An Interview with the Fabulous Ucita Pohan

I have always been a huge fan of radio announcers. As an announcer myself, I know what it’s like to be in such a packed industry with only very few spots to fill. In every broadcasting class that I teach, I would always wish everybody the best of luck. Their dream job in the broadcasting industry wouldn’t be reached by passion alone.

I can’t clearly explain how inspired I was when I get the chance to sit and talk to the one and only Ucita Pohan. As someone who works in the same industry as I am, she seemed to have done it with such tenacity and class. While most radio announcers sees their work as talking in front of the mic, Ucita Pohan brought her work into her daily life, blending the images of a radio announcer and a sophisticated cultured lady. This representation of herself is what brought her to who she is today.

Uchiet: Ucita Pohan is a character filled with my dreams and goals. She’s all about enjoying life, trying out new things, exploring possibilities, living life to the fullest, seeing everything from a no-drama perspective because this world is already full of drama.

TPOB20: So what do you do now?

Uchiet: I host a radio program called Fun Fearless Female on 90.4 Cosmpolitan FM every Monday, Thursday and Friday. I also do some MC gigs in between. And, for the past two years, I’ve also been trusted to host events for some brands.

TPOB20: How did you start your career in the broadcasting industry?

Uchiet: It all started out back when I was still a little girl. As a kid, I used to play in my parents room, at that moment my Mom often listened to Prambors radio. I ended up listening to the airing program, which was hosted by these two announcers, Irvan and Angga. I forgot how, but one day  I decided to record their program with a cassette, and then I kind of memorized every single thing they said. And then I recorded my own voice, mixed it with their voices so it was like I was there with broadcasting live with them. Heck, I didn’t even know how I did that!

Then, as I grew up I started to forget about my interest in radio and dreamed to have my own magazine. But when I entered senior high I joined the school’s radio club, became an announcer and my buried passion in broadcasting resurfaced. The dream grew only stronger over time. I joined the radio club in my campus and knew ever since that I wanted to be an announcer. And so in 2006, when I finally graduated college I focused on becoming an announcer.

TPOB20: What are the values that you hold firmly in life? That has brought you up to this stage in your career.

Uchiet: Fake it ’til you make it. It’s actually my way of saying to never stop learning and preparing so when the opportunity comes knocking you are always ready. That’s what I’ve been doing since I was a little girl. I played make believe, pretending like I was already a professional and experienced broadcaster. Even during those days when I hosted the show for my campus’s radio. No one listened to my show I guess, but I just pretended like it was a real show with real audience. All of those has prepared me to embrace the opportunity that came before me.

TPOB20: What is the one thing that would easily make you angry?

Uchiet: Dishonesty. Period. I can not tolerate people who tell lies. I’m fine with moody people, with ambitious people but there’s no room for a liar in my life.

TPOB20: What makes you feel bored and how do you overcome boredom?

Uchiet: I got bored easily when I’m stuck doing the same thing over and over again. Luckily, my profession comes with time flexibility, which allows me to do plenty of other things that I like. So to overcome boredom I’d do several things from being a magazine editor, working on some fashion stuff, to making a creative event.

TPOB20: What was the biggest struggle in your twenties? And how did you overcome it?

Uchiet: The biggest struggle for me was when I decided to no longer depend on my parents financially. It’s not a myth if you hear people say that being an announcer doesn’t really pay much. It is not much if you compare it to the kind of lifestyle we have to cope with since I work in a lifestyle radio. I have to be wise in my budgeting and try to find ways to keep up with the kind of lifestyle that I need to portray. That was why I pushed myself real hard. I take jobs as freelance writers and MCs. Luckily, my parents were very supportive.

At the same time, my friends are divided into two. Some have already settled down while the others are still enjoying the disco life. That’s what happened when I reached 26 years old.