Media career development specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin recalls a conversation with a reporter who shared his agony about not getting deserved promotion.
I still recall the telephone conversation like yesterday though it was more than ten years ago I spoke with the state correspondent in a newspaper I used to work.
He had called to draw my attention to the fact that he and many state correspondents have not been considered for the least promotion after years of dedicated service to the company at great cost which the monthly salary they are paid cannot compensate for.
He recalled how he had worked in his present capacity as a reporter in the former newspaper that folded up and has continued in the same position when it started operating under a new corporate name for whatever reason.
“Editor, what do I tell my children about where I worked and laboured for years? That I worked in two related companies for years as a reporter and was not promoted to the next rank? Editor, is it fair for me and others in my category to be treated like this?
“I was a reporter in the former newspaper and even in the new newspaper, I’m still a reporter. Editor, what is my offence. I do my work diligently. I cover a whole state. I don’t miss stories. I don’t have any query that can be the basis for not promoting me, why must I remain in the same position till probably one day when I am asked to go?, ” the correspondent shared his agony as I listened to him not sure of how to respond.
I wish I was in a position to promote him and other deserving staff who have contributed immensely to making the newspaper a force to reckon with in the industry more than others published before it.
I know what it takes to be a state correspondent having started my career as one and never fail to make a case for him and others, but there is a way the work of correspondents are undervalued and dismissed even though they do more than the average staff in the headquarters.
When you ask why staff cannot be promoted considering the number of years they have worked in the company as long as they are still retained and their reports are used regularly, you are quickly reminded that the media is not like civil service where people get promoted automatically from one level to the other.
The impression is given that media organisations that advocate for good conditions of service for other workers are not obliged to give their workers fair treatment and reward them, even if it is minimally for their years of service.
Without structured and known procedures for promotion, some staff, especially those in outstations remain un-promoted for years as they watch some new staff recruited on higher salaries and get promoted in the headquarters.
“Editor, you people in management should be considerate o. Don’t forget us in the outstations. We should be given fair treatment like those in the headquarters,” he added as he waited for me to respond.
“I will bring up the matter again,” I assured him as I have always done. “I’m really sorry about the situation. I can imagine how you feel about this,” I apologised as I ended the call feeling very unhappy about how media managements don’t care enough about the people who work for them.
“How many stories do they write? Is it all these routine reports they send? They follow Governors all over the place and they say they are working and want to be promoted. They are not serious, “an editor once said when raised the issue.
There are indeed lazy state correspondents like on any beat, but is that the justification for staff not to be promoted almost forever?
There should be a minimum number of years staff should stay in a position before they are promoted or sacked if they are not good enough. As long as they remain in the company, there should be minimum career progress, while those who are exceptionally good should get accelerated promotion.
Journalists who work day and night, who sacrifice so much to get stories for their organisations, who travel from one end of the state to the other, whose families don’t get to see much of them because of their busy schedule surely deserve better conditions of service that will not make them regret their years of service.
Media houses should practice what they advocate for. Their workers deserve a good life like workers in other sectors.
