Marian Finucane

P. Breathnach

easychair wrote: »

Curiously, i used to like her program and used to listen, but I find myself in the last year or no no longer listening. Frankly, I find myself unaccountably unable to listen to her, knowing that she is paid such obscene amounts of money, for broadcasting 4 hours a week which includes what seems to be about 20 weeks holidays too.
...

I manage to set aside the question of how much she is paid (yes, it does seem like too much, but it's not in my mind all the time).

I think that the quality of her work has deteriorated in recent years. She seems less well-prepared than she used to be, and advances simplistic populist positions.

In addition, she has got into the habit of talking down her guests, not to maintain order and keep them on the point, but argue her own point of view. Every week I get annoyed when I feel that somebody is saying something interesting and Marion "but-but-buts" her way in to pursue whatever idea has just popped into her head.

my friend

Finucane is a bully and its clearly demonstrated where she intimidates Ray..

'you know as well as I know'

at which point Ray retracts and resumes silence and groveling

also, re Finucane stating 'and as I've told you, I've taken 3 pay cuts'

Heres what happens when you take a 10% reduction 10 times on €550,000.00

Starting Obscene Payment €550,000.00
Pay cut Number 01 of 10% €495,000.00
Pay cut Number 02 of 10% €445,500.00
Pay cut Number 03 of 10% €400,950.00
Pay cut Number 04 of 10% €360,855.00
Pay cut Number 05 of 10% €324,769.50
Pay cut Number 06 of 10% €292,292.55
Pay cut Number 07 of 10% €263,063.29
Pay cut Number 08 of 10% €236,756.96
Pay cut Number 09 of 10% €213,081.26
Pay cut Number 10 of 10% €191,773.13

So, even if Maid Marion FFinucane had her pay cut 10 TIMES at 10%

SHE WOULD STILL BE OVERPAID!!!

Dont let here divert the conversation by whining about her 3 pay cuts 'already endured'

FFact is that FFinucane is OVERPAID

oh to be a FFriend

JonathanAnon

And dont forget people, she takes off a LOT of weeks as well... presumable because she needs a couple of weeks to prepare for some interviews

2010:
22nd/23rd May - Rachael English
29th/30th May - Rachael English
5th/6th June - Marion Finucane
12th/13th June - Marion Finucane
26th/27th June - Marion Finucane
3rd/4th July - Rachael English
10th/11th July - Rachael English
17th/18th July - Rachael English
24th/25th July - Rachael English
31st July / 1st August - Rachael English
7th/8th August - Rachael English
14th/15th August - Charlie Bird
21st/22nd August - Charlie Bird
28th/29th August - Charlie Bird

Her analogy with the editor of The Irish Times is complete nonsense and completely disingenuous... Realistically Marion prepares for ONE interview a week, on Saturday morning... how many do Kenny and Tubridy prepare for .. 15/20 a week?.... The rest of the four hours is filled up with invited panelists, RTE sports reporters, Dave Fanning on films, Joe O'Shea on entertainment etc etc ... There is no way it takes her more than a half a day extra to prepare for the weekend show...

Like I've said many times before, give the job to Rachael English for 80k a year and I'd be happy.. She's a far better presenter than Finucane anyway..

Callan57

Absolutely second Rachel English .... superb broadcaster.

IMO the obscene salary Marian is on has divorced her completely from any empathy with the average listener & has contributed to her lack of credibility with her listeners. I also agree that her standards have slipped drastically of late & from being an avid listener I am now at the stage where it really doesn't bother me if I miss her show & I don't podcast it anymore either.

Does she take us for complete fools (so to speak) in suggesting that it takes a week to prepare a 2 hour show? Urgent action on productivity needed there surely ... so to speak!.

Wertz

How much preparation can their possibly be for the two weekly shows?
Saturday: decide who to invite on for the one to one interview (someone with a book coming out may even present themselves and cut out that need)... call them, do some background, work up the direction/questions, line up a replacement or work up a pre-record for those who can't make it. Fill the rest with the usual newspapers, sports news, culture reviews and listener texts
Sunday: dig out the little black book and ring around to see which of the pool of contributors can make it in for coffee and tea...work up some topics based on the week's news...fill remaining time with random news/sport/texts.
If all of that takes one person more than one regular 8hr work day, let alone someone that has staff to help them, I'd be shocked...to try and claim that it takes the rest of the week is incredulous.
I still listen on sunday, because some of the guests can be informative and it's good to hear some of the arguments...but saturday is becoming more of a turn off as the weeks pass.

