Irish radio presenter censured for calling Susan Boyle a 'freak'

OutlawPete · 05-03-2010 11:14pm

brummytom wrote: »

It depends on the context really, even after reading this thread this seems unclear.

If she meant it in a "freak" (an unusual, odd, different person); then of course it's not on. Susan Boyle's got mental problems, taking the piss out of her for it is just disgusting tbh.

Here's her take on events.

Her take on events

Spanish Eyes · 05-03-2010 11:26pm

She is up very early in the morn. 4am or something.

We have all done it. So she should have been professional, but the outburst was not on the Newstalk Breakfast show it was on the next one up (I think it was Dunne, but it may have been a preview of it on the news show, stand corrected if so).

Now if I was sitting beside the Yeti, after getting up at 4 am having to put on a pound of MAC makeup for the webcam, I'd probably lose it too occasionally.

tipperaryboy · 05-03-2010 11:41pm

She certainly did not choose the appropriate words.. expressing her opinion in a very bad manner .

mcmoustache · 06-03-2010 12:14am

What she said was a bit lame and I don't particularly like Byrne but I don't think she should be censured for what she said. It's not like it was libellous. It falls very much into the category of opinion and I think people should be able to express those. Regardless of how retarded they may be.

deadhead13 · 06-03-2010 12:14am

OutlawPete wrote: »

Her take on events

"I work on an opinion-led programme"...and here lies the problem - the continuing tabloidization of Newstalk. Claire Byrne is a particularly dull person, I have no interest whatsoever in her opinions and I think she was far better suited to reading from an autocue.

fuelinjection · 06-03-2010 1:20am

Miss Byrne watch listen and learn ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

pagancornflake · 06-03-2010 3:47am

http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/apr2009/4/7/susan-boyle-pic-rex-612711520.jpg

In fairness, she looks like Johnny Vegas would if he became a transexual

benzie · 06-03-2010 9:37am

Look who is laughing all the way to the bank.!!!

stovelid · 06-03-2010 11:11am

benzie wrote: »

Look who is laughing all the way to the bank.!!!

A nitrous oxide tycoon?

Dudess · 06-03-2010 11:28am

pikachucheeks wrote: »

One of the golden rules of radio is to never express a personal opinion, especially if it's negative. It just gets you in trouble.

She's perfectly entitled to her opinions, but to vocalise them on air isn't the smartest idea.

sexdwarf wrote: »

Exactly. Also, bottom line is...she's a journalist. She wasn't hired to spout her personal prejudices on the radio.

An ambiguous one, to be honest - in principle, yes, but if your statement applied 100%, there'd be no Eamon Dunphy et al.
There's kind of a "curve" - newsreaders/anchors/reporters: obviously no personal views whatsoever, but after this it can get blurry: if a newsreader had a guest in studio for an extended bulletin, well they still have to be objective, but not as robot-like as when they're reading the news.
Presenter of a current affairs show: even blurrier. Dunphy injected a bit of his personality into The Last Word, Hook does, McGurk does, even Matt Cooper, who is extremely balanced, can't help it ever so slightly from time to time.

And as for journalists who are guests on other journalists' shows (i.e. in this case): surely expressing an opinion is what they're invited on the show for?

So it depends on context and the type of journalist...

Sam Vimes · 06-03-2010 11:33am

mike65 wrote: »

Just read Byrnes justification. Interesting that she thinks she is presenting an opinion led programme.

she is. Ivan has said that they're both allowed and encouraged to give their opinions on topics and he wouldn't present the show if that wasn't the case

goat2 · 06-03-2010 11:35am

Sam Vimes wrote: »

she is. Ivan has said that they're both allowed and encouraged to give their opinions on topics and he wouldn't present the show if that wasn't the case

openions yes, but that was going beyond
susan also sings to her kitty

Minstrel27 · 06-03-2010 11:41am

Sam Vimes wrote: »

she is. Ivan has said that they're both allowed and encouraged to give their opinions on topics and he wouldn't present the show if that wasn't the case

Let's not foget the constant pimping of that text number.