It’s the biggest shake-up at RTÉ Radio 1 in decades, but the prevailing mood on day one of the station’s revamped schedule is business as usual, as presenters take up their new positions with little fanfare: in seeking to reshape Radio 1’s audience, the extensive makeover is a marathon, not a sprint.
That said, the first programme on the rebooted weekday line-up, Today with David McCullagh, flies out of the blocks, the newly installed host going toe to toe with Ivan Yates, the former minister and broadcaster, in headline-grabbing style.
Having exited the Path to Power podcast after his undisclosed coaching of the presidential candidate Jim Gavin, Yates defends himself in robust fashion, saying that he broke no rules and relies on his own integrity to ensure impartiality.
Yates’ notion of using a personal honour system for media regulation may be novel, but it makes a splash, ensuring McCullagh’s inaugural show gets off to a roaring start: as his guest remarks, no presenter wants a “bland, boring” guest.
READ MORE
The spirited interview also highlights the host’s dry humour, as when Yates suggests McCullagh is taking a pop at his guest’s former employer. “I’m not trying to have a go at Newstalk,” McCullagh replies. “I’m trying to have a go at you.”
The rest of the show is somewhat anticlimactic, although it does give some hints about how McCullagh’s tenure may pan out. Unsurprisingly for a seasoned journalist, he handles current-affairs items confidently, again with a side order of bite. When the Fianna Fáil TD Peter “Chap” Cleere refers repeatedly to his party needing “renewal”, the host deadpans: “If I was Micheál Martin I’d be getting nervous.”
In contrast, McCullagh holds back during human-interest stories, as when speaking to parents who care for adult children. It’s a prudent move, at least until the host feels comfortable in such settings.
Of all the changes, the arrival of Kieran Cuddihy from Newstalk to succeed Joe Duffy as host of Liveline has attracted most attention. But the most ear-catching aspect of Cuddihy’s opening edition is the show’s new theme music, which replaces the Stockton’s Wing tune long associated with the programme.
When it comes to content, however, the song remains the same, as callers recount their experience of failings in the health system – long a Liveline staple.
Some of the stories are harrowing. David and Tina tell of being unable to access psychological care for their autistic teenage son, Senan, who has been traumatised by witnessing the death of his younger sister, Sophia, seven years ago.
“I don’t know where to start,” Cuddihy says, sounding shaken by the couple’s tale. “I suspect it’s PTSD for all the family.”
This isn’t new territory for Cuddihy. In his Newstalk role as host of The Hard Shoulder, he regularly decried the chronic shortcomings in services promised by the Disability Act, and he continues to do so here: “The system shouldn’t be based on who can bang the door loudest.”
If Cuddihy survives being thrown in at the deep end, he now will be even more aware of the challenges of his new role. He may be host of a big brand, but callers still drive the show.
[ Brendan O’Connor wears his RTÉ Radio 1 crown lightly as the new pretenders arriveOpens in new window ]
Cuddihy eschews his predecessor’s hammy flair for sentiment and outrage – no bad thing – but, equally, Liveline’s rigid format offers less opportunity for him to exercise his penchant for spiky asides. It’s a solid start, but it remains to be seen how Cuddihy will place his distinctive stamp on the show.
Katie Hannon and Colm Ó Mongáin were both also tipped as potential Liveline hosts. Their new roles as the presenters of Drivetime could be seen as a consolation prize, but they sound the most comfortable performers on the rejigged line-up.
The duo adopt an authoritative yet relaxed tone when covering chunky topics such as housing, BBC crises and bird-flu outbreaks – and the sensitive issue of breast-cancer awareness is given extra urgency when Hannon talks about having had routine screening earlier in the day.
Wisely, the pair don’t attempt to ape the bickering chemistry of Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra, the programme’s previous hosts, but their on-air partnership already shows a promising spark. Discussing the appeal of spicy foods, Hannon suggests it’s a “macho thing”. “We’re about to find out,” Ó Mongáin replies, gingerly preparing to nibble some chilis.
It’s not a flawless edition – Ó Mongáin mistakenly calls the film producer David Puttnam “Robert” – but the duo settle in well.
Overall, there are no real slip-ups on Radio 1’s D-Day. But there’s a long way to go.
