Newstalk Breakfast show

jack24

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed a serious dumbing down of the breakfast show (the one with Claire Byrne and Ger Gilroy) on Newstalk. While it tended to become quite samey when Dunphy was anchoring it - rolling in his coterie of regular contributors like Anthony Cronin/Shane Ross and Robert Fisk) it still had good news content. Now it seems like Newstalk are going for the lowest common denominator with inane speculation by all sorts of individuals and now requests that their 'traffic army' inundate them with costly text messages. Throw in the odd regional 'news' item which is only there to get away from the Dublin origins and you have something that reminds me of that episode in the Simpsons where they have a childrens TV news segment called Barts people where non stories are presented as news.

Rant over

Jack

ps the obvious answer to this is to move the dial which I have done in recent times, I just thought it merited a post

glennhysen

I totally agree! I listen to it every morning but since the new year it's really start to bug me that they keep reminding you to text in every 30 seconds. In next few weeks it will probably end up with "should we have coffee or tea this moring, please text us in with what you think".

I liked Dunphy and McWilliams becasue at least they discussed some interesting topics instead the current crap which seems to be about discussing what the tabloids are leading with. I mean this morning it was all about how the media were getting carried away it the release of Wayne O'Donoghue but they had a reporter there and kept discussing the item which each guest they had on.

As you said, I think I am going to start changing the dial in the morning.

popebenny16

when she is on her own it is a far better show, as i found gilroy to be very sneering of the texts that come in (which are not free) and he possesses a very high opinion of himself.

The regional thing is a reporter who lives in Limerick/Clare, he's always on Eamonn Keanes show as well, where all the big events in the world will be shunted aside for a car crash in Limerick/Clare simple because Newtalk seem to me to have only three reporters out there, girl in four courts, bloke in Leinster House and this guy.

Also got fed up with every new bulletin in the show being about property prices and every main story after the 8 being the same - not to mention the breathless fixation in the Irish Stock Market from 8.30 onwards. wow, you have aertel in the studio, whee-whee!!

I did exercise the dial, i find Ian Dempsey more relaxed, not stuck up his arse, and the whole thing enjoyable.


When I hear Gilroy gets the can I'll switch back, not before.

FlutterinBantam

While I freely admit I don't listen to Newstalk in the early morning,one piece of the OPs message is true for all radio and TV stations,and that is:beware the regular contributor
.

RTE have them too,Terry Prone/Fergus Finlay/Moore McDowell spring to mind.

What listeners always should be aware of is that a lot of these people have agendas and never take what they say on radio/tv at face value.

It's very easy to be sucked in when in a relaxed mood listening to a discussion and forget to look at the credentials/agenda of the person espousing the opinions.

Be careful out there;)

vallo

I agree with OP - it is definitely lighter than before. It was a much more thought provoking and challenging show with Dunphy and McWilliams. It was the only McWilliams mouthpiece I've enjoyed.
I don't want to listen to Byrne and Glibroy have an inane conversation about tabloidy non-news stories every 5 minutes.
I used to be a devoted Morning Ireland fan, but once Newstalk came along I preferred their morning show (esp the focus on dublin-only traffic news) and it seemed to coincide with a new Morning Ireland policy on stories - suddenly you had the likes of Aine Lawlor having awkward phone conversations with, say, the mother of a murder victim (soft voice) "so, anyway, how has your son's murder affected your family?". Just awful stuff.
I can't think of the last good article they had on newstalk's breakfast show. This morning the business guy said something funny. Yesterday a software engineer got on the national airwaves to discuss the dimensions of his local pot-hole. "Do you have a bigger one near you ... text us on 53106...".
Sigh.

mike65

Well I guess it could be called an alternative the the somewhat ponderous sytle of Morning Ireland.

Mike.

Firetrap

It's good to have an alternative to Morning Ireland. When they started up, Century and Radio Ireland had a stab at it but both failed.

I find though with the Newstalk Breakfast show that the presenters are a bit lightweight. I never think Ger Gilroy's got a handle on things and Claire Byrne to me has always been a presenter who really pushed herself out there to get her face in the papers a lot.

juuge

The recent interview with mary o rourke was a wasted opportunity. A seasoned interviewer could have nailed her to the wall with any one of a number of 'cock-ups' she was involved in when holding various ministeries.
These type of interviews need experience people and alas they are not now available at newstalk.

FlutterinBantam

Juudge,I have Ms O'Rourke on numerous discussion programmes,and nobody had EVERnailed her on the numerous cock ups she was involved in.

Why??

Pure brass neck,that's why.Tough it out,talk the talk but can't walk the walk.

Ah shure!!!
Ah shure she's great crack,always good for a quip...doh.

there's poor Harney workin her flaps off trying to sort out health and getting dogs abuse from all quarters ,while O'Rourke swans around like a frikken diva from soundbite to soundbyte.

Can't figure out how she hasn't been rumbled.

juuge

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Juudge,I have Ms O'Rourke on numerous discussion programmes,and nobody had EVERnailed her on the numerous cock ups she was involved in.

