The "Newsreaders" thread

[Euan Roberts]

Newscasters that Sound great on Radio

Tara Duggan 98 FM – very deep female voice, excellent radio voice, great structure, very few errors ever made in her broadcasts

John Keogh 98FM – Soft smooth and free-flowing voice, makes you want to listen to his broadcasts. Could converse more with his co- Anchor Tara Duggan on their 5pm and 6pm news broadcasts. Sounds too wooden at times. A funny news story would break the ice.

Tina Gates – the Gem of them all – a slightly West Brit sounding radio voice, nevertheless rarely makes mistakes, Great humour in her broadcasts

Jim Greely- Another professional – In my opinion probably has one of the best radio voices for news output on radio in Dublin and Ireland

Follow that with Noel Fogarty of INN with his silky smooth accent
Cathy Cregan – FM104 – very lively and a happy go lucky kind of news voice, wakes you up in the morning with her broadcasts

Good old Gerry O’Connor – Head of Spin 1038 – tones down his fine Cork Accent for his broadcasts, intellegient sounding voice, where his broadcasts have a real newsy appeal to them. You want to listen to them. In addition, he appears to have a fine sense of humour with an inate ability to make the listeners laugh occasionally.

Ian Noctor- Today FM - gives the impression to the listener that he’s enjoying reading his bulletins every morning on Ian Dempsey’s Breakfast show.

James Healy – Newstalk 106 – Excellent clear crisp voice. Sounds like a non-sratched vinyl on Long play.

Trudy Waters – Lite Fm – Irritating at times but good diction and consistency in her newwreading. Has potential there

Susanne Byrne – Lite Fm Quite Chilled out with a fairly drole sounding voice. Sounds like she wouldn’t be able to ad-lib without her script in front of her. No offence to her. My own impressions.

Anoraks have you any further newsreaders that you think make the grade for good radio voice? I can't afford a prize for the best one unfortunetly.

Euan Roberts.

[Mister807]

Good topic Euan.

I think there are some really good newsreaders out there and some really awful ones too.

On the positive side:

Cathy Cregan and Aidan Fitzsimons on FM104. Both sound smooth and relaxed on air and fulfil the all important qualificiation of sounding like they know what theyre talking about!

Tara Duggan on 98FM. Definitely the best of their current selection. I think Louise Phelan is sounding good too. Not sure about Tina Gates any more. Think she has lost the edge.

Worryingly enough, no one on NewsTalk has made a positive impression so far. Hopefully the belated editorial appointments there will make a positive difference.

For INN, Noel Fogarty does sound good. I dont think INNs editorial standards do their readers any favours though.

2FMs Sari Houlihan sounds great as far as Im concerned. 2FMs newsreaders vary from pretty bad to excellent.

Dublins Country. Despite the problems, I really do think Helen Vaughan sounds good. Great voice and good style on air.

Today FM. Ian Noctor, Noel Shannon, Bernie Jameson etc. Very strong team both on the reporting and presentation side.

Lite FM. Have to disagree with Euan about Susanne Byrne. I think she sounds good and suits Lite FMs style well.

There you have it. My two cents.

Mister 807

[Euan Roberts]

Good List Mister 807, i may warm to Susanne's voice, must listen more, so i kinda differ with ya on that. Hey check out Brian Jennings from RTE Radio ! and Shane Mc Gowan. Do you think that these guys really suit the whole RTE newstyle. I gotta say definitely so. Their sound very focused, easy to listen too, but quite formal and serious. Sometimes too much.

Sharon Tobin a new gal on Lite FM. She sounds quite good with a very strong determined way about her when reading the news.

Short and sweet. Any more anoraks with views on good newsreaders?

Cheers

Euan Roberts

[KJ]

Louise Phelan is sounding great for a newbie

News readers just all kinda blend into one for me to be honest but GO'C on Spin is great, his character comes across very well

Does he really end up in a beer garden after work every day tho? Anytime he signs off he seems to hint at it ............ Go Gerry! ;)

[Anorak]

Have to agree with all that's been said about Gerry O'Connor. Unfortunately, though, he has to put up with childish Spin presentation - "here's Gerry with the story..."

