Favourite Radio Programmes

The Sparrow

What are the radio programmes that you listen most to or look forward to listening to? Either Irish or international but not really podcasts.

I'm just curious as I'd like to listen to more radio and get some suggestions. Maybe a quick line about what you like about each programme too. Mine are:

The Last Word with Matt Cooper on Today FM. The only Irish radio show that I listen to most days whether it is on the bus home or when I'm cooking dinner. Good range of guests and topics and I like Matt and his radio style.

Talking History on Newstalk. I'm always impressed with this when I remember to tune in or catch the podcast. Very interesting guests and topics and often a different viewpoint on historic events.

Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode's Film Review on BBC Radio 5 Live. Tremendous programme with a great dynamic between the presenters and genuinely entertaining content.

World Football Phone-in on Up All Night on BBC Radio 5 Live. Quite simply, the best football audio show out there. Sometimes a tad cringe, but the depth of knowledge from experts such as Tim Vickery on World Football is amazing.

Kicking Off on BBC Radio 5 Live. Friday night preview of the weekend's football. Does what it says on the tin.

Richard Bacon on 5 Live. Ok so a bit of a 5 Live bias here but I think Richard Bacon has been a very able replacement for Simon Mayo and he has some fantastic guests. Brilliant show for dipping into when your head is melted by Liveline!

Daroxtar

Hector in the Mornings. The perfect antidote to Matt Cooper. P.s. Matt, Its "WitH" , not Wit :mad:

Desire to Aspire

Off The Ball on Newstalk. I love it, and I tune in every night.

qwert2

Desire to Aspire wrote: »

Off The Ball on Newstalk. I love it, and I tune in every night.

Yep, Off the Ball too

Mr E

I like The Right Hook (Hook is very entertaining when he gets into his grumpy old man rants, which seems to be a lot these days).

I also like Global Village - Dil Wickremasinghe seems like a really down to earth person and the show covers a great variety of topics.

Don't hate me, but if I'm in the car on Saturday afternoons, Dave Fanning's show is great.... good music and lots of interesting interviews.

bogtreader

Off the ball is the tops without a doubt

kraggy

The Moncrieff Show is the best show on radio.

Off the Ball is stale.

Greenman

Today PK.

Live Line with Joe.

Mooney mostly. Also except friday when Eine is on.

Drivetime.

Playback.

Marian F.

Morning Irl except when Aine Lawlor is on.

The Archers omnibus.

Broadcasting House on Radio 4.

All things considered on NPR.

Clive Bull on LBC.

The travel show on LBC.

6 0 6 with Alan Greene Radio 5.

Damien Kiberd.:)

namelessguy

Matt Cooper - A great show and Matt seems well informed on most matters

Ray Foley - Just a little fun for my lunchtime

Desire to Aspire

kraggy wrote: »

Off the Ball is stale.

What do you mean?

_blank_

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Just a Minute, The News Quiz, The Now Show. All from BBC Radio 4 and available on playback on my internet radio, which is nice.

Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode's Film reiew from 5Live, also Football Daily from 5Live, which includes Kicking Off and The Monday Night Club, these are podcasted.

I also podcast Talking History, The Off The Ball Football Show and John Giles' weekly slot from Newstalk

SEPT 23 1989

Desert Island Discs BBC Radio 4

kraggy

Desire to Aspire wrote: »

What do you mean?

The format hasn't changed in ages, or hadn't up to the point that I stopped listening.

Having 3 lads who are buddies sit around the table bantering away only lasts for a certain amount of time.

I do like the way they deal with a variety of sports but their structure needs a bit of jazzing up.

Otherwise, I would shave a half hour if not an hour off the 3 hours.

The Black Oil

Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode's Film review is great. perhaps a little cliquey lately and there's a danger of overusing Jason Isaacs. Still very good, though.

This American Life, sublime.

All Things Considered - NPR.

Gardeners' Question Time, Radio 4. An occasional guilty pleasure. A lot of stuff in Radio 4 is well worth a listen.

The Today Programme - Radio 4. Sets the bar quite high for morning news/current affairs, imo.

Derryleigh

Is eveyone on here pretending that they listen to all these BBC progs to make themselves look sophisticated. Hard to beleive so many people giving a view and very few listen to any Irish radio station.

Bard

Derryleigh wrote: »

Is eveyone on here pretending that they listen to all these BBC progs to make themselves look sophisticated.

I would listen to all those BBC Radio 4 programmes Des has quoted above... I'm not pretending and I don't listen to "make myself look sophisticated" - I listen because I enjoy them and they make me laugh.

Hard to beleive so many people giving a view and very few listen to any Irish radio station.

