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brendanHector

Brendan O’Connor (left) and Hector Ó hEochagáin on the Saturday Night Show

‘Francis’ writes:

Hector [Ó hEochagáin] was on the Saturday Night Show discussing how he lost his [2Fm breakfast] radio show and [host] Brendan mentioned losing the Saturday Night Show.

How is that Hector, whose show was doing extremely well, on 2FM, and Brendan, whose show was often excellent this year and even beat the Late Late Show with a fraction of the budget, etc. are taken off air? It doesn’t make sense.  (Full disclosure, I work for RTÉ)

Anyone?

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96 thoughts on “Ask A Broadsheet Reader

  1. Bacchus

    Brendan O’Connor whose show was often excellent this year “

    It wasn’t. Maybe “working” in RTE has coloured your view?

    1. newsjustin

      It was good in parts. And consistently better than the LLS.

      I think RTE management feel safer tinkering/cancelling with relatively successful shows than fixing (and being contaminated by) the crappy ones.

      1. JimmytheHead

        Im sorry as I know Brendan has had seriousissues of late but the show is terrible. If you need any further proof I suggest you dig out the episode where he “interviews” two ladies from the band Pussy Riot – the first person to do so since their release. Its embarrassing.

        1. newsjustin

          I haven’t seen that one. But I do think his show was better and more lively than the LLS. I’m not saying it was a classic, but it was lively.

          1. JimmytheHead

            Well first off RTE forgot to hire a translator, so they asked one of the girls husbands to mediate. He tried his best but was far from comfortable doing it. Follow this by a bunch of harmless “lovely girls competition” type questions.

          2. MajorThrill

            Oh let’s not forget that they decided to get the only other Russian they knew – Constantin Gurdgiev to come in and translate for them before both parties decided that it wouldn’t be appropriate and Brendan spent about ten minutes interviewing Constantin about what he thought of their actions and stance before finally getting the women on to speak for themselves.
            Mansplaining for balance. It was staggering.

          3. MajorThrill

            The only thing worse than that interview was my grammar and punctuation in the previous comment.

          4. Clampers Outside!

            …Fupp sake MajorThrill…. did you watch the programme or did you read the comments on feckbook the day after.

            It was a bit of a disaster, but none of what you said happened.

          5. Joe the Lion

            major thrill’s version was much much better

            he left out the bit where RTE asked [REDACTED] to pay for the translator though

          6. MajorThrill

            Yeah, I watched it from the start of the Gurdgiev interview right up about two minutes before the end of the interview with the band members when it got a bit too transparently poo to stick with.

            Did this officially not happen? should I be keeping an eye out for surly looking buggers with umbrellas?

    2. Ultravox

      “(Full disclosure, I work for RTÉ)”

      Surely, “Employed by RTÉ to campaign for a YES vote and to support @Labour.”

      Anything good on the canteen menu?

  2. ZeligIsJaded

    I think the logic goes a little something like – “Imagine how well we could do if we used good presenters!”

  3. Markus

    I have a question too. How come Hector got to go on and plug his new gym whereas for a competitor to advertise during the same slot, it would cost a fortune?

    1. Raskolnikov

      He needs all the help he can get with it by the looks. He’s hardly competition for any gym in Galway though, but good luck to him trying to get the mostly-12hr shift workers of parkmore industrial estate to indulge in a one hour spinning or kettlebell class before, during or after their shift.

      1. Raskolnikov

        But in his defence I actually enjoyed the interview. Plus, haven’t all chat show guests got something to promote?

        1. Tá Frilly Keane

          Yeah.
          Like Oscar nominated roles
          Or Mani Booker prize shortlisted books
          MTV Awards
          Ivor Novellos
          Mercurys
          Sorta stuff

          Pictures of yourself books that don’t break 1000 sales
          Reinventing yerself as a stylist novelist personal trainer take yere pick
          N’other shite
          Has gone beyond taking the piss

          1. Raskolnikov

            Brendan O’Connor has guests like Vogue Williams, Brian McFadden, Alex Reid and guests who need a translator. And then Hector.

    2. Tá Frilly Keane

      But sur isn’t that what RTE is for
      Free ads for their pals
      And Louis Walsh’s pals

  4. Will

    I think the Saturday show based on viewers can be deemed successful. The radio show I don’t know enough about.

    RTE benefit from having a huge almost monopoly on Irish TV due to an underfunded Tv3 and a very poor UTV.

    I really hope TV3 rumours are true and they get bought out by someone willing to put money in. We generate Tv personality talent. Dara O Brian and Graham Norton to name two. Neither of these would have ever been given a role on a primetime RTE slot. Safe vanilla appointments like Ray Darcy is all we can look forward to!

    1. jeremy kyle

      I think Norton is great, I guess he’s not everyone’s kettle of fish.

      ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      1. scottser

        you’re barking up the wrong flagpole there. too many stitches spoil broth, and as regards norton, well all that glitters does not a polished turd make, if you catch my begonias.

    2. Rob_G

      Biggest chatshow host in UK since Parkie has retired, 17 seasons to date

      (though it hasn’t been half as good since he went to the BBC)

      1. jeremy kyle

        If anything I just like the format of getting everyone out and letting them chat amongst themselves to a degree. I mean he’s not going to start quizzing someone on something really personal about their previous drug habits and their relationship with their father.

        But, as far as light entertainment goes it’s grand.

