CELEBRATING THE FEMALE RADIO WEEK BY MOUREEN CHEPKORIR AND MUKAMI MUNGAI The female radio ee!

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Caroli&e ;e"a&+ ha" $ee& i& %he media i&d'"%r( for %he la"% ei+h% (ear"0 "he %a!e" '" %hro'+h her 1o'r&e( i& media a&d %he e2/erie&#e" "he ha" e&#o'&%ered, Bor& a&d rai"ed i& Ka/%'mo< Na&di Co'&%(0 "he e&% %hro'+h :%, Mar(=" Ta#ha"i" i& )>>>0 a&d %he& la%er 1oi&ed Ke&(a I&"%i%'%e of Media Colle+e 8KIMC90 "he %oo! a #o'r"e i& Broad#a"% ;o'r&ali"m a&d +rad'a%ed i& 5??@, :he em/ha"iAe" %ha% $ei&+ a media /er"o&ali%( ha" al a(" $ee& her dream "i&#e "he a" (o'&+0 "he rarel( mi""ed %he )/,m &e " $e#a'"e "he admired %he male /re"e&%er" %he& i& KBC, Caroli&e ha" "ee& "o ma&( #ha&+e" i& %he media0 "%ar%i&+ i%h %he air%ime ome& are $ee& +i.e&0 ro'+hl( %e& (ear" a+o media a" a male domi&a%ed i&d'"%r( $'% i% #ame %o e.ol.e a&d i" &o a& e7'al o//or%'&i%( for $o%h +e&der", Before0 ome& ere #o'&%a$le $e#a'"e i% a" a /rofe""io&al here a fe o'ld ma!e i% %o %he /la%form $e#a'"e i% e&%ailed r'&&i&+ aro'&d follo i&+ '/ &e " "%orie"0 #arr(i&+ hea.( e7'i/me&%" 8#amera"9a&d or!i&+ la%e a %ime" /a"% mid&i+h%, Amo&+ %he "ho " "he air" i" %he nam a nam0 here i% i" a$o'% rea#hi&+ o'% %o /eo/le %hro'+h salamu0 %he #o&%e&% doe" &o% re"%ri#% her from %he freedom of "/ee#h %o %he a'die&#e0 #o&"ideri&+ %ha% "he #ome" from a .er( #o&"er.a%i.e #omm'&i%( ho are her a'die&#e %oo, Co&"ideri&+ %he Media $ill0 her o/i&io& i" %ha% %he Go.er&me&% "ho'ld &o% +a+ %he media0 $'% o& %he o%her ha&d %he ;o'r&ali"% "ho'ld !&o $o'&darie" o& ha% %o ri%e a&d re/or% a$o'%, A" a female /re"e&%er "he ha" '&der+o&e #halle&+e" 1'"% li!e a&( o%her /rofe""io&B #o&"er.a%i.e a'die&#e ho do&-% li!e i% he& "e&"i%i.e %o/i#" are %al!ed a$o'%0 %he #o&%e&% "he m'"% air e.er(da( ma!e" her do her re"ear#h more !ee&l( ha.i&+ i& mi&d %he #o&%e&% %he a'die&#e are #omfor%a$le i%h0 ha.i&+ %o or! %ill la%e, Co&"ideri&+ %ha% "he ha" a famil(0 "he ha" lear&% %o $ala&#e famil( a&d or!, Her e2/erie&#e i& media ha" ele.a%ed her %o +ai& more e2/erie&#e0 mee%i&+ &e /eo/le e.er( da(0 li"%e&i&+ %o /eo/le-" o/i&io&"0 mee%i&+ her fa&" a&d %ra.eli&+ %o differe&% /la#e", :he ha" me&%ored "e.eral (o'%h" #o&"ideri&+ +e%%i&+ i&%o media /rofe""io&0 ha.i&+ i& mi&d %ha% media i" #'rre&%l( a $ala&#ed /la%form for $o%h +e&der" a&d i% i" a& i&d'"%r( %ha% $oo"%" o&e-" "elf #o&fide&#e a&d "elf e"%eem, Dai"( Ro%i&o /l'&+ed i&%o radio 1o'r&ali"m %o f'lfill am$i%io&, A +rad'a%e i& #omm'&i#a%io& a&d "o#iolo+( from %he U&i.er"i%( of Nairo$i0 "he ha" $ee& i& %he media for "i2 (ear", K&o & for her /ro+ramme" KASS ILOSU a +o"/el "ho a&d KWONDO NE NYULUNOT a ome&-" "ho 0 "he ha" $ee& a$le %o #rea%e a ide li"%e&er"hi/ from her Kale&1i& fa& $a"e a&d mai&%ai& i% a% %he "ame %ime, :he deli.er" her /ro+ramme" e&%h'"ia"%i#all( a&d /rofe""io&all(, The 4) (ear" old married a&d a mo%her of % o0 "he a#!&o led+e" %ha% 6.oi#e i" e.er(%hi&+, :o (o' ha.e %o %a!e #are of i%0 6"he "a(", :he a%%ri$'%e" her media #areer a" o&e %ha% ha" %ra&"formed a&d $roade&ed her mi&d from &ai.e%(, :he i" al"o i& /rai"e of her em/lo(er for +i.i&+ her a& o//or%'&i%( %o de.elo/ her %ale&%,

C'rre&%l( "he i" /'r"'i&+ her ma"%er"- de+ree i& #omm'&i#a%io&, Comme&%i&+ o& %he media $ill0 Mr", Ro%i&o feel" %ha% /re"e&%er" "ho'ld #arr( o'% %heir or! e%hi#all( a&d /rofe""io&all( %o a.oid $ee& o& %he ro&+ "ide of %he la , 6Pre"e&%er" "ho'ld +a+ %hem"el.e" fir"%, Ma&( are #arried a a( $( mo&e( a&d o%her +ai&" a&d e "ho'ld &o% "%e/ o& o%her"0 6"he ad.i"e", :he "a(" %ha% %he media e&.iro&me&% ha" #ha&+ed a lo%, :he #redi%" %he i&%rod'#%io& of &e %e#h&olo+( a&d e7'i/me&%" %o %he +ro %h of %he media i&d'"%r(, 6A" a /re"e&%er0 I ha.e %o !ee/ i& #o&%a#% i%h m( fa&",i i&%era#% i%h %hem .ia fa#e $oo! a&d % i%%er +e% %o !&o %heir rea#%io&" o& differe&% %o/i#"0 6"he "a(", :he #i%e" a fe #halle&+e" fa#i&+ ome& /re"e&%er" i& %he #o'&%r(, 6M( or! i" .er( dema&di&+ %ha% I a% %ime" do &o% ha.e e&o'+h %ime for famil(, Bee& a famo'" fi+'re0 %here are %ho"e ho hi% o& (o' de"/i%e (o'r mari%al "%a%'" a&d if &o% ha&dled /ro/erl( #a& 1eo/ardiAe a ha//( famil(, Ho e.er0 I ha.e ha&dled %he"e #halle&+e" $( fo#'"i&+ o& m( or! a&d +oal"0 6"he "a(", Mr",Ro%i&o e2/lai&" %ha% a /re"e&%er "ho'ld /o""e"" %he follo i&+ 7'ali%ie" i& her or!, E&%h'"ia"m0 #rea%i.i%(0 o'%+oi&+0 "ho'ld $e i&%era#%i.e a&d o'%+oi&+, :he /ar%" $( ad.i"i&+ %ha% %he media i" a #om/e%i%i.e field a&d he&#e o&e "ho'ld "ee! %o #'% a &i#he for %hem"el.e" a&d ome& "ho'ld &o% "h( a a( from %he media,