After a tumultuous 24 hours at RTÉ Radio 1, which saw the acrimonious exit of the long-time presenter Ray D’Arcy and the unexpected recruitment of the Newstalk host Kieran Cuddihy, the station has unveiled its new schedule, aimed at launching what RTÉ’s director of audio, Patricia Monahan, called “an exciting new chapter”.
But while the station’s daytime roster has been extensively revamped, with fresh presenters, different time slots and new programmes, it’s more a reordering of existing pieces than a clean sweep of the board, ultimately cautious rather than innovative.
The headline development is Cuddihy’s appointment as the new host of Liveline, following a summer of speculation about who would succeed the retired Joe Duffy as presenter of the long-running phone-in show. But there are other notable alterations too. Oliver Callan, who has been enjoying ratings success since taking over Ryan Tubridy’s old berth last year, has his show moved to a new 11am slot and extended from one hour to two.
Drivetime, the early-evening magazine show, gets a new 4-6pm time slot and a fresh set of presenters, with Katie Hannon and Colm Ó Mongáin replacing Cormac Ó hEadhra and Sarah McInerney. David McCullagh, previously announced as successor to the Newstalk-bound Claire Byrne as host of the Today show, will now present the two-hour magazine at 9am. In addition, Louise Duffy’s music show moves from noon to mid-afternoon, while a new, as yet untitled daily sports show will be broadcast at 6pm.
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On the face of things, this is a significant reordering of the schedule. But it also feels like a missed opportunity. Cuddihy’s arrival is a big scalp for RTÉ. As host of The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk, he had a relaxed yet inquisitive style that made him one of the station’s most accomplished performers – he increased his daily audience to 165,000 listeners – but his new role at Liveline seems like a retrograde step.
With his easy manner and curious disposition, the Kilkenny-born presenter seems like an obvious successor to Duffy, but placing him in such a well-worn format may constrain his versatile broadcasting talents. Although Liveline has been a consistent ratings winner for Radio 1, it is a heritage brand. In an age of social media, its call-driven template has increasingly skewed towards older listeners and the topics that will appeal to them. Whether Cuddihy can bring the show to a new audience will be interesting to observe.
Callan’s promotion seems a more sensible move, as does the absence of a similar lifestyle-oriented chatshow in the afternoon: D’Arcy’s old show often suffered from going over the same ground covered by his morning colleagues. This likely contributed to a decline in his ratings, which were never exceptionally high to begin with. (According to his final JNLR figures, he was attracting 182,000 listeners.)
But the rancorous nature of D’Arcy’s exit not only leaves a sour taste – after having been a Radio 1 presenter for more than 10 years, he was reportedly denied a valedictory appearance following a breakdown in contract talks – but also gives the impression that the new schedule has been announced as a hurried defensive move rather than a bright new beginning.
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There are other puzzling moves, such as the removal of Ó hEadhra and McInerney from Drivetime, where the duo had made a mark with their sparky chemistry and uncompromising interviews. Though Monahan said that both presenters will still be a “regular presence” on Radio 1, there was no more information about their future roles. However, with the recent retirement of Mary Wilson from Morning Ireland, not to mention Ó Mongáin presumably leaving both his eponymous Saturday panel show and The Late Debate, there are vacancies available, albeit less prestigious.
The reshaped roster shows inspiration when it comes to casting: Hannon and Ó Mongáin, both previously tipped as potential Liveline hosts, should bring fresh focus and energy to Drivetime. Despite this, there is little imaginative programming. The usual daytime formula still applies, with chatshows, music programmes and current-affairs magazines dominating. (The addition of a sports programme is hardly a ground-breaking advance.)
We are in a time when podcasts are changing people’s listening habits and expanding the appetite for audio content. Notably, Radio 1’s Documentary on One strand has been winning big online audiences with its compelling crime series. With this in mind, more diverse genres or specialised content might have been given some space on the station’s weekday schedule. At the very least, its arts programme, Arena – whose much-loved presenter, Seán Rocks, died in July – could have been moved from 7pm to a higher-profile afternoon slot, if only to reinforce the public-service broadcaster’s commitment to culture.
Of course, these changes come against the backdrop of fiscal uncertainty and low morale at Montrose, not to mention political scrutiny. In that context a radical reimagining at the nation’s most popular station may seem foolhardy. As it is, Radio 1’s new schedule provides some intriguing prospects and vibrant voices but resembles a makeover rather than a breakthrough.