Between Salaried Job And Self Reliance In Media/Communication Practice
By Enideneze Etete
There’s something we seem not to be doing well in media practice, especially in Bayelsa, and perhaps some other states. Media/communication professional colleagues do not seem to be partnering or doing so enough, to pull their skills and other resources together in partnership business, as lawyers, accountants, engineers, surveyors and architects do. Lack of love and trust might be responsible for this.
So far some of us have tried newspapering business individually, but no partnership to pull resources together, with sound feasibility study/plan so as to get stronger and share risks plus gains.
There are other niche areas like PR, Advertising, multinational companies communication/liaison, CSR, community relations, issues/crisis communication, media relations/publicity, speech writing, spokesmanship/training, integrated marketing communication/promotions, political communication, government affairs/lobbying, multimedia productions etc in Yenagoa and perhaps other cities. Yet, we are all into newspaper business despite declining audience’s interest due to social media. We are all into government or private media salaried employment, and more are still looking for it. This is irrespective of the shortcomings of salaried jobs that might not make one rich or even fully utilize our potential, not to talk of sense of self fulfilment in practice.
Those of us in business or government work ordinarily do not need to look for salaried jobs again, except juicy ones that are even hard to get. An Igbo trader can’t easily leave his trade for salaried job. Ask him or her why?
Instead we ought to venture more into private efforts, even though business is not easy, neither is it easy to get rid of the feeling that salaried job is for security.
But we know that most media in Abuja and other cities pay poorly, even to their celebrity presenters/DJs, despite high cost of living in Abuja for instance. Except that the small or irregular pay could be augmented with freebies from unethical and degrading practices.
At a point, our ages are even above new employment. One colleague was to be connected for a better job recently, but he is slightly above the required age, and didn’t apply.
Joining politics even if supportive one is a big channel to survive better than employment. Private businesses could be easily combined with politicking. Colleagues could do so or use their skills to work in politics too. It might be against the norm, but remember you are a living being and citizen entitled to participate in politics other than your professional calling. Other professionals like lawyers and physicians do, and even take our communication appointments from parties, party chieftains, candidates and government, especially if they can just speak Americana. Then we do the work for them.
Doing an NGO is also good. Studying higher to go into lecturing is also a good option. There are many opportunities in our calling. Let’s be daring and act to see results, even though initial times might present difficulties.