In the last two pieces of this series, I stressed the need to distinguish between journalists and broadcasters, and I used examples such as Rufai Oseni, Dan Bello, Audu Bulama Bukarti and Ahmad Isah, alias Ordinary President of Brekete Family, to make the point clearer. But there is another category that often causes confusion in our media landscape — the On-Air Personality (OAP).
The question has been asked: does OAP refer only to radio personalities? The answer is no. While the term OAP originally grew out of radio — referring to those lively voices that kept audiences entertained, informed, and engaged — it has since expanded. Today, an OAP could be on radio, television, or even digital platforms. They are the personalities who present shows, host discussions, play music, moderate phone-ins, or generally serve as the “face” or “voice” of a programme.
Now, here’s where the distinction matters. Broadcasters is a broader term. It covers every professional involved in the act of broadcasting, from the news anchor to the sports commentator, from the programme producer to the continuity announcer. A broadcaster may or may not be a journalist. For instance, a news reporter at NTA or KTTV who gathers, verifies, and reports news is both a journalist and a broadcaster. A continuity announcer, on the other hand, is a broadcaster but not a journalist.
OAPs, however, are a narrower category within broadcasting. They are personalities, often show hosts, whose strength lies in their charisma, ability to engage audiences, and personal brand. They are not required to gather or verify news. Many OAPs thrive in entertainment, lifestyle, music, or talk shows. They can be witty, engaging, and influential — but that alone does not make them journalists.
Take Rufai Oseni of Arise TV as an example. He is an OAP because he anchors and moderates discussions on television. But he also crosses into journalism because he does engage in news commentary, interviews, and analysis. Still, the fact remains: being an OAP is not the same as being a journalist, though some individuals may wear both hats.
So here is the summary:
Journalists: defined by the process of news gathering, verification, and dissemination in the public interest.
Broadcasters: a wide category including all who work in radio/TV transmission, production, and presentation — some are journalists, many are not.
OAPs: a subset of broadcasters, primarily radio/TV/digital show hosts, valued more for personality and engagement than for journalistic work.
This distinction is not about reducing the importance of OAPs or broadcasters. They play vital roles in informing, entertaining, and connecting audiences. But they should not be confused with journalists whose professional duty is to uphold the ethics of truth-telling, verification, and accountability.
In fact, when we talk about union membership, this is why the NUJ (Nigeria Union of Journalists) must remain the home of journalists, while RATTAWU (Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union) serves as the umbrella for broadcasters, presenters, and OAPs. Each group is valuable — but each must remain true to its identity.
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