The role of journalism entails a significant obligation and
responsibility, the discharge of which requires journalist to have
high ethical standards and to practice sound professional journalism
with intelligence, accuracy, objectivity and fairness all aimed at
developing people and subsequently nations.
Nana Kwame Owusu Nkwantabisa (a.k.a Nana Kay) the host J.life fm’s
morning show gave an exclusive interview to the News Hunter Magazine.
The interview was conducted by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku.
Complete interview excerpts below:
WHO IS NANA KAY?
Nana Kay is a very young man who started from no where and then by the
grace of God now having first degree in business administration with
option in accounting. I am in the family of 6, including parents then
we will be 8. I am 25years of age.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE RADIO INDUSTRY?
I started way back at a tender age, We started to build our own radio
in the house and I remember we use to have a radio in my basic school
so I started from there and later we did a children’s program on
Kumasi based Otec fm. I worked as a panel member and also a producer
at Spirit fm. But if you ask about the real timing on radio then I
will say it’s about two years.
WHAT ARE SOME THE CHALLENGES YOU’VE BEEN FACING IN THE INDUSTRY?
When we came in, We came in at a very young age and it has become a
perception that in radio there certain programs which are for a
certain age group, certain levels, so when we came in people were
looking down upon us because naturally they thought we were young and
then there are certain programs like the morning show which should be
hosted by adults, so when young you should be a Dj and all those
stuff. I started as a producer for the mid-morning show and also the
morning show on J.life fm and God being so good they gave me the
opportunity to host the mid-morning show and now the morning show.
Thank God with time, they are learning to understand that age doesn’t
matter but your qualification and ability to deliver.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL OR MENTOR?
Basically I don’t have role models but I look up to Kwame Sefa Kayi
and Captain Smart. I also admire Komla Dumor and some old folks in
Sunyani who are doing were in the radio biz.
ANY ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR ON RADIO?
Oh yeah I make sure that my panel members are discipline, I do not
allow insults on my show, I want a serene atmosphere for the show and
also free from insults as compare to some presenters who want people
to come on their show to reign insult on others just to make name for
themselves. I try to stand-out and be unique.
BAD DAY ON RADIO
Most of the times when you want to call a resource person and it’s not
going through, when they gave excuses for not speaking on air, even
some will accept that they will talk to you but later they won’t pick
up their phone when the time is due, meanwhile you’ve already announce
to your listeners that you will be speaking with them. Infact, that
makes me sad.
GOOD DAY ON RADIO
Is whereby, I am able to serve my people because I see myself as a
servant and what I serve augur well for them.
ANY FAVOURATE RADIO STATION APART FROM J.LIFE FM?
I love J.life fm and it will be difficult to choose any, even there
are other radio stations I use to listen. I love J.live because it’s
program content, it’s religious background, even though they are
Christian radio station but they give others the opportunity to work
with us, express their mind and make business with us.
MOST PEOPLE SAY GHANAIAN JOURNALISTS ARE NOT CREATIVE, THEY ARE LAZY,
THEY DO COPY AND PASTE AND SO ON….WHAT WILL SAY YOU ABOUT THAT?
It’s unfortunate that such thing do happen in the system: the cheap
way out is to make cut and paste because most of the radio managers
and owners are not ready to take the risk of pumping money, you know
radio is business so they have to support their people to go for their
own news, make research here and there. So anytime that thing doesn’t
come in then we decide to take the short way, but there’s a saying in
akan that “kwan tia ye mmusuo” so if you try to go that trend at the
end of the day you will find yourself in a place you don’t want. If
you want to be unique, I think you have to make your own research and
findings. That will make you special; in the likes of Komla Dumor of
blessed memory, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Captain Smart, Kwame Sefa Kayi
and all those guys . You have to come out unique, don’t try to be
anyone, try to be you. Even though we take lessons from each other but
you have to come out unique.
HAVE YOU EVER DO COPY AND PASTE?
Basically my producers feed me what I should make, so me personally
doing copy and paste, I try to go up and make my own findings but at
the end of the day it depends on the producers to work things out.
ARE YOU MARRIED?
[Laughs] No, I’m not yet married but very soon I will get married.ARE YOU DATING?
Yes I am in a relationship, Yeah!!!
