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| Poaching of radio presenters in Kumasi |
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| Posted on: 2007-Sep-19 Weekly FYlla |
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The advent of private radio stations in the country has helped to discover talents that could have gone waste. Since its inception radio presentation has taken different dimension and unattractive posture.
The kind of job I do allows me to travel a lot all over the country and my interaction with some radio presenters has given me vivid accounts of a profession I once belongs to. Just a few weeks ago I was in Kumasi for business as usual and I chanced on some old colleagues who are still at post and doing wonderfully well in spite the influx of new stations.
My short stay gave me another opportunity to access and make inquires from some people regarding the aftermath of “Movement of Presenters” that hit the nation’s second city, Kumasi popularly called the Garden City, in the early part of the year. In fact I made several observations about radio stations in Kumasi but I am not here to talk about them now but like I said I want to dwell on the “Movement of Presenters” and its aftermath.
Almost all the stations are politically and sports inclined whiles the people attached serious emotion to it. I must say that the competition in Kumasi is immense and direct. The listeners and the general public, especially the political analysts, journalists and social commentators never missed any program involving politics and sports. Perhaps, that is how they see it but the social aspect that is confronting them is ignored. For instance the upsurge of armed robbery, street hawking, filths that are engulfing the city and the lack of basic necessities within the city and its environs are partially ignore
Radio presentation here seems to have lost its taste in terms of credibility and creativity as most of them are doing the same thing at the same time. This is not or cannot be attributed to Kumasi alone but almost all over the country. Gone were the days when you can tune to Radio-2 and listen to Barima Ohemeng Nkwatia, Chief of Akwatia, Joe Quaicoo, the late James Amartey, Tommy Annan Forson, Nii Annan Patapa and a host of others with quality presentation. When it is time to dish out music you listen and hear good music with smooth presentation but this days what do we hear?
Today, Kumasi boasts of about 22 radio stations: Garden City Radio, Capital Radio, Luv Fm, Fox Fm, New Mercury Fm, Invisible Fm, Otech Fm, Zuria, Ash Fm, Kesewaa Fm, Solid Fm, Spirit Fm, Angel Fm, Light Fm, Hello Fm, Kessben Fm, Nyhira Fm, Nkosuo Fm among others with few being out of business or sold out. But don’t let us concern ourselves much with when any radio station came in operation but the effect on the presenters and their new place of work.
I spoke to a few of them who told me they have not regretted their decision of moving but the respect and independence and the freedom they were enjoying before is no more there. “I have not regretted but I don’t have my freedom, today this, tomorrow that and you don’t have your freedom and peace. I am proud that I have been poached but I must be respected,” said one of such “poached” presenters who pleaded to remain anonymous.
But according to Kwame Adinkra formerly of Capital and Fox Fm and now with Angel Fm, He doesn’t face such threat or treatment. “Before I work with any company I have my own set of rules and regulations that I worked with and if you accept it fine but I wouldn’t allow anybody to lord it over me. You may say it but when I get to the studio I do my own thing and with my listeners in mind. “There is no problem between my former employers and I, the only thing is that as human beings we have to accept new challenges and move on. People think I moved because of money nah!, you see there are a whole lot of things going on but nobody seems to care but swift to act when you decided to react” Kwame told Weekly Fylla.
He continued that, “if you like go to my former place of work and do your independent investigation you would see whether those problems exist or not. Most of our colleagues may want to leave but the question is where are they going?” he asked. However, Andy Dosty who also moved to Angel Fm from Hello Fm has another opinion. “I went to Angel on my own accord even though I was given some enticing fee. I was not bought out of vacuum. My employers might have seen something good in me and I am ok here”.
So far the most controversial movement by presenters has been Andy Dosty, Kwame Adinkra and Sometimer Otuo Acheampong. “We received the news with shock of the movement of these presenters and it has affected their performance very much”, said one presenter who wants to remain anonymous. A few people this writer spoke to admitted that the popularity of people like Kwame Adinkra has gone down considerably. “You don’t hear from him like it used to be. His influence is no more there”, said one listener.
But one thing is clear; people like Apuzo and Frank Taylor continue to be at post for the past 8-years or so. If you come to think of the caliber of these people I wonder how they have not moved or poached. Is it because they are not attractive enough to attract the “scouts”? This is the question I posed to the two. According to them they have been approached several times but they are happy with their employers.
Apuzo said; “I have gone through the ranks to become Programs Director why should I leave here?” he asked and continued “I am ok here, I have had different offers from different stations but I have decided to stay and work with Multimedia” he stressed. For Frank Taylor he is satisfied with what he is doing at Fox Fm. “People are free to move but for me to move and I wouldn’t have my peace I will stay. Don’t forget that I am under contract and I must respect it,” he declared.
Listening to radio in the morning in the Garden City a few years back was very competitive with Kwame leading the pack. He knows how to keep his listeners in suspense and he has got that will power to entice you to get glued to his programs, but this time around I didn’t feel Kwame like before. Perhaps, I got the full meaning of why Kwame was venerated by the management of his former station-Fox Fm to keep him. His movement causes a lot of stir in Kumasi….
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