Newstalk Megathread

ballsymchugh

giftgrub wrote: »

I happened to flick over to the Hooky-monster this evening in the car.

he was ranting on about some night club that offers free drinks to birds of they take of their knickers.

The merits of that aside...instead of actually interviewing anyone about it, he played really bad quality phone clips of people he'd interviewed during the day, all of whom agreed with his view that it was scandalous...

very strange way to go about it.

heard that, sounded like it was recorded over skype on internal computer speakers. not the first time i've heard it on newstalk though.

splendid101

I don't know why Hook didn't interview Irish nightclubs about this....why was he going to London looking for people's opinions?

Having said that I can understand why he's not too keen on the idea.

fred funk }{

Does Ivan sleep at all. He's standing in for Vincent Brown on TV3 at night the in for the breakfast show first thing in the morning.

constitutionus

eamo back on his own show today.

thank christ. colleran was driving me to RTE !



Not a bad show either. he had damien kiberd , stephen donnoly, dervela someone or other (she wrote the "busted" book on high profile bankruptcies down the courts recently ), some union lad as well.

RoutineBites

Always think, "Off the Ball" is lacking in something when either Eoin or Ken or unavailable. Although Eoin's replacement tonight didn't do an absolutely disasterous job in presenting tonight's show, the chemistry between Eoin and Ken was seriously missed.

neris

RoutineBites wrote: »

Always think, "Off the Ball" is lacking in something when either Eoin or Ken or unavailable. Although Eoin's replacement tonight didn't do an absolutely disasterous job in presenting tonight's show, the chemistry between Eoin and Ken was seriously missed.

That was Ger Gilroy. He presented Off the ball before McDevitt. Think he developed the show aswell and now runs the sport dept in newstalk

elvis jones

neris wrote: »

That was Ger Gilroy. He presented Off the ball before McDevitt. Think he developed the show aswell and now runs the sport dept in newstalk

He also tried breakfast and failed..........stick to sports ger, serious politicial stuff didn't suit you at all !

BUT he is much better at weekend sport that the kerry goon:rolleyes:

JonathanAnon

Just thinking there.. Yates would have been so much of a better choice for filling in for Dunphy than Ger Colleran... He was excellent when standing in for Vincent Browne (once he got the hang of the autocue), and I enjoy the repeat of his show with yer man Chris when I do be driving home in the early morning.

bohsboy

Apologies if it's been mentioned before and not sure if it's just me, but the live Off The Ball shows make me wince everytime I hear the clinking of pint glasses being put into the dishwasher in the local pub and the growing murmur from people as the night and pints progress.

By the end of the night, you can barely hear the presenters from people having background conversations. The intermittent "ssssshhhh's" don't seem to help either.

Imhof Tank

RoutineBites wrote: »

Always think, "Off the Ball" is lacking in something when either Eoin or Ken or unavailable. Although Eoin's replacement tonight didn't do an absolutely disasterous job in presenting tonight's show, the chemistry between Eoin and Ken was seriously missed.

Funny, I thought the exact opposite - and thats comming from a big fan of McDevitt

Gilroy and Ken go way, way back. There was great chemistry between them last night with Ken reporting some outrageous stuff from Moscow. I have no idea whether these lads hang out together in their free time but the matey back and forthers are pretty convincing

Imhof Tank

elvis jones wrote: »

He also tried breakfast and failed..........stick to sports ger, serious politicial stuff didn't suit you at all !

BUT he is much better at weekend sport that the kerry goon:rolleyes:

Look who he had to work with.

And what does "failure" mean anyway -the main reason Ger got the chop from breakfast was because of Claire Byrne's contract. If they could have kept him and replaced Claire with Yates, that would have been ok - i would rate him higher than that disaster Chris anyway

SEPT 23 1989

Good man Elmo

delaad

Imhof Tank wrote: »

Funny, I thought the exact opposite - and thats comming from a big fan of McDevitt

Gilroy and Ken go way, way back. There was great chemistry between them last night with Ken reporting some outrageous stuff from Moscow. I have no idea whether these lads hang out together in their free time but the matey back and forthers are pretty convincing

Dead right. McDevitt's incapabable of holding a conversation with Early. His usual response is to cut across him with some less than urgent "breaking news". Very amateur.

bamboozle

delaad wrote: »

Dead right. McDevitt's incapabable of holding a conversation with Early. His usual response is to cut across him with some less than urgent "breaking news". Very amateur.

being listening to a fair bit of off the ball this week, has Ken made a bet with someone that he has to say 'mixing zone' all the time?

keeps going on about meeting players in the 'mixing zone' after a match to inverview, very funny

great show

Rubik.

