Radio around the world
Etse Sikanku (Ph.D. student, Iowa City, Iowa) facetiously said he wanted to join radio because he "wasn’t handsome enough for television."
That’s one of the reasons he pursued his first mass media opportunity in radio at The University of Ghana. According to Sikanku, the institution is known as the training ground for future journalists in the western African nation. While completing his bachelor’s degree in political science, he interned as a street reporter for the campus radio station, Radio Universe.
Handsome enough for radio. Etse Sikanku gained industry experiences while pursuing his doctoral degree. Photo by Mahmoud Lutfi
Afterward, Sikanku secured a job as a general assignment reporter and ascended to political and parliamentary correspondent. Though he honed his skills as a field reporter, Sikanku said that he never received the behind-the-scenes experience" of radio production.
When an internship position became available at Iowa Public Radio, Adjunct Instructor and Senior Producer of Radio Broadcasting Ben Kieffer offered Sikanku the position. Sikanku landed the radio internship after being a teaching assistant for Kieffer during the spring of 2009. He really appreciated working for Kieffer on the radio program "The Exchange" and "Talk @ 12". Sikanku decided to make the most of his opportunity by learning from his mentor. He gives much of the credit to Kieffer for his help and patience.
"The reason why this internship is good is because over here [at The University of Iowa] the internship I had was to become a production assistant," Sikanku said. "I truly appreciate the opportunity that was granted to me by Professor Kieffer."
Sikanku received his master’s degree in journalism and communication studies at Iowa State University. Subsequently, he decided to join the UI School of Journalism and Mass Communication, since his former university didn’t offer a Ph.D. program in that field. As a Ph.D. candidate at the UI, Sikanku learned about audio production while interning with Kieffer at IPR. He utilized the Adobe Audition program and also learned how to podcast, screen phone calls and prepare for a show by confirming guests.
"Ever since I came from Ghana, it was my first major radio job that I had," Sikanku said.
As a young child in Ghana, Sikanku’s role model was BBC Correspondent and radio talk show host, Kwaku Sayki Addo. Sikanku idolized Addo because of his bravery and style of reporting.
"He did a lot in bringing worldwide attention on issues that were going on in Ghana, while at the same time keeping the government on its toes by reporting very candidly," Sikanku said. "He addressed issues like government corruption, freedom of the press and ethnic relations in politics."
After completing his Ph.D., Sikanku would like to stay in Iowa and become a teacher. He also wants to travel back to his home country and work in radio as did his role model Addo. He hopes to apply the knowledge and skills he acquired at the UI in the U.S. or Ghana.
"Although I would be teaching, I’m consciously going to make time to be a radio journalist or a radio reporter," Sikanku said, "I want to stick with radio as much as possible for the rest of my life."