is a bit windy. That's the point isn't it. Newstalk should be appealing to the strong Irish need and love of intelligent debate, analysis and comment ...and the odd stand up row, a bit of passion. So who would we suggest Newstalk get in fast as anchors. Here's the start of a list for Denis;

David Norris ; fantastic mind, beautiful delivery, passionate, travelled.
McWilliams ; knows the ground, good presenter, tough edge
O'Shannon ; masterclass in research and traditional old hack journo
Hobbs; controversial, thinks fast and scares the pols
G. Ryan; scoop out of RTE and revive a good presenter
Alan Dukes; superb mind, great debater lots left to give

Comments, criticism, additions wanted.
 
Hobbs? On the radio every day? Sounds like something they would have used in Castlereagh in the seventies! One sure way to get everyone to switch off!

Gerry Ryan likewise, far too full of himself.

Agree with the others, although a bit dubious about Dukes

As long as they keep Derek Mooney and Tubridy off it, I will keep listening a lot of the time. I wish Hook would stop licking Pope's ass on air though, there are lots of other sports has-beens that could do with being puffed.
 
David McW won't go to Newstalk, he's writing book 2 of 3 and doesn't need the hassle.

Eddie Hobbs has let himself down too often and is a now rather naff.

David Norris is always good and intelligent. But he has a habit of flustering when not cued up (an experience from the Dail restaurant).
 
Worse than Hookie and Popie's love in, is when George goes all Yankee Doodle with Mikey Graham, very scary.
 
Derek Mooney gave us Eanna Ni Lamhna. Job done.

If anyone knows if she already has her own programme please post the details. Thanks.
 
PM1234 said:
Derek Mooney gave us Eanna Ni Lamhna. Job done.

If anyone knows if she already has her own programme please post the details. Thanks.
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Yes so I can avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately I find her incredibly irritating and that charity 'song' she had a Christmas... ughhh!!!!
 
tallpaul said:
Yes so I can avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately I find her incredibly irritating and that charity 'song' she had a Christmas... ughhh!!!!
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Really? I like hearing a more regional accent on the radio and her voice in general. I always thought she knew her stuff. I'd better swot up on the nature knowledge so...... :eek:
 
Not Newstalk, but does anyone else think that Mary Wilson's transfer to Drivetime is not without its irritations.
Aside from all the 'ers' and 'but buts' particularly when she is interviewing someone, there seems to be a lack of content depth, for instance...
Recently, before Christmas, the main 6.01 headlines were full of Dublin shootings, bank robberies, road deaths and Iraqi problems. What was the second item on her in depth agenda? Some Junior GAA girl's team had their names changed to the English translation by TG4 !!! And this lasted about five minutes, which is a long time in radiotalk.
What a waste of time and resources not to say licence fees when all of us listeners are chomping at the bit on more serious matters.
Maybe the opposition can do better.
 
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Wouldn't write Mac or Hobbs off. Both still command top audiences on TV and for books. G. Ryan also remains very popular and could restart his career at Newstalk. Newstalk will buy popularity despite what we think here that's how things work. Each of the above has a strong fan base.

I'd love to see an aggressive interviewer emerge like Browne but without the flaws, someone that really nails the issues. Kenny can be good at this but is restricted by his inability to warm up a guest. Too robotic and at €1m (?) a year he's staying put.
 
Gotta agree, I used to be a big fan of Newstalk; it has seriously dumbed down since the new all Ireland coverage. As a result I don't listen to the station anymore.
 
Wilkes said:
David Norris ; fantastic mind, beautiful delivery, passionate, travelled.
McWilliams ; knows the ground, good presenter, tough edge
O'Shannon ; masterclass in research and traditional old hack journo
Hobbs; controversial, thinks fast and scares the pols
G. Ryan; scoop out of RTE and revive a good presenter
Alan Dukes; superb mind, great debater lots left to give

Comments, criticism, additions wanted.
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Can't stand the OTT bombastic rubbish that Norris comes out with. He is also very biased in his views. He can be very witty though.
McWilliams was dumped by NewsTalk so I can't see him ever going back.
O'Shannon would be OK
Hobbs would run out of things to say after a week. I would run out of the will to live if I had to listen to him for a week.
G. Ryan is institutionalised in RTE land and doesn't really fit the image that NewsTalk try to project.
Alan Dukes is a very smart man but his utter inability to suffer idiots would kill him on the radio. He also carried considerable political baggage and is therefore prone to political bias.
 
Presumably the presenter has some input into material and the material is only as good as the researchers. So if the research could be improved you'd be happy with the presenters? Any views on the list above or additions?
 
Well it was goodnight Newstalk this evening when it kept disappearing off the air during Off The Ball... :(
 
ClubMan said:
Well it was goodnight Newstalk this evening when it kept disappearing off the air during Off The Ball... :(
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That was really frustrating... i was holding it as high as i could trying to get a signal....

BTW - when it did come on did you catch the australian news presenter. Does that mean it is now an international news station?
 
It was possible to get it around 108FM when it went off 106FM but it was very poor quality.
 
well guys and gals Im a lover of newstalk 106, at the very least it gives us more choice than listening to someone elses choice of music!!
A lot of people at home during the day ,wheter we like it or not are women, and Orla Barry is a far superior choice than Gerry ryan, then there is karen coleman again a woman,wahoo ,two women ,great variety and womens issues,plus claire byrne is great in the morning.then our choice is either derek on rte or moncrief ,the latter being much more interesting,then its hook or the really old rte format,all in all I think its just great to have a choice in talk radio up till the time we had newstalk we were stuck with gerry ryan and larry gogan,or pat kenny and ryan tubriddy.thats a lot of men,when in reality its women at home who tend to listen to morning radio,so the choice is what its all about and thank god we have it.rock on newstalk..deew
 
I'll still listen to Newstalk as RTE is rubbish. I do agree that the morning show was much better with Dunphy or McWilliams. With the way they treated David McW you get a feeling that what goes around comes around. Although Gilroy was good as the original off the ball presenter.

Orla Barry makes me want to gag when it comes on at 9.10. You get used to Hook and I don't think I could go back to Matt Cooper now. Except when Hook devotes a whole show to some mickey mouse rugby match which means something to where he is from but damn all to the majority of us.
 
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