The Today FM team are good, RTE R1's a bit stuffy.

The King of them all has been lost to radio (hopefully an imminent return on 252 tho'?!) - Arise Sir Bob of Gallico.

[Mike O' Brien]

sean archibald of newstalk is good too, confident and freeflowing.......

dont forget will downing!! kick ass on radio!

[Euan Roberts]

Hey try out Demitri o Donnell of NewsTalk 106, excellent Newsreader, and ex98FM. Very assertive, great voice and kinda suits the whole Newstalk stradegy of fast- paced news on demand. Gotta agree with Kelly Louise Phelan is pretty good, wonder what she looks like?

That's my lot

Euan Roberts

[Jimbob]

I think we have really mentioned all but one so far and that is possibly one of the best young talents in Irish news reading . I am talking of course of Adam Ledwith on weekends on 98fm . He is only 17 or 18 and yet he sounds like a mature 35 year old . His storys flow well and he is quite articulate in his speach. On the point of the best i do think John Keogh and generally 98 have the news awards to themselves as all the best readers work thre.

Tara Duggan , Tina Gates , Jimmy Grealy , Johnny Lyons (Sports) , and Adam Ledwith .

Sorry there are other good readers but it looks like 98 have the pick of the crop.

[Trinity]

It's a pity the board is confined to dublin again. What about Ann Morris......Head of News at ShannonSide or John Drummey at CKRFM..........I know you can't get that many choices in Dublin but it's nice that someone gives the culshies a shout !

[featherstone]

I have to agree with most of what is said in this post.

Today FM - Ian Noctor is super
2fm - Shane McGowan is great
INN - Noel Fogarty is the voice
98FM - Jimmy Greally is the voice
FM104 - Aidan Fitzsimmons suits perfect
Spin - GerryOC has the personality


However, I will add;

98fm - seem to have loads of fans on this forum, but I think T Gates sounds way too west brit, and as for Tara Duggan, strong voice to the point of being almost patronising. I have to agree though that Adam Ledwith is one for the future - great voice.

Litefm - seems to be a lack of talent there lately, now that James Healy is no longer there. Declan King on sport has a super voice though.

Newstalk - well there's a real lack of strong newsreading for an all talk station - james healy of course is so relaxed, and dmitri o donnell's is a great radio voice

2FM - Kate Egan is great, and so are a lot of the usual suspects...but i do think brian jennings needs to speed up a bit.

Today Fm - Noel Shannon and Ian Noctor are a class act. Most of their staff are excellent. Probably the strongest of the lot.

INN - Fogarty's is the smooth voice. Oliver Callan, when he was there was very good too. Vincent Murphy would be good if he made less mistakes.

Spin FM - Good snappy style, all the presenters seem to have it down to a tee.

FM104 - Johnathon healy has a great voice, Cathy Cregan is a pro, some strong talent there too.

[Radio Mad]

I don’t wish to be negative, but I have never rated 2FM’s Shane McGabhann/McGowan very highly. He has a nice voice, but consistently makes mistakes.

In general, I find 98FM, FM 104, Today FM, INN and RTÉ newsreaders to be of a reasonably high standard.

Unfortunately, I have to concur with the general consensus expressed on this thread with regard to NewsTalk 106. The standard of news reading (from what I have heard) is not very good.

[Dermot Breen]

Just picking up onan earlier comment about INN. I agree that their editorial policy needs some revising. I have cause to listen early at the weekends and the number of errors is embarrassing. Aishling Bastable does her best but I think she needs some coaching (particulalry on using audio clips).

For me, James Healy & Ian Noctor are the best, most natural - they get my vote!

[Dogger]

Enough about Dublin.... anyone got candidates from around the provinces?

[Slicklink]

Whatever about current radio, what about the past.......

