NTV taps former BBC Africa head

NTV has appointed Joseph Warungu as consulting editor to the TV station owned by the Nation Media Group.

Warungu is a former head of African News and Current Affairs at British broadcaster BBC and describes himself as a TV host and moderator as well as a media trainer and media consultant.

“This is an exciting challenge to pick on and there is an exciting opportunity for NTV to do well,” Warungu was quoted by the Daily Nation.

The media house believes that tapping the seasoned broadcaster will allow the station to harness the skills of its journalists and “unleash the best TV journalism in the market.”

NMG Group Editorial Director Mutuma Mathiu was also quoted as saying, “I am very excited at this development and I believe it is a turning point for the station.”

Warungu has over 20 years experience as a broadcaster, and has been tapped by NTV due to his experience at both loval and international level.

He has also been a Knight International Journalism Fellow, where he led the launch of a Africa-wide storytelling contest to encourage better coverage of Africa’s growth, development, health and quality of life.

Beyond being the head of the BBC’s African News and Current Affairs department, Warungu had also been editor-in-chief of the quarterly BBC Focus on Africa magazine.

He also covered the 1993 Burundi conflict for UK based Channel 4 news.

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His journalism journey began in 1985 when he joined Voice of Kenya (now KBC) as a volunteer in 1985. At the time, Warungu was training to be an English and Kiswahili teacher.

In his early years, he had to balance between teaching at a school in Nyeri during the week and reading the news for VOK on the weekends.

Five years later, the Ndumberi (Kiambu County) born broadcaster  joined KTN.

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