I think that's more a reflection on the quality of international radio over what we have here. That said, on the Irish stations I tend to flick around a lot, generally giving some listening time to...

Breakfast: Hector on 2FM and/or Bernard and Keith on i105-107
Late Afternoon: Simon on Phantom/Rick on 2FM/Brian on 4fm

goat2

qwert2 wrote: »

Yep, Off the Ball too

what topics does it cover, and what frequency is it on,

coonecb1

Pretty much anything on Newstalk works for me.

But, in particular I love The Right Hook and Off The Ball. The two shows back to back of an evening are all you could want from the radio.

Fantastic stuff

Bard

goat2 wrote: »

what topics does it cover, and what frequency is it on,

Sport. Newstalk.

http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/offtheball/

MalteseBarry

Derryleigh wrote: »

Is eveyone on here pretending that they listen to all these BBC progs to make themselves look sophisticated. Hard to beleive so many people giving a view and very few listen to any Irish radio station.

I wasn't aware that listening to the BBC was sophisticated. That seems an unusual opinion.

Perhaps the reason some listen to the BBC, rather than RTE, is that BBC Radio programmes tend to be about interesting subjects, whereas RTE radio seems to be more about "personalities". The Pat Kenny Show, The Gerry Ryan Show, The Derek Mooney Show and so on.

Sure, the BBC has a lot more money to spend on programmes, but then the BBC also doesn't pay its hosts even a fraction of what RTE pays to its hosts, which ensures RTE has much less money to spend on actual programme making.

The problem for RTE's ratings will be seen as more and more and more people gain access to world radio via wifi radios, and the only people left "talking to joe" will be those who, like the presenter, seem to like nothing more that setting up one guest against another and trying to manufacture a fight.

Derryleigh

MalteseBarry wrote: »

I wasn't aware that listening to the BBC was sophisticated. That seems an unusual opinion.

Perhaps the reason some listen to the BBC, rather than RTE, is that BBC Radio programmes tend to be about interesting subjects, whereas RTE radio seems to be more about "personalities". The Pat Kenny Show, The Gerry Ryan Show, The Derek Mooney Show and so on.

Sure, the BBC has a lot more money to spend on programmes, but then the BBC also doesn't pay its hosts even a fraction of what RTE pays to its hosts, which ensures RTE has much less money to spend on actual programme making.

The problem for RTE's ratings will be seen as more and more and more people gain access to world radio via wifi radios, and the only people left "talking to joe" will be those who, like the presenter, seem to like nothing more that setting up one guest against another and trying to manufacture a fight.

Points well made but isnt there a glaring difference between the UK and here.

In the UK, BBC seems to have a monopoly with local opt outs in different regions whereas here, thanks to the infatuation with JNLR, and competition from local stations and all of the nationals, RTE has fallen into the trap of being more interested in how many people listen, to get its share of advertising, maybe somewhat at the expense of public service.

If it was to concentrate on public service programming, which is why we have to fork out a licence fee, would it lose advertising to other radio stations?

MalteseBarry

I really don't know much about RTE, but you can hardly criticize a business for wanting to reach more customers.

I've often wondered how RTE justify paying its top presenters €500 000 plus pre annum for very few hours broadcasting, and assume its a policy decision to stop them leaving and competing with RTE on other stations. Personally, I think that decision impoverishes the output of RTE, but in all honesty I don't think many in RTE cares about programme content.

I was driving today and it occurred to me that I never listen now to RTE radio 2. I suppose the only time I used to listen to it was when I'd be flicking through the channels and Gerry Ryan was being interesting, so I'd stay and listen.

That RTE are so close the the UK and we have, for example, BBC Radio 4, to compete with RTE is unfortunate, as many people I know listen much more to Radio 4 than to RTE. If at home,the radio often gets left on radio 4 int eh kitchen and, often as not, should I pop in for some reason my attention is captured by something interesting.

I still laugh when I think RTE has, on Radio 1, still got a man after midday spinning discs and "playing requests". I don't know why that makes me laugh, but it does!

bureau2009

MalteseBarry wrote: »

I've often wondered how RTE justify paying its top presenters €500 000 plus pre annum for very few hours broadcasting.

I still laugh when I think RTE has, on Radio 1, still got a man after midday spinning discs and "playing requests". I don't know why that makes me laugh, but it does!

I know both of the above make me want to SWITCH OFF or SWITCH OVER!!

telekon

I have a pretty standard listening schedule these days having had it up to the eyeballs with a lot of RTE programming. Pat Kenny and Liveline still hold my interest, well the latter does only so I can join in on the Liveline Megathread off here. Dunno why I do it to myself, JD drives me mad.