I always thought Justin McKenna gelled with the format on Sunshine (to much trying to be funny on 104, so it didnt work) .... he sounded slick and witty back then (something similar to what Coxy does in the morning with Andrew Fletcher on Radio 1)

In my opinion the worst news service is Spins. News for kids, I dont think kids want news no matter how listenable (or disguisable) you try and make it, but it has to be done of course.........yeah its a bit childish this "blah has the story" followed by " yes Gerry its true that......". It made me laugh when I first heard it...... now its just plain daft! But its a novel approach, I'll give it that.... sorry for the negativity

[radioboy]

What I think is hilarious is Spins 5 word weather, where today alone I heard

"I can't take it anymore"
and
"Can it get any worse"

It takes the piss out of an already weak news format.

[Sweet16]

I'm fully aware that I'm digging up a thread thats quite old. I was doing an internet search for Jimmy Grealy, as I'm curious to know what he is focusing on these days. This came up as a search result, few names mentioned that we don't hear these days.

Any insiders with an update - Primarily on Jimmy Grealy, and Aidan Fitzsimons?

[Dawn Run]

Good topic Euan.


For INN, Noel Fogarty does sound good. I dont think INNs editorial standards do their readers any favours though


Mister 807

I have to disagree with you about Noel Fogarty. He has a lovely voice but the way he uses it is dreadful. Someone needs to tell him that full stops mean a pause and that you don't "sing up" at the end of sentences. If he just relaxed and spoke naturally he would be one of the best newsreaders in the country whereas at the moment I listen to him only when I want a good laugh.

[DeargDoom]

I'm fully aware that I'm digging up a thread thats quite old. I was doing an internet search for Jimmy Grealy, as I'm curious to know what he is focusing on these days. This came up as a search result, few names mentioned that we don't hear these days.

Any insiders with an update - Primarily on Jimmy Grealy, and Aidan Fitzsimons?

Jimmy is morning news anchor on Dublins 98FM and also does some work with City Channel (available on NTL).

[petals]

First person that pops to mind is Gareth Farrell on East Coast!

[Gav2004]

Just reading some of the quotes from 2002...

Newstalk - well there's a real lack of strong newsreading for an all talk station - james healy of course is so relaxed, and dmitri o donnell's is a great radio voice
Neither of these guys are at Newstalk now... Anyone from the current Newstalk team making an impression?

INN - Fogarty's is the smooth voice. Oliver Callan, when he was there was very good too. Vincent Murphy would be good if he made less mistakes.
Vincent is now at 2FM, sounding good. Is Oliver Callan at Today FM?

FM104 - Johnathon healy has a great voice, Cathy Cregan is a pro, some strong talent there too.
Jonathon is Newstalk Southern correspondent now, isn't he?

I think we have really mentioned all but one so far and that is possibly one of the best young talents in Irish news reading . I am talking of course of Adam Ledwith on weekends on 98fm . He is only 17 or 18 and yet he sounds like a mature 35 year old . His storys flow well and he is quite articulate in his speach. On the point of the best i do think John Keogh and generally 98 have the news awards to themselves as all the best readers work thre.

Isn't it funny how things change. Adam is now with FM104, and John is news editor in Newstalk.

How are weekends in 98FM 5 years on? Anyone making any impressions?

[Mosfet]

Patsy McArdle (Northern Sound, LMFM, etc) A reporter as opposed to a newsreader, very serious about simple things:nutter: :p

[marcopollo]

I know I'll probably get shot on this website for saying it but...I actully like spin news, i know its not the most serious news but i can see the youth appeal. one of my favourite newsreaders on a completely opposite note is Anne Doyle (radio not T.V.) women should wear less makeup than that i think (I know not relevant)

[CorkRebel]

Noel Fogarty of INN has a unique style of reading news and I must say I like his approach.
While Lana O Connor on RedFm is a great newsreader, when saying "in 10 to news" etc she sounds extremely serious and I'm constantly thinking whether something very serious has happened, e.g. a murder in Cork.

Barry O Mahoney and PJ Coogan on 96FM are excellent.