This RTE imbroglio seems bound to lead to a good healthy purge. For many years it was run as a private fiefdom where corporate governance just did not apply. Aside from the financial slackness, generations of the same families followed each other into the station as if by divine right (the Sports department was especially afflicted). Apart from a generally efficient news team over the years, and occasionally Prime Time, its output is fairly mediocre. Ok, I like Nationwide also and Sunday Miscellany and that John Bowman programme early on Saturday – and I’m sure I’m forgetting many other worthy shows. However, in general, the term “Talent” was at best an exaggeration, at worst a ludicrous misnomer. It’s most enjoyable and informed radio presenters (such John Creedon, Philip King, Sean Rocks and the entire Lyric team) were not included under this precious umbrella. Fair dues to Tubridy for turning the base metal of his talent into gold but I never rated him beyond bland (and he banged on all year about that bloody Toy Show), nor the annoyingly cheerful Ray D’Arcy, and as for man-o-the-people Joe Duffy, heaven forfend. Off with all their heads I say, or at least curtail their salaries or let them see how they fare on the open market. As someone whose worked in journalism I can tell you that most practitioners find it hard to eke out a living from it. Most would happily settle for any salary that approached or exceeded six figures.
I was mildly amazed by the outpouring of grief on our national media (especially RTE) on the death of Christy Dignam. It was almost Lady Di-like in its coverage. Lead item on the nine-o-clock news, multiple interviews with friends, family and fans, and follow-up coverage of his funeral cortège. Now to be honest I was never a fan, in fact I wasn’t even sure who he was as I had a tendency to mix him up with Christy Hennessy – both tended to play the working-class hero card. I had heard of Aslan but never listened to them much and couldn’t name a single song of theirs. But maybe it’s a generational thing and I’m in the minority here. Listening to his songs and singing I’d say he had a modest talent but seemed to be a pretty sound guy – sincere, articulate, and honest. But he ain’t Prince or even Bono. I suspect that he was a very good live performer and to Dubliners of a certain generation he represented a seminal period in their lives. A generation that now make decisions about content on our national media perhaps. If Bono were ever to die (God forbid) we’d have to close down the country for a week to accord him proportionate respect.
The intractable divisions in the North are getting air time again today. The same dreary stuff. I am continually amazed that nobody north, south or across the water has addressed the major factor that contributes to this tiresome, anachronistic situation. By and large new arrivals to these the two warring tribes are separated at birth and placed in two different educational systems. If the southern states of the USA can desegregate education then surely it’s not beyond our wit to do the same. But where’s the will? Whose brave enough to even suggest it? Where’s the Martin Luther King?
