Former KTN news anchor Joy Doreen Biira opened up on her struggles after relocating to Kenya from Uganda for work.
In a statement on Thursday, January 26, the journalist recalled being sent to the field to cover the late President Mwai Kibaki officiating the groundbreaking ceremony of Konza Technopolis City in 2013.
"While I did not get the memo for the choice of shoes, this was one of my happiest places. I was out of the studio and ready to challenge myself," she stated.
She also showered praises on Emmanuel Talaam, who currently serves as President William Ruto's Press Secretary, and Joseph Bonyo, presently working at the Royal Media House (RMS), for guiding her.
"Thank you for trusting me with pronunciations and live crosses. And the technical team who made sure I mentioned those names like I was from Kambaland. Much appreciated," she continued.
Biira demystified the ideology that news anchors do not like going to the field arguing that she always insisted on being sent outside the studios.
"The editors told me that since I had been begging to go to the field, my assignment is the Konza Technopolis City groundbreaking ceremony," she noted.
Despite being in Kenya for only one month, she was excited to trace her way to Konza City in Machakos County to cover the event.
"I was still mastering and memorising maps, bearings, names of people and places," she added.
In addition, Doreen was determined to learn about Kenya's history, politics, Constitution, business, money markets, foreign policy, geography, culture and lifestyle, tribes, and languages in a bid to familiarise herself with her new work environment.
Biira, therefore, advised up-and-coming news anchors to embrace fieldwork noting that the studio is where news stories gathered in the field are read.
"Field reporting will build your networks, give you depth and knowledge on topical issues, both historic and current affairs," she added.
She argued that news anchors get to interact with the technical crew who undoubtedly share knowledge on some key issues while in the field.
She, therefore, challenged news anchors to strike a balance between studio and field as well as read widely. "Your next job offer could be global," she concluded.
Biira was among the foreign journalists who made it big in the Kenyan media space. Others include Conrad Gray alias G-Money, Godfrey Mwapembwa, Nancy Kucingira, and Gaetano Kagwa.