Anyway, it goes:

NT 7-10 Newstalk Breakfast (post Claire Byrne, really since Chris and Ivan became an item. Have not listened to Morning Ireland since)

RTE 10-11 Pat Kenny: Usually the first hour only which is excellent (when its not Mary Louise O'Donnell doing her shrill woman act. ) The rest is mainly cooking and random book hawking. Not good. Pocast when this drivel occurs.

NT 12-1 Damian Kilberd.

RTE 1-1.45 Sean O'Rourke.

RTE 1.45 -3. Liveline.

Podcasts 3-4.30 Mainly Mark Kermode or 606 phone in from bbc 5 live. like Moncrief's 'movies and booze' on fridays.

NT/Today 4.30-7 Matt Cooper/ George Hook - switch back and forth

NT 7-10 Off the Ball - excellent, excellent programme. would listen mainly between 9-10 for football show and the wonderfully sarcastic Ken Early.

sgb

I could live without television but not radio. Newstalk have some excellent programes all mentioned already, I also listen to BBC Radio 4,radio 5,radio 7 and The World Service there's always something decent to listen to even in the small hours.(BBC Radio 7 normally has a good play that starts at 2.30am)

Stevecw

Don't get to hear any radio between 9-4.30.
But fave show of all is definitely Off The ball on Newstalk, best 3 hours of radio every day. Cover so many sports, and get great guests on too.

In the morning on the way to work, it's not a great choice, but usually listen to Dempsey on today fm. Hector does my head in and 2 mins listening to that fool, just puts me in a bad mood for the day. Same goes for fm104.

On way home I find Will leahy on 2fm is ok and has interesting enough mix of stuff to make journey better. Not in mood for any political stuff on RTE/Today/ Newstalk at that time.

ntlbell

Derryleigh wrote: »

Is eveyone on here pretending that they listen to all these BBC progs to make themselves look sophisticated. Hard to beleive so many people giving a view and very few listen to any Irish radio station.

I would imagine with the popularity and easy access to radio stations around the globe people don't have to put up with a lot of the mundane nonsense thrown up by RTE.

I'd say it's more to do with not wanting to be bored to death than trying to look sophisticaed.

MalteseBarry

ntlbell wrote: »

I would imagine with the popularity and easy access to radio stations around the globe people don't have to put up with a lot of the mundane nonsense thrown up by RTE.

I'd say it's more to do with not wanting to be bored to death than trying to look sophisticaed.

I occasionally listen to John Robbie on talk702 from south africa. My roberts Wifi radio is wonderful, and frees me from having to listen to terrestrial broadcasts. I hear public radio broadcasting from the USA is also good, but I've never got into the habit of it.

RayM

Derryleigh wrote: »

Is eveyone on here pretending that they listen to all these BBC progs to make themselves look sophisticated.

It's no more 'sophisticated' than watching BBC television programmes. I've always listened to Radio 4, because they make great comedy shows. With the exception of Scrap Saturday, RTE Radio has never (at least not in my lifetime) produced anything (intentionally) funny.

My favourite radio programmes include:

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
Just a Minute
The Unbelievable Truth
Heresy
That Mitchell & Webb Sound

I habitually listen to:

Pat Kenny
Liveline
Drivetime / The Last Word / The Right Hook (I usually flick between them, avoiding the sport)
Pretty much anything on BBC 6 Music (because it's just about the only non-crap music station)

MalteseBarry

I stopped consistently listening to "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" since poor Humphrey's demise. it's just not he same anymore, and anytime I do catch it it seems to a poor imitation of its former self, with everyone trying far too hard to be funny, and Jack Dee just not able to deliver the chairmans script with any degree of panache.

RayM

MalteseBarry wrote: »

I stopped consistently listening to "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" since poor Humphrey's demise. it's just not he same anymore, and anytime I do catch it it seems to a poor imitation of its former self, with everyone trying far too hard to be funny, and Jack Dee just not able to deliver the chairmans script with any degree of panache.

I still enjoy it, but they probably should have let it die with Humph. Jack Dee can't deliver the 'Samantha' lines with the same level of innocence.

"Samantha tells me she has to nip out to help an old man next door who has trouble using his stairlift. She goes in every night to put him on downstairs, and then pulls him off on the landing."

sgb

Angus Deyton back on the BBC. Last night 11pm BBC radio 4 new show called It's your round' I enjoyed him as the host

moonbug33

Radio 4 mainly- great plays, great comedy, great documentaries, great discussion, no advertising. I do sometimes listen to Irish radio but in the whole I find little of interest- Off The ball on Newstalk is good and Matt Cooper/ George Hook can be good.