My open message for upcoming and promising OAPs in the media industry: I believe it’s high time we promoted ourselves and our program content more using social media handles rather than putting efforts into promoting radio stations that don’t see us as stars, only using us and making us believe that we are using their platform to promote ourselves. We must not forget that if we are not competent enough, they may terminate our appointment with them.
There are too many radio stations everywhere with the same content, but the way presenters deliver it varies in terms of professionalism. I’ve come to realize that once you gain popularity on social media, you are already a public figure everywhere, rather than limiting yourself to a frequency modulation that covers a geographical boundary.
Some may argue that some radio stations stream their content live, but not all of them. Some are only focused on their station programs and will not promote the content of an upcoming OAP simply because they don’t want people to know them.
They believe that once an upcoming OAP comes into the limelight, bigger stations will come for them. Dear radio CEOs, it’s a plus for you to proudly acknowledge that a particular OAP made it while they were with you. If you pay and treat an OAP well, they will not think of leaving early when bigger stations come knocking.
To my fellow upcoming OAPs, let’s use comedians and skit makers as a case study. They create good content with good cameras, promote their pages, and keep pushing with good content. Are they under any station pressure? No. The more they create good content, the more their page and life grow. In no time, their social media handles are verified and monetized. How many OAPs have verified social media handles? Are they up to 200?
It’s high time we woke up and freed ourselves from using and being used by radio stations. This coming year, let’s be creative, think of entertaining, informative, and educating content that can attract traffic. Be different, let people know you for a particular content. Look at Alhaji Dr. Oriyomi Hamzat, Arojinle, Alade Diamond, and others—are they not OAPs?
It’s not a day job, but believe me, get the necessary gadgets and push your name on social media with good content. If we are good at what we do and keep pushing, one day we will become public figures, and bigger stations will come for us (contract staff with good pay, ba’a beere niyen).
I remain my humble self, OAP Israel Olajumoke (Honourable Presenter)
JFM 95.5 FM, Saki, Oyo State.
2023-12-27