An email shared on LinkedIn by Larry Madowo, a TV journalist working at CNN, has drawn a plethora of responses on social media.
In a screenshot of the email Madowo says he received, a viewer expresses his frustration with Madowo’s “continuous interrupting” of CNN programming, calling it “nonsense” and “really annoying”.
“How many times a day, you have to advertise for yourself, for us to watch your nonsense???” he asks. “We are in Europe. We are civilized people!! What do we have to do with your underdeveloped Africa? No offense please, I have ben Africa myself, it is a gorgeous continent. But what are we to do with your continuous interrupting the CNN program, with your AFRICAN VOICES CHANGE MAKERS?? REALLY ANNOYING!”
Madowo says this was the second message from the same viewer. Last month, the viewer, who apparently is based in Austria, sent an email wishing the African Voices Changemakers anchor a long and healthy life.
At the time, said Madowo, the viewer capped his message with a prayer: “With all due respect for you and your family, we love you, but please stop to show us this nonsense. May God Almighty help you to find another job!!”
In his response on LinkedIn, Madowo praised his job and his employer’s decison-making. “Unfortunately for him,” said Madowo, “telling these inspiring African stories is the best job in the world. And I’m glad CNN is dedicating time and money to them, and promoting them incessantly to the whole world”.
Madowo, who is based in Nairobi, took the reins of the African Voices Changemakers programme last year. The show was first aired more than a decade ago. It was called African Voices and Madowo was himself a guest at one point.
