Denis O’Brien

**Sean South** · 01/11/2011, 11:48 AM

What do you make of Eamon Dunphy quitting Newstalk and Sam Smyth getting axed from Today Fm? Seems like O’Brien interfering to me and trying to put a FG slant on stories. I know Dunphy was under pressure to take a pay cut too so that might have influenced Dunphys decision. How much of the Irish media does O'Brien control btw?

**culloty82** · 01/11/2011, 12:50 PM

He also controls the two Spin stations in Dublin and the South-West, owns a leading share in INM but the O'Reilly's and Gavin Duffy are still firmly in charge there.

**Dodge** · 01/11/2011, 1:21 PM

http://www.communicorp.ie/markets/ireland/

**Macy** · 01/11/2011, 1:49 PM

Whilst I wouldn't doubt that the media in Ireland is in too few hands, I have to say I think people are jumping to conclusions, especially on Smyth. I'm no fan of O'Brien or communicorp, but in fairness I think the Sunday Supplement has been a shadow of it's former self for a few years at this stage. For example, the reformatting with a pre recorded interview really hasn't worked imo. Who knows with Dunphy - was he in for enough shows to really notice the problems in the station? It always appeared to be yer man from The Star (Colleran?) as much as Dunphy.

There is a problem with regulation by the BAI, imo. They still seem to be a light touch regulator when it comes to commercial stations. With DTT, they've bent over backwards to the commercial sector, including companies they don't even regulate and who refuse to pay taxes here, to the detriment of the platform they're supposed to over the development of. TV3 never met their coverage requirements under the terms of their licence on analogue transmissions.

**BonnieShels** · 01/11/2011, 9:55 PM

In what sense was O'Brien trying to put an FG slant on stories?

Listened to Dunphy yesterday and at the time thought he went mad! Gave out yards about O'Brien, crazy stuff but not surprising when he had mentioned that Smyth was hounded from Today FM.

Please god Colleran is off the air for good now. He's a clown.

**dahamsta** · 01/11/2011, 11:39 PM

O'Brien is looking at Eircom too by all accounts. I like O'Brien more than most, but less than I'd like, because of his tax avoidance. If you're that rich, saving yourself a few quid by moving to Portugal is just plain cheap and disrespectful. Like the rest of them, he should be made to forfeit his Irish passport. Or locked into Cavan.

**Macy** · 02/11/2011, 8:29 AM

I don't like O'Brien - his influence over the media, and politicians, isn't something I look on favourably especially from a tax exile. I've no doubt that Newstalk puts a right wing slant on stories, especially Morning, Lunchtime and Drivetime. We can only speculate whether that comes from the owner. No speculation who was behind the previous budget broadcasts on Newstalk. However, I still wouldn't be jumping to conclusions regarding Smyth and Dunphy. Hacks stick together, so rather than the show going stale, it becomes a big conspiracy.

Newstalk is a shadow of it's former self, it started going downhill when the person they had from 5live from launch went back to Britain imo.

**Eminence Grise** · 02/11/2011, 9:54 AM

I'm long past caring what Dunphy says. He's fallen off more high horses than a bad jockey at Beechers... Usually his strops are connected to not getting his way, and he masks that with a broadside against his employer's lack of integrity/scruples etc. Didn't he quit Newsqualk before, shouting that he'd never work for O'Brien again? Ah, yes, there's nothing like €100,000 a year for a part-time job to help soften those high-minded principles. (There used to be an old joke about his excessive time off in Newsqualk before: 'This is Eamon Dunphy standing in for Shane Ross standing in for Kevin Myers standing in for Anton Savage standing in for Eamon Dunphy.')

Newsqualk has gone down so badly in the last year. I hear there are huge problems on the production teams, with not enough senior people left and juniors expected to work for half nothing. I think wots' er name from Kerry who hosts the Green Room was told she would no longer be entitled to a producer! Today FM's news output is alright, but I reckon that Anton Savage only exists to make Tubridy look interesting. O'Brien has problems here, and they'll get worse if the government decides to tighten up on ownership regulations. I've always had my doubts about him: the tax exile thing is his choice, but anybody connected with Michael Lowry who hasn't washed their hands clean by now has more than a touch of Lady Macbeth about them.

@Macy - is that Karen Coleman you're talking about? Big loss to broadcasting here if so.

**Macy** · 02/11/2011, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Eminence Grise

@Macy - is that Karen Coleman you're talking about? Big loss to broadcasting here if so.

