Vanessa Ukamaka Richard Bassey.

Vanessa Ukamaka Richard Bassey.

Host, Faithflows Impact Africa Podcast. Radio Journalist, Sparkling92.3FM. Solutions/Health Journalist. Corporate Emcee. Media-EIS fellow. I talk about #health #SDG3 #Gendermainstreaming #Politics #Communitybuilding

Cross River State, Nigeria
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Sparkling 92.3 FM
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state.

About

I am a radio journalist with over 6 years experience and a strong interest in “Solutions Journalism” and health communication. I began my journalism career in 2014 while an undergraduate, as a volunteer reporter in a community radio station, UNIZIK 94.1FM , where I later served as News Anchor and Editor.

In 2016, I headed a 15-person team of volunteers at the radio station, reporting, composing and compiling news reports, commentaries and documentaries for radio broadcast.

In addition to broadcasting, I have also explored the field of print Journalism, as a campus Reporter for Premium Times Newspaper, and as an Intern Reporter at Daily Trust Newspaper Lagos. There, I reported and wrote several news reports across many beats for both print and online publication.

In 2019, during my National Youth Service Corps programme, I organized a radio talk show where I shared stories of girls using rags and plantain leaves to manage their period and got a lot of attention from concerned indigenes of Cross River State who assisted some of the girls with sanitary towels. I also created a series on radio to educate girls on the need to use sanitary pads and how to practice a healthy and clean menstrual time.

I presently work in Sparkling 92.3FM in Calabar, Cross River State, as News Anchor and talk show host, conducting in-depth reporting and presenting issues on politics and good governance at local government, state and national levels.

To promote Fact Checking, I co-created a 15 minutes segment on my daily show to fact check the veracity of claims reported on our platforms. This is in collaboration with Africa Check. Besides, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, I created a health program connecting medical experts with the public, especially people at the grassroots level in dire need of information to make the right health decisions. I continue to research, report and produce the program.

I was recently certified a solutions journalist by the Solutions Journalism Network after investigating and broadcasting solutions stories on lack of good sanitary conditions in some communities in Cross River State.

Interestingly, Vanessa is also the Host of Impact Africa Podcast & Impact Africa webinar series by Faithflows, dedicated to educate, empower and equip young people with requisite skills and information by providing a platform for interaction with industry leaders and experts.

I desire to make tremendous change in my space, while being open to greater opportunities.

Contributions

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Activity

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Experience

  • News Anchor, Show Host.

    Sparkling 92.3 FM

    - Present 4 years 9 months

    Cross River, Nigeria

    - Host of the station’s morning show, which runs from 5am-10am every Monday to Friday.
    - Lead Anchor of the flagship program on the station “LET’S TALK NIGERIA’’ a daily 60 minutes audience participatory program dedicated to engaging with policy makers and analyzing topical issues affecting the Nigerian state at various levels with an aim to effect change.
    - Broadcast the world news @7am on weekdays & Sundays @7am & @12noon.
    - Reports and edits news items for broadcast on air.
    -…

    - Host of the station’s morning show, which runs from 5am-10am every Monday to Friday.
    - Lead Anchor of the flagship program on the station “LET’S TALK NIGERIA’’ a daily 60 minutes audience participatory program dedicated to engaging with policy makers and analyzing topical issues affecting the Nigerian state at various levels with an aim to effect change.
    - Broadcast the world news @7am on weekdays & Sundays @7am & @12noon.
    - Reports and edits news items for broadcast on air.
    - In-charge of the factcheck desk of the organization.
    - Anchor of the station's rural based health programme which airs every Saturdays by 10am.
    - Host of the station’s Faith Based show on Sundays(Church On Radio).
    - Conduct interviews, run voiceovers, special reports and documentaries.

  • Instructional Facilitator

    #ProjectMET

    - Present 5 years 6 months

    Calabar municipality

    #ProjectMET #FightDepressionInTeens.

    Education is important, but mental health education is very paramount in a teen's life.

    #ProjectMET(Mentally Engaging Teens) in collaboration with 'Nwuliareads' visits schools with the sole aim of engaging and educating Teens on proper and healthier approaches to handling depression.

    Been largely aware of the harm depression is causing our young people in no small measure, we are committed in our own little way to providing these Teens…

    #ProjectMET #FightDepressionInTeens.

    Education is important, but mental health education is very paramount in a teen's life.

    #ProjectMET(Mentally Engaging Teens) in collaboration with 'Nwuliareads' visits schools with the sole aim of engaging and educating Teens on proper and healthier approaches to handling depression.

    Been largely aware of the harm depression is causing our young people in no small measure, we are committed in our own little way to providing these Teens with necessary knowledge on how best to deal with depression, including other mental health challenges.

