Claire Byrne for Newstalk

Crubeens

So Claire Byrne will be moving from TV to co-host the Newstalk breakfast show. Interesting news.

I thought she did very well while in for Orla Barry, and I think the Newstalk bosses have hit the nail on the head by signing her up. They needed a relatively big name, and she definitely has a public profile. She has also proved herself in interview situations.

It will also be interesting to see how she gels with Ger Gilroy - that is, if thats what they're planning to do with the show. I look forward to seeing how the producers put together the show and arrange how they approach / divide up the topics. Will they go for a 5/7 Live (RIP) feel?

Not long to go now!

HelterSkelter

WHAT!! They're keeping that amateur muppet Gilroy who stutters, fumbles, ermmmmmms while he tries desperatly to think of the word he wants to say. Nooooooo, bye bye Newstalk from me.

Crubeens

WHAT!! They're keeping that amateur muppet Gilroy who stutters, fumbles, ermmmmmms while he tries desperatly to think of the word he wants to say. Nooooooo, bye bye Newstalk from me.

Not 100% sure if he is staying, but have been told its a strong possibility. To be honest I they'll need at least one man in the morning line up, considering the show will be followed by Orla Barry and then, rumour has it, Anna Nolan.

HelterSkelter

Crubeens wrote:

Not 100% sure if he is staying, but have been told its a strong possibility. To be honest I they'll need at least one man in the morning line up, considering the show will be followed by Orla Barry and then, rumour has it, Anna Nolan.

What about that bloke who used to do the papers sometimes, can't remember his name (not John Waters) but he presented a couple of times while Dunphy was off.

Crubeens

Richard Aldous? I always thought he did a great job - would be a good option alright

ronbyrne2005

i'd rather the following to pompous "try and sound as smart as possible" gilroy, the moral philosopher guy, moncrieff, mick clifford,david mcwilliams. Thats all i can think of at moment.

HelterSkelter

Yeah, mick clifford, that's who I was thinking of. I thought he was pretty good.

Crubeens

Press released today...

NEWSTALK 106-108FM TO BROADCAST ITS UNIQUE BRAND OF TALK RADIO NATIONWIDE FROM 2ND OCTOBER

With a schedule that has something for everyone; delivered by a combination of household names, home-grown talent and top class journalists Newstalk is set to get the nation talking

Earlier today, Friday, 15th September, Newstalk 106-108FM announced full details of its autumn schedule as the station prepares to take its unique brand of talk radio nationwide. The historic launch of Newstalk will take place on Monday, 2nd October, providing the first national talk radio alternative since radio transmissions began in Ireland in 1936.

The new programme mix, represents a significant enhancement of the current very successful Newstalk schedule, which has proven attractive to listeners in Dublin over the last four years. From the irreverent attitude of the new Breakfast Show, the intelligent chat of Life! with Orla Barry, the wit and humour of Moncrieff, through to the entertaining, campaigning and challenging Right Hook with George Hook, this is talk radio with a difference.

In addition, adding further breadth and depth to the schedule will be a number of new voices. Radio and TV journalist Claire Byrne and Irish Independent, business journalist Tom Lyons, will both join Ger Gilroy on Breakfast; Broadcaster and columnist Brenda Power will host her own phone-in programme Your Call from 11.00-12.30pm each weekday, while Lunchtime, the station’s new lunchtime programme will be a fast paced news analysis show.

At a glance, the exciting changes to the schedule include:

Broadcasting from 6.30am every morning, Newstalk will have the first national news and current affairs breakfast show on-air every weekday bringing with it, the new broadcasting partnership of Claire Byrne and Ger Gilroy. Leading business journalist Tom Lyons will provide top class business news analysis and the breaking business news stories as they arise
Brenda Power’s new phone-in programme Your Call will provide a lively debate forum for listeners to react to the main issues of the day
Lunchtime will be a fast paced news show providing analysis, reaction and updates on the main news stories
Off the Ball has cracked the problem of how to make radio different for the modern Irish sports fan and in doing so, has re-written the rules of sports broadcasting. The programme will continue under the stewardship of home-grown talent, Eoin McDevitt
Senator David Norris becomes a regular with Sunday with Norris, when he presents a series of one-to-one interviews with newsmakers and personalities, delivered in his own unique colourful style
Fionn Davenport will bring Taste a new eclectic music programme to Saturday evenings, while Patrick Geoghegan will take a very different look at history every Sunday evening in Contesting History

Said Garrett Harte, Donegal born, Station Editor, Newstalk; “We are delighted to be bringing this exciting brand of talk radio, combined with our up to the minute news service onto the national stage. People from Letterkenny to Limerick, Cavan to Cork and Galway to Gorey will be able to enjoy fun, lively, interactive radio right across the day – whether we are dealing with the latest fashion trend or most pressing political issue. Our schedule has something for everyone, delivered by a combination of household names, home-grown talent and top class news and current affairs journalists.”

On the news and current affairs front, the station has led the way with many of the big news stories in the past few months including; the Dublin Riots and the recent announcement of the resignation of Tánaiste Mary Harney. Newstalk already has an award winning breaking news service and has recently won a PPI radio award for its coverage of the London Bombings.

The Newstalk 106-108FM licence was awarded by the BCI in May 2006 and from Monday, 2nd October, the new national station is set to reach over 92%* of the population via its extensive transmitter network, where it will be broadcast between 106-108FM around the country.