Hootanany

Does she not have a researcher to do this for her

jimmyw

jeez she looks like Peig Sayers there or something, (not that I'd know what she'd look like:p) Bit haggard!


http://todayfm.com/Libraries/WebsitePics/Marian%20and%20Ray.sflb


see!!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XCQGzOA3_FU/TLXSssyPtpI/AAAAAAAAApA/6R20aq9cMyQ/s1600/peig.jpg

donaghs

Hootanany wrote: »

Does she not have a researcher to do this for her

Yes, she does. Re-reading her justification for her money, its basically saying she listens to current affairs radio and tv all day on week days. My dad's retired and is a bit like that sometimes.

If I was on that money, I guess I'd try and make some defence of it (wouldn't be easy though). But I reckon I could come up with a better excuse. Even if she went into RTE a few days a week to talk to researchers or play Solitaire on a PC, it would still give more of an "impression" that she was doing something.

Gophur

Finnucane, Mooney, Tubridy, O'Callaghan, Duffy and Kenny, et al, are all examples of RTE's complete and utter inability to negotiate salaries.

All of those presenters have agents who successfully get a salary for their clients based on the advertising revenue the relevant programmes bring in. I posted elsewhere how Duffy, for example, brings nothing to his programme. There is no research, there is no preparation involved in Liveline. The people make Liveline what it is and advertisers pay whatever is necessary to get the slots during the programme. Why Duffy should be automatically entitled to such a percentage of that beggars belief.

What would happen if Duffy's salary was reduced to €100k? Would he go to another station and do a "Liveline"? I think he'd be in for a large shock to his ego.

In the meantime RTE are desperately trying to claw back the high ground, but failing miserably.

As for Marion? I cannot recall the last time I heard her on radio. I would actually switch off the radio rather than listen to her.

telekon

Gophur wrote: »

Finnucane, Mooney, Tubridy, O'Callaghan, Duffy and Kenny, et al, are all examples of RTE's complete and utter inability to negotiate salaries.

All of those presenters have agents who successfully get a salary for their clients based on the advertising revenue the relevant programmes bring in. I posted elsewhere how Duffy, for example, brings nothing to his programme. There is no research, there is no preparation involved in Liveline. The people make Liveline what it is and advertisers pay whatever is necessary to get the slots during the programme. Why Duffy should be automatically entitled to such a percentage of that beggars belief.

How come when the callers come on the air, they always say, "Well Joe, as I was saying to your researcher there..."?

Gophur

telekon wrote: »

How come when the callers come on the air, they always say, "Well Joe, as I was saying to your researcher there..."?

Only a very small number of the callers say that! (Don't exaggerate)

The listeners call in with their "issues". The Producer decides what issues make it to the airwaves. Subsequent callers are screened to see if their point is pertinent to the subject being debated.

My point was Duffy has nothing to do with all of this. He is on the front-line of the programme. It's success is nothing to do with him, it's about the only forum for the ordinary person to make a point.

DublinWriter

Callan57 wrote: »

I also agree that her standards have slipped drastically of late & from being an avid listener I am now at the stage where it really doesn't bother me if I miss her show & I don't podcast it anymore either.

Me too.

They should rename it 'The Celtic Tiger Autopsy Show'.

Every week it's the same spiel, drag in some jaded property developer/bankrupt celeb chief to answer the generic Marian question "so wheeeeeeeeeeere did it all go wrong?". Cue 30 minutes of spoof and throw in a few meeja-types for crosstalk.

The format is getting old now.

GSF

DublinWriter wrote: »

Me too.

They should rename it 'The Celtic Tiger Autopsy Show'.

Every week it's the same spiel, drag in some jaded property developer/bankrupt celeb chief to answer the generic Marian question "so wheeeeeeeeeeere did it all go wrong?". Cue 30 minutes of spoof and throw in a few meeja-types for crosstalk.

