Over the years, I’ve become very familiar as a boy broadcaster with rows and ructions in the world of broadcasting from the smoky days of pirate radio to the corridors of RTE, to the quirks of local radio stations across the country. But now, a very modern offshoot, podcasting has proven itself to be just as combustible.
It’s a medium that thrives on authenticity yet behind the scenes, it’s often a tinderbox of egos, contracts and blurred lines. Over the weekend, one of the biggest media stories in Ireland broke. And it wasn’t about Halloween parties, princes falling on swords, or the demise of a political icon. No it was the fallout from a podcast.
With a straight face across its news bulletins, RTE News reported that broadcaster Ivan Yates will no longer co-present a political podcast after it emerged he had advised Fianna Fáil during the presidential election. The Path to Power podcast, co-presented by Ivan and Matt Cooper, has been a popular listen for two years.
In a joint statement, Matt Cooper and the Production company announced they had ended the partnership with Ivan after it came to light that he had helped Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin with debate preparation. Cue headlines, speculation, and plenty of hand-wringing.
As I always remind clients every media leak has a purpose. The Irish Independent ran with “Ivan Yates coached Jim Gavin for presidential debate.” The Business Post followed swiftly with “Matt Cooper axes Ivan Yates from Paths to Power podcast over Gavin revelations.”
Now, full disclosure: I know Ivan well. He’s worked with my company on media training projects and events. He’s a true professional sharp, funny, and endlessly engaging. He’s also been up front that the growing demands of his other work meant he planned to step away from the podcast in the new year.
Let’s be honest this “row” feels a little silly. Ivan’s alleged “crime” was doing what many broadcasters and consultants do every day: offering insight and advice to public figures. And if you actually listen back to the podcast episodes recorded during the campaign, you’ll hear him pulling no punches in his commentary on the very candidate he’s accused of helping.
Meanwhile, look across the Irish Sea to my friends Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart hosts of the UK’s top political podcast, The Rest Is Politics. The show’s success thrives on their insider knowledge and long political histories. Do we really think they don’t have the occasional chat with people in their old circles Labour or Tory alike?
Do you suppose Rory Stewart hasn’t spoken with Boris Johnson since leaving Westminster? Or that Alastair hasn’t been in touch with Keir Starmer or Tony Blair in recent times?
Podcasting is, after all, about proximity to power, to insight, to conversation. That’s what makes it
