One of Hong Kong's most experienced broadcasters and arguably its most powerful, Cheung Man-yee, 53, has been in the hot seat defending RTHK's independence - and, by extension, press freedom - since she was named head in 1986.
Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa reportedly complained to Miss Cheung in private meetings that he had to deal with criticism of her and the station every day.
'Attacks on RTHK's independent and critical lines are nothing new. Back in the British colonial days, the government was always complaining about us,' Miss Cheung said in an interview with the Post last year after a fresh round of attacks from pro-Beijing politicians.
A graduate of Chinese University on a full scholarship, Miss Cheung was one of the home-grown, 1960s baby-boomers, like Anson Chan Fang On-sang and Martin Lee Chu-ming, who achieved stellar careers in government, business and law.
She was born on Christmas Day, 1946, in Fujian, coming to Hong Kong when she was a month old.
Her businessman father left the family when she was six and her mother worked to support her and her brother, who later joined the police.
