Veteran broadcaster and author, Bimbo Oloyede, has urged women in the media industry to continually learn, improve themselves and maintain high standards of professionalism in their careers.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday, Oloyede reflected on her five decades in the Nigerian media industry and the changes she has witnessed, particularly in the experience of women broadcasters.
She said the media landscape had changed significantly from the period when women newscasters were expected to perform specific roles on television.
“Well, I can tell you that when we first started, women who were newscasters were told that the stories that we would read were the ones that had reports.
“So that we spent… How do I put it? We made an impression, we made an impact, but the idea was not to distract the viewer. So the women mostly read the stories that had reports because we were looking at visuals as opposed to looking at the newscaster. And the men would read the live copy, even though they didn’t read any reports.
“But that was the thinking. So there’s a major shift between that ideology, or that concept, and what happens now. Now it’s a question of everybody looking as good as they can, ensuring that they make an impact, they make a solid contribution, and they give a good account of themselves.”
Oloyede, who noted that broadcasters in her early years had to work without many of the technological advantages available today, said the profession had also evolved with the introduction of live interviews and online platforms.
“And in those days, we didn’t have any live interviews. So I cannot tell you exactly when live interviews were introduced. I don’t know the exact year. But we did not have live interviews on the news. Everything was pre-taped.
“And we rehearsed before we went on air. I’m not sure that anybody is doing much rehearsing now. But we used to rehearse in those days.
“So now, it’s a combination of everything. Of course, at that time, there wasn’t anything like the internet. So we could not have inputs through online interviews and things like that. None of that happened at that time.”
However, she stressed that despite the changes in technology and broadcasting practices, women in the profession must remain committed to continuous development and professionalism.
“I don’t think there’s a competition between the women and the men. I think that the women should ensure that they keep learning, keep improving themselves, and ensure that their outlook is one of professionalism.
“It’s got to look nice. It’s got to sound nice. But I think it’s also important to make sure that you know what it is that you’re talking about.
“So that you don’t let yourself down. You don’t let your partners down who are male. You don’t let your station down.
“And you don’t let women down.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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