Olivia O'Learys diary> Join us after the break for...

jonniebgood1

Does anyone enjoy this segment of the Drivetime programme on RTE?

It plays at a prime time on the drive home slot on RTE 1. Olivia O'Learys diary.
I don't like it and switch station wen they announce it, usually they do this before an ad break which is good of them. I'd hate to listen to the ads and have it sprung on me!
Does anyone enjoy this 'diary'? If so- why???

I find it to be intolerable obnoxious self importance filled nonsense with little or no significance. A bit like mickey mouse promouncing world war III- noone would take any notice. I do not understand the point of this tax payer fuelled tripe and am wondering have I missed the significance of this fine ladys ramblings?

P. Breathnach

It might disappoint you, JBG, to learn that I quite enjoy it.

I don't feel that I am obliged to agree with all she says.

maringo

Its my favourite part of drivetime - love her take on things

lab man

maringo wrote: »

Its my favourite part of drivetime - love her take on things

without a doubt she has a good veiw on things i think

Callan57

IMO Olivia is the best part of Drivetime .... pithy, succinct, inciteful & beautiful delivery. She has a superb way of deflating an ego and exposing the pomposity and self importance so prevalent in Irish society.

jonniebgood1

Well its kinda reassuring to know that there is a reason for her piece on the program.

Does anyone know what gives her opinion the 'weight' that the slot suggests. I do remember her giving opinions on some Granada programmes I think on old documentaries. Where did she make her name?

Wertz

Don't listen to Drivetime much at all, but always had a lot of respect for O 'Leary, she is a very talented journalist and writer and made for a good presenter in times past. One of RTÉ's better talents and a regular contributor to the beeb as well.

Slot can't be any worse than Joseph O Connor's diary thingy...

lab man

now tat can be a load of tripe, haven't heard him doing any rhyme about the president's job or about any of the candidates, hmmm i wonder why oh ya thats it he pulled out didn't he!!:D:D:D

donaghs

I don't like it, but can always switch to Today FM or Newstalk at that time.

JonathanAnon

She's the best of the "columnists" on DriveTime.. Nowhere near as dull, monotone or annoying as Joseph O'Connor anyway.

Firetrap

I like them a lot and usually find them very entertaining. I find myself reaching for the dial when Joseph O'Connor starts wittering on in that annoying sing-song way of his.

P. Breathnach

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

...
Does anyone know what gives her opinion the 'weight' that the slot suggests. I do remember her giving opinions on some Granada programmes I think on old documentaries. Where did she make her name?

She has had a long career, doing a considerable amount of solid serious journalism. Outline summary here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_O'Leary

Tabnabs

She's the highlight of the Drivetime show for me. Cuts through the bull and offers a devils advocate outlook on relevant topics. The most annoying thing is how they shunt her slot around to suit the commercials etc.

IvyTheTerrible

I like her slot, I don't catch it as often as I would like.

Gophur

As to why anyone would be interested in Olivia's opinion, on anything, is beyond me. I tune into such programmes to hear the news, not a personal opinion of an ex-newsreader, (ex) journalist.

Dan Dare

I think Olivia O'Leary contributions to Drivetime are by some distance the best thing on the programme.

IvyTheTerrible

Gophur wrote: »

As to why anyone would be interested in Olivia's opinion, on anything, is beyond me. I tune into such programmes to hear the news, not a personal opinion of an ex-newsreader, (ex) journalist.

Different strokes for different folks?

Lapin

Dan Dare wrote: »

I think Olivia O'Leary contributions to Drivetime are by some distance the best thing on the programme.