Why??

Pure brass neck,that's why.Tough it out,talk the talk but can't walk the walk.

Ah shure!!!
Ah shure she's great crack,always good for a quip...doh.

there's poor Harney workin her flaps off trying to sort out health and getting dogs abuse from all quarters ,while O'Rourke swans around like a frikken diva from soundbite to soundbyte.

Can't figure out how she hasn't been rumbled.

Very true !
But what amazes me is why the lenihans are so reluctant to speak out. The way brian lenihan was treated by CJH was appaling, yet his son brian, carried CJH's coffin. Whatever hold the hirarchy in FF (CJH and now bertie) have on these people is truly facinating. I think we are now getting much closer to the truth.

FlutterinBantam

As they say in "Goodfellas" it stays in the family.

bbability

Its lost its appeal. Claire Byrne was always overrated if you ask me. They may aswell have Twink in that slot.
I can't see why they won't bite the bullet and swap things around a bit. Moving Keane to Breakfast slot by be worth a bash. But the morning schedule as it stands is a complete turn off.

themont85

Not Keane he has to be the most annoying person on Newstalk, I long for the day when Damien Kiberd presented at lunchtime. He knew his stuff but wasn't so in your face about it as Keane who irritates me with his style of presenting.

MisterMagoo

Couldn't agree more...it is getting very tiresome. I can't get the blond image of Claire Byrne our of my head. Probably not fair, she does make some good points. Not that Gilroy is much better. He talks so fast..it's difficult to keep up. I swear he merges 3 or 4 words into one long mumble. And what's with the very very long questions...his questions are longer than the average answer. I thought radio was about the interviewee not the interviewer. He spends a good 30 seconds asking the question, which usually contains his expected answer and leaves the interviewee with a simple "absolutely" after he has stolen all their thunder. I'm gonna start recording these presenters to see who asks the longest question.

He was excellent in "Off The Ball" but that show also has become a seething mass of fast talk. The guys seem like a bunch of students sitting around having a chat (a very fast chat) about Sport. I can't keep up...I get a headache after about 10 minutes and can't take anymore. As for the AA Roadwatch, what's the hurry lads....Newstalk must be paying them by the second! You need total concentration to get thru an AA Roadwatch piece and remember all the information. I'd say it's easily as distracting as using a mobile phone while driving.

And don't get me started on Emma McNamara on the Business News on Morning Ireland....Jesus, she reads her script so fast and in such a boring monotone it makes me reach for the dial every time.
Newstalk should hand over the Breakfast Show to Declan Kiberd. Great presenter who knows his stuff and asks the probing questions.

Top Ten Fastest Radio Presenters:

10. Dervla Byrne - AA Roadwatch
9. Sean Moncrief - Newstalk 106
8. Emma McNamara - Business News - Morning Ireland
7. Ryan Tudbridy - RTE Radio 1
6. Oisin Langan - Newstalk 106 - Off the Ball
5. Jerry O'Sullivan - Newstalk 106 - Off the Ball
4. Nicola Hudson - AA Roadwatch
3. Ger Gilroy - Newstalk 106 - Breakfast Show
2. Eoin McDevitt - Newstalk 106 - Off the Ball
1. Dave Fanning - RTE Radio 1 - Drivetime

Agree?

Disagree?

spank_inferno

I've certainly noticed a shift in the breakfast show's tone since the start of January. Its like listening to a tabloid.

Apparently once we get used to this the show in its current form it will be rebranded to: "sexy action morning show" Watchout for the panda bear/business update segment!

ronbyrne2005

Im just waiting for the dizzy blonde to start reviewing makeup and doing a dedicated "celeb" slot. Bring back Williams or Dunphy or get more serious content. Slots are also too short. Less topics, more detail.

brettmirl

Agree that the show is better when Claire is there on her own. Ger's presenting style seems to only light up whenever they discuss sport, but even at this, he tries to show off how much sporting trivia he knows!

They have changed the style of the show since Christmas alright. They are trying to cram in more voices and shorten the time they spend on each story.

The constant calling for text messages does grate. Also, count the amount of times Ger says "folks". That grates after 20 minutes!

juuge

ronbyrne2005 wrote: »

Im just waiting for the dizzy blonde to start reviewing makeup and doing a dedicated "celeb" slot. Bring back Williams or Dunphy or get more serious content. Slots are also too short. Less topics, more detail.

I totally agree.....but why should callers be expected to pay 30c to send a text? Someone is laughing !

green123

ronbyrne2005 wrote: »

Slots are also too short. Less topics, more detail.

i agree
they spend 2 minutes explaining a story and introducing a guest or guests , then they ask the person 1 question and its over

brettmirl

juuge wrote: »

I totally agree.....but why should callers be expected to pay 30c to send a text? Someone is laughing !

I actually heard Brendan O'Brien one Saturday morning canvass for people to text in...

Said how important people's comments were to the show...

