As part of plans to discover talents and promote professionalism in the broadcast industry in Oyo State and beyond, the state’s oldest private radio station, Splash 105.5 FM has established a media academy.
A subsidiary of Westmidlands Communication Limited, it has as head of training, Mr. Michael Olatunbosun, a veteran broadcaster.
Disclosing the intent of the institution, the General Manager (Operations) of Splash FM and Lagelu FM, Mr. Tunde Olawuwo, explained on Tuesday that “We believe that professionalism is key in media profession, and that is one of the reasons why the academy was established to instill professionalism in the industry.
“The academy will be selling out to preserve the integrity that the station is known with, as that basic principle is becoming a scarce attribute in the broadcast media profession.
“In the media industry, there is need for training and retraining in order for the industry to efficiently educate and entertain members of the society.
“The academy will be starting with six (6) curricula- journalism, digital media, production, programme development, content development and presentation and broadcasting.
“The courses will be run in six weeks. There will be practical for four weeks, a week each will be devoted to internship and seminar.
“We have plans to extend to some other areas as the academy keeps expanding.
“Applicants can start applying to be part of the academy. And it will be on basic certification and we are hoping to advance to become a diploma certification academy – we are in partnership with the department of communications and languages arts, University of Ibadan, mass communications’ department of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, BBC and other relevant stakeholders,” Olawuwo added.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oyo State Council, Comrade Ademola Babalola commended the owner and proprietor of the Westmidlands Communications Limited, Chief Adebayo Akande, for giving Ibadan the unimaginable face in media industry and for lighting up the industry in the state.
He added that “this academy will further strengthen the media integrity of the state with journalists and broadcasters getting the proper and required training for professional delivery of services in the media space.
The Chairman of Freelance and Independent Broadcaster of Nigeria, FIBAN, in Oyo State, Comrade Seun Awodele, revealed that “the initiative and the height that Splash FM station is going are productive and appreciated in the media industry. The company and the academy will give better future for the broadcast journalism profession.”
The Chairman of the South West Group of Online Publishers, SWEGOP, Mr. Olayinka Agboola, lauded the initiative, adding that Westmidlands Communications Limited has been maintaining the leadership quality and roles needed in the broadcast media industry. He suggested that the numerous on-air stars paraded by both Splash 105.5 and Lagelu 96.7fm radio stations can also be deployed to mentor students of the academy.
While thanking the journalists present at the unveiling ceremony of the media academy, the founder and proprietor of the Westmidland Communication Limited, Chief Adebayo Akande (MON), who was represented by his son, Adebayo Akande, who is also the special assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on e-Governance, revealed that the idea to start the media academy was suggested by a member of staff.
He added that the move to start the academy will help to discover so many talents “that we have in Nigeria and moreover, skills acquired can be applied beyond radio and taken to the social media space.”
The management of Westmidlands communication limited has announced that the official opening of the academy is slated to come up in June.
Packaged by Timilehin Olalere with additional reports from oyoinsight.com