I Agree 100%. And with the exception of Philip Boucher Hayes, I very little interest in Drivetime.

irishh_bob

Gophur wrote: »

As to why anyone would be interested in Olivia's opinion, on anything, is beyond me. I tune into such programmes to hear the news, not a personal opinion of an ex-newsreader, (ex) journalist.

shes a sort of elder stateswoman of irish journalism and as such , carrys a degree of authority :rolleyes: , shes ok but is establishment to her core , the female version of brian farrell if anyone remembers him

Infoanon

irishh_bob wrote: »

shes a sort of elder stateswoman of irish journalism and as such , carrys a degree of authority :rolleyes: , shes ok but is establishment to her core , the female version of brian farrell if anyone remembers him

Not too sure about Olivia being establishment to the core but certainly for me one of the radio highlights of the week

CliffHuxtabel

Callan57 wrote: »

IMO Olivia is the best part of Drivetime .... pithy, succinct, inciteful & beautiful delivery. She has a superb way of deflating an ego and exposing the pomposity and self importance so prevalent in Irish society.

Olivia O'Leary's monologues epitomise the pomposity and self-importance that you feel is so "prevalent" in our society. She's a royal pain.

Having said that I'd listen to her any day over J. O'Connor

torrentum

I must day I enjoy listening to her and find myself self either strongly agreeing with here or muttering at the radio in annoyance when I disagree. But I also must say I've always had a problem with any one person, Olivia or anyone else, being given a slot on prime time radio to air their personal opinion. I tune in for news/analysis. If Olivias slot was taken off air, I wouldn't miss it.

easychair

torrentum wrote: »

I must day I enjoy listening to her and find myself self either strongly agreeing with here or muttering at the radio in annoyance when I disagree. But I also must say I've always had a problem with any one person, Olivia or anyone else, being given a slot on prime time radio to air their personal opinion. I tune in for news/analysis. If Olivias slot was taken off air, I wouldn't miss it.

I tend to agree that it is an unusual thing to do in a news program. It smacks of "lets find something for Olivia to do" rather than a valuable contribution.

I haven't watched TV news for many years, and find myself listening to less and less radio news, as so much of it is superfluous drivel.

jonniebgood1

Was on the way home from work yesterday and on she comes, straight off with no warnings; Olivia O'Leary's diary. I had my hand on the button immediately ready to switch and I thought, NO, all those folk on boards that like her could'nt be wrong, so I listened.

Those 3 minutes are lost forever, thanks!!! Maybe it was a bad day for her but she started off with a high moral argument that she had to deal with the RTE mistake with the Primetime program on priest from Africa. She took partial blame for this as she, alas, also works for RTE, quite big of her I she thought. Rather than focus on the fact that someone was to blame for this she portrayed it as a media in general problem, although it was so unlike RTE (?). The whole 'diary' was based on this information which I would consider extremely questionable. You can't tar everyone with the same brush IMO. There are alot of questions that could be asked of RTE and some of its personnel if she really wanted to use her journalistic credibility which she referenced in the diary.

So did anyone else hear yesterdays diary (29/11/11)?

c montgomery

I think its **** and always switch over when it comes on. I really dont care about her take on things and i can't believe that she gets a prime time slot. 5 min on a saturday morning would be more like it.

c montgomery

Anyone hear her today?

Why does she get paid by RTE to give her boring opinions day after day.

mbur

A big pot shot at the middle class (whatever that is). Doing the shinners job for them in a way they would never dare to. Trying to make those of us that still have jobs feel guilty for getting something back for our taxes. Made total ass of herself IMHO. Not one of her better efforts.

Oh I get it, she is RTE's answer to G Hook:p

scargill

I heard it today as well - not a big fan of her pontificating usually, but there was some food for thought there today.
I think the general jist of her piece was highlighting the fact that lots of middle class (by that I presume she means higher earners) are able to put their childrens' allowance into a nest egg for grinds/3rd level education.

So instead of childrens' allowance being a payment that benefits all children equally, it is instead giving an extra edge to kids from better off backgrounds.
Surely a fairer system would be to knock a percentage off the allowance to higher earners and add a percentage onto lower earners?

Now you can call it socialist or "sinn fein".....it just sounds fair to me?