David McWilliams

Cork

I think David McWilliams is an outstanding broadcaster.

Is he leaving Newstalk altogher?

I think Irish broadcasting does not have anybody to his standards.

I think that replacing him with Eamonn Dunphy is wrong.

But I also believe that this country deserves more national radio stations.

Agenda has been one on the best programmes ever on Irish TV.

It has often been a great source of information differing from claptrap we hear on other business and political programmes.

article6

As far as I know, he is leaving Newstalk for good. There are many listeners to that station who are protesting against Dunphy's arrival.

With Agenda being cancelled as well, if RTÉ have the sense to hire him, it'd be a real coup. Unfortunately, it's very unlikely, given that they're rebranding themselves away from serious things like politics and economics and towards more sitcoms and sports.

flogen

not to hint at the news/media forum too much (:p) but is this really a TV issue? You hardly mentioned Agenda, and spoke more about McWilliams qualities and his radio show.

Saying that, I agree with Cork (for once). McWilliams is a great journalist, interviewer and presenter. I hope RTE have the sense to pick him up and give him a spot on Prime Time or something (if not his own show). While RTE 2 are set to move away from serious stuff, RTE 1 arent meant to (but they probably will try).
Sad to see him go from Newstalk, i was hoping he would be kept and given a daytime slot. I'm sure he'll find somewhere else, though.
And there is no need for more national stations.

flogen

celticfc

flogen wrote:

not to hint at the news/media forum too much (:p)

As if you would ever flogen.

Moved.

MrPudding

This sounds pretty sad but I will miss McWilliams. I though Dunphy was interesting until all that sh1t with the world cup. Fcuk, that really got up my nose after a few weeks.

Is anyone suggesting he may find it difficult to get out of bed/a club in time to make it to work?

I would much prefer the breakfast show as is. I don't think I will like the Dunphy show but I will give it a try. I suppose they are hedging their bets on the fact he is a bigger name than McWilliams, if I was being honest I think he is a tosser.

MrP

Elmo

Since Curisí was axed from N2/RTE Network2/RTE 2/ Network 2, I don't think it's been serious. When was the last time a show like Market Place went out on N2/RTE Network2/RTE 2/ Network 2?

Yes more dumming down from RTE: -

The licence pay is so dum the don't know that we own N2, 2FM, Lyric FM or RnaG, so we have to brand them.

As for David Mc. yeah you never know he might be presenting Prime Time next year.

Anyone know what show is taking over from Adgenda? Perhaps he will be presenting it.

Well TV3 needed worry they have Parki next year.

2006 for the name change to ITV Ireland, anyone on for a bet?

flogen

celticfc wrote:

As if you would ever flogen.

I can't imagine Dunphy on a breakfast show, hes clever and that, but his voice in the morning would kill me..

McWilliams should be picked up by RTE, even just on radio. He's a brilliant presenter, and he really does know his stuff, would be a shame to see him off the air.

... maybe we should start a petition

flogen

ChicoMendez

flogen wrote:

... maybe we should start a petition

Might be a good idea. However you can see why the man is going to CNN...cassssh. CNN though!
:rolleyes:

sceptre

ChicoMendez wrote:

Might be a good idea. However you can see why the man is going to CNN...cassssh. CNN though!

Can't knock CNN for having Darth Vader telling you which news station you're watching though:)

monument

We don’t have New-stalk in the bog lands, but I'll miss Agenda.

Does Sky Digital have CNN?

Elmo

Newstalk may be planning to have dunphy on other local channels.

Newstalk want to be the next national channel.

flogen

Elmo wrote:

Newstalk may be planning to have dunphy on other local channels.

Newstalk want to be the next national channel.

Indeed, they made sounds towards such a move only 1 year into existance, even after bad JLNR results, the pick up and backing of O Brien is only going to encourage them.

flogen

MadsL

flogen wrote:

... maybe we should start a petition

Saving David McWilliams
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/934940604



Spread the Word people. You know it makes sense.

flogen

MadsL wrote:

Saving David McWilliams
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/934940604



Spread the Word people. You know it makes sense.

wow, I was only joking....

While I applaude your voicing of anger towards Newstalk for dropping him (if indeed they did drop him), I think an educated guess would say that he aint coming back any time soon.
Whoever cut the cord, it seems to me that the split isn't amicable. He's pretty much stopped presenting the show once Dunphy was confirmed, despite having a month or so space to fill. I was hoping he'd be back in another slot, but I now think that a) he wanted something (money or a new slot) that newstalk wern't willing to offer, so he told them where to go or the more likely IMO b) Newstalk feel Dunphy is a bigger name, sign him up and McWilliams is either told he's done, or given a crappy slot, to which he declines.
I might be wrong, and maybe it was totally amicable, he is promoting a new book I think, and maybe his move to CNN (link for this btw, or is it just rumour) meant he had to move on at the time he did. It just seems a small bit bad blooded to me (no farewell's or big who-ha 'last show' stuff)

flogen

MadsL

Dunphy is to be paid €700,000 a year at Newtalk. I give it 3 months until he is fired.

Moe79

Tomorrow's the day - dunphy starts the Breakfast slot on Newstalk.. I'm still not sure if I'll be up early enough to tune in though.

flogen

so anyone hear it? I wasn't up early enough myself.

I'll have to tune into the repeat later on today.

flogen

Moe79

I heard the first morning, but didn't hear it today.

He seemed a bit all over the place at first, but I tuned in in various stages and he had seemed to get better as the show went on. He had a good interview with Mary Harney, a lot more probing than when she was on the TV3 show.

I see dunphy's doing the soccer slot with Giles on The Right Hook now too.

aodh_rua

There was a story doing the rounds a while back that McWilliams was being lined up to replace John Bowman on Q&A, although God knows when that vacancy might arise.

I wonder if he's considering going back into business. He had a very good career there and apparently he used to be highly rated as a 'real' economist as well asa damn good broadcaster.

flogen

From what I've heard so far, he isn't doing too bad a job,
Had some decent guests on etc. etc.

I still dont think he has the voice of a morning presenter, but maybe thats the point.

Even if this show goes badly, he wont be dropped, they'll probably give Moncreiff the morning slot, and Dunphy get a daytime one, or even just slap him on after Off The Ball, given that it just goes to repeats then.

I know Madsl wasn't bitching about his wage, but I've heard people kick up a fuss about how much he's getting paid... I say so what? It isn't costing you a penny, if you want to take issue with tv/radio presenters wages you should check out the RTE payroll.

flogen

MadsL

I had my first listen this morning...

...he's crap. He just reads out (badly) the researchers notes and then woffles.

Crap.

And they gave Orla Barry her own show. She's a clueless bint.

I give Newstalk 6 months at this rate.


And the reason I mentioned the 700K he's getting is because it will put Newstalk out of business...unless they rename it Sportstalk and stop pretending to be a News station, at this point 70% of their output is ****e about hurling.

monument

Oh well. Anyway, I’ll continue to read McWilliams in the Sunday Business Post, his stuff is usually published sometime after on his website… http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/