Newstalk Megathread

armchair fusilier

I like Esther. She's been with Movies and Booze since the beginning, which is more about having a laugh on Friday evenings than in-depth movie reviews. Calling for her to be fired on an internet forum is a bit harsh imo.

DB21

armchair fusilier wrote: »

I like Esther. She's been with Movies and Booze since the beginning, which is more about having a laugh on Friday evenings than in-depth movie reviews. Calling for her to be fired on an internet forum is a bit harsh imo.

If it's a laugh, she's very selective about it. Some movies (the ones she hates) get a big in-depth review with Sean guffawing along sycophantically. Then the ones she likes get a light look over, no deep analysis, and that's that.

ballsymchugh

armchair fusilier wrote: »

I like Esther. She's been with Movies and Booze since the beginning, which is more about having a laugh on Friday evenings than in-depth movie reviews. Calling for her to be fired on an internet forum is a bit harsh imo.

i agree with this. it doesn't matter who's reviewing the movies, the vast majority of the input from contributors and texters on friday afternoons is about booze and lately the hashtag movies on twitter.
more in depth movie reviews are done by phillip molloy on sunday evenings, or george byrne on tom dunne's show.

splendid101

I like Esther McCarthy's reviews. I think she has good taste in films and know what she's talking about. Disagree with most of the comments above.

I think the Australian girl would be awful on a full time basis as I would never listen again. Her voice and accent are extremely annoying.

mike65

Speaking of films the movie show guy is just awful. No energy, no wit, no drive no nothing. Sounds like he constantly needs winding up and he can't read out a script without it sounding exactly like he is reading out a script!

GSF

mike65 wrote: »

Speaking of films the movie show guy is just awful. No energy, no wit, no drive no nothing. Sounds like he constantly needs winding up and he can't read out a script without it sounding exactly like he is reading out a script!

There is a reason why he earns his living writing for a paper. Quite why Newstalk offered him a gig though is a mystery.

ballsymchugh

GSF wrote: »

There is a reason why he earns his living writing for a paper. Quite why Newstalk offered him a gig though is a mystery.

a fair few of the newer presenters aren't radio presenters at all, and you can tell by their monotonous, staccato presentation. i thought they learned from their mistake a few years ago when they had a few different people standing in for moncreiff when he was away, and we were treated to jennifer maguire and brian keating for one afternoon. dreadful radio.

wnolan1992

Woke up this morning and put on Newstalk Lunchtime (yes, I know, but feck I'm on holidays :P). For a good ten minutes I was convinced they were playing a "Best Of..." of something, because I could have sworn this 'debate' about kids in restaurants had been had months ago?

I mean, seriously, in the day that the Croke Park 2 negotiations started, was it really necessary to devote so much air time to a fluff piece like that?

Bits_n_Bobs

Double post gloating about having day off = ban

wnolan1992

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

Double post gloating about having day off = ban

Double post? No idea what you're talking about... :P


And just to rub it in, I'm off until the 28th.

giftgrub

Heard Chris Donoghue nail his colours to the mast on Croke Park today...

Described the reaction by unions yesterday as Pantomime, refered to their meeting with the "brute" brendan howlin.

Again...i can do without his opinion...

giftgrub

Heard Chris Donoghue nail his colours to the mast on Croke Park today...

Described the reaction by unions yesterday as Pantomime, refered to their meeting with the "brute" brendan howlin.

Again...i can do without his opinion...

Leroy42

Giftgrub, what issue do you have with what he said?

He wasn't saying the unions didn't have strong cases, but it was a pantomine. How did the the meeting only last 30 minutes, what sort of discussion is that.
Howlin "Here is a list of the savings we want to make. Any ideas"

Each of them in turn "Totally unacceptable, we are off to give some strongly worded statments to the press in disgust...see you tomorrow"

It's like like they didn't know what he purpose of the meeting was, so what was the point?

Chris was merely pointing out the waste of time it was and he would prefer if they all forgot about the cameras and actually got on with the job!

giftgrub

There was a tone and inflection in the way it was said, to me it sounded like he though it was all posturing by the unions, who had come up against the big bad Brendan Howlin. (who could never be described as big"

I'm not a regular listener, just caught a few minutes this morning but I've never been a fan of opinions by presenters on news progammes.

Keep them to yourself, give me the info and I'll decide.

Heroditas

Of course it was posturing.
Also, it was very much tongue-in-cheek when referring to Howlin as a "brute". He hasn't exactly covered himself in glory since he backed down from the expenses reform debacle.

Bits_n_Bobs

His description of it as pantomine was spot on - Howlin pretending to be a big bad meanie and 'getting tough' with the Unions and the Unions howling and screaming at the pain of it all. Whole thing struck me as perfectly choreographed spin from both sides.