There wouldn't be much in it, but prefered OTB when Gilroy was the presenter. McDevitt has a bit of an ego thing going on, the start of tonight's Football Show being a prime example.

neris

and now the sports dept in newstalk are about to let simon hick loose with his show while the rugby world cups on. Say hook will go through him if hes a guest or interviewed

Imhof Tank

I'll say this for Hook - he has incredible stamina for a guy of his age. Friday morning - the RTE panel in Montrose for the All Blacks match, the regular 4.30 to 7.00 live show on NT, then more TV punditry from the RDS for the Leinster match from 7.30 to past 9.00.

Then he was on the saturday sit in show again on NT early this morning and I presume he will be on the panel for the Ireland match from 6.30 am tomorrow.

He does annoy me at times, but really, fair play to him with that schedule

omerin

I'd say Hooky got burned financially speaking. His pension took a big hit and he rants when given a chance about the new cut taken by the Gov on pensions. You are spot on, he's on constantly. A bit overkill imo, likewise but to a lesser extent same applies to Davenport.

Imhof Tank

Overkill? I wouldnt say that - with the RWC on he was always going to be busy.

But my point was more how I am impressed frankly that he can physically manage so many hours live TV and radio in the space of 48 hours.

Rubik.

I think the Saturday morning show is pre-recorded in stages during the week, still an impressive workload for a 73 year old.

PaulieBoy

Rubik. wrote: »

I think the Saturday morning show is pre-recorded in stages during the week, still an impressive workload for a 73 year old.

It's very impressive when compared to his co-worker Dunphy!
Off on his hols all summer long, back presenting his show last Sunday and gone again.
He really should have gone up for election, the dail hours would suit him.

mike65

Is anyone listening to the Premier League coverage? Ken Early is now parodying his own vocal stylings. Very exaggerated vowel sounds at times.

The pimping of ladbrooks various odds for different markets during the commentary is also rather grim.

Arthur Daley

Rubik. wrote: »

I think the Saturday morning show is pre-recorded in stages during the week, still an impressive workload for a 73 year old.

Wow he's 73, amazing workload. I knew he was 65 plus but he doesn't come across as 73 in his radio show, or his travel. And why not, I guess 70 can be the new 60.

hotmail.com

Hook is a media whore. Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know. He brings down the reputation of the station.he's not a trained journalist.

Imhof Tank

hotmail.com wrote: »

Hook is a media whore. Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know. He brings down the reputation of the station.he's not a trained journalist.

Because NT wants to differentiate itself from RTE.

And in truth, the majority of listeners would be bored to death by most of the "trained journalist" types and prefer opinionated windbags such as Yates and Hook - both of whom i like.

GSF

hotmail.com wrote: »

Hook is a media whore. Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know.

Because he brings in their best ratings?

If Communicorp ever gets totally skint they'll move him to weekend mornings and put Matt Cooper on NT drivetime

yosser hughes

hotmail.com wrote: »

Hook is a media whore. Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know. He brings down the reputation of the station.he's not a trained journalist.

Most of the "trained journalists" out there have no ability,charisma or any of their own opinions.
I could not believe it yesterday when I heard Chris Donoghue do a lengthy interview with Maeve Binchy.This is a young journalist, and what is his big idea? go and interview someone who has been interviewed a hundered times on Irish radio.
Chris O'Donoghue is a prime example of the dearth of talent in Irish journalism. All PC,afraid to do anything cutting edge and unltimately vaccous. A lot of these people like the idea of working in the media but actually have no ability whatsoever.

jimmyw

I was worried about him there this evening, he was responding to some texter talking about the sham that the jobsbridge thing is, and asking "does nobody value work?"I thought he was going to keel over with rage:eek:.Not good for his blood pressure:P

around the 31 min mark
http://media.newstalk.ie/listenback/221/tuesday/2/popup

McDave

Imhof Tank wrote: »

Because NT wants to differentiate itself from RTE.

