‘George Is George’

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George Hook

Further to the suspension of George Hook from Newstalk…

Tom Lyons, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Business Post, was Business Editor at Newstalk in 2006 and 2007.

In yesterday’s paper, Mr Lyons wrote:

My own experience is this: in 2007, Hook banned me from appearing on his programme for having the effrontery to want to break a story. My mistake was to insist he aired extracts from a fascinating speech made by the country’s then richest man, Seán Quinn, about his life and times.

Hook declined. He is entitled to put out whatever he likes, but I would have been remiss as business editor not to try and get an exclusive story on air.

Hook never explained to me why he didn’t like the story, but I knew it would make page one of the papers the following day and that we were ahead of RTÉ.

My instructions from Newstalk, and directly from [Denis] O’Brien, were to break stories and I knew this was a good one.

Eventually Harte managed to get the story on air for a few minutes. Hook was professional on air but he was clearly furious.

Afterwards Harte informed me I was banned from the station’s most listened-to show. When I protested that this was unfair, he told me he was sorry but: “George is George.” I never appeared on The Right Hook again.

High Noon For Hook: Lyons On Newstalk (The Sunday Business Post)

Tom Lyons

Meanwhile…

On Facebook…

A page called Bring Back George Hook has, as of this morning, gained 1,153 likes.

Bring Back George Hook (Facebook)

Previously: Hook Suspended

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36 thoughts on “‘George Is George’

  1. JIMMYJAMES

    Porgy was the jester element aimed at the driving home demographic, once his appeal is outweighed by ad revenue loss hes gone, the faux resistance thing is just ego posturing from newstalk management, they cudna give a poopy about him.

  2. Rob_G

    I’m not sure I really see the connection between this story and Hook’s comments about victims of rape(?)

    1. bisted

      …well Rob;G…even by your use of pompous punctuation the use of ‘rape(?)’ here seems especially pernicious…

        1. bisted

          …really…your use of (?) was not a smug attempt to side with Hook’s view on what constitutes rape…you’re usually quite consistent…

          1. Rob_G

            Again, it’s not my fault that you can’t understand the difference between the use of “scare quotes”, and the use of a question mark between parentheses(?)

          2. bisted

            …apologies…I’ve obviously attributed your comment with a degree of depth and subtlety that wasn’t intended…

  3. Spaghetti Hoop

    Everyone is coming out with a Hook story. Because there’s nothing like kicking a man when he’s down right? The guy has apologised. Move on.

    1. snowey

      a shower of Judas’s they are.
      irrelevant imbeciles trying to promote themselves on the back of a rape story and its downstream controversy.
      throw that seoige fooleen onto the pile too.

      classy people

  4. b

    this is becoming less and less about his comments about rape and more about various people’s dislike of Hook and/or newstalk

    1. Brother Barnabas

      Definitely seems there were a lot of people waiting for an opportunity to give Hook a good locking. Me included.

      Doesn’t in the slightest take from the appalling stupidity of his comments though.

    1. Cian

      Hook visited London once – perhaps he is responsible for this atrocity too?[1]

      [1] Cian has no idea if Hook ever visited London, and is not suggesting that he related to any terrorist act. This post was done for humorous effect – Cian’s Lawyer

  5. Willie Banjo

    To be fair, that story was one of a number which the journalist mentioned regarding Hook’s interaction with Newstalk colleagues. I think it provided some context as to why 20 colleagues might have allegedly penned a letter to management condemning his remarks.

  6. Jesus Wept

    Hook was always an insufferable doodle-oo.It’s no loss that he can’t be heard.Hopefully he’ll quietly retire.

  7. Henry Woods

    I don’t listen to the radio. However I know what it is I don’t hear to be true.

    RTE 1 = For old people who have it on in the background whilst minding their grandkids. Most listeners take everything they hear as word of truth. No different from the tv station. Government propaganda machine.
    Can be tuned into by sticking a coat hanger in your ear.

    2FM = For the eternal 20-30 somethings, presented by greasy plastic liberal cocoaheads who read off internet trends like it’s essential news and ex-tv station presenters clinging to their RTE job. Auditory garbage. Tinnitus would be more beneficial for your ears.

    RnaG = The last bastion of Irishness on the airwaves.

    LyricFm = Classical gas. Where all your TV licence money actually goes.

    Beat102/SouthEast = Sinkhole housing estate soundtrack to the jobless generation. No difference between adverts/jingles/autotune chart music. Barely the level above a regional radio station.

    Regional Stations = Sponsored by a deli/garage with music for people who’s lives revolve around deli garages, used by County Councillors to pretend they care about local issues.

    TodayFM= Newstalk meets 2FM bullwhipped by corporate entities.

    Newstalk. Too much talk, not enough news. Broadcasts a lot of fake news with real talk. News is always bad because talk is cheap.

    1. scottser

      It is widely known that hook has an almost permanent stinkfinger, from rooting at his bottom when he thinks no one is looking.

  8. Scoops4all

    I suspect Hook was told to go full throttle with the cantankerous grumpy old man shtick when moved to the earlier slot. I certainly don’t agree with his comments but wonder if his producers have some responsibility in this.

  9. Frilly Keane

    all these Editors, Journos, Producers and Media Professionals are coming out of the woodwork now to have good oul crib against the Commercial Media Outlets and the cronyism etc since the @rteproducer carryon started up

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