Veteran Ghanaian comedian and filmmaker Kwaku Sintim-Misa, popularly known as KSM, has revealed how he landed his first job in radio by fibbing about prior experience.
Speaking on The Career Trail programme on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, KSM admitted that after returning to Ghana from the United States, he struggled to break into the film industry and turned his attention to radio instead.
“When I came to Ghana and wasn’t getting lucky with the film thing, radio had just started. Joy FM was then the only private radio station operating in Ghana. I decided to go into radio,” KSM said.
He explained that his love for talk radio, developed during his time in the U.S., inspired him to pursue the opportunity.
“I like talk radio. It’s one of my favorite things. Whether it’s intelligent or funny talk, I love it. Back in the U.S., there was a particular talk station I always listened to; from my house to my car, I was always tuned in,” he recalled.
When KSM heard Vibe FM was looking for new programs, he approached the station and was asked if he had any radio experience. He lied, claiming he had hosted talk shows in New York, which impressed the manager.
“I wanted the job. I didn’t think if I told him I had no radio experience I would have gotten it. I wanted them to feel that if they let me go, they had lost something,” he explained.
Despite the lie, KSM was confident he could deliver on the job once given the chance.
“I knew I could do it, so I wasn’t scared to take that risk,” he noted.
However, KSM cautioned young people against lying to get jobs today, emphasizing that verification is now easier.
“To the youth, it’s not a risk I would encourage you to take, unless you know you can deliver. These days, if you say you’re a radio host, they’ll ask which station, and it’s easy to verify. But back in those days, it wasn’t like that,” he advised.
That bold move marked a turning point in his career. His debut show, The Talk Shop, was a big hit and launched his successful radio broadcasting journey.
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