Out goes Betty Kyalo, in comes Ashley Mazuri and Jesse Rodgers. The two young journalists who rose to the challenge of fitting the high heels of the former KTN News’ prime anchor are quickly gaining traction among viewers.
But by replacing her with two anchors, KTN managers must have scrambled to fill the huge space left behind by Betty, who quit the Standard Group-owned station to join rival K24.
It is, however, not clear whether the move was aimed at giving Friday Briefing, the news programme that Betty used to anchor, a new identify and pump in some freshness or whether her shoes were to big for one presenter.
With her studio command and near-fanatical following, Betty was in a position to present the programme, which also features a guest anchor, without breaking a sweat.
Ashley, a former Miss St Paul’s University, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, joined the Standard in 2015 as a business reporter. However, she has seamlessly fitted into prime time anchoring. And it is not by accident.
Growing up, she used to listen to and watch Sheila Mwanyigha, who like her hails from the Coast, and always wanted a career in the media.
“Ever since then it became a passion for me and I would challenge myself in different ways to achieve my dreams and I am confident I will get there one day” she said in a past interview with spu.ac.ke.
What a Friday!! ? ? News anchors Jesse Rodgers and @Ashleymazuri join @WillyPaulMusic to a graceful dance during prime time news bulletin- Friday Briefing… Rate Jesse/Ashley on their Jigijigi dance moves? {Scale: 1-10} ? #GetTheWholeStory pic.twitter.com/E8P0KI3wtM
— ktn (@KTNKenya) August 17, 2018
On the other hand, Rodgers is a former senior anchor at KUTV, a station owned by Kenyatta University, where he studied for a degree in Film Production and Media Studies.
He was among the first journalists to join the station in 2015 when it was launched. He joined KTN last month alongside Brenda Czeda Radido, Maalika Kazia and Frida Mwaka as the station moved to fill vacancies left by the departing Betty, Mashirima Kapombe and Yvonne Okwara. The latter two joined Citizen TV.
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“I knew I had a passion for journalism from way back. I was the type of kid that would see the likes of Catherine Kasavuli on TV and tell my parents I would one day be like them. When I interacted with my friends they’d tell me how good I am at articulating my words and in spoken English. That’s how the interest and passion developed,” Rodgers said in a previous interview.
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