[article]RTE Radios Anne Leddy swings the chainsaw

mike65

from unison

RTE radio staff have been left in turmoil after sweeping changes were announced across a range of flagship shows.

Many of the station's key broadcasting and editorial staff were left stunned after new radio chief Anne Leddy abruptly told them they would no longer be working on their shows.

Worst hit was The Ryan Tubridy Show, which lost its entire backroom staff.

All of his reporters and researchers have been moved to other programmes for the new autumn schedule.

Smaller numbers of staff on other Radio One shows, including the Pat Kenny Show, Marian Finucane Show and Liveline, were also told they will be moving on.

The series of moves is part of a coordinated strategy to revitalise RTE's radio networks in the light of ever-increasing competition for advertising. While RTE Radio One has put in a strong performance in retaining its core market share over the past few years, the station is now facing competition on an unprecedented scale....

full article here

Mike.

DMC

Well, it makes sense. If they are going to change around the roles of the presenters, why not freshen up the backroom staff.

Tubridy's situation is very interesting. He's effectively lost his hand-picked chums he brought over from 2FM's Full Irish (Yvonne Judge possibly, Katriona McFadden definatley according to that article.) How will he work with a team thats been appointed for him, rather than one that surrounds him?

RTÉ Radio 1 just got interesting.....

mike65

I'd say I predict a riot except they are so well paid I doubt they could be bothered!

Mike.

Wishbone Ash

The first rule of business is "if it's not broke, break it yourself or someone else will".

J.R.HARTLEY

tubridy needs freshening up, but it's the presenter himself not his backroom staff thats the problem. i used to really like him but he's so f'in conceited gone. he played geroge harrsion the other day and said "what do i share in common with geroge harrisson except a like of jelly babies, well perhaps excpetional taste in music!" oh really! how humble of you to notice you jug eared twat. he's so patronising on the radio, and really believes he's RTEs golden boy when in fact hes quickly slipping from the top. believed all his own hype, sad day ryan.

DMC

And thats the main reason why I liked him at the start, and then realised I hate him more than any other radio presenter.

There is a lot more to music than just the Beatles. More than anything, I recognise The Beatles were one of the greatest influences and enjoyed the world over. But the way Tubridy goes on and ****ing on about and keep playing their music like there is nothing else to play, like new music or the odd rare classic that time might have forgot, is just patronising.

Contemporise, man!

mike65

I thought his real young-fogey obsession was with 40s/50s/60s lounge music.

I just wish he'd stop emphis-iiiii-sing certain letters/words/parts thereof

Mike.

DMC

I forgot about Sinatra.... and Dean Martin.... after that he knows no other music, it seems.

I'm starting to sound like the Spanish Inquisition now...

radioman

This is all a non-story really

So a few production staff got switched around, not a big deal

It happens.

FlutterinBantam

So what do you dudes want... bam bam music all day?

Some twit with a mid atlantic accent raping the English language and who doesn't know Jack Shidt about anything....

Some jackass who speaks in staccato tones like that hump gilroy they got from NT.... Jeesh

mike65

Eh?

Mike.

BuffyBot

So what do you dudes want...

Ryan Tubridy in the Phantom Zone..forever

FlutterinBantam

BuffyBot wrote:

Ryan Tubridy in the Phantom Zone..forever

Informed intelligent discourse on current affairs,without having to listen to constant anti American propaganda/inane bam bam music/poor diction/grammar/mispronunciations........Thats all I want in an anyways:D

mike65

Looks like Ronan Collins is to be sacrificed with Tubridy getting two hours follwed by Kennys two hours filling the morning. Its been denied of course.

Mike.

Chillwithcian

Did anyone else think that the article relating to this in the evening herald was slightly exagerated? Was Ryan tubirty really ''close to tears'' according to a top ''RTE source''?

monkeyfudge

FlutterinBantam wrote:

So what do you dudes want... bam bam music all day?

Some twit with a mid atlantic accent raping the English language and who doesn't know Jack Shidt about anything....

Some jackass who speaks in staccato tones like that hump gilroy they got from NT.... Jeesh

I fail to see the relevence of these statements in this thread.

No one has suggested any such thing. Just because people don't like Ryan Tubridy very much, doesn't mean they want him replaced with some inane DJ.

medja

It's a brave move by Anne Leddy as something has to be done to freshen up the station. I doubt on a year to year basis anyone new is tuning in to radio 1. By changing around those that cannot be fired (without hassle!) there's a chance that a few fresh ideas might pop up.

The next move if things don't improve is to get rid of a few of the names like Kenny and Tubridy. However that's a fight that would difficult to win.

If you replaced all the daytime names with different hosts listenership would probably continue to decline at current levels but then again it might start to recover.

Kenny is paid far too much, It would be interesting to see what the listening figures are like when he's not on air June, july and august. They might even go up!!!

DMC

mike65 wrote:

Looks like Ronan Collins is to be sacrificed with Tubridy getting two hours follwed by Kennys two hours filling the morning. Its been denied of course.

And if that goes, one of the last non-playlisted daytime radio shows bites the dust.

Oh, and if anyone hasn't noticed, Independent Newspapers always, always, love an inside scoop on any shenanigans in RTÉ and blow it up accordingly. Its a historical position the newspaper group has always had.

While I find the story interesting that backroom staff have been shifted, its hardly front page news yesterday morning, yesterday evening and this morning!

FlutterinBantam

Moving Katriona Mcfadden will hardly hurt Tubridy....Fair play to Leddy for doing the job she was brought in to do..maybe she will also have the balls to tell the "A" list presenters they are not National School teachers and don't enjoy the same holidays on a much higher pay....

I feel RTE needed a good shaking up... to many punters dug into a nice handy number... nice little club like..... Shake em up some more I says

J.R.HARTLEY

FlutterinBantam wrote:

I feel RTE needed a good shaking up... to many punters dug into a nice handy number... nice little club like..... Shake em up some more I says

i don't think anyone could disagree with that statement man.

MrJones

I agree with alot you say. he has these book club things and i get the impression they are aimed at the 85-100 year old listenership market! i think he basically feels like a pensioner and this comes across in his show. the pat kenny radio show is way more interesting with lively debate and conversation.

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

tubridy needs freshening up, but it's the presenter himself not his backroom staff thats the problem. i used to really like him but he's so f'in conceited gone. he played geroge harrsion the other day and said "what do i share in common with geroge harrisson except a like of jelly babies, well perhaps excpetional taste in music!" oh really! how humble of you to notice you jug eared twat. he's so patronising on the radio, and really believes he's RTEs golden boy when in fact hes quickly slipping from the top. believed all his own hype, sad day ryan.

mike65

I half expect to hear Ryan lightly tapping his pipe against the desk!

Mike.