The format is getting old now.

In fairness that describes quite a few tv and radio shows in Ireland these days. Not to mention the papers.

Oracle

There's a medical theme to todays programme; Professor Tony Bates on psychology and Professor Austin Darragh discusses your Winter Ailments. Who "it has to be said" sounds like he may be on (psychiatric) medication himself. He began by talking about primordial swamps, creatures at the bottom of the sea, HIV virus and green algae. Bizarre in the extreme. :eek: Dr Bates on the other hand is a fountain of wisdom and sense. You just need to buy his latest book (also makes an ideal Christmas gift) to find out more ..... :rolleyes:

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/marianfinucane/

Callan57

Oracle wrote: »

There's a medical theme to todays programme; Professor Tony Bates on psychology and Professor Austin Darragh discusses your Winter Ailments. Who "it has to be said" sounds like he may be on (psychiatric) medication himself. He began by talking about primordial swamps, creatures at the bottom of the sea, HIV virus and green algae. Bizarre in the extreme. :eek: Dr Bates on the other hand is a fountain of wisdom and sense. You just need to buy his latest book (also makes an ideal Christmas gift) to find out more ..... :rolleyes:

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/marianfinucane/

Well now how interesting my response was the direct opposite of yours .. I thought Austin Darragh was brilliant & the man certainly knows what he's talking about. I love the way he always explains things so logically as when he explained the pointlessness of dosing yourself with B Vitamins while also taking anti-biotics.
As for Tony Bates ... normally I enjoy him but today I just could not get a handle on what he was rabbiting on about. Is he going to do book reviews or what? Maybe it was just too early on a Sat for me but I lost him completely.

Actually Marian seemed a bit ill prepared this morning too ... a bit like Vincent Brown & his nightly battle with the papers. Presssure of work no doubt :rolleyes:

JonathanAnon

She referred to Kenneth Egan as "Kenny", a name which he doesnt like being called as he feels that it was a label given to him by the media..... and Abu Ghraib is in Iraq, not Afghanistan... Marian musntnt have spent her usual forty hours researching the topics this week

Wertz

Be surprised if she spent 40 minutes Jon... only listened to the first hour this morning but it composed of initial 10 min going over newspapers (11.15), RTÉ soap star guesting for interview (11.35), a discussion with herself about Natalie Wood murder (11.40) some English woman on the phone that I completely zoned out from listening to (as did Marian I thought) (11.50), some guy on the phone about a book for 5 min and then the angelus, and about 4 ad breaks.

Assume from above she had doctor on about something for second hour; antibiotics thing was it? That's all over the news this week both here and EU/UK and HSE launched awareness campaign this week too (off topic but the problem lies with doctors prescribing not the average patient AFAIC).

Like I said earlier if it takes one person one day's work to organise the two shows content then that is at the extreme margin of being believable...

Oracle

Callan57 wrote: »

Well now how interesting my response was the direct opposite of yours .. I thought Austin Darragh was brilliant & the man certainly knows what he's talking about. I love the way he always explains things so logically as when he explained the pointlessness of dosing yourself with B Vitamins while also taking anti-biotics.
As for Tony Bates ... normally I enjoy him but today I just could not get a handle on what he was rabbiting on about. Is he going to do book reviews or what? Maybe it was just too early on a Sat for me but I lost him completely.

Actually Marian seemed a bit ill prepared this morning too ... a bit like Vincent Brown & his nightly battle with the papers. Presssure of work no doubt :rolleyes:

Yes I agree with you about Tony Bates. When I said "fountain of wisdom and sense" I was being ironic. I actually thought he was talking complete nonsense and psychobabble. Although I was thinking, they'll surely have some down to earth person on next .... nope. Yet another "professor" rambling on, but this time about the origins and dangers of viruses ..... I finally switched off at that point.

It seems you can get away with talking any old tripe once you've the word professor in front of your name.

I'd agree with you about Marion as well, she didn't seem her usual self this morning. She appeared hesitant, lost for words and even confused at times.

GSF

Oracle wrote: »

I'd agree with you about Marion as well, she didn't seem her usual self this morning. She appeared hesitant, lost for words and even confused at times.