And in truth, the majority of listeners would be bored to death by most of the "trained journalist" types and prefer opinionated windbags such as Yates and Hook - both of whom i like.

Fair point. Although Hook has seen (or been heard on!) better days, I'd take him over the characterless Mary Wilson any day.

Having said that, IMO Matt Cooper is streets ahead of both of them, and shows up the shallowness in NewsTalk's approach - which for my money is very dumbed down in recent times.

Arthur Daley

jimmyw wrote: »

I was worried about him there this evening, he was responding to some texter talking about the sham that the jobsbridge thing is, and asking "does nobody value work?"I thought he was going to keel over with rage:eek:.Not good for his blood pressure:P

around the 31 min mark
http://media.newstalk.ie/listenback/221/tuesday/2/popup

Heard him. Think he is right to a certain extent, but it's a very complex issue asking experienced people with a high cost base to work for 50 euro over the dole.

But it was refreshing to hear someone challenge the idea that has grown up in Ireland in the last 15 years that many jobs are still below most people, even though the economy has seized up. The point he was making was that there is value in doing a piece of work no matter what it is, and he was talking from experience. Still doesn't excuse unscrupulous employers out there.

hotmail.com

Imhof Tank wrote: »

Because NT wants to differentiate itself from RTE.

And in truth, the majority of listeners would be bored to death by most of the "trained journalist" types and prefer opinionated windbags such as Yates and Hook - both of whom i like.

Look at American TV and radio, they are full of opinionated windbags! Do we really want to go down that route?

Hook's opinions are there to cover up the stations lack of resources. His rants takes up time and means less researchers are needed.

touts

hotmail.com wrote: »

Hook is a media whore. Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know. He brings down the reputation of the station.he's not a trained journalist.

I find him hard to listen to and only tune into certain segments or podcasts from his shows but I actually have a lot of respect for the amount of work he is doing now. If you read Hooks Autobio or knew anything about him you would understand why he is a "media whore". Having spend most of his life more or less pennyless he is finally in a position to earn some money for his retirement, to secure his wife's future should anything happen to him and hopefully leave something to his family after he is gone. I say fair play to him for milking it for all he can while he is still able to.

Poly

Hook has his moments,overall I still enjoy the show, what I like about his show, he reads out even the most critical and insulting texts/emails he receives.

peneau

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I think he has a point though. I cycle quite a lot and it always annoys me to see cyclists going through red lights, going the wrong way down one way streets and cycling on foothpaths. They also don't seem to think that they should stop at pedestrian crossings either. Having said that I've been in plenty of scrapes where motorists have cut me up and not given me right of way when I was entitled to it but I think the roads would be a lot safer for everyone if cyclists observed the basic traffic laws. Most of them do not.

Look around you, you'll see motorists doing exactly the same things every day,
and yes they do drive on footpaths they park on them don't they.

Imhof Tank

hotmail.com wrote: »

Look at American TV and radio, they are full of opinionated windbags! Do we really want to go down that route?

Hook's opinions are there to cover up the stations lack of resources. His rants takes up time and means less researchers are needed.

The American model obviously works to some extent, or at least NT and their advertisiers think it works, so you've answered your own original question Why Newstalk have stuck with him over the years I don't know.

Imhof Tank

McDave wrote: »

the characterless Mary Wilson .

.

Add

John Murray
Myles Dungan
Chris O'Donoghue
George Lee
Jonathan Healy

bamboozle

Poly wrote: »

Hook has his moments,overall I still enjoy the show, what I like about his show, he reads out even the most critical and insulting texts/emails he receives.

but he seems to be spending a lot of time these days arguing with the insulting texts which really no-one cares about.

on a different note, newstalk would be an even better show if the presenters were allowed go at least 5 minutes without begging folk to send in their texts (they rarely urge listeners to email)

Dub13

I used to listen to Hook alot,and one of the things I liked about him was he is not afraid to say hold on I don't understand that please explain it in layman's terms.

