World-renowned Journalist Kim Chakanetsa Continues to Empower Global Voices

Chakanetsa’s career took off after she completed her MSc in African Studies at Oxford University thanks to a Terence Ranger Fellowship. She took a job conducting research for a consultancy firm for three years in order to “feel out” what she wanted to do journalism-wise. While freelancing, she realized that she needed more technical skills and, thanks to a Pulitzer Africa Fellowship, began an MSc in broadcast journalism at Columbia University. She then won a Margaret Moth Fellowship and a placement at CNN where she was invited to stay on as an international assignment editor in the newsroom in Atlanta, Georgia, covering major global stories such as the Syrian uprising in 2011. 

Following her time at CNN, Kim joined the BBC, where she spent a decade as a multimedia journalist with a particular focus on radio, which she has always loved. One of the highlights of her career at the BBC was hosting The Conversation, a radio program that brought together in each episode two women from around the world with different lives but similar experiences. The show, which Kim hosted for nine years and more than 450 episodes, saw her interview the likes of Íngrid Betancourt and Amanda Lindhout, Simon Biles and Nadia Comaneci, and won three prestigious awards for the ‘conversations’ it sparked about the struggles and triumphs of women around the world.

“There is a real ease and intimacy with audio,” she explains. While images can be powerful and sometimes shocking, Chakanetsa believes that the voice has a different power. “There’s just something about listening to people speak,” she says. “When you ask someone something off the cuff, there is a real difference in how people react when you have a camera versus when you have a microphone.”

In 2020, Kim co-created The Comb, the BBC’s first African narrative-led podcast, which proved hugely popular for its focus on African voices. The podcast, which ran for six seasons, explored a wide range of topics, from political disappearances and the Ebola epidemic to issues of gender and identity across the African continent. But Kim Chakanetsa did not stop at radio and television. In 2022, she published Africana, a children’s encyclopedia about Africa, which has since been translated into nine languages. Her book aimed to present a contemporary and accurate reflection of Africa, dispelling outdated stereotypes and showcasing the richness of African cultures and history.

As she continues to work on various writing projects, Chakanetsa is sometimes alarmed by the changing landscape of journalism. While she remains optimistic about the future, she acknowledges the major challenges facing the industry. The rise of low-quality podcasts, the fragmentation of the media market and a lack of media literacy have all reshaped the journalistic landscape, not to mention the risks associated with AI. But she remains optimistic, believing that new models are emerging, with new platforms giving journalists the freedom to produce authentic and independent work.

For students studying at AUP today, Kim offers valuable advice: “Take advantage of being in such a unique place, surrounded by people who bring different perspectives.” For future journalists, she stresses the importance of understanding different points of view, especially in a world where truth has become so difficult to decipher. “Stay curious, read widely and listen to things you don’t agree with. It will make you a better writer and a better journalist,” she advises.

Reflecting on her own career, Chakanetsa considers herself lucky. “I’ve been so lucky to have had the career I’ve had,” she says. Her work has taken her to places she never imagined, introduced her to new worlds and people, and allowed her to have a direct impact on how the stories she cares about are told.

Currently based in New York City, Chakanetsa is focusing on new projects. She recently launched a newsletter about African arts and culture called Africa Unbound. As she continues to explore the world of writing, her career remains driven by a clear mission: to amplify voices, tell stories that matter, and bridge the gap between cultures and continents.