    3. Clampers Outside!

      “RTE benefit from having a huge almost monopoly on Irish TV due to an underfunded Tv3 and a very poor UTV.”
      That is totally uninformed bullsh*t… I had to check your name to ensure you weren’t Sen. Lorraine Higgins when you spouted that nonsense as if it were fact.

      Three points for starters….

      1. RTE1, RTE1+1 and RTE2 combined have a ‘Share of Viewing’ of c.46% / TV3 Group has a SOV of about 17%.
      2. TV3, on it’s own is no underdog either, and is the second biggest channel in the country. It may act and look like a pauper but that’s just it being miserly efficient.
      3. UTV Ireland / old UTV has a tonne of money.
      4. As a group, BSkyB competes with RTE and TV3, and now UTV Ireland, for Irish advertising money and has no commitments to the provision of programming here in this country and is a drain on advertising revenue which should be up for the production of domestic programming / ‘home produced’ programming.

      …I could go on…

        1. Drogg

          Clampers i think you are being very unfair to BskyB they have made a focused commitment to make programmes in Ireland and using Irish crews and they have given more creative freedom to Irish talent then any Irish broadcaster. Plus sky only individualises advertisement on 16 channels and the rest is UK advertisement. Also i wouldn’t thrust your viewing figures as nelson ratings are ridiculously out of date TV3 has a lot stronger ratings then you would think especially in the under 30’s.But i Think Will was pointing to RTE’s monopoly financially from the Tv Licence or media licence or whatever it is these days. RTE is over unionised, full of excess waste and is the worse portrayer of nepotism in this country. So many talented individuals are constantly being overlooked and people like producers sons or former classmates are hired for positions they are not able for.

      1. Delacaravanio

        Moone Boy is Sky’s, and it’s a damn sight funnier than anything RTE or TV3 has done in the last few years.

  5. Laughter Tack.

    RTE is a tiny channel on an even tinier island. Let’s all relax and not pretend it matters. It isnt the BBC, CBS, FOX or even a regional TV station in a small part of Alaska.

    It’s a small TV institute run by civil servant thinking, nepotism supporting, my jobs alright jack types.

    What they do and how they do it should not keep anybody awake at night. You won’t win.

  6. Jonotti

    Both Hector and Brendan were asking for huge money to continue. RTE wouldn’t pay it, so Hector and Brendan called what they thought was a bluff, it wasn’t a bluff, both got burned.

    1. TomRed

      +1.
      They both do that country-lad-in-da-big-shmoke-now-youre-sucking-diesel-fair-fecks-to-ya-ya-boy-ya-go-on-there-hup-the-yard-gwan-the-Tribesmen-Rebels-bai-its-all-gone-mental-in-Macroom-and-shooper-in-Shpiddal shtick that makes me want to take a cheese grater to my ears…

  7. Joan Molamphy

    As an avid radio listener I have now switched stations in the afternoon because I dislike ray Darcy’s show find it boring and monotonous

  8. JT

    Because RTE are finally showing some respect to those that pay their salaries and sparing us the spectacle of their staff meetings. …

    1. Tá Frilly Keane

      I’d love ta’ think that
      And agree wi’ya

      But let’s be honest
      I’d say they
      The pair ov’em
      were a pain in the hole to work with
      And guaranteed ire to try and manage

  9. JimmytheHead

    To quote Graham Lineham (Father Ted Writer)

    “The nepotism there (in RTE) is the stuff of legend, maybe this is the result. It just seems to be a place where people get paid to sit in a building.”

  10. Mrtits

    Dunno about Hector but O’Connor Is geting the boot because Ray Darcy has the minimum requirement chat host ability to engage with guests. O’connor was never good. He was just the only option on a Saturday night. They’ll give him a game show or something to keep him quiet probably. He was always a placeholder. Speaks poorly of the RTE talent pool.

        1. Caroline

          Well I’m sure we can all agree that Ray’s a decent skin and he’s bound to make a fair go of it. Best of luck to him. I believe his first show is ON OPPOSITE DAY.

    1. Tá Frilly Keane

      Ah now
      We could do wi’a lot less Smig
      And that Meath Hoor of d’durty filty thieving knacker injury time bandits that should’a all been sterilised in the 50s ……..

      Here, someone tag me out and finish it off before I just meself

      1. Tá Frilly Keane

        Hurt meself

        See
        Look’ah what just thinking about one’a those Meath rhymes with punts made me do

  11. Optimus Grime

    Tubs is the common denominator across the pair of lads here. Hector’s radio show had started to come on par with Tubs in audience figures and poof he’s gone and Brendan’s show overtook the LLS this year and magically he’s going now too.

    Full Disclosure – I hate Tubs!

  12. rotide

    Wouldn’t this question be much better answered by your bosses who know the actual answer rather than broadsheet commenters who are taking a well earned outrage break and are just ranting?

  13. Jdawg

    This post has to be a fake clickbait just to generate comments on broadsheet because it is so incredibly dumb.

  14. Mr. T.

    There’ll never be good radio or TV during prime time slots because most people are idiots and they cater to the lowest common denominator.

    And add to that the nepotism and personality cults around middle class blondes who all interview each other on each others shows. It’s beyond stupid.

  15. custo

    I always felt that it was unfair of RTE to make a man who clearly can’t read use an autocue for his entire ‘banter’ segment.

  16. Peter Dempsey

    Brendan O’Connor couldn’t do much with Pussy Riot. Those snide, condescending, aloof hipsters were too far up their own bottoms to hold a decent discussion.

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