Now RTÉ has sucked the light out of dynamo Dee

DEE FORBES was appointed RTÉ Director General amid predictions about her injecting the ailing broadcaster with her private sector know-how and marketing flair.

Yet all we seem to hear from the dynamic saleswoman, pictured, is persistent moaning about the licence fee and dire warnings about the outlook for RTÉ.

Recent freedom of information documents show her crying on the shoulder of the Communications Minister about licence fee evasion. Last week she called on the Government to set up an annual €15m fund to support more production of TV drama.

What is it about RTÉ? It seems to drain even its most confident selfstarters of their get-up-and-go creativity and indoctrinate them with the dead weight of a public service mindset.

Broadcasting like all traditional media is in crisis yet the answer is not seeking more State subvention.

Forbes, who made her name abroad and had a high-ranking job with billionaire Ted Turner’s media network, knows this well so why is she sounding more and more like a lifelong public servant?