Ghanaian broadcaster, Bridget Otoo has disclosed the circumstances that led Media General, TV3 to take her off air in 2016.
She revealed that her outspoken views and criticisms, particularly regarding the IEA debate, were the main reasons for her removal.
“Unfortunately, while I was working, even at TV3, for instance, I thought my opinion on the IEA debate, and I said it was not useful, I didn’t think that it made any impact on our elections.
“I remember then, there was a person who was not a professor, it was a doctor then. The current Jean Mensa who was with IEA, you know, her people wrote this stinker to the board of TV3 at the time that I seemed to have a certain influence over the presenters that I work with. You know, I said no.”
Bridget Otoo
She added that the backlash from her IEA debate comments prompted the then CEO of TV3 to intervene and ask her to be “nice to these NPP people”.
“The CEO at the time called me and said, ‘Look, be nice to these NPP people.’ I got the impression that they were all pro-NPP, and it’s fine; we all have our biases. But I said, ‘Look, I’m going to say what I feel I want to say. Nobody pays me’.
“If I’m presented with someone and they cannot hold their argument or hold them to account, it’s not because I am putting a gun to anybody’s head. If you think my arguments are so solid that they convince you, then I am just doing a good job at articulating why I think it is not prudent.”
Bridget Otoo
She stated that the conversation with her boss didn’t go well and that was when “they took me off air”.
Reflecting on the experience, Bridget Otoo noted a recurring pattern at the station.
“I think they’ve tried that now even with Johnny Hughes and a few others. When they think you are going a certain way and they don’t like it, they take you off air. They literally halt your career.”
Bridget Otoo
According to her, leaving TV3 made her appreciate social media more because it gave her control over her narrative.
She added that people follow her for her views and thoughts, not just because she was on television. That’s why, even today, she values her presence on social media more than being on TV.
“After we had launched our election campaign, they had done billboards and everything. TV3 went to the extent of removing my face from all the billboards just to prove a point that they didn’t align with my views.”
Bridget Otoo
Broadcaster Recounts Hard Times of Her Life
Bridget Otoo recounted the days she had to find shelter in an uncompleted building without access to water or electricity for eight months.
She explained that the building was located in a developing area, prompting her to seize the opportunity to start a cement-selling business.
“Before I went to Metro TV, I took a break. I left TV3 in 2017. During that time I didn’t know what to do. So I tried a few things, maybe getting some Uber but I realized drivers will give you a headache, I might have hypertension and die and leave the car for the driver.
“A very good friend of mine at GIJ was selling cement and I told I had moved to a developing area living in an uncompleted building with no water and no light. I said I think this area the cement will sell and she said yes.”
Bridget Otoo
Despite facing challenges and financial constraints, Bridget Otoo persisted in her new venture, even working as a salesperson herself due to limited resources.
“So she taught me how to do it, and so I was able to get some few bags of cement with the help of a man and his wife who brought the goods and I started selling. I couldn’t afford to pay 350 Ghana cedis for a sales girl at that time so I will sit in the shop and sell as a sales girl.”
Bridget Otoo
She recounted days spent persuading contractors and masons to patronize her business.
While some potential customers were initially skeptical or even hostile, the journalist, eventually earned their trust and saw success in her business.
The broadcaster revealed that when her efforts started paying off people thought she was using charm to sell her cements.
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