“Ooooh My, JKL is back!” you’ve probably heard that today. Well, it’s about the return of Kenyan Emmy award-winning journalist and talk show host Jeff Koinange on TV after a while.
The 51-year-old has been off TV screens for close to four months attracting several pleas from his fans. However, the long wait is finally over as his show debuts today on his new home station, Citizen TV.
“At last I have one more reason to tune into @citizentvkenya apart from flipping to see what Lillian Muli is wearing@KoinangeJeff,” Wandia Kamau, a fan tweeted today. “@KoinangeJeff like the Israelites waiting for Moses and 10 commandments I have waited for you. Karibu.@citizentvkenya Fire signal sounded,” writes another fan, Jeff Kiage.
Koinange once worked with CNN before going separate ways in 2007. He bounced back with Capital talk on the bench on K24, a TV station he pioneered and catapulted single-handedly to fame between 2008 and 2012 with the catchphrase; ‘all Kenyan all the time’, Jeff has cut a niche that only he can execute. Prior to his time at CNN, Jeff had worked for Reuters and ABC News in the US with remarkable achievements during his time with the stations.
After successfully setting up K24 TV and drawing viewers to the new station, it was once again time to leave. This time, he took a longer hiatus before bouncing back on the bench on KTN where he hosted his live talk show twice a week. His charisma just like in the past drew his fans to his new home where he hosted the late night show on Wednesdays and Thursdays propelling the station’s ratings to even greater heights.
Before his departure from KTN last year, the media council of Kenya had warned TV station KTN and show host Jeff Koinange against violating journalistic practice following a squabble between Nairobi governor aspirants Miguna Miguna and Esther Passaris that got out of hand on Jeff Koinange’s watch as the moderator.
Here are 9 awards associated with Jeff Koinange:
2005 Television Emmyfor coverage of the devastating famine in the West African nation of Niger. The Primetime Emmy Award is a symbol of peer recognition from over 16,000 Television Academy members. An Emmy Award recognises excellence in the television industry. Academy Award (for film), Tony Award (for theatre), Grammy Award (for music).
2006 George Foster PEABODY Award for his coverage of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. The George Foster Peabody Award (Peabody Award) recognises distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organisations and individuals. The Peabody Awards judging process is unusually rigorous. Judges seek “Excellence On Its Own Terms.”
2006 Vernon Jarrett Bronze Medal for ‘Best Feature’ on ‘Mass Rapes in the Congo’. The Vernon Jarrett Institute awards the medal, for journalistic excellence, annually to exceptional journalists. It honour’s outstanding coverage of people of African descent and the issues that impact their lives.
2006 The Prix Bayeux for War Correspondents for humanely reporting on the civil war in the Congo.
Since I994, the city of Bayeux, associated with Calvados General Council organises this award to pay tribute to journalists who are working in hazardous conditions to allow access to free information.
2006 Finalist of the Diageo Awards for Business Reporting in Africa.
2007 Finalist of the Diageo Awards for Business Reporting in Africa.
2007 Vernon Jarrett Bronze Medal and ‘Famine in Malawi’.
2008 The Moran of the Order of The Burning Spear (MBS).