SEPT 23 1989

Coleman is going to town on the beards tonight

buckfasterer

Holy Jesus but George Byrne who does the movie review slot with Tom Dunne really does my head in. He is such an arrogant twat who rides on his high horse loving films that aren't main stream and just lays into everything else. Nothing honest about any of his reviews as when he doesn't like it, its automatically a bad film. I've recently found that most of the films he tears to pieces, I actually think they're good once watching them!

Harry Angstrom

buckfasterer wrote: »

Holy Jesus but George Byrne who does the movie review slot with Tom Dunne really does my head in. He is such an arrogant twat who rides on his high horse loving films that aren't main stream and just lays into everything else. Nothing honest about any of his reviews as when he doesn't like it, its automatically a bad film. I've recently found that most of the films he tears to pieces, I actually think they're good once watching them!

It's been scientifically proven that the sun and the moon revolve around George Byrne's head

neris

Hear George Hook is off on another jolly hard hitting journalistic case to America for Obamas inauguration.

Calhoun

He can do what he likes, its a commercial station. If it was RTE i might have an issue but newstalk its all good.

wnolan1992

Calhoun wrote: »

He can do what he likes, its a commercial station. If it was RTE i might have an issue but newstalk its all good.

Of course they can do what they want, it's their money.

But that doesn't mean continually sending him to America for events makes good radio.

kneemos

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Of course they can do what they want, it's their money.

But that doesn't mean continually sending him to America for events makes good radio.

Obamas inauguration is just a formality in any case.

Calhoun

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Of course they can do what they want, it's their money.

But that doesn't mean continually sending him to America for events makes good radio.

Indeed although sometimes with Georges program the level of quality is so poor it doesn't really matter.

Should have a competition to guess who of Denis O'Briens buddies he has on the program .

Lapin

Condolences to Sean Moncrieff on the passing of his mother. RIP Mary.

DEFTLEFTHAND

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Of course they can do what they want, it's their money.

But that doesn't mean continually sending him to America for events makes good radio.

Of course also they're a loss making entity currently being propped up by DOB's other profitable ventures. It's quite irresponsible of management to be sending that jackass over there. They need to tighten up the ship and start turning a profit quickly, because if they don't it will eventually go to the wall.

Calhoun

You never know Denis might style himself after Rupert Murdoch and keep the lost making station going for so long as he has some media presence.

Realistically though, George going to the US is just one problem as the whole station needs an overhaul.

From listening to the station the items i would fix is (in my own opinion);

1. Sort the breakfast show out i don't think either of the two running it are strong enough for a primetime slot like that;
2. Get rid of Tom all together, hes either talking about something happens or on his high horse about something related to his daughters;
3. Change the format up a little bit during the day, sometimes if you listen from the morning to the evening they play the same **** the whole way through. That day your man banned a mother from his restaurant was played in nearly every slot that day;
4. I really like the lunch time slot, i find its the only time of the day these days where real news is discussed;
5. George needs to retire, the show is just one massive ego boost now. He either has a guest on that licks his arse, he plays the doddery old fool who needs to be explained everything in the simplest terms, talks about Ingrid, talks about cork/pres or rugby, and finally most importantly he talks over anyone interesting with his own opinion;
6. Its nearly FG FM, you expect it from RTE and the likes but you would hope for some impartiality;

I suppose i really should stop listening to the station but i suppose i am holding on hoping they will put someone in prime time slots that can discuss political issues impartially.

delaad

And keep the only two shows you rightly haven't mentioned, Moncreiff and On The Ball.

desaparecidos

delaad wrote: »

On The Ball.

Vincent?

Lapin

Have to smile at Hooky discussing the large number of black people he witnessed crying at the inauguration of Obama 4 years ago given his own near emotional breakdown live on the air at the time.

Lapin

neris wrote: »

Hear George Hook is off on another jolly hard hitting journalistic case to America for Obamas inauguration.

I don't have a problem with it either.

But - You'd think having sent him all the way over there, he would have managed to cover the swearing in as it happened.

But no, our Georgie was stuck in the middle of a pre-recorded interview while the son of Moneygall was placing his hands on the bible.

He quickly cut the interview to catch the oath live just as Obama got to the bit about protecting and preserving the constitution. In other words, the end of it.

Well done Newstalk.

Name Changed

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Coleman is going to town on the beards tonight

I usually don't mind Coleman, but that night he was terrible. He would not let any of the guests speak, and continually shouted over them. He does it a bit, but that was the worst I have ever heard!

Name Changed

Off the Ball's coverage over the last week re the Lance Armstrong debacle has been fantastic.

Is anyone going to their roadshow on Thursday? Sinnotts I think?

Harry Angstrom

Name Changed wrote: »

Off the Ball's coverage over the last week re the Lance Armstrong debacle has been fantastic.

Is anyone going to their roadshow on Thursday? Sinnotts I think?

