Gerry Ryan

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Gerry Ryan
Born June 4, 1956 (1956-06-04) (age 52)
Nationality Irish
Education Law Degree at Trinity College, Dublin
Occupation Broadcaster
Employers RTÉ
Salary €558,990 a year (2008)

Gerry Ryan (born 4 June 1956) is a veteran Irish radio presenter, for RTÉ 2fm .

Gerry Ryan was born in Dublin. His father Vinnie was a dentist, and his mother Maureen worked in the theatre. He was educated at St. Paul's College, Raheny, graduated in law at Trinity College, Dublin, and then went to work as an apprentice solicitor. In March 2008, it was announced that Ryan and his wife Morah, with whom he has five children, are to separate after 26 years of marriage[1]. In a joint statement, both requested that their privacy and that of their children be respected.

Contents

[edit] Career

Previously involved part-time in pirate radio, Ryan joined RTÉ in 1979 as a DJ where he presented a selection of speech- and music-based programmes on the newly-launched Radio 2 (as RTÉ 2fm was known then). His current show, The Gerry Ryan Show, began in 1988.

After a brief period of decline in his audience, all of the recent JNLR figures have shown a consistent and significant increase in his listenership - with his audience growing by almost 15% in the course of the past year (Irish Times, May 16th, 2008.)

Ryan has hosted several series of television shows, including Secrets, Gerry Ryan Tonight Gerry Ryan's Hitlist and "Operation Transformation".. Some of these have proved very successful. He currently presents a series called Ryan Confidential, which is now in its sixth season.

In 1994, Ryan co-presented the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin along with co-presenter Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.

Ryan has been a presenter for The RTÉ People in Need Telethon several times since 1988. He presented Inside 252 in 2004 and previously travelled around on a helicopter in a reputed 3D viewable treasure hunt.

Ryan was paid €487,492 by RTE in 2004,[2] making him the second highest paid presenter to colleague Pat Kenny. He earned €462,442 in 2003, and €601,882 in 2002[3]. RTÉ offered Ryan a new five year contract worth €600,000 a year in July of 2007.[4] Earlier this year, Ryan announced that he had been contracted by Penguin to write his autobiography. The advance paid by Penguin is believed to be the largest ever paid for a book published in Ireland.

[edit] Style

His radio show consists of interviews and phone-ins. Ryan is considered to be a shock jock by some.[4] Ryan's show has been the subject of several upheld complaints to the broadcasting complaints commission.[5] [6][7]


[edit] References

  1. ^ RTÉ - Gerry & Morah Ryan end 26-year marriage
  2. ^ [1]2004 Top 10 paid, 2004
  3. ^ [2] 2002 and 2003 salaries
  4. ^ [3] Ryan lines up €3m pay day, The Irish Independent, Friday, 27th July, 2007

[edit] External links

Commentary on Gerry Ryan:

Irish Times, May 16th, 2008 - impressive growth in Ryan's audience.

Preceded by
Fionnuala Sweeney
Eurovision Song Contest presenter
(with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú)
1994
Succeeded by
Mary Kennedy