Journalism at the Kenyan Times Newspaper

  Kenya

Nairobi

Term: Throughout the year 
Dates: All year

Description: The Kenya Times is one of Kenya's mainstream newspapers. The paper's headquarters is situated at the capital's city centre. Kenya Times like all credible media houses in Kenya and Africa as a whole has stood the test of time having been there at a time when the press freedom in the country was minimal. The paper has over the years been one of the highly rated daily in terms of sales, making it a household name across the country and by far, the region.

Working at the Kenya Times will contribute positively towards building one's concrete journalistic instincts and experience that will shape your career and take it a notch higher. The paper appears in prime English and is highly recommended for its analytical and impartial reporting. The paper has produced some of the best reporters, editors, proof readers, researchers and analysts holding senior editorial posts in a number of foreign and local prestigious media houses like the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Nation Media Group.

At the Kenya Times, you will work within a staff about 30 excluding those involved in its press unit and circulation. An intern could get involved in the research and writing of news articles on national news, environmental issues, business, politics, and sports, among other subjects. Those interested in special or specific subjects in the wide reportage menu are given the chance to experiment their skills in addition to sharpening them by requesting a readily grantable attachment to the desk of interest.

For instance, should one develop interest in business reporting, an intern could switch and help at the business desk. This will include attending business press functions, taking pictures in case one is not assigned a camera man and filing the story for either the daily business pages or the weekly analytical pullout.

Other desks include that of News, where political issues are addressed, Features where one is given the chance to get creative with both language and story ideas. All this desks including sports have special designated pages. This means that a placement at the newspaper will give a chance to publish as many stories as possible. With proper focus and creativity, an intern is able to fly back home with more than 30 bylines under his or her own belt in a single month.

Highlights: Many who have visited East African cities, have an impression that, "Nairobi is East Africa's hub of fun". The city is awash with standard fun bobbling joints for the young and the old alike.

Nairobi is the only city in the world where one can go for a game drive in the wild, thus, weekends out to the Nairobi National Park could be in order. There is also the Nairobi Safari Walk, Animal orphanage, a giraffe and an elephant sanctuary, where one could get to kiss a giraffe lip to lip. For a cultural night out a visit to the Bomas of Kenya, will leave you thrilled and educated about various Kenyan traditional cultures, music and history. One could also climb Mount Longonot, two hours drive from the city, for skilled climbers, Inspire Kenya will be more than glad to organize her volunteers a climb up Africa's second highest point Mount Kenya. The mountain's icy peaks of Batian (5199m) and Nelion (5,189m) are accessible only to experienced mountaineers.

Kenyans are uniquely hospitable people, intelligent and out going. A chat with them over a drink after a hard day's work could be equally a fun. Note that one can only take on these activities when off duty, during the weekends or either before or after the placement. We can also arrange safaris and other travel plans for you before or during your stay. These are competitively priced as we use local operators only.

Qualifications: Great opportunity for someone in or aspiring to work in Journalism. This placement would give a unique and different experience for the participants C.V. This placement does have restrictions on it set by the newspaper themselves and they tend to only take people who have some media connection. Please send your C.V to us with this application so we can forward it to the Kenya Times prior to acceptance.

Cost in US$: See website for prices. Book early!

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel to Kenya Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Resume

Inspire Kenya's Mission Statement: To send groups of people to Kenya to contribute to the people and culture in a productive and meaningful way.

Year Founded: 2006