Songo’s RTP award: Blessing or curse?

The recently held Radio and TV Personality Award crowned Patrick Osei – Agyemang aka Countryman Songo of Asempa FM and Adom TV as the overall Radio and TV Personality of the year and already this has started raising hackles.

Songo is a very talented presenter who has won laurels especially during his moments in the Ashanti Region and when he took over as the host of the morning show at Asempa FM which for me were his best moments and I will always salute him.

This man was a gem during his Kumasi days where he was an amazing English commentator. If you are surprised, I am not amazed at all but the truth is that Songo did very well in his professional days when he was noted as the best English sports commentator and as a matter of fact, you will love him.

Songo’s time in the Kumasi should give you a clue on his level of professionalism and for me he should have been made the yardstick and not now. Some people have attributed his overall Radio and Television Personality award to the fact that the power of choosing a winner in the scheme is basically reposed in the general public who really do not have an idea of what the ethics of the profession is.

But the truth is that before you will be selected as a nominee, there is a board (at least that is what the organisers say) that scrutinizes a nominees before allowed to go for the general public to make their choice from there – and they look out for professionalism on the part of the presenter.

So the public-voting argument in this man’s case does not wash especially in a year he attacked one of the biggest and the sensitive body in Ghana thus the chair Electoral Commission and as a result was suspended.

Watching Songo on Adom TV on Fire 4 Fire always sends shivers down my spine and it is not for the fact findings he does but the gross disrespect to the ethics of the profession he practices. Yes, I know no one will say this publicly but the Dog and I will not disappoint as usual because it will end up helping the Radio and TV terrain in Ghana.

For fact finding shows, I know he does some digging but the manner he treats it makes it difficult for him to be given attention. The insults and the use of vulgar words on his show with impunity both from the presenter and callers will always be enough to aide puke.

It could be that the structure of the show is making him do that but his fellow presenter on the same channel does a political version of his sports show and it is done decency that everyone will watch without cringing in his or her seat.