This was fine for a while but then it got tiresome and I think sometimes unprofessional,I now want my presenter to be fully briefed on each subject as it saves time and they then ask the proper questions and don't just rant.

hotmail.com

touts wrote: »

I find him hard to listen to and only tune into certain segments or podcasts from his shows but I actually have a lot of respect for the amount of work he is doing now. If you read Hooks Autobio or knew anything about him you would understand why he is a "media whore". Having spend most of his life more or less pennyless he is finally in a position to earn some money for his retirement, to secure his wife's future should anything happen to him and hopefully leave something to his family after he is gone. I say fair play to him for milking it for all he can while he is still able to.

No one is disputing that. And yes fair play to him.

But personally, I don't like his style. He rants, can't ask a question without referencing a life experience, interrupts his guests to give his opinion, seems to be less clever than other presenters, announced he was a Fine Gael supporter leading to bias accusations, etc etc. Not for me.

I enjoy their lunchtime programme. Hook just comes across as amateur.

steelcityblues

With George Hook, you should at least know you are not getting a balanced drivetime programme, and that it is a soapbox style format, with one bluffer giving his opinions on anything possible.

No different from the Rush Limbaugh/Glenn Beck type shows, even if Hook it is not in the same bigotry league.

steelcityblues

Imhof Tank wrote: »

Add

John Murray
Myles Dungan
Chris O'Donoghue
George Lee
Jonathan Healy

I have always found him to be a decent presenter, esp. when on Rattlebag. Maybe most posters will disagree, lol.

Rubik.

hotmail.com wrote: »

Look at American TV and radio, they are full of opinionated windbags! Do we really want to go down that route?

They are following the Talksport model, without the little Englander mentality of course. Differentiating themselves from the BBC and RTE with "opinion led" radio. Which is fine when those opinions are worth listening, but falls down when you have the likes of Claire Byrne and Chris being the opinion givers.

This type of radio tends to be fairly polarising. Hook may well annoy the hell out of you, but he is Newstalk's biggest draw and has been from the start. Although Ivan's Breakfast is catching up quickly and may well pass him out

coonecb1

Dub13 wrote: »

I used to listen to Hook alot,and one of the things I liked about him was he is not afraid to say hold on I don't understand that please explain it in layman's terms.

This was fine for a while but then it got tiresome and I think sometimes unprofessional,I now want my presenter to be fully briefed on each subject as it saves time and they then ask the proper questions and don't just rant.

I think that's valuable, as I don't have time to follow the intricate details of politics / economics, and appreciate when someone fleshes out the details for people not on autopilot when discussing some issues.

Mind you, it can get annoying when Hooky attempts to talk soccer with Big Ron Atkinson, funny though

neris

what was paolo tulio ranting about earlier? sounded like he was giving out about the health minister or something been banned

ballsymchugh

neris wrote: »

what was paolo tulio ranting about earlier? sounded like he was giving out about the health minister or something been banned

the government have banned the sale of 'raw' milk.
he kinda likes it.

Poly

ballsymchugh wrote: »

the government have banned the sale of 'raw' milk.
he kinda likes it.

it was a very mooo-ving piece

fred funk }{

I like Paolo and it's one of the newstalk podcasts I download but he's starting to use his segment as his soap-box for overturning the raw milk ban. I couldn't give a toss about raw milk TBH.

GSF

Sinn Fein woman on NT is pretty hopeless

"None of the candidates have blown away people so far, so thats an opportunity for Sinn Fein"

followed by

"I dont know what is going on in the party, I'm totally in the dark too"

Mind you Healy is as bad - "would you find it difficult to canvass for an unknown candidate in the wind & rain of November?"

- yes presumably as the election is in October

There is no RDS information on Newstalk from Truskmore on 107.4FM!

DEFTLEFTHAND

coonecb1 wrote: »

I think that's valuable, as I don't have time to follow the intricate details of politics / economics, and appreciate when someone fleshes out the details for people not on autopilot when discussing some issues.

Mind you, it can get annoying when Hooky attempts to talk soccer with Big Ron Atkinson, funny though

Did the Hooky monster ever buy Big Ron that round of golf and four course meal? They had a bet going last season on whether Blackpool would survive relegation or not.