Not those feckin roadshows again! They're a complete waste of time. They're probably great craic for the people who go along, but if you're trying to listen at home, it's a nightmare. Everything is okay for the first half-hour but then the noise levels rise and rise and rise with each pint that's sunk. By halfway, it's a right messy atmosphere and not worth listening to anymore, as it's impossible to keep the crowd quiet.

Name Changed

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Not those feckin roadshows again! They're a complete waste of time. They're probably great craic for the people who go along, but if you're trying to listen at home, it's a nightmare. Everything is okay for the first half-hour but then the noise levels rise and rise and rise with each pint that's sunk. By halfway, it's a right messy atmosphere and not worth listening to anymore, as it's impossible to keep the crowd quiet.

Ha!

I was at a couple and it's harder to hear the longer it goes on when you're there also.

wnolan1992

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Not those feckin roadshows again! They're a complete waste of time. They're probably great craic for the people who go along, but if you're trying to listen at home, it's a nightmare. Everything is okay for the first half-hour but then the noise levels rise and rise and rise with each pint that's sunk. By halfway, it's a right messy atmosphere and not worth listening to anymore, as it's impossible to keep the crowd quiet.

Ah I dunno, I enjoyed them the last time. It does get progressively more difficult to hear, but to give the lads and the people that go to them credit, it's usually still possible to make out what the guests are saying.

As OB's go (and I'm not a fan), the Roadshows are some of the better ones.

I thought the Roadshows were a summer thing?

Name Changed

I heard one advertised for this Thursday anyway. Well I heard it a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't heard anything since.

I went to two roadshows and one Saturday show and loved them. The Saturday show with McAteer was brilliant.

I don't know who is on this Thursday but I'm not able to go anyway.

splendid101

They mentioned tonight that the Roadshow for Thursday has been cancelled.

constitutionus

you know im either getting more rightwing im me old age or sean moncreifs show is becomming more PC cause right now its got to the stage when i cant listen to the twonk anymore.

never thought i could be driven to mooney but its where i am now.

serfboard

constitutionus wrote: »

you know im either getting more rightwing im me old age or sean moncreifs show is becomming more PC cause right now its got to the stage when i cant listen to the twonk anymore.

never thought i could be driven to mooney but its where i am now.

Well I was listening today and I enjoyed what I heard. I turned over from Joe Duffy who was doin me head in.

There's only a very odd time I'd listen to Mooney - usually when Sean has a topic on that's so bad, that he can barely sustain interest in it himself - and it shows.

But, even in those seldom enough cases, I would rarely find anything on Mooney of interest.

constitutionus

i dont like mooney.

thats the fecking problem

but seans middleclass smugfest has got to the stage where i just want to feck the radio out the window. the contempt he has for anyone expressing a view different to the PC line is palpable. i dont even hold the postions most of the time but it annoys me no end to hear the kneejerk Deefurr dismissal

the only reason i hacked any of it today was derek davis was on. someone seriously needs to give that bloke a show as when he's allowed free reign he's always enjoyable (which has surprised me no end but there ya go. )

WhatNowForUs?

constitutionus wrote: »

i dont like mooney.

thats the fecking problem

but seans middleclass smugfest has got to the stage where i just want to feck the radio out the window. the contempt he has for anyone expressing a view different to the PC line is palpable. i dont even hold the postions most of the time but it annoys me no end to hear the kneejerk Deefurr dismissal

the only reason i hacked any of it today was derek davis was on. someone seriously needs to give that bloke a show as when he's allowed free reign he's always enjoyable (which has surprised me no end but there ya go. )

It sounds like one of your texts got a slap down.

constitutionus

havent text to newstalk since they upped the charge to 30c.

which IIRC is when dunphy left !

Bits_n_Bobs

George Hook yesterday ranting that his show was not parochial but was in fact national, even international....followed by story all about Healy-Raes drink driving statement.

DEFTLEFTHAND

constitutionus wrote: »

havent text to newstalk since they upped the charge to 30c.

which IIRC is when dunphy left !

He came back again to present a Sunday show recently. 100,000euro per annum deal. It ran for a year during which time he presented about half the shows, he then had another falling out with DOB and left again.

Some spoofer but he certainly knows how to make money

neris

Whats ian guiders obsession with apple shares? Getting tiring & paddy at this stage the v way he goes on thinking the stock market revolves around apple

constitutionus

In America it pretty much does

I seem to remember someone saying everytime it drops 1% it hits the USA Gdp massively.

I can't think of any other company that can do that singlehandedly and the place has dropped 300 quid a share .

That's huge news in anyone's language .

Harry Angstrom

Why can't they review more regular beers? Today, it's the number one selling beer in Corsica. I suppose I'll be able to get that in my local Spar? :rolleyes:

Harry Angstrom

Does it get any worse than this? Two and a half hours of George Hook and Michael Graham talking shyte.

WhatNowForUs?

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Does it get any worse than this? Two and a half hours of George Hook and Michael Graham talking shyte.

NO it does NOT