The Chief Executive Director of Radio Now 95.3 FM Lagos, Kadaria Ahmed, has advised young journalists to acquire viable skills to have a successful media career.
She gave the advice on Thursday while speaking at a professional forum held at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Lagos titled Building media career in 2st Century: Challenges and Opportunities.
The former senior producer at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said it is necessary to have the ability to use digital tools, learn reading skills, and have the ability to analyse digital tools.
“ The needed skills include audio production, use of artificial intelligence, open-source intelligence, computer programming, social media expertise and others.
“Journalists must get comfortable with technology. The phone has become a world where journalists can make a way in journalism. The phone serves different purposes like audio and video recording and accessibility. Young journalists should invest in phones. In many places, that is all you need,” she said.
The anchor and organiser of the 2019 Presidential debate, said, “A viable media career in journalism, must create a legitimate living, that is, you have to get yourself enough pay to look out for your personal living. Second, it is a career that allows you to have an impact; impacting people with the best quality in your area of specialisation. Lastly, journalism is a career that gives opportunity to mentor and give back to the society.”
“Journalists should create a niche in the media marketing world. You should clearly identify what it is you want to do and be an expert in that particular area.”
Explaining the difference between content creation and journalism, Ahmed said a content creator is not a journalist.
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“Your creative content must hold power accountable, enable you to set agenda, influence public policy and empower people to take an appropriate decision. This distinction is important in the age where many people have access to content.” Kadaria stated.
The former editor of NEXT Newspaper spoke on different ways through which journalists can generate revenue for their career, including training, partnership and mentorship.
“One of the things that have helped me build my career in journalism are grants. Grants provide enormous opportunities for journalists. Journalists should learn how to write media grants and application. There are media houses in this country who get averagely would get two million dollars in grants every year from sponsors like, Ford, MacAuthur.
“Average is not good enough, young journalists must add value to themselves. Geography should not be a limitation in your journalism practice. If you want to have a sustainable media career, you must stretch yourself outside the geography of Nigeria. You now have a global competitor.
“You cannot do what you can’t imagine, you can achieve it if you can imagine,” she said.
Ahmed got interested in a media career at the age of seven. She grew up listening to BBC and worked at the corporation for 13 years. She is also an Alumnus of Goldsmith College and former editor of 234next newspaper.
