By Babs Daramola
A colleague recently argued that broadcasters (On-Air Personalities (OAPs) and presenters) are not journalists. I understand where that notion comes from, but it overlooks important facts and risks perpetuating a misconception that diminishes an entire arm of the profession.
First, there is a recognized field called Broadcast Journalism, taught in universities and practiced worldwide. It encompasses news gathering, interviewing, analysis, and live interrogation of issues on radio and television. These are not “mere presentation skills”; they are core journalistic functions.
Second, journalism is not defined by the four walls of a newsroom. It is defined by its mission: to gather, process, and disseminate information in the public interest. A broadcaster who consistently interrogates issues, engages public officials, and sets the agenda for civic discourse is performing journalism every bit as much as a print reporter filing from a newsroom.
I myself have, at certain times, argued that only those involved in the business of news gathering and dissemination should rightly be called journalists. What I meant was simple: the fact that you merely talk on radio or television does not automatically make you a journalist. A radio DJ spinning records, an OAP who only banters about fashion, lifestyle, or relationships, or a presenter whose job is limited to introducing entertainment content…these are not journalists. But once you step into the realm of news, current affairs, and issue-driven content, you are squarely within journalism, whether or not you “grew up” in the newsroom.
Consider some of the finest names in broadcasting who never came through the traditional newsroom pipeline, yet left indelible marks on journalism. In America, Larry King built a global reputation for his probing interviews without ever being a newsroom reporter. Oprah Winfrey transformed daytime television into a platform for national reflection, shaping conversations on race, gender, and politics. In Nigeria, Funmi Iyanda and Mo Abudu, though not newsroom-trained, hosted some of the most influential talk shows of our era, interrogating leaders and social issues with rare courage. And then there is Bisi Olatilo, who began as a multilingual presenter and went on to create the iconic Bisi Olatilo Show, a programme that chronicled Nigeria’s political, social, and cultural life for decades. None of them passed through the “newsroom route,” yet their contributions stand as some of the most enduring examples of journalism in action.
With nearly 37 years of practice in broadcast journalism, I can say confidently that the microphone does not make you less of a journalist than the pen. To suggest otherwise is to deny history, practice, and reality. Journalism has always been broader than the newsroom, and to deny broadcasters their rightful place within it is to diminish the very diversity that makes the profession thrive.
JOURNALISM IS BIGGER THAN NEWSROOM
