I have heard people say a lot of things about the media industry, especially about how much media professionals earn.
And honestly, I understand where that conversation is coming from.
As someone at the helm of affairs at Omoluabi 87.7fm, I understand what it means to run a media organisation. The overheads are enormous. Power, diesel, equipment, salaries, maintenance, licences, content production, technology and several other operational expenses all come with a cost.
So, when people say, “Radio does not pay enough,” I don’t completely disagree.
But I also believe there is another side of the conversation that we need to start having.
You cannot build your entire financial future around your radio salary.
Radio can give you visibility. It can give you influence. It can give you a platform. It can help you build relationships and open doors that may not otherwise open.
But your salary should not be the only value you derive from your career.
This is where diversification becomes important.
If you are an OAP, what else can you do with your voice and personality?
Can you moderate events? Can you become a brand ambassador? Can you host corporate events? Can you create digital content? Can you build a personal brand? Can you offer voice-over services? Can you teach or mentor? Can you leverage your audience to create legitimate business opportunities?
If you are a producer, marketer, journalist, technician, presenter or content creator, there are skills you are developing every day that have value outside your monthly salary.
The mistake is thinking that your job is the only place where those skills can make money.
Don’t just build a career on radio. Build a brand through radio.
Your radio station may employ you, but you should also be building something that belongs to you.
That doesn’t mean becoming distracted from your job or compromising your employer’s interest. It means understanding that your professional value can extend beyond your job description.
The media industry gives us access to people, brands, platforms, information and opportunities.
The question is: What are you doing with that access?
I have always believed that personal development should go beyond acquiring certificates. Learn a skill. Build a network. Develop your personal brand. Understand marketing. Learn how to sell. Understand digital platforms. Create value.
Because the reality is that nobody knows what tomorrow holds.
Your salary may take care of today, but your skills, relationships, reputation and personal brand can help you prepare for tomorrow.
So, rather than constantly complaining that “radio doesn’t pay,” perhaps we should also ask ourselves:
What am I doing with the opportunities radio has given me?
Diversification is not greed.
It is preparation.
It is not abandoning your profession.
It is understanding that your career should create multiple possibilities for your future.
Don’t depend on one income stream simply because you have one job.
But don’t let it be the only thing you have built.
Icon Adedigba Stephen is the General Manager, Omoluabi 87.7FM, Mokola Ibadan.
He is also an executive member of the prestigious Media Transformative Group (MTG), which comprises the General Managers of I-flier 103.3FM, Omoluabi 87.7FM, Crest 91.1FM, Adamimogo 105.1FM, all in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and GM, Aiyekooto 88.3FM, Iwo, Osun State.
