Nakuru-based Gitugi FM’s Chief Executive Officer Samuel Wanjiru is marking 10 years in the media Industry this year(2024).
In an interview with famousnakuru.co.ke on Tuesday March 12, 2024, Samuel revealed that his passion for media and especially radio started long time ago.
He says he would listen to radio gurus such as Fred Machoka, Leonard Mambo Mbotela and Reuben Robi among many more and made up his mind that he would one day be in Radio industry.
As fate would have, Samuel enrolled for media studies with Whitemedia College in Nairobi.
After graduating from the institution, he worked with various radio stations in Nakuru, Nairobi and Laikipia before finally settling in Nakuru and starting his own media House dubbed Gitugi FM that broadcasts some few kilometres from Nakuru City.
“I worked for several stations, some of them were not even able to pay for my upkeep but I kept on working hard and finally I started this station herein Nakuru,” said Samuel.
The soft-spoken Samuel whom you will always spot wearing his spectacles that always give him that look of someone in authority or maybe the legal minds, reveals that the station that he manages now does not focus on religious content alone, but all round content and moreso issues affecting the community in Nakuru and neighbouring counties.
Having worked in several radio stations, he says he learned the hard way and understands the challenges that community radio stations go through hence a plus to his managerial skills.
In marking 10 years in the industry, Samuel organized his birthday party last weekend on March 9, 2024 at Makuti club in Whitehouse on the outskirts of Nakuru City.
Guests speakers, friends,relatives and even staff were treated to free entry, some choma bites,a cake cutting session as well as some good mugithi and other genres of music by the DJs in the House.
Wait a minute, ‘Bishop Johanna’ was also in the house.
In his patting shot, Samuel has a word for upcoming journalists not to focus so much on money adding that the industry has grown but passion is key.
“The industry is growing very first and the focus should be on what you can do better to deal with competition, it’s not about money but focus,” he says.