After publishing my reflections on “Who is a Journalist?”, a number of readers reached out with another interesting question: what about broadcasters and On-Air Personalities (OAPs)? Are they also journalists?
This question is not new. In fact, the debate came up most prominently when Rufai Oseni of Arise Television—one of Nigeria’s most visible OAPs—was criticized for not having a degree in journalism or mass communication. Some insisted that since he presents and interrogates issues on television, he must be a journalist. Others dismissed him as “just an OAP.” The debate neatly captures the confusion.
So, what is the difference between a journalist, a broadcaster, and an OAP?
When we speak of journalists, we are referring to people who engage in the hard and often unglamorous work of gathering, verifying, and reporting information in the public interest. Journalists may write for newspapers, produce reports for television, radio or publish online. What defines them is not the medium, but the process: research, accuracy, balance, accountability. Journalism is about truth-telling and watchdogging, not about star appeal.
Broadcasters, on the other hand, are professionals whose job is primarily to deliver or present content on radio, television, or digital platforms. A broadcaster may be a journalist if they participate directly in news gathering and reporting, but not all broadcasters are journalists. For example, a news anchor reading a bulletin written by reporters is practicing broadcasting, not journalism—unless they also did the reporting behind those stories.
Then we have On-Air Personalities (OAPs). These are media figures—radio hosts, talk show anchors, lifestyle presenters—whose role is to entertain, engage, and connect with audiences. They thrive on charisma, style, and interaction. Many OAPs, like Rufai Oseni, sometimes comment on news and even host political debates. But commentary is not the same as journalism. Unless they also do the legwork of reporting—digging for facts, conducting field interviews, verifying claims—they are not strictly journalists. They are broadcasters with strong personalities and platforms.
Part of the reason this debate keeps coming up in Nigeria lies in our media history. Before the 1990s, broadcasting in Nigeria was almost entirely in the hands of government-owned stations like the NTA, FRCN, and state television houses. In those days, broadcasters were more formal, news was tightly scripted, and clear lines existed between reporters (the journalists) and presenters (the broadcasters).
But the deregulation of broadcasting in 1992, which allowed private radio and television stations to emerge, changed everything. New private outfits like Raypower, AIT, Rhythm FM, and later Cool FM and Wazobia FM, ushered in a new era of lively, personality-driven programming. Suddenly, OAPs—chatty, stylish, and often unscripted—became stars in their own right. They blurred the line between entertainment and information, and the public began to conflate their media presence with journalism.
The rise of social media in the 2000s only deepened this confusion. Many OAPs built large followings online and started commenting on social and political issues. To the average listener or viewer, they “sounded like journalists.” But in truth, they were broadcasters whose work was primarily to entertain and engage, not to gather and verify news.
Why does this distinction matter? Because blurring the lines leads to public confusion about who holds the ethical responsibility of journalism. A witty OAP with a massive following may influence opinion, but if they spread unchecked information, they are not practicing journalism—they are performing. Meanwhile, the less flashy reporter trudging through a rural community to document an underreported story may be the real journalist.
This is where Professor Farooq Kperogi’s defense of Rufai Oseni comes in handy. Kperogi argued that journalism is a craft defined not by certificates, but by practice and principles. He was right—but with an important nuance. Rufai Oseni is an OAP who, by virtue of his show and interviews, sometimes does journalistic work. But his primary identity is that of a broadcaster. What gives him credibility is not whether he is called a journalist or not, but whether he lives up to journalism’s standards of truth, fairness, and accountability whenever he crosses into that territory.
Globally, UNESCO reminds us that journalism is about the “activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information,” while the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) stresses core values like truth, independence, and accountability. By these definitions, being on radio or TV does not automatically make one a journalist. Broadcasting is the medium. OAP work is entertainment. Journalism is the discipline of verification in service of the public interest.
So, to return to the question: are broadcasters and OAPs journalists? The honest answer is: not necessarily. Some are, many are not. It depends on whether they engage in the full discipline of journalism, not just its performance.
In my own career, I straddled both worlds. I began at Katsina State Television as a Current Affairs Officer, where I presented current affairs programs, phone-in shows, and discussion programs. I also produced documentary programs. At that stage, I was primarily a broadcaster, connecting with audiences and facilitating conversations. But gradually, I grew into news gathering and reporting, editing, and later managing newsroom processes. That shift into reporting and verification made me fully embrace journalism as a craft, not just broadcasting as a medium. Later, at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), I moved into regulation—another layer of responsibility in the media ecosystem.
This journey taught me something invaluable: while broadcasting and journalism can overlap, they are not identical. One emphasizes presentation; the other emphasizes process. To be both is possible, but to confuse them is misleading.
To make this clearer, consider some of Nigeria’s most popular OAPs—figures like Toke Makinwa, Toolz Oniru-Demuren, or Do2dtun. They are skilled broadcasters and entertainers with huge influence. But they are not journalists, because their work does not revolve around gathering and verifying information in the public interest. On the other hand, a less glamorous field reporter covering conflicts in Zamfara or elections in rural Faskari may have little fame but is doing the painstaking work of journalism.
Each role has value. OAPs engage and entertain, broadcasters communicate, and journalists investigate and inform. But conflating them erases the unique responsibilities and ethics that make journalism so critical to democracy.
One more distinction must be made in today’s digital age. With the explosion of social media, many OAPs and influencers casually call themselves “citizen journalists.” The label sounds attractive—it suggests participation, immediacy, and relevance. But in practice, much of what is paraded online as citizen journalism is little more than raw opinion, sensational commentary, or the recycling of unverified information.
True citizen journalism, as scholars and practitioners define it, is when ordinary people step into the role of reporting events they witness, armed with smartphones and social platforms, especially in contexts where mainstream media cannot reach. It still requires the basics of journalism: accuracy, verification, responsibility. Merely going live on Instagram, Reel or TikTok to rant about politics does not qualify.
For young OAPs and social media influencers, this distinction is critical. When you claim to be a journalist, you take on the weight of journalism’s ethics and accountability. If you misreport, you risk misleading the public and undermining trust. If you entertain or comment, then be clear that you are doing commentary, not reporting. The credibility of journalism suffers when everyone with a microphone or smartphone assumes the title without the discipline.
Finally, Broadcasting, OAP work, and journalism are overlapping but distinct professions. Each contributes to society in its own way, but only journalism bears the special responsibility of truth-telling in the public interest. OAPs and influencers who blur the line without respecting its ethical weight risk eroding trust in the very media they thrive in.
For aspiring media professionals, the choice is clear: know your lane, master your craft, and respect the boundaries. Whether you are a journalist, broadcaster, or OAP, clarity about your role is the first step to credibility.
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