The Late Late Gay Byrne Irish Television Thread

Going completely off-topic here, but this petition calling for the British Soap Awards to include Pobol y Cwm probably won't have the desired effect either (though I still signed it).

https://www.change.org/p/get-pobol-y-cwm-into-the-british-soap-awards

It *is* fun, though, to dream of it being named Best British Soap and also winning the Tony Warren Award, and the acceptance speeches being made in Cymraeg...

Ryan Tubridy has given some hints this week on his radio show on RTÉ Radio 1 that there will be exciting changes to come for The Late Late Show on RTÉ this season which is expected to be announced at the launch of RTÉ's new season at Montrose from tomorrow.

https://www.her.ie/entertainment/lads-theres-going-exciting-changes-coming-late-late-year-419355

Irish print media reports are also saying that RTÉ will scrap programmes like Can't Cope Won't Cope & Celebrity Operation Transformation because of cutbacks in their programming budgets.

We can only hope he will announce he is stepping down after this season. Ryan has been dreadful as host. Totally unsuited. I always thought Pat Kenny was a poor choice in 1999, but when the twig became host, the human bookmark with feet, then the show died a death. We need a new host. He has said his tenure as host would be the same length as Pat Kenny, i.e. 10 years. His 10th year is 2019.

The autumn launch has just been released on RTE website - https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2018/0816/985458-rte-launches-first-rate-new-autumn-season/

So, from the article, the only big announcement so far is Tubs is buggering off to London for a special edition of the show. Bet it will be held in the BBC Studios, where Tubs has been filling in on BBC Radio for a few occasions.

"The Late Late Show will travel to London for a special live programme celebrating the unique relationship between Ireland and our nearest neighbour. Ryan Tubridy, now in his tenth year as host of the show, will be meeting the Irish who have made an impact across the water and talking to people in all walks of life about what it is like for the Irish in Britain today."

I’m not sure what Tubridy was teasing, because hosting one show from London focussing on Irish emigrants to the UK is literally all that was mentioned.

Pres wise, confirmation that RTE News gets its new look after Christmas.

Nothing standout of the new shows launched but it seems RTÉ are absolutely determined to find a vehicle for Amy Huberman, killing off Strking Out but giving her a new show...with a description that could easily have fitted Striking Out. Good to know they’re not short of ideas.

Most bizzare, though, is reviving Podge and Rodge after an eight year absence.

RTE 2 needs a kick up the arse. RTE 2 is an appalling channel. Their news content is now non existent and needs to be revived. More home produced programming needed, instead of relying on US imports and UK imports. RTE need to spend the money they would pay morons like Ray D'arcy into providing unique, entertaining programming for younger people, as they drift away from RTE.

Also, RTE Radio schedules need a kicking too. Complacent and proud of it is what I call RTE Radio. Also, do RTE Radio know that after midnight there are people who work, shift workers, people who can't sleep, people who would like company, and RTE provide nothing. RTE 2FM is a disgrace, wall to wall repeats from after midnight, only their hourly news updates is live. Appalling.

A bit like BBC Radio 2 overnight then ?

At least BBC Radio 2 has live programming from 12.00am-3.00am most nights.

Que sera sera,
Whatever will be will be,
The future's not ours to see,
Que sera sera...

I *will* say, though, that RTÉ's second channel was much better when it had a proper news bulletin every weeknight and when it had more sport. Many a time in the mid-2000s I had it on at midnight and it was showing highlights of European Tour golf, Samsung Super League show jumping and the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

I will say, too, that I've never liked the channel's current idents. "Keep one finger on escape", "More dancing please", "Don't miss a drop"... Unlike Oneness, though, they *do* give the channel some sort of an identity, if not necessarily the right one.

Off topic I guess, but RTE Radio 1 is complacent because that’s exactly what their listenership wants - the same programmes as it’s always had, and as little change as possible. Some of the shows on the station still date back to the 1980s or even earlier. (The fact that it is a station that has “shows”, instead of just DJs playing relatively similar music at different times of day, is probably an oddity in itself.)

RTÉ 2's idents have been awful since the "green room" ones from the 2000's featuring different random characters doing something seemingly abnormal in a normal context, then it all swirls to the spinning lights and RTÉ TWO appears. Everything since that, with the move to the RTÉ 2 branding has been god-awful. What exactly is it supposed to say about the channel? That's its a horrible mish-mash of things with no clear identity or vision, because the idents reflect that well if so. The green room ones were thoughtful, funny, cheeky and also reflective and suited the mood of some programmes at times, now its just random graphics and stupid things with spinning letters and odd sound effects. It's bizarre.