CNN correspondent Larry Madowo has taken to social media to reveal that he has been persistently pestered by an Austrian viewer who expressed strong disdain for African news coverage.
On September 8, 2024, Madowo first shared the viewer’s complaints, who lamented that promos for his show, African Voices Change Makers, were interrupting his viewing of other programs.
The viewer’s email stated, “Dear Larry, apparently you have not understood, the whole world is watching CNN. Can you explain to us, what are we to do with your constant ‘JOIN ME, …AFRICAN VOICES CHANGE MAKERS’??”
The viewer continued with a dismissive tone: “How many times a day do you have to advertise for yourself for us to watch your nonsense??? We are in Europe, we are civilized people!!
“What do we have to do with your underdeveloped Africa? No offense please, I have been to 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!! Please understand! With love from Austria,” the email read.
Madowo reacted to the email, exclaiming in a tweet, “This guy is mad at me that I have a CNN show exclusively for African stories.”
Another email
On Saturday, September 21, 2024, Madowo shared another email from the same Austrian viewer, who continued to complain about the promos.
“Larry Madowo, you are destroying every program with your ads for ‘AFRICAN VOICES CHANGE MAKERS’. Every time your ad comes, we shut the TV off. We are sick of it!!!!” the viewer wrote.
In response, Madowo humorously noted, “I’m single-handedly destroying every show on CNN with my promo 😂.”
He further pointed out the irony, stating, “He’s watching a CNN with International in its name but doesn’t want to see any Africa coverage 🤷🏾♂️.”
The ongoing exchange highlights a clash over the relevance of African stories on a global platform.
The exchange has sparked conversations about the importance of African narratives in global media and the persistent biases that still exist regarding coverage of the continent.
It’s not the first time that Larry Madowo has clashed with critics over his coverage on CNN.
The CNN journalist came under a scathing attack from a section of Kenyans over an incident that occurred during the June 27, 2024, anti-government protests in Nairobi.
Madowo became the talk of the internet after he was accused of selling out local journalists to the police.