Gave the details on how much they cost...

Then in the same breath said they didn't have time to read any of them out!?!?!

jack24

Thank god,

Thought it was just me who was frustrated at the complete dumbing down of what was once a very informative show. That pothole report, text us in with the dimension of your local pothole...............aaaaahh. I have also noticed the contributors are now a motley crew of tabloid journalists (nothing wrong per se but when you become over reliant on this any perspective goes out the window). Agree with the points on the head spinning speed of the whole thing, which I'm sure is a policy decision on their part. If they arent on a break they are chatting between themselves inanely or requesting a text or reading a text or asking for recruits for the Newstalk 106 Traffic army (jaysus) or doing the traffic or some competition where you can win a pothole of your own . This tendancy to dumb everything down and attempt to appeal to the lowest common denominator is depressing but all too common.

Jack

mike65

mick_irl wrote: »

Said how important people's comments were to the show...

Gave the details on how much they cost...

Then in the same breath said they didn't have time to read any of them out!?!?!

That does my head in "we want your thoughts (money) oh dear we don't have time to read out more of your comments, maybe we'll return to them tomorrow" (they are never read out the following day).

Mike.

popebenny16

mike65 wrote: »

That does my head in "we want your thoughts (money) oh dear we don't have time to read out more of your comments, maybe we'll return to them tomorrow" (they are never read out the following day).

Mike.

Maybe no-one texted?

jack24

Jaysus,

Newstalk Breakfast show has now morphed into some kind of regional radio show, today it was hosted from Moyross with a humourous (albeit unintentionally) intro from Claire Byrne, where she railed against the stereotypical view of Moyross and then proceeded to describe travelling around there herself seeing the boarded up houses, the horses, the rubbish etc. Maybe this is a new departure for the breakfast show, they can start hosting it from anywhere in the world, any suggestions? Mine would be the 1st annual pothole awards hosted from the world capital of large holes in the road in Baghdad. The winners would win a weeks holiday inside the winning pothole with free texts for the week.

mike65

I see nothing wrong with getting out of Dublin. Irish media to way to concentrated in one tight spot.

Mike.

MoominPapa

I've never understood this 30c a text message - they are charging you to give them content, particularly their "Army of Traffic watchers". Why would you do that? Maybe John Waters pays them to do the newspaper review - now that would make sense

ronbyrne2005

Station is fast becoming Tabloid-Talk instead of News-talk.

aphex™

MoominPapa wrote: »

I've never understood this 30c a text message - they are charging you to give them content, particularly their "Army of Traffic watchers". Why would you do that? Maybe John Waters pays them to do the newspaper review - now that would make sense

They were with Meteor before. I'm guessing they got txt bombed a lot from other Meteor customers . So they brought in the fee.

The Black Oil

They were asking what people had on their iPods the other morning.

Meh.

bbability

mick_irl wrote: »

The constant calling for text messages does grate. Also, count the amount of times Ger says "folks". That grates after 20 minutes!

I'm very suprised that they are not been soundchecked. Its no harm. They probably don't even realise there doing it until they listen back to the show. I thought Newstalk had some Aussie bloke in there working on improving the presenters techniques???

Mossy Monk

It is rubbish. I listened most mornings but I got fed up of prompts to text in for 30c and the 'Army of Traffic Watchers'.

The show has gone down the drain. A real shame.

I hate the sponsored by CEMA bits too. That womans voice annoys the **** out of me too.

Bard

Anyone hear John Waters being taken down a peg or two by a blogger this morning?

Made for good radio...

http://blog.niallok.com/index.php/2008/01/23/live-on-the-air-fanny-the-clown/

MoominPapa

Bard wrote: »

Anyone hear John Waters being taken down a peg or two by a blogger this morning?

Made for good radio...

http://blog.niallok.com/index.php/2008/01/23/live-on-the-air-fanny-the-clown/

I'm starting to feel sorry for him. His self image as a serious intellectual/journalist/commentator/songwriter is so at odds with his abilities, as was exposed this morning yet again, that I'm really starting to believe he requires treatment. At first I thought, because the blogger is a barrister, you're in for it JW when the barrister starts using his legal brain to trip you up, but he didn't have to at all. A ten year old could have refuted waters arguments, they were pathetic.
But then again what he's a supercilious tw*t so open season. Tally Ho!

juuge

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I hate the sponsored by CEMA bits too. That womans voice annoys the **** out of me too.

Yeah I agree and it sounds as though she's saying 'semen' and that advert they play every morning before the business news for 'my home commercial.ie' the guy tries to sound casual like michael o'leary from ryanair, it just sounds so nerdy !! I've stopped listening - Lyric fm is cool ! Sit back and relax !

Mossy Monk

Bard wrote: »

Anyone hear John Waters being taken down a peg or two by a blogger this morning?

Made for good radio...

http://blog.niallok.com/index.php/2008/01/23/live-on-the-air-fanny-the-clown/

John Waters being made to sound like an idiot. I approve.