No, it was a head of station or some title like that. I'd never heard of him until it was the day he left (he was on air that day talking about it). But it's been going noticeably down hill since imo, but that must be 5 years ago at least. Around a year before it went National? It's just continually dumbed down since then.

No idea what happened to Karen Coleman, I used to enjoy the wide angle. It just got dropped without anything being said - probably too left wing. Brendan O'Brien used to have an excellent show on Saturday Mornings, but they dumbed it down, it didn't work, and then dropped it.

btw Newstalk, TodayFM and Phantom share the same news room. I'm surprised Communicorp hasn't tried to merge Newstalk and Today FM fully to be honest. Today FM as music and Newstalk as talk and sport. Currently, they have 2 weekday Drivetime shows, 2 weekday coffee morning soft arse shows, 2 Business Shows, 2 Sunday Morning Chat Shows, 2 Saturday Sports shows all going head to head. And I actually wouldn't have a problem with that - it'd be more honest than the impression given they're seperate stations.

**dahamsta** · 02/11/2011, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Eminence Grise

I'm long past caring what Dunphy says. He's fallen off more high horses than a bad jockey at Beechers.

<pedantry>It's Becher's. And yes, it's pronounced wrong.</pedantry>

**Eminence Grise** · 02/11/2011, 12:22 PM

Out-pedanted, by Jove! I'll leave it unamended as a sign of my human frailty and humility (however false the latter!!)

The BAI won't allow a merger of Today FM and Newstalk without one of the licences being surrendered, and the new entity - at least promising - to provide output in line with the terms of the other licence. I don't see how it could be done. Business-wise, they're as near as dammit the same: more than sharing news, they share the same studios in Marconi House, just off Aungier St, and Tom Dunne moved from one to the other very easily. I'd expect to see more shared resources in the future (producers, researchers etc on a for contract basis working for shows on both stations).

Got to agree Macy, The Wide Angle was excellent - great variety of guests, unlike Hook and Dunphy working through their list of buddies in rotation. I've some vague memory of having heard a reason for her disappearance, and I just can't recall it. Contractual? Cutbacks? I'll dig around and see what I can turn up.

**Macy** · 02/11/2011, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by Eminence Grise

The BAI won't allow a merger of Today FM and Newstalk without one of the licences being surrendered, and the new entity - at least promising - to provide output in line with the terms of the other licence. I don't see how it could be done.

I'm sure there would be licence issues, but still surprised they haven't tried and I wouldn't count on the BAI for upholding licence conditions though. Afterall, they approved them both coming under the same ownership.

**geysir** · 02/11/2011, 4:02 PM

I admit I did tune into Dunphy on Sundays, on occasion it was worth it but mostly my ears drifted. He has had some loud mouth fascist on his panel, given a free reign, these past few weeks. At least Dunphy was consistent in his puzzling contradictions. It's hard to get past the pay cut coinciding with a Dunphy outrage.

I like the history show on Newstalk Sunday evenings.

**Macy** · 03/11/2011, 7:54 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

I like the history show on Newstalk Sunday evenings.

I enjoy it as well. The way things are going with the station, you'd wonder how long it'll last though. Even arguably their most successful show, Off The Ball, has been pared back to highlights on a Friday night the last few years.

**Eminence Grise** · 17/11/2011, 7:28 PM

I thought this was rather amusing...

Billionaire businessman O'Brien criticises Dunphy over money.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...3.html?via=rel

What is the world coming to?

**Dodge** · 21/11/2011, 11:07 AM

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/11/21/...e-smoking-gun/

Denis O'Brien asking for sam Smythi to moved off the Moriarty Tribunal?

**Eminence Grise** · 21/11/2011, 10:10 PM

That certainly makes for interesting reading. I never thought I'd hold Gavin O'Reilly in high esteem, but he comes out of that very well. O'Brien can claim that Buckley operated off his own bat, but it does look like he's used to influencing editorial policy when he's in a position to do so.

Fair play to Sam Smyth - it can't be easy for him in all of this.

**Macy** · 22/11/2011, 2:02 PM

Meh, it also suits the O'Reilly's to get O'Brien off the board. The only want one influence over the INM irish titles, thanks very much.

**Macy** · 01/12/2011, 10:33 AM

As I said earlier in the thread, I wasn't convinced of interference over Smyth going. However, Matt Coopers lack of questioning of right wing economic positions and commentators in the last few weeks has made me wonder. Maybe he's just been off form, or maybe he's more aware of the tune the piper payer expects to hear...