    So far, the outreach has sensitised over 200 school children and students in Calabar, and we are amazed at the wonderful feedbacks been harvested and the impact made. Everytime, we visit these schools we leave feeling overwhelmed on how much these Teens have locked up and their willingness to share and learn.

  • Impact Space Inc. Graphic

    Podcast Host

    Impact Space Inc.

    - 2 years 4 months

    Lewes, Delaware, United States

  • Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria Graphic

    News Anchor

    Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria

    - 1 year 5 months

    Calabar, Cross River

    * News Anchor for the station's major Bulletins @2&6
    *Anchor for the Afternoon shows.
    * Voice jingles, promos and station hypes.
    *Co-produced and anchored the station's NYSC programme.

  • Reporting Intern

    PTCIJ /Daily trust newspaper

    - 3 months

    Lagos state

    *Reported and wrote several news reports across many beats for both print and online publication.
    *Conducted interviews and vox pops for print publication.
    *Voiced contents for the Newspaper's online television.

  • News Anchor/ Editor

    UNIZIK 94.1 FM, Awka.

    - 3 years 1 month

    Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

    *Worked as Volunteer reporter for the education and health beats.
    *Scripted and edited news stories for radio broadcast.
    *Organised and conducted interviews with Academia, heads of ministries on pertinent societal issues.
    * Sourced, complied and voiced commentaries and documentaries on FGM, Child Hawking menace in Anambra state for radio broadcast.
    * News Anchor for the station's major Bulletins.
    * Lead a 15 Man team of volunteers who were responsible for reporting, compiling and…

    *Worked as Volunteer reporter for the education and health beats.
    *Scripted and edited news stories for radio broadcast.
    *Organised and conducted interviews with Academia, heads of ministries on pertinent societal issues.
    * Sourced, complied and voiced commentaries and documentaries on FGM, Child Hawking menace in Anambra state for radio broadcast.
    * News Anchor for the station's major Bulletins.
    * Lead a 15 Man team of volunteers who were responsible for reporting, compiling and editing news stories, commentaries and documentaries for radio broadcast.

Education

  • Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state.

    B.sc Mass Communication/Media Studies

    -

    Coursework
    *Writing for the Mass Media
    *Radio and television production
    *Feature Writing
    *Principles of Advertising
    *Principles of PR
    *Communication Research
    *Newspaper and Magazine Production

  • St Joseph's College, Aba.

    O'Levels

    -

Licenses & Certifications

Volunteer Experience

  • Instructor

    Foundational Network Africa

    - Present 5 years 1 month

    Education

    Foundational Network is a network of young innovative impact leaders, Making a difference, Building young people, supporting a positive course and Heralding Sustainable Development.

    Our programs and events are created to help build a network of young people who are change makers and who want to make a difference. We focus on young school children in rural community schools, FNA is a platform that bridges the gap between the most marginalised by exposing them to updated learning's that…

    Foundational Network is a network of young innovative impact leaders, Making a difference, Building young people, supporting a positive course and Heralding Sustainable Development.

    Our programs and events are created to help build a network of young people who are change makers and who want to make a difference. We focus on young school children in rural community schools, FNA is a platform that bridges the gap between the most marginalised by exposing them to updated learning's that would make them stand out in school and also prepare them for the future of work.

    * I serve in different capacities depending on the task assigned.
    * Collaborate with other young social impact leaders to brainstorm on ideas for the promotion of the course of creating access to quality education and raising other self confident young person who are well equipped for the future of work.
    * Delivered a speech on building self-esteem to young female students at a select remote secondary school( Government secondary school Akansoko, Akpabuyo Cross River State.)in celebration of the 2019 IDGC.

  • National Youth Service Corps Graphic

    Head of Radio Unit 2018/2019 Batch B stream 11

    National Youth Service Corps

    - 6 months

    Civil Rights and Social Action

    * Served as a head, radio unit of the Editorial and Publicity CDS Cross River State.
    * Led over 15 Man team of Corps members who volunteered their time by using their voices on radio in speaking and advocating against various societal vices and mishaps.
    * Co-produced the NYSC programme during my tenure through collaboration with other CDS groups in the state.

  • THE BRIDGE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION Graphic

    Reporter

    THE BRIDGE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION

    - Present 4 years 10 months

    Education

    *Served on the press team during the 2019 TBLF Awards in Calabar.
    *Was responsible for writing reports, short captions from the event to be uploaded on the various social media platforms.

Courses

  • Community Organising For Action.

    -

  • Effective Communications

    -

  • Principles of Grant writing

    -

Languages

  • English

    Full professional proficiency

  • Igbo

    Native or bilingual proficiency

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