Must have been a preview tape of Geen Tea doing the rounds. When in-house RTE start to make fun of her £500k for a 40 hour plus week routine, I'd start to think her days are numbered.

Oracle

People here seem to be very exercised about her salary at the moment. I think its ridiculous and obscene but I try not to think about it. The fact is that's what shes paid and only RTE can change that. I don't blame her, RTE are giving Marion and the other overpaid presenters, the money.

When defending her salary, on the Mike Murphy TV interview, she said something like, " .... people don't think a Sunday newspaper is a one day affair .... " I thought that was a completely inappropriate analogy. A major Sunday newspaper is far more complex and onerous to produce than a 2 hour radio show twice a week. Of course Murphy didn't challenge her on it.

Harry Angstrom

Callan57 wrote: »

As for Tony Bates ... normally I enjoy him but today I just could not get a handle on what he was rabbiting on about. Is he going to do book reviews or what? Maybe it was just too early on a Sat for me but I lost him completely.

I thought I was the only one who hadn't a bull's notion what was going on with that guy, although I thought it was funny when Marian described Tony Bates as a master. Let's just hope she doesn't introduce him as Master Bates the next time he appears on the show.

todolist

Oracle wrote: »

People here seem to be very exercised about her salary at the moment. I think its ridiculous and obscene but I try not to think about it. The fact is that's what shes paid and only RTE can change that. I don't blame her, RTE are giving Marion and the other overpaid presenters, the money.

When defending her salary, on the Mike Murphy TV interview, she said something like, " .... people don't think a Sunday newspaper is a one day affair .... " I thought that was a completely inappropriate analogy. A major Sunday newspaper is far more complex and onerous to produce than a 2 hour radio show twice a week. Of course Murphy didn't challenge her on it.

I couldn't give a damn about Marion's inflated salary if she operated in the private sector.However,I get threatening letters warning me to pay the TV tax or face court action.It's easy for the management in RTE to pay ludicrous wages because it's not their money.

Greenman

Nessa Childers sounds like she's the voice over on Green Tea

jimmyw

Greenman wrote: »

Nessa Childers sounds like she's the voice over on Green Tea

I have thought exactly that too:eek:

GSF

Greenman wrote: »

Nessa Childers sounds like she's the voice over on Green Tea

she could do with growing some balls - allegedly she is a public representative but her main worry seems to be about her own personal finances

newcavanman

Did anyone hear Marians whinge yesterday about the poor female prisoners in the Dochas womens prison ? about how they were treated in such a disgraceful way? i wonder would saint marian be so concerned if it had been some of the lads who attacked and robbed her son ? I suspect not . It really is hard to put up with the crap this woman spouts, but due to lack of anything of a decent alternative, if you wis to have radio on at that time on a saturday, she is it . pathetic . You have to love how she gives out about nasty politicians and bankers, and carefully avoids any mention of her pwn inflated salary, or her good friend gerry ryan , who seemed to loose most of his up his nose

Rebelheart

May I thank miss €513,270 [2009 figure (down from €570,000 in 2008) for 4 hours broadcastings per week for 30 weeks work (120/ €513.270 = €4,277.25 per hour!) today for her comment that "after all, we must remember that Europeans were responsible for the holocaust".

As a proud European, I'd like to know just what does this clown bring to the table? You could get more intelligent and discerning presenters for €50k per year. You really, really could.


PS: And because Finucane is not a staff employee of RTÉ (unlike, for example, Seán O'Rourke), does that mean she has a company set up and can write off loads of things like a nice car as an "expense" and fleece us even further?). For that matter, if she has a company set up, is it set up in a way so that she doesn't pay tax to this state? This is the business of Irish taxpayers.

JonathanAnon

Rebelheart wrote: »

"after all, we must remember that Europeans were responsible for the holocaust".

yeah I thought that was a very loose statement as well.. I mean even blaming all Germans for the holocaust is unfair, or blaming all Italians as being conspirators (as Germany's WWII Allies), never mind blaming the half of Europe that was actually fighting against Hitler.. lol

Speaking about O'Gara's winning dropkick:

One of the things I was thinking about that if one were on the other team, you'd be saying "keep an eye on that so and so O'Gara, and do not let him do this to us.. what he did last week"

Cmon Rebelheart, you have to pay top dollar to get that sort of expert analysis on a Sunday morning..

