DOBBO’S NEWS AT DONE
Veteran anchor bids farewell after 37 years at broadcaster
VETERAN newsman Brian Dobson bid farewell to listeners on his last day in RTE as he said: “Dobbo has left the building”.
In radio interviews yesterday, he spoke of how he started out in journalism as a schoolboy and went on to achieve everything he wanted. As he worked his last day in RTE, he finished his final News at One broadcast with the phrase, “Dobbo has left the building”.
The 64-year-old said he had gotten into journalism after producing a magazine and radio programme with schoolmates.
He went on to study media after school and joined the world of pirate radio to read the news before then taking a job at the BBC, followed by RTE in 1987. He stayed with Ireland’s national broadcaster for 37 years until his official retirement yesterday.
Dobbo joined RTE’s newsroom and was appointed anchor on the station’s main Six One News in 1996 and kept the role for 21 years until 2017.
That year he joined RTE Radio 1’s Morning Ireland and then the News at One. He announced his retirement earlier this year. Brian said: “I have been fortunate enough in my 37 years to have done everything in journalism that I would’ve wanted.
“I have been able to cover some extraordinary stories and now I would just like to spend some more time with my friends and my family.
“I’d also like to see if there is a new chapter, a new page to turn. It’s been a great 37 years but it is time to say Dobbo has left the building.”
Illustrious
Dboson also revealed he was never lured to rival radio and TV stations over his illustrious career, like some of his other colleagues.
He said: “No one has ever tried to steal me away… no, actually I am feeling very unloved now.
“I think if you’re fortunate enough in life, generally, and certainly in broadcasting, to find something that you can do, people think you’re reasonably competent at, that you enjoy doing, then probably the best thing is to stick with it.
“I’ve always been very content in the slot I’ve been in.”