By Dex Mumo
“I still believe that journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon if you aim to change the world.” These are the words of Tom Stoppard, a Czech-born British playwright whom The Daily Telegraph ranked eleventh among the 100 most influential people in British culture.
Many journalists have shuttered ceilings in the industry over the years. But, in the spirit of timeliness, let us place our bet on the most recent win by Nation Media Group’s Rukia Bulle.
Rukia, who won the 2024 prestigious BBC Komal Dumor Award, inspires upcoming and practising journalists to push the limits of reporting.
Rukia’s excellent skillset, resilience, ability to handle challenging stories, focus on highlighting underrepresented voices, and solid on-air presence impressed the BBC Komal Dumor Award judges.
The 26-year-old Kenyan journalist is an NTV reporter. She specialises in news and human-interest stories, highlighting underrepresented voices.
Apart from working in the mainstream media, she has a strong following on TikTok, where her relatable and informative content has attracted over 87,000 followers. Here, she shares insights into her day-to-day rounds as a journalist.
The content tagged ‘A Day in the Life of a Journalist’ explores the daily experiences of a journalist and highlights some of the challenges she faces.
Through her TikTok content creation, Rukia educates youngsters on what it takes to be a journalist. So far, her content creation on TikTok has not gone in vain. Her blending of traditional journalism and digital content creation pays off.
Rukia will now move to London, where she will receive training and mentorship from leading BBC journalists and work with the BBC News team on television, radio, and online platforms.
Her inspiration to pursue journalism stemmed from passion for justice and equality. Initially, Rukia wanted to pursue law, but later, in line with Tom Stoppard’s beliefs, she considered journalism the best way to make a positive impact in society.
“I want to hold people in power accountable, amplify others’ voices, and make a difference in society,” she said during the award ceremony.
Rukia’s all-around work has positioned her as a role model to those aspiring for journalism.
At a time journalism as a profession faces a difficult future, outstanding journalists like Rukia continue to inspire hope that the Fourth Estate still has much to do.
As the media industry grapples with the changing digital interruption, Oscar Wilde, a renowned American journalist and the writer of The Picture of Dorian Gray, believes that “In America, the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs forever and ever.” This truism is here to stay.