Infoanon

GSF wrote: »

she could do with growing some balls - allegedly she is a public representative but her main worry seems to be about her own personal finances

What gave you that idea ? was it not that it was intimated to Neasa Childers that her lack of backing to Kevin Cardiff could result in an action for lose of earnings being brought against her ? ( and to be clear this threat was not made by Kevin Cardiff)

Neasa was obviously after some self publicity - if not then she would have disclosed who had left the voice messages earlier in the week.

Which all leads on to - who picks the guests for the Marian show ?? her panel seems to be one or two known panelists and then complete unknowns

JonathanAnon

Infoanon wrote: »

What gave you that idea ? was it not that it was intimated to Neasa Childers that her lack of backing to Kevin Cardiff could result in an action for lose of earnings being brought against her?

tbh, it's kind of contradictory really... Initially, she spoke out bravely about her concerns.. Then was warned (apparently by members of the Labour Party) that Kevin Cardiff could sue her for loss of earnings if he did not get the job in Europe... and consequently lost her bravado when she considered that there was a possibility that she (and her family) could end up in court paying huge amounts of money over to Mr Cardiff..

The state pays this man HUGE money, we will be paying him a HUGE once off payment when he leaves his job, and he will be claiming a HUGE pension while still working in his new EU job... Given the state of the department that he presides over, and the fact that they recently "lost" 3.6 Billion .. I think it is ridiculous that our representatives should feel that they cant question his suitability for what effectively is a promotion..

Fr.Harry Bell

newcavanman wrote: »

Did anyone hear Marians whinge yesterday about the poor female prisoners in the Dochas womens prison ? about how they were treated in such a disgraceful way? i wonder would saint marian be so concerned if it had been some of the lads who attacked and robbed her son ? I suspect not . It really is hard to put up with the crap this woman spouts, but due to lack of anything of a decent alternative, if you wis to have radio on at that time on a saturday, she is it . pathetic . You have to love how she gives out about nasty politicians and bankers, and carefully avoids any mention of her pwn inflated salary, or her good friend gerry ryan , who seemed to loose most of his up his nose

Indeed I cringe when I hear some of the stuff that comes from Montrose.

Now ,of course,forcing women prisoners to strip in the presence of male officers is not right,however what is the reason for strip searches?

Drugs are being smuggled into prisons and the responsibility for that rests fairly and squarely on the prisoners and their visitors.

So whilst i would always adopt a Christian attitude, I think at times we need to call a spade a spade and lay the blame where it lies.

easychair

newcavanman wrote: »

Did anyone hear Marians whinge yesterday about the poor female prisoners in the Dochas womens prison ? about how they were treated in such a disgraceful way? i wonder would saint marian be so concerned if it had been some of the lads who attacked and robbed her son ? I suspect not . It really is hard to put up with the crap this woman spouts, but due to lack of anything of a decent alternative, if you wis to have radio on at that time on a saturday, she is it . pathetic . You have to love how she gives out about nasty politicians and bankers, and carefully avoids any mention of her pwn inflated salary, or her good friend gerry ryan , who seemed to loose most of his up his nose

I think what he loosed up his nose was cocaine, and he lost his money due to having to buy the cocaine, one suspects.

What it is about the irish education system that so many in here seem to not know the difference between lose and loose?

Harry Angstrom

easychair wrote: »

What it is about the irish education system that so many in here seem to not know the difference between lose and loose?

It's not just peculiar to the Irish. I've seen the same mistake made countless times on British messageboards. It's almost as common as the definitely / "definately" error.

Wertz

Or weather and whether, rediculous and ridiculous or of and 've. Oh and especially collage and college...usualy made by people who are either going to or have left said establishment.
I'll admit to falling fowl ( ) of the lose/loose thing in the past although I've fairly good spelling and grammar... if you get the context and understand the point who really cares?
All too often spelling stuff is used as a cheap shot when no other fault can be picked in a post (I've done it myself in the past)... it adds nothing to the continuity of the thread.

