Professor of broadcast journalism, Sunday Alawode, has urged graduands of the TNM Media Academy, Ibadan, to explore the opportunities, markets, and skills the media and communication sector offers to upskill and develop for their personal and economic sustainability.
Professor Alawode, who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Lagos State University, said this in Ibadan on Saturday while delivering the fourth convocation lecture of the TNM Media Academy titled: ‘Media entrepreneurship: The path to talent utilisation and personal economic sustainability’.
In the course of the lecture, the don spoke extensively on the importance of entrepreneurship; the various forms, traits, and characteristics of entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial behaviours and factors that predict entrepreneurial success; and entrepreneurial sustainability.
Speaking on media entrepreneurship (mediapreneurship) he stated that this applies to the usage of various technology and multimedia applications to create one’s own business that is appealing, maintainable, and practicable to versatile audiences.
The don told the graduands that what “many radio and television producers and presenters are doing today is just the tip of the iceberg. The talent industry is an ocean of opportunities for all who will tap into it and go beyond ideation.”
He listed podcasts, blogs, vlogs, online platforms, internet radio and television, multimedia designs, graphics, editing for audio and video, video skits, reels, among others as some of the opportunities media graduates can explore to make money.
“The world of today belongs to mediapreneurs as innovators and risk takers with business ideals; to young talented or young talent utilisers that are daily improving on their offerings to the society and making an impact,” he said.
The provost of the academy, Abdulrasaq Abdulganeey, in his speech, stated that 204 students graduated from the academy having completed their studies in basic and advanced professional certificate programmes in broadcast presentation and production.
He revealed that the academy is approved by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and the National Board for Technical Education, adding that the academy is currently enlisted with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as a tertiary institution in Nigeria.
“TNM Media Academy has a pedigree for churning out quality products for the broadcast industry. That is why we have become a recruiting hub for many radio stations,” he said.
The provost seized the opportunity to seek the collaboration of stakeholders to better the future of the broadcast industry and to eradicate quackery in the industry.
The deputy provost of the academy, Dr Kamoru Salaudeen, before presenting the graduands and handing them their certificates, stated that the academy has received approval from the Federal Government to offer the National Diploma in broadcast journalism.
In the course of the convocation, the best-graduating students for the seventh, eighth, and ninth sessions respectively went to Oladunni Kehinde Ifelayo, Salam Olanrewaju Aliu, and Maria Yetunde Olufemi.
The IMV Award for best student of Ibadan extraction went to Sanusi Olanike Mutiyat, the Senator Yunus’s Award for outstanding student in academics went to Sajo Rita Adeola, the Agidigbo Award for best student in indigenous programme concept went to Ridwan Opeyemi Babalola.
The Dr Habeeb Olamitoye’s Award for creative and self-motivated graduand went to Aderemi Opeyemi Alabere, the Provost Award for best student in jingle production went to Olusanya Funmilayo Junice, and the Deputy Provost Award for best student in dynamism and creativity went to Oladele Omolara Christianah
Ambassador Romoke Ayinde, Mrs E. C. Esan Williams, Mr Yemi Sonde, Dr Oriyomi Hamzat, Aare Kola Olomide, Mrs Bolatito Joseph, Onaolapo Gbolagun, Ambassador Afeez Jagunmade, Qosim Olaniyan, Dr Abib Olamitoye, Alhaji Omilabu Ghandi, among others, delivered goodwill messages.
In their messages, they commended the academy for the impact it is making in the media sector and urged the graduands to utilise the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the course of their studies to develop themselves, the broadcast industry, and society.