Involvement Editorial team L-R: Stephen Awino, Joe Aura, Benjamin wanguba, Hannington Karanja, Abdul Shaban, Yvonne Ithalie, Sophie Kinya, Kennedy Tatyana and Mogaya Mwita

By Hannington Kinuthia

On 30th June, the Daystar Media Hub under the School of Communication hosted a discussion on Digital Dialogues at the Nairobi Campus DAC Auditorium.

This involved a panel consisting of 

Senior Reporter, Busines BBC News, Mr Charles Gitonga, Digital Editor, Radio Africa Group, Francis Mureithi, Director Sales and Operations, Afripods Amplify Africa, Stanley Muthoka, and Eric Ndung'u and Lucy Mwangi from Media Council of Kenya

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Leah Komen, Senior Lecturer School of Communication.

The event was coupled with the Involvement Newspaper  and Shine FM handover ceremony which saw the outgoing scribes exit office to give way for new leadership in the student-led radio station and Newsroom respectively.

The event was graced by the Director of Academic Affairs Prof. Samuel Muriithi standing in for the DVC ARSA Prof. Faith Nguru, HoD Language and Performing Arts Ms. Brenda Wambua representing the Dean, School of Communication, Prof. Levi Obonyo and HoD Media and Film Studies Dr. Emmanuel Wanyonyi who were away attending a conference, the Corporate Affairs and Marketing Manager, Mrs Damaris Kimilu, Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication-Dr. Leah Komen, and Public Relations Officer and Involvement advisor Jean Murungi and studio Technician Ms. Beth Nakitare.

Prof. Samuel Muriithi spoke on media integrity, news value and research, emphasizing on balanced reporting.

“One of the ways of promoting integrity in media is by using the 5Ws + H rule of news writing. If you don’t get the 5Ws + H you don’t get  balanced reporting,” he said, further educating the scribes on how to build up a robust story using A.I.D.A (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) formula. He reminisced his tenure as Managing Editor for the Involvement Newspaper, in the 80s when he was a student at Daystar University.

On Behalf of| Management, Prof Muriithi pledged the University’s unweavering support to Daystar Media Hub.

Keynote Speaker and Senior Journalist BBC Focus on Africa Radio and Podcast, Mr Charles Gitonga channelled his focus to the rapid evolution in the media, newsgathering techniques, content creation and packaging of stories. He enlightened on the new shape of the media, urging the  aspiring journalists to get up to speed with it.

He further urged students to embrace the digital way and become more creative in the space while disseminating information saying that  audiences were rapidly switching to digital platforms, “You cannot be afraid to innovate because that’s how you get ahead of the curve and you cannot shy away from this digital world,” he advised.

Shine FM Management Tea L-R: Shadrack Righa - Programming Manager, Tracy Mutheu - News Manager, Esther Leipa Nalotwesha - Assistant Station Manager, Delphine Mutinda - Station Manager, Victoria Momanyi - Corporate Affairs Manager, Maingi Mutiso - Production Manager

To the outgoing team, Mr Gitonga emphasized the execution of skills learned at the University, to the outside world without fear or hesitation. “The best thing you’ve done is to interact with the outside world and that’s commendable. You have what it takes, be bold, go ahead and implement what you have in mind,” he said. This was particularly moving to the outgoing teams as they took their bow,
Speaking on behalf of the Dean School of Communication, Ms. Brenda Wambua encouraged the incoming and outgoing teams, wishing them the best on the duties that lie ahead. She delightfully espoused on the new form that journalism was taking, urging all and sundry to adjust and adapt to the new norm. Additionally, she expressed the department’s willingness and fervent support to the Daystar’s Media Hub.

“As the School of Communication, we pride ourselves in being a leader in the region. Journalism today has shifted to the digital world. We need to upgrade ourselves to this reality,” she said.

In her address, the Corporate Affairs and Marketing Manager Mrs Damaris Kimilu commended both Shine FM and Involvement newspaper outgoing teams, for their remarkable work done to steer the growth of the media hub. Madam Kimilu recalled the great transformation the media has undergone, “I trained for journalism at a time when governments gagged the media, and you had to carefully watch how you told the story,” she said appreciating the freedom enjoyed by press today.

Mrs Kimilu also urged aspiring journalists to be adaptive to the new shape that journalism is taking as audiences shift to the digital space as consumers of news.

Reflecting on the future of Daystar’s media, Mrs. Kimilu welcomed the merging of both Shine FM and the Involvement Newspaper into one establishment, under a single budget votehead.

This, she said, would enable the Daystar Media Hub  to become a robust media group like other media organizations.

The momentous event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony by both Shine FM and Involvement teams. Emotions let loose from the incoming and the outgoing members as they bid farewell to one another. The event was organized by studio technician, Ms. Beth Nakitare

Involvement Incoming Team

1. Editor in Chief, Online Editor & Jamvi Editor - Abdul Shaban
2. Nairobi Bureau Chief & Copy Editor - Hannington Karanja,
3. Managing Editor - Benjamin Wanguba
4. PR/Marketing Editor - Yvonne Ithalie,
5. News Editor - Sophie Murithi
6. Features Editor - Tatyana Kennedy
7. Sports Editor - Stephen Awino,
8. Graphics Editor - Innocent Mogaya Mwita

Invovlement Outgoing Team

1. Editor in Chief & Copy Editor - Evelyne Kioko
2. Nairobi Bureau Chief - Catherine Njau
3. Managing Editor - Aaron Kituku  
4. PR/Marketing Editor & Features Editor - Tatyana Kennedy
5. Online Editor & Jamvi Editor - Abdul Shaban
6. News Editor - Lewis Njeri   
7. Sports Editor - Ken Andrew
8. Graphics Editor -Stacy Kimathi

Shine FM Incoming Team

1. Dephine Mutinda - Station Manager
2. Esther Nalotwesha - Assistant Station Manager
3. Tracy Nzioka- News Manager
4. Shadrack Righa Programming Manager
5. Maingi Mutiso- Production Manager
6. Victoria Momanyi - Corporate Affairs Manager

Shine FM Outgoing Team

1. Waweru Avram- Station Manager
2. Wacera Ndichu - Assistant Station Manager
3. Arnold Fedha- News Manager
4. Neema Oloo- Programming Manager
5. Raphael Mutuku- Production Manager
6. Elizabeth Waweru- Corporate Affairs Manager.