Larry Madowo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Madowo
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Madowo in 2023
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Larry Madowo
14 July 1987 Siaya, Kenya
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| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Education | Columbia University (MA) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | CNN |
| Known for | Journalism |
Larry Madowo (born 14 July 1987) is a well-known journalist from Kenya. He works as an International Correspondent for CNN, where he also hosts shows like African Voices Changemakers and Playmakers. Before joining CNN, Larry was a North America Correspondent for the BBC. He also presented news from Washington, DC for BBC World News America.
Larry is known for his work covering many topics. These include business, technology, current events, and politics. His reports have been shown on big news channels around the world. These include the BBC, CNN, and even in newspapers like The Washington Post. He started his career in Nairobi, Kenya. He worked at KTN and NTV Kenya. He also worked at CNBC Africa. In Kenya, many people know him for hosting a popular TV show called #TheTrend on NTV Kenya.
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Early Life and Education
Larry Madowo grew up in different parts of Kenya. These places included Siaya, Kisumu, and Nairobi. He went to primary schools called Usingo and Karapul. For high school, he attended St Gabriel's Seminary. Larry first thought about becoming a Catholic priest. However, his plans changed by the time he finished high school. He decided to study broadcast journalism in college instead.
In 2006, Larry started studying communication at Daystar University in Nairobi. He also interned at a radio station in 2007. He read news in English there. Larry later left college early to work at Kenya Television Network (KTN). KTN is one of Africa's oldest private TV networks. He became a well-known face in Kenya. After three years, he moved to NTV. There, he worked as a business anchor and reporter.
In 2012, he joined CNBC Africa in South Africa. He was a main anchor for their market shows. Larry stayed there for eight months. In December 2012, he went back to NTV. This time, he was a technology editor and news anchor. Larry returned to college and finished his degree. He graduated from Daystar University in June 2014. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Journalism Career Highlights
During his second time at NTV Kenya, Larry also worked for other global news groups. These included CNN International, France 24 English, and the BBC. In 2018, a Kenyan newspaper, the Daily Nation, would not print his article. The article was critical of the government for shutting down TV stations. So, the article was published on the CNN website instead. After this, he stopped writing for the Daily Nation. He became a contributing writer for The Washington Post's Global Opinions page.
Working at the BBC
On April 11, 2018, it was announced that Larry Madowo was joining BBC News Africa. He became their Business Editor. He led a team of business journalists. They were based in cities like Nairobi, London, and Lagos. He appeared on BBC World TV and BBC World Service Radio. He reported on African business news.
In 2019, a radio show Larry presented won an award. It was about the Chinese-built railway in Kenya. The show was called 'Raha: The Joy of the Train'. It won the Daily Journalism award at the Association of International Broadcasting Awards.
On April 9, 2019, Larry was chosen for the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship. This meant he would study at Columbia University. On July 29, 2019, he took a break from the BBC for this fellowship. Larry graduated from Columbia with a Master of Arts degree. He studied Business and Economics Journalism. His master's project won an award for financial writing.
Larry returned to the BBC in the summer of 2020. He became a North America Correspondent. He reported from across the United States. He covered the 2020 US election and Joe Biden's inauguration. His reporting was recognized around the world.
Moving to CNN
In May 2021, Larry Madowo was appointed as CNN's Nairobi correspondent. Just two months later, in July 2021, CNN promoted him. He became an international correspondent.
Larry has interviewed many important people. These include presidents, famous artists, and global company leaders. He was also chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in March 2020. He has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans twice by New African magazine. In December 2020, he gave a special lecture at Carleton University in Canada. He was the first Black person to do so.
Important Views
Larry Madowo has spoken out about important issues. He has talked about racism. He shared his own experiences as a Black man in the United States.
Larry also strongly supports press freedom in Africa. This means journalists should be able to report the truth without fear. In 2018, he had trouble with the Kenyan government. He had to seek safety in a special house. He and two other journalists later got their freedom back. Larry has said that many other African journalists face even greater dangers. They can even face threats to their lives from their governments.
Personal Life
Larry Madowo is very active on social media. He has millions of followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. His sister, Liz Madowo, is a stylist and a fashion blogger. Larry also often speaks at conferences. These events are about media, technology, and business around the world.
