Caroline Mutoko had a radio career that spanned 16 years with twelve years at Kiss 100 and 4 years at Capital FM. Caroline hang up her head-phones at Kiss 100 in September 2014 and is now the Radio Africa Group chief marketing officer. She has a weekly newspaper column in The Star where she tackles the socio-political issues. She is also a graduate of Harvard and UCLA.
We had a few questions for her and this is what she had to say.
1. What was your first phone?
Ericsson T18. It had a carrier case which was about the size of a students pencil case.
2. What do you prefer? Facebook or Twitter? Why?
I’m not picky, it would be silly to waste energy and braincells on that. I find they serve different purposes and different audiences. I’m in the business of communicating and it would be folly to lean tooooo far towards one medium. It simply means you leave part of your audience behind.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years.
Having a grand time, still making for charging, engaging and thought-provoking conversations. I love being a fire-starter.
4. Any question for us? We’ll publish our answer as well.
Why me?
Because your story is powerful and it’s my honour to share a part of it.
5. What would you do if you were president for a day?
Never thought about that. However, it would really depend on “which” day.
Is it the day most of my police officers are killed or my people are shaken by insecurity? Is it the day when we celebrate ourselves and win medals at an international meet? I think very few people give thought to the full spectrum of what the job entails. So I’m sober when answering that question – which day?
I bet Uhuru never thought in a million years the job would be this rough.
6. What’s your favourite book & movie?
My favourite book: Is this where I score points by saying “the bible!”. The bible is not a book. It’s a campus for life. It’s google for life and google maps for your soul as you navigate this world into the next. Don’t get it twisted.
Anyway my favourite is Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro.
My favourite movie: I love many a movie but the one I keep replaying and I NEVER watch a movie twice is “The Fault In Our Stars”. It’s very personal. It could very well have been about me.
7. Who/What inspired you to do what you do now?
No one really. The job chose me. I didn’t choose the job. You must remember when I started, radio wasn’t this cool thing I’ve made it into. Back in the day it wasn’t a dream job or a dream career or a dream anything.
8. If you were to change jobs, what profession would you get into? Why?
I’m doing it!!! I’m living my dream in many ways. I’m truly blessed and now that I think about it, I’ve always been.
9. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Healing.
10. If you were deserted on an abandoned island what 5 things would you want to have?
- Music
- A good book
- Water
- Warm wrap
- Camera
11. If you were a car, what car would you like to be? Why?
Mmmm…. I don’t care much for cars, so this one is a tad difficult for me to answer. I’m rather functional when it comes to cars. However, Ferrari works for me. I was built to win.
12. If you could be in any other band in the world, which one would you like to be in? Why?
Right now, I would love to be part of Sauti Sol failing which I will run away with Maroon 5.
13. What is the most challenging thing you have encountered while working in the media? How did you overcome it?
Staying true to myself in spite of the pressure to be “another.” It happens to the best of us. The job can easily define you if you let it. The space you occupy is always larger than life and the pressure to assume another persona is intense. However I am blessed with an awesome family and a tight circle of friends who truly are more interested in who I am and not what I do and they guard me like an army.
14. Share something interesting about yourself with our readers.
Now why would I do that? I’m a big believer in mystery.
However, I still giggle when I notice people coming to grips with the fact that I am a hopeless romantic, an absolute geek (I read constantly) and a notorious homebody. It’s a such a buzz to watch people do a double take on that.