MEMBER PROFILES
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Name
Mary Onyango
Your title
Television Programmes Manager, Kenya
Broadcasting Corporation
Location
Nairobi, Kenya
What work do you currently do?
I am currently the Television Programmes
Manager in a Department with a capacity of
more than 50 producers and designers. My
major responsibility entails ensuring
quality programmes of all genres are
produced and scheduled appropriately
according to audience needs.
What is your background?
I have worked for 28 years with the Kenya
Broadcasting Corporation having joined in
1979 after graduation from the University of
Nairobi with Bachelor of Arts, Social
Sciences.
I am an experienced Television Producer
having trained in Television production
locally at the Kenya Institute of Mass
Communication, Post graduate mass
communication at the University of Nairobi.
I also trained in video production in
Okinawa Japan and Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation.
In 2004 I undertook a course in Netherlands
on Training of Trainers and the skills
gained have been very useful in coaching and
mentoring the young producers with whom I
work. Should I leave service, they will have
no difficulty in perpetuating the good
service.
What are conditions like in Kenya?
The liberalization of airwaves has led to
the proliferation of TV/radio stations
leading to stiff media competition and mass
exodus of producers to other stations that
offer good remuneration and also have
state-of-the art facilities which can
enhance productions. The station is still
analogue with inadequate facilities for all
producers.
To the national broadcaster this has been a
challenge because it has the best and
trained staff who have been leaving, meaning
others have to be employed and retrained.
Despite old technology, producers are making
an effort to acquire knowledge and skills
which can empower them and I am grateful to
FOKUS for the scholarship funding which has
enabled at least 3 producers to upgrade
their academic knowledge.
How do you juggle being a mother and
working in television?
As a manager with more official
responsibilities it is challenging to couple
this with the role of a mother. But they are
roles women like myself have learnt to
balance as newer trends emerge.
The trends in the Kenyan economy reveal that
a number of households are being managed by
women as breadwinners. In the rural set-up
they are the peasant farmers who grow food
to feed the families.
Consequently, the children because of the
lack of close attention from their mothers,
grow up independent as apposed to being
petted. I see this in my children who are
adults in colleges and they are always
willing to assist me (boys included) with
house chores as I work to provide for their
financial needs. However the independence in
children has its limitations in effecting
control measures on adult children.
What is your history with the IAWRT?
I have been an IAWRT member since 1997 and
it has been good sharing professional
experiences with other experienced
professional women from all over the world.
It has been a perfect way for learning from
those with motivation skills, trainers etc.
how to overcome situational challenges I
come across during the execution of duties.
What do you aim to achieve with the
conference?
As the chairperson of IAWRT Kenya Chapter, I
look forward to using the bi-annial
Conference in Kenya as a platform to
interest young women broadcasters who can be
nurtured to perpetuate the ideals of IAWRT
International.
What is the Conference Theme?
Women Building Peace is a well chosen theme
which impacts directly on women the world
over as vulnerable victims of conflict. It
is the same women who can tell their own
stories, and who perfectly can come up with
solutions.
The environmental conflicts we have
experienced in Kenya, where communities
physically fight for water and other
resources, are conflicts which this theme
can address through programme making on the
chosen medium of communication. |
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