150KTubs - future career in Virgin Radio and other soulful pursuits **Mod: Read OP**

Pairing up with a gambling company is the absolute height of scumbaggery.

Remove Tubridy from the situation for a moment and just say it was an well known Irish radio presenter without toxic baggage who was approached by Virgin to host that slot then what would their business angle be?

There's no shortage of candidates in the large market that is the UK, perhaps someone with a loyal following via a regional radio station that covers a population greater than Ireland would be ideal. No weirdness rabbiting on about things and people that are unknown in Britain etc..

The only business argument I can think of is that Tubridys seat is paid for by a sponsor, or maybe it's paid for by Tubridy himself to just get back on air; Paddypower being a smaller input than we credit. As someone else pointed out Paddypower is a well known business in Britain so it's just more adverting they'd do anyway regardless of Tubridy so not exactly any kind of scoop; it's just their advertising budget including that slot.

There was over half a year of radio silence for Tubs so desperate times require desperate measures and if paying to get on air on any station is the way to go then it makes sense. I've no doubt Virgin will be aware of the circumstances under which he burned his own bridges in Ireland, but there's no risk if he costs them nothing and if listenership falls they simply replace him.

Its not a coincidece that Paddy Power works for Paddy Power.

The only other quibble that I would have with the above is that if you do not have extra listeners or extra advertiser, it's useful to have an agent with established connections to offset organic growth. A minder. You could say that Ryan is an investment vehicle for Noel and Niamh.

And yes, gambling sponsorship is everywhere. While it wont matter as he plays Taylor Swift, the forces behind Tony O'Reilly and Declan Lynch not getting interviewed (badly) by Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late is where the relationship between Paddy Power (or Flutter now), Noel Kelly, RTE and Ryan Tubridy becomes a bit more sinister.

EDIT: One final thing, I don't think that many would be looking out for a radio host to bring a sponsor with them. Ideally they would be hired for their listenability. It would be no cause for mockery if there wasn't a sponsor as not all radio hosts have one, and many of the best dont.

Guy from Galway on the phone with Tubs currently, i'd swear it sounds like Dave Fanning.

Seeing as the whole JFK thing isn't as big over there I reckon in time tubs will become a self appoint royal correspondent for Ireland.

There were rumours he was going to GB News at one point, I would have loved to see that.

Doubtful, given his staunch (constitutional) republican family connections, not only to the historical Sinn Féin, but the current Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. That said, any good journalist will put their personal prejudices aside for the job. And of course, the Good Friday Agreement and the passing of time has washed away the taboos of Irish nationalists dealing professionally with the British Royals. There is a market for British Royal news here, but he's not the man for the job, and it's not the job for the man.

That said, the "whole JFK thing" opens up some possibilities. There's an assumption amongst some that he'll use his time on Virgin Radio as a springboard back to RTE, but as has been explained before, that makes little sense. The climate here clearly just won't allow it, and I think Tubridy accepts that (maybe reluctantly, but one has to be realistic).

Could there be a future in the US? In terms of TV/Radio hosts, the Irish haven't been so successful in transferring over there (in contrast to our success in Hollywood and music), but there is precedent for presenters who are of mixed popularity in their home countries making big waves in the states: John Oliver, Trevor Noah, James Corden, Piers Morgan. Tubridy has the experience, the Hollywood A-list connections, the Irish charm and - yes, the whole "JFK thing". Whatever about London mid-mornings, you can all imagine that there's a place on CNN or NPR for musings about the "Emerald Isle", lightweight interviews and a bit of inoffensive music. There has to be a market to be tapped that combines nostalgia for "the old country" and Kennedy's Camelot.

It wouldn't be a young market - quite the opposite - but it would be one that has money to spend - an advertiser's dream. And at 50 years of age, Tubridy doesn't need a long career. With the success he's had in Ireland up until his downfall, assuming he's been astute with his investments, a man like him with grown children and a modest lifestyle would not need to work. But he hasn't sunk into writing a memoir and early retirement, like some expected. He's clearly one of those people who's somewhat driven to succeed - hence the move to London, the national UK radio show, the multiple syndications back here, the new newspaper column, etc. etc. If he could get a 10 or 15 year career out of the aging Irish American population, would it be worth his while?

I bet there's someone crunching the numbers on this.

Virgin may well be impressed by the level of interaction from Ireland but if they start losing local listeners who've no interest in hearing congratulatory texts from "Mary, on the Sky Road in Clifden" it will be of little comfort

Are they though? Do you have figures to back up that Irish people are tuning in “religiously” ?

I don't think many here are tuning in for the entertainment value in the way you think they are.

Why the many are tuning in is immaterial.

Used to listen to his rte show on a regular enough basis, but have yet to hear anything from his Virgin shoe yet.

Reading this thread, I'm in no rush.