Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
FERDINAND OMONDI

FERDINAND OMONDI

Nairobi

Summary

I am a storyteller. An experienced journalist with 16 years of consistently great output, including eight as a senior reporter with the BBC. Expert weaver of stories in a language audience understands in different multimedia formats: audio, video and online. Versatile, initiative-taking, worker who gets the job done. Covered the African Games for BBC’s radio, TV, and digital outlets in Morocco exclusively on phone when a visa hitch prevented colleague and shoot-edit joining me in 2019; Produced and presented over 30 podcasts while on a learning attachment in 2022; Coverage of Kenya’s opposition protests in 2023 gained me over 28,000 Tik Tok followers in 24 hours and over 10 million views in March alone. Can work independently or collaboratively. Well-connected journalist with collaborative networks in East and Horn of Africa and founding member of Foreign Correspondents Association with a network of over two hundred international journalists spread across Africa. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

BBC Senior Journalist Reporter

12.2017 - 04.2023
  • Providing editorial guidance, daily filing, and analysis of current affairs, such as ongoing conflict in Sudan for BBC audiences across linear and digital channels in English and Kiswahili
  • Authored online articles on range of topics from conservation to human rights to climate change
  • Digital first coverage of Kenya’s political unrest and opposition protests raked in over ten million views in one month on Tik Tok alone, and over 100,000 clicks on BBC Africa Online page
  • Vlogged for BBC Instagram
  • Gained 60,000 new Tik Tok followers in two weeks
  • Generated immense traffic for BBC stories in 2022 with investigation into the cause of violence and displacement in Laikipia, as well as unclaimed bodies found floating in River Yala in Kenya’s Eastern Region
  • Been into Somalia twice to cover human cost of displacement due to extreme hunger, threat of famine and Al Shabab threat
  • Consistently observing new digital trends and contributing to BBC’s digital first strategy.

Senior Presenter and Producer

BBC Newsday
02.2022 - 01.2023
  • I was the first BBC journalist to get access to and interview African immigrants struggling to get away from the war in Ukraine
  • Involved in editorial planning and production of the Africa Daily Podcast, focusing on topical issues affecting the continent
  • Presented more than a dozen podcasts, produced more than thirty others- engaging and challenging newsmakers, opinions shapers and people in the news across Africa
  • Podcast on how safe the internet is for gay people in East Africa had one of the highest engagements on BBC Africa Facebook page
  • Discussed the role of climate change in displacement in Northern Kenya and Somalia, and why Zimbabwe wants the ivory ban lifted.

Bilingual Reporter

BBC
12.2014 - 12.2017
  • Mombasa BBC Swahili Service
  • Based in Mombasa, covering coastal Kenya
  • I researched, pitched, and packaged stories in English and Kiswahili for Radio, Television and Digital outlets
  • Specialized in anti-terrorism, tourism, and culture
  • Travelled to South Sudan on peace-building efforts post-civil war
  • Covered Somalia’s election from an airport hangar
  • Covered events beyond the coastal region in Kenya, South Sudan, and Somalia
  • Uncovered the story of illegal and unregulated mines risking the lives of school going children.
  • Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines
  • Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions

News Anchor and Reporter

01.2006 - 01.2014
  • Kenya’s 3 leading Television stations: Citizen TV, NTV and KTN
  • Produced short and long-form features
  • Media Council of Kenya’s Tourism Reporter of the Year in 2015, for a story I did on the rise of Mombasa port as an ivory trade conduit
  • Travelled to all forty-seven counties of Kenya
  • Exposed the coverup of 14-year-old Kwekwe Mwandaza’s killing by police in 2014 which led to the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of two police officers two years later
  • Extensive coverage of terrorism and police disappearances at the Coast region, as well as the Tana River ethnic conflicts and the Mpeketoni killings.

Education

Diploma in Mass Communication - Radio And Television Production

Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, Nairobi, Kenya

Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies

St Paul's University, Limuru, Kenya.
11.2023

Development Communications and Public Relations (Double Major). Projected 1st Class.

Hostile environment certification - undefined

2021

Investigative Journalism Training, Sweden - undefined

2017

Conflict-Sensitive reporting - undefined

2013

Peak Performance Strategies -

Peak Performance International
2010

ISO Certification Standards - undefined

2009

Skills

International Journalism

Digital Media Strategy

Media Training

Public Speaking

Accomplishments

  • One of most viewed articles for BBC Africa in 2023 so far (Edwin Chiloba’s death, 1.3 million interactions)
  • Most engagements for a Podcast (How Safe is the internet for gay people in Africa) BBC Africa 2022 (500,000)

Timeline

Senior Presenter and Producer - BBC Newsday
02.2022 - 01.2023
BBC Senior Journalist Reporter -
12.2017 - 04.2023
Bilingual Reporter - BBC
12.2014 - 12.2017
News Anchor and Reporter -
01.2006 - 01.2014
Kenya Institute of Mass Communication - Diploma in Mass Communication, Radio And Television Production
St Paul's University - Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies
- Hostile environment certification,
- Investigative Journalism Training, Sweden,
- Conflict-Sensitive reporting,
Peak Performance International - Peak Performance Strategies,
- ISO Certification Standards,

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