I’m very glad I wasn’t around yesterday listening to the radio when Newstalk decided it was going to do an O’Reilly – I meant Bill O and not Tony O… but hey if it narks Denis O’Brien who cares!

If you missed the Newstalk Editorial you can read it in full here. But here’s the pontificating bit.

Newstalk calls on the Taoiseach to lead the country.

Newstalk calls on the Taoiseach to address the nation and give our people a credible, detailed vision for recovery.

Newstalk calls on the Government to make the hard decisions, to reposition our country; to present us with a Programme for Recovery that creates jobs, stimulates business and returns hope.

All party leaders, business leaders and trade union leaders must set aside short term gains in all our interests. All TD’s must see beyond their re-election campaigns to support this vision. When this government’s mandate expires voters will have their say.

The future holds much uncertainty and dark days of difficulty but together, working for each other and as a nation we can rebuild our country.

It’s hard enough listening to Newstalk at all these days and I am a very regular listener. I start with Claire and Ivan (yes I know) and move out of my bed listening to Tom Dunne witter on(it’s better than Tubridy but that’s not difficult) until Pat Kenny. By the time it gets to Eamon Keane ask the ‘longest most leading loaded useless questions ever’ though I can’t listen anymore until nipping in and out of George Hook while surfing by Matt Cooper and Mary Wilson if I’m desperate.

However I don’t want any radio station telling the government what to do the day before the budget – no matter who that government is. Guests and essayists and contributors are no problem but the radio station itself? If I wanted an opinion in terms of a media company I’d read a newspaper – broadcasters are a different thing entirely. When is their licence up for review anyway?

Cian has more on all of this.

PS: Calling on Brian Cowen to address the nation generally seems to fail – it has done every time he’s opened his mouth this year.