Sir, Regarding RTE's proposed "radical shake up" (1) of Radio 1, I would like to question that organisation's perception of their listener ship and that listenership's objection to "talk programmes from 7.30 a.m. to 2.45 p.m.
Has RTE taken into account that a goodly portion of its listenership works from 8.39 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and therefore is not able to listen to a large portion of the stalk show slot? I am on the road to work by 7.30 a.m. each morning. I don't leave the office until 5.30 p.m. each evening. As I travel to and from work, all I can see in the long traffic jams are people in cars, listening. AA Roadwatch's first report of the day comes on around 7.40 a.m. and inevitably reports on traffic jams building up in Dublin and around the country, proving people are out and about well he fore 8.00 a.m. I have found Morning Ireland's 7.30 a.m. start terrific and would be very disappointed if it went back to 8.00 a.m. As for replacing Today at Five with music, again this would appear to ignore the listenership which has been in the workplace all day and would like a news programme on the way home from work.
On another note, it amazes me daily as I sit in traffic jams from 5.30 to 6.00 p.m. that there is no AA Road watch traffic report then. Do RTE and the AA think everybody is home safe and sound by 5.30 p.m.? They should drive through Dublin any weekday evening to find traffic heavy until 7.00 p.m. and even later on late night shopping Thursdays. Yours, etc., Riverstown, Rathfeigh, Co Meath.