Harry Angstrom

Wertz wrote: »

All too often spelling stuff is used as a cheap shot when no other fault can be picked in a post (I've done it myself in the past)... it adds nothing to the continuity of the thread.

I agree with you there but I just can't understand why the same mistakes appear over and over again, especially with college / "collage", and "should of" instead of should have.

easychair

[QUOTE=Wertz;75622692... if you get the context and understand the point who really cares?
[/QUOTE]

But what if you don't? Language is rich and wonderful and beautiful, and to not care about it is perplexing.

In the Simpsons, what do you think Smithers would have done if Mr Burns told him to "lose the dogs" rather than the more usual "loose the dogs" when strangers appeared?

:-)

Wertz

Don't get me wrong, I do care about it, but if you get what it meant (in this case lose instead of loose) then it's a non sequitur to criticise it. Where there is ambiguity like in your example than that's fair enough. Fairly sure it was "release the hounds" but anyway point made.
Spelling and stuff is for another thread and we're gone way OT...I wonder can MF spell; I suspect so, certainly nothing wrong with her maths.

newcavanman

May i take this opportunity to apologise for my spelling mistake . Im afraid it has been too many years since i was under the control of the christian brothers, and i have obviously allowed some of my standards to drop . i hope i havent offended too many people . In fact, i feel i must withdraw my criticism of Marian, i think that due to my carelesness i am not worthy to harangue the poor woman .
I fall on my sword

Oracle

At one time this thread was about the Marion Finucane show ..... to be fair I suppose it can't be on topic Monday to Friday.

easychair

Oracle wrote: »

At one time this thread was about the Marion Finucane show ..... to be fair I suppose it can't be on topic Monday to Friday.

Yes we can all observe some loosening of standards during the week

constitutionus

well to get back to the OP.

Proinnsias de ross is on defending his support for kevin cardiff.

its comedy gold to see the mental gymnastics he's jumping through. almost as funny as marion suggesting that there seems to be no prob with someone getting the job thanks to doing favors for people of influence.

RTE broaching cronyism is too funny for words considering how half the people in there got their jobs !

GSF

What is Prionnsias going to get as pay back for all this? I'd nearly forgotten he was still around until the Cardiff business came up.

constitutionus

jaysus marion has him on the EU forcing us to bail out the banks and frank aint happy.

Harry Angstrom

GSF wrote: »

What is Prionnsias going to get as pay back for all this? I'd nearly forgotten he was still around until the Cardiff business came up.

Hopefully to get him turfed out of his nice comfy seat in the pointless European Parliament come the next election. It's a far cry from the Proinsias De Rossa we knew during his days with Tomás MacGiolla.

Fair play to Marion, she's giving him a proper grilling.

ballsymchugh

i hate people who rip the piss out of speech impediments, but it was kinda funny hearing him stammer every time he said 'constituents'!

constitutionus

one of the joys of frank is he has the stammer under control when he's parroting a line.

but when he gets blindsided out it comes as he has to desperatly think on his feet

kinda like a god given built in "bullshyte" detector for the rest of us.

RadioRetro

Yer man that was mayor of Naas sounded properly contrite. But Marian said there were loads of messages of support piling in.

hollypink

Very unsatisfactory interview with Darren Scully former mayor of Naas. He sounded like he was feeling very sorry for himself, almost in tears in fact. But what I wanted to know was why he said it in the first place and why he felt it was acceptable to say it.

Harry Angstrom

He was a complete moron for saying what he said. Even if he had those views in private, he should have kept his gob well and truly shut.

I wish people would not use the word "fulsome" when issuing an apology. It has the completely opposite meaning from what they think it means! :mad:

ful·some

   /ˈfʊlsəm, ˈfʌl-/ Show Spelled[fool-suhm, fuhl-] Show IPA
adjective 1. offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.

2. disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.

3. excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.

JonathanAnon

How can an honest answer be a wrong answer.. ? Certainly he should not have said "all", but outside of that, he's really just giving anecdotal evidence.. I'm pretty sure he didnt make it up.. For example, I'd love to know Pronsíós' HONEST opinion of Kevin Cardiff..

Marion was out the door at 12.50 today... She was right it's "not just four hours every weekend".. it's not EVEN four hours every weekend..