A veteran broadcaster, Mr. Ademola Oladosu has described radio as a potent instrument of enlightenment, social relevance, entertainment and effective communication that bridges the gap between the government and the populace. Oladosu gave these attributes in the commemoration of this year’s World Radio Day with the theme: ‘Radio and Peace’ while featuring on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State radio station live interactive programme, Boiling Point. He stressed that this year’s celebration should be used to reflect and look at issues affecting radio, saying as at today, radio is elitist to the rural people.
He said, “Content is one of the major challenges facing radio today. It is very important to check what goes to the public very well. Radio should be used to promote peace and national development and not to be used in a bad way by broadcasters, listeners and users”. The ace broadcaster said there was the need for effective quality control and standard gate keeping, adding that stakeholders in the broadcast industry must make sure that anyone coming into the profession should be certified. He, however, reiterated that radio stations have fundamental role to play in the coming general elections, saying the way they handle election matters would either make or mar the country, adding that broadcasters should engage in self-examination and use radio for peace and development of the nation. “We can’t do away with radio because of its relevance even in the era of social media. The radio has played a vital role in national relevance and in educating the public”, Oladosu said.