Citizen TV Journalist Picked for Elite US Fellowship Alongside World’s Top Reporters
The fellowship, widely regarded as one of the most influential journalism programmes globally, brings together journalists and media innovators from across the world to explore the future of storytelling, innovation, and newsroom sustainability.
Swot Chege 
Citizen TV journalist Emily Chebet has secured a prestigious fellowship at one of the world’s top universities, marking a breakthrough for Kenyan journalism on the global stage.
Chebet, an award-winning health, science, and environment reporter at the country's most-watched TV station, was selected for the highly competitive John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University in the United States.
The fellowship, widely regarded as one of the most influential journalism programmes globally, brings together journalists and media innovators from across the world to explore the future of storytelling, innovation, and newsroom sustainability.
Her selection places her among a growing list of Kenyan journalists gaining recognition in international media and academic spaces.
Citizen TV journalist Emily Chebet was selected for the highly competitive John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University in the United States. /STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Chebet has built a reputation for deeply human-centred and solutions-driven reporting, particularly on public health, climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental justice.
One of her most acclaimed investigations, The Friendly Enemy, earned continental recognition at the Africa AMR Champion Journalist Awards after exposing the growing threat of antibiotic resistance while highlighting scientific innovations by Kenyan researchers.
With over a decade in the media industry, Chebet’s career has spanned multiple roles across Kenya’s newsroom landscape. She previously worked as a Hansard reporter in Parliament, a radio producer and presenter at Kass FM and Chamgei FM, a video editor at KTN, and a content editor within Royal Media Services’ (RMS) digital platforms.
She is also a Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa fellow and an Earth Journalism Network fellow.
Her admission into the Stanford-based programme comes at a time when newsrooms worldwide are grappling with misinformation, declining revenues, shrinking newsroom resources, and mounting threats to press freedom.
Speaking after the announcement, Chebet described the fellowship as an opportunity to learn from some of the world’s leading media innovators.
“This fellowship is a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading thinkers and innovators,” Chebet stated. She added that she hopes to return with fresh ideas that can help transform journalism across Africa.
Beyond her award-winning investigations, Chebet has emerged as a strong advocate for solutions journalism — a reporting approach focused not only on exposing problems but also examining practical responses and rebuilding public trust in the media.
Her achievement has also reignited conversations around the growing global demand for Kenyan journalists, with media personalities such as Waihiga Mwaura, Larry Madowo, and Yvonne Okwara increasingly securing influential international opportunities.
Following the announcement, colleagues, friends, and journalists flooded social media with congratulatory messages, describing her selection as a proud moment for Kenya’s media industry.
Several of her colleagues at Citizen TV, including Stephen Letoo, praised her consistency, resilience, and dedication to impactful storytelling, terming the fellowship a “well-deserved global recognition”. Others pointed to her rise through different media houses as proof of years of discipline, hard work, and commitment to meaningful journalism.
Chebet’s selection now adds Kenya’s voice to critical global conversations around health reporting, climate journalism, science communication, and the future of credible storytelling.
For many in the industry, her journey reflects a shifting reality — that Kenyan journalism is no longer confined to local audiences, but is increasingly influencing conversations on the global stage.
