Five books to awaken the spirit of broadcasters

It is amazing how becoming a broadcaster can significantly change your life, put you on a public pedestal and school you in many more ways than you can imagine. My broadcasting life started many years ago at Radio Benue Makurdi about 1979. The rest they say is history. In my long and rewarding broadcast life, I served at OGBC Abeokuta, and severally gave of my talent and knowledge across NTA stations across the nation culminating at the Executive position as Executive Director programmes within the NTA before disengaging from public service and turning my attention to the private sector. Throughout this journey as a Documentarist, Television Anchor, Interviewer, broadcast administrator, Guest Lecturer at NTA TV college for over a decade, NTA network news producer, programmer, scheduler, screen play writer and now continuing my career under my own brand as a sought after trainer in broadcasting and public speaking, life has taught me many things, thrown me many curves, giving me several opportunities, hit me hard in some instances but schooled me on many things. More than anything else, I have learnt that broadcasting with all its fancy edges has its negative sides and you can only make sense of it if you work very hard. As I continue my broadcast life in Multimedia and Brand strategy consultancy and offer Media and customer service training, I find it even more compelling to share books that awaken the broadcaster’s spirit. Only three weeks ago, I was invited to be on a panel for an international summit in Ibadan for African female broadcasters and requested to speak on the leadership question particularly for women within the media. With my nearly four decades in the field, I believe this collection of books that I am recommending is worthy of note for every broadcaster anywhere in the world. With the poor broadcasting outings, we see these days and the lack of focus by a number of broadcasters who are ill-trained and interested only in how they look and not interested in the craft but chasing other things like popularity and money, it is time for an initial intervention. I am also truly concerned by how the industry has been badly treated both by governments and significant others and how the pay is still very poor and even wardrobe allowance to help up and coming broadcasters continues to be a pipe dream. Here are five books to show the way, to awaken our spirit and to tell us all that broadcasting is a special field and those in it must work hard and achieve while those in whose purview they work must treat them better. All those whose books are featured here are the crème de la crème of broadcasters and the stories or lessons they give us will assist all broadcasters to see how powerful they can be when talent is nursed, hard work is deployed, creativity is at its best and you are treated and paid like the Kings and Queens you are. Don’t forget to earn it. Remember also that envy, backbiting and other such accompaniments of fame come with the territory. It’s how these are managed that matters, how one rises above it and focuses to succeed. These books will tell you how no successful broadcaster anywhere in the world is immune and how working in a broadcast institution is an incredible school of life. Enjoy!