Plucked from international media newsrooms CNN, Voice of America and BBC Alex Chamwada has dipped his over 20 years of journalism experience into merging new media and the mainstream media.
From one year at a corner office in his home dining area, to setting up a private media company in Kenya, Alex Chamwada takes us through the steps in his success journey.
Ten years now, Alex describes his experience in private media as one that is coupled with growth and fulfilment. He says he is living his dream.
The Veteran journalist has united several households with his inspiring stories of Kenyans in diaspora on his show Daring Abroad which has been of huge success.
Meanwhile as Chams Media turns 10 years old on 1st of December 2023, most of its viewers perhaps know little about the CEO Alex Chamwada behind the screens.
Moreover, what has taken many by surprise is how Chamwada sponsored a young man from being a security guard at a building that housed his office to a top Videographer now at Chams Media.
The Video Journalist Isaya Bwabi who is now travelling with Chamwada in their pursuit to tell the happy untold stories was sponsored to pursue a film course at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication – KIMC.
The Kenya Times had a sit-down with the Chams Media CEO and Founder for a candid conversation:
TKT: 10 years of merging mainstream and social media how was it starting?
Alex: I had worked in the mainstream media for over 20 years, I had worked for various stations in Kenya which include KBC then royal media services went to KTN and back to Royal Media services and I had gained quite substantial experience and knowledge as a TV producer, Journalist locally and internationally.
Likewise, I had stints at the Voice of America in Washington DC, I had worked for BBC and CNN as a correspondent, so I had a wealth of experience which at some point I felt was not utilized properly in a newsroom scenario as an employee.
As such, I felt that I had so much in terms of content. I had ideas to contribute to the industry. My vision was to leave the newsroom, go out as an independent content producer.
I feel fulfilled because ten years down the line there is so much that we have done that has changed the landscape.
TKT: As a pioneer of the private media space in Kenya what are some of the challenges you went through?
Alex: First it was not easy to have my content in the manner I envisioned because of how media works. Being a supplier and being paid is not as easy as people think.
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One you are unlikely to be paid enough to sustain a crew because at the end of it all I have employees to pay, because it is a business at the end of the day.
Secondly, the media houses look at the content as theirs and must be scrutinized so you lack freedom as a lot is still at their mercy.
TKT: Leaving a promising career, a huge name, quitting all that to begin something new, how was it?
Alex: I was confident, but for an entire year, I was grappling with where to take the content and wondering who could embrace it.
It was not easy for one year doing almost nothing. However, I told myself I will never go back to the newsrooms.
I was even called by certain newsrooms to go be an editor, but I said no that is not my vision.
I surely knew that it would pick with time just like any other business. I mean if you believe in a vision, it will work.
Also, I was so passionate about my passion, and nothing could have taken me off my plan. I am happy that ten years on many have come to me for advice, asking how do I do it? I want to go independent like you.
Furthermore, many institutions within the media are using our expertise and experience to help train journalists. I can confidently say I am living my dream; I am proud I feel so great to be celebrating 10 years in the independent media.
TKT: Did you have employees immediately you started?
Alex: When I share my experience, I tell people there is never the best moment or time to start. Passion can move mountains; I had the zeal and passion.
There is a Nigerian saying that Money follows vision, so yes, I believed in it.
I didn’t begin with bigger savings because I had no money. I did not begin in an office; I came in at the wrong time.
Back in 2011 I had just lost my dad who had been sick with cancer for many years, so it had drained me financially. I came with loans.
In fact, many people around me were like are you mad, leaving behind a job with a guaranteed salary and nobody has pushed you out.
I did not have a camera, I just had my brains, my phone and laptop. I worked at my dining table at home with no employee but with the support of my spouse for an entire year.
TKT: What sells fast in the current media space is scandals, why did you choose this path instead?
Alex: First, I had had enough stress in the newsroom. Stress, meaning the typical news is about scandals, fights and politics. If you are involved in producing these negative stories all the time on air, it eventually affects you.
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From my personal experience I wasn’t happy when I’d go home and watch what I have done. It is something that makes people clash, sometimes you are clashing with your colleagues, editors.
So, it doesn’t end happily. Likewise, it is not content that I would sit down with my family and enjoy as we have a meal. So, I felt I needed to live happily by doing what I call happy stories. Hence decided that I will focus on the positive stories.
My conviction was that positive stories can also sell. I believed I could create content that is not necessarily news. Hence, I came to a content that runs away from news and still got a following.
I believed after all negativity there were people that want to get to bed happy and inspired. So it is that inspiration that I felt was missing and that is exactly what we have been doing as Chams Media.
So yes, positive content sells. Media houses are now making money from positive stories that we sell to them. We have twisted the narrative, and that is what makes us proud as we celebrate ten years of Chams Media.
TKT: If you are to write a letter to your ten-year-old self, what will you tell him?
Alex: One, the world has changed, you have the world at your fingertips, you have technology that helps you move things unlike our time when everything was about papers you are walking around with your CV, a brown envelope.
Now your CV is online. So yes, you can seize many opportunities through technology, use your gadget positively.
TKT: Your daring abroad show involves a lot of travelling, how do you balance work and family?
Alex: On a light note, my family is mature, and I can be away, and they still feel my presence, my children are in the University with the last one in Upper primary.
We can chat on WhatsApp as a family, hold our family meetings online. So, from wherever I am in the world they are literally with me and sometimes I get time to travel with them.
Likewise, something about family is to just be with them not only physically because you may be with them physically, but you are a nuisance.
To me balancing means leaving them fulfilled and not sulking. I have had quality time with my family. So, on my part I make my family fulfilled.
Additionally, my family is fulfilled and are cheering me on as I keep in touch with them everywhere I go. I have also trained my workers on how to embrace quality time with their families.