Newstalk’s national roll-out will be supported by an extensive and exciting marketing campaign valued at €1.3 million, which will include a national TV ad, nationwide 48-sheet poster and newsprint campaign, as well as extensive on-street activity and a supporting public relations programme. The campaign will deliver maximum awareness and cut-through for Newstalk and will run over a six-week period from the end of September.

Concluded Harte; “We are very excited about Monday, 2nd October, we believe that for the first time ever, there is a real talk radio alternative to offer Irish radio consumers and the time is now right to bring something different, exciting and unique to the nation. Newstalk is up for the challenge and we are ready to light up the airwaves.”

medja

Crubeens wrote:

The historic launch of Newstalk will take place on Monday, 2nd October, providing the first national talk radio alternative since radio transmissions began in Ireland in 1936.

I wish newstalk well but.... 2RN came on in 1926 and actual radio transmissions in Ireland started years before that. (medja now returns to nerdland:D )

LostinBlanch

Crubeens,

I don't think that Richard Aldous would play well down the country. Too English, way too English. He was on for Ger Gilroy on Thusday (or was it Friday) and the film review slot was reviewing that film about the Queen. It made my skin crawl, and I am far from a Republican. Like a texter said, when did Newstalk become the BBC?

Thank God Anna Nolan is not on the schedule, totally vaccuous. So bad she even makes Brenda Power sound good. And that is saying something.

Brenda Power doing a sub standard liveline. Jaysus what the f*ck have we done to deserve this. Newstalk made it's name by doing things differently, taking risks, giving talent a chance. Now all they're doing is taking the crumbs off RTE's table, the ones that couldn't even get a full time contract there. They should play to their strengths not become a yellow pack RTE clone. :mad:

If they keep up this it'll be time to turn off and put on cds instead.

LostinBlanch

Oh yeah,

there was something in the Tribune I think about Claire Byrne's contract with TV3. Apparently she's not a free agent, and may have to sit it out for 3 months. Either there's going to be a lot of negotiations with TV3, or they're probably going to have to drop her for the interim. Either that or they'll probably bring in some bloody no hoper like Anna Nolan, Teresa Lowe or Brenda Power.

I have no idea what they're going to do. I don't think they know themselves. The ir management strategy (if they have one) seems to be totally shambolic and made up as they go along. I know they're under pressure to bring in a "name" now that Dunphy is gone to RTE and the BCI feel they've been conned, but they have to bring in the right person, not the only available one. They remind me of a fella who hasn't pulled in Copper Face Jacks at 5 minutes to closing time, desperately searching for someone, anyone.

Elmo

To be honest I they'll need at least one man in the morning line up, considering the show will be followed by Orla Barry and then, rumour has it, Anna Nolan.

Why? There are very few female presenters on the radio let their be more. There is still only one really big time female presenter and that is Marianne Funicane (sp?). If so far radio stations have been able to follow men with men its about time women started following women. I doesn't matter what sex you are as long as you can do the job.

I know they're under pressure to bring in a "name" now that Dunphy is gone to RTE and the BCI feel they've been conned, but they have to bring in the right person, not the only available one.

The BCI denied that report in emmm the Indo?? The BCI don't care who is on the service big names or no big names as long as they do their job.

I haven't heard Anna Nolan but her documentries for WYB (Would You Beleive) where very well done and showed that she is a very strong presenter.

Either that or they'll probably bring in some bloody no hoper like Anna Nolan, Teresa Lowe or Brenda Power.

All far better then "eeemmmmrrrrr I am goooooooiiiiinnnnng tooooo sayyyyyy grrrrrrrrr sooooooommmmmmmetttttthiiiiiiing cooooooonnnnnntaaaaaaarrrrrvvversial OOHHHHH EEERRRR"

Mr. Hook.

Crubeens

I don't think that Richard Aldous would play well down the country. Too English, way too English. He was on for Ger Gilroy on Thusday (or was it Friday) and the film review slot was reviewing that film about the Queen. It made my skin crawl, and I am far from a Republican. Like a texter said, when did Newstalk become the BBC?

Fair point, LostinBlanch. I remember tuning in to the show one day and it was Richard Aldous interviewing two other English guests - thought I was listening to BBC Radio 4. Its a real pity cause I think he's a great presenter.

It funny just how badly English voices go down on Irish radio - When Beat FM first started out it came in for some criticism about the female English voice on the station's imaging. She had a great voice but the English accent didn't go down too well with some. As far as I'm concerned any English accent is better than the crap pseudo-American ones you hear on stations like Spin.

Genghis

<Moving to new thread, as less relevant to Claire Byrne sitiation, and more relvant to NT national launch>.

LostinBlanch

Elmo wrote:

I haven't heard Anna Nolan but her documentries for WYB (Would You Beleive) where very well done and showed that she is a very strong presenter.

Your point of view, personally I think there is absolutely nothing to her at all. Like I said she is so bad that she makes Brenda Power sound ok (and that is saying something). I have got no problem if they want to put more female presenters on but my God they have to get the right ones.

Claire Byrne is the best one that's been on Newstalk for ages (and that includes Orla Barry).

Elmo

Your point of view, personally I think there is absolutely nothing to her at all.

Have you seen those documentries?