Inside the JKL Show: The work, the meetings, the tension, the drama

It's one of Kenya's biggest news TV programs, drawing in millions of ardent viewers every Wednesday, delivered with an unrivalled flair and panache that only the host can muster and a show that not only edifies the nation but also sets the tone for the national atmosphere.

Jeff Koinange Live has been running for the last several years and is broadcast by Citizen TV and hosted by its eponym, the consummate TV legend Jeff Koinange.

Every Wednesday evening, Kenyans from all walks of life huddle around their TV screens to catch yet another fervid episode of Jeff Koinange Live as the show's host, hair glimmering under the studio lights and three-piece designer suit lighting up the room, flamboyantly shoots away the questions as the guests tear into each other with sheer rabidness.

Alot happens on air - guests go for each other's jugular, expensive mobile gadgets get slammed across the room, disgruntled guests stage a dramatic walk-out,  torrents of shouting matches ensue and clouds of fire extinguisher smoke stuff the room.

Miguna Miguna, Francis Atwoli, The Grand Mullah, Millie Odhiambo, Mike Sonko and Martha Karua are some of the guests who have left indelible marks on the hallowed JKL benches.

But what goes on behind the preparations for a show of this magnitude? You may ask. 

First, the show's host, Jeff Koinange, in conjunction with the show's producer Monica Kiragu sit and agree on which guest to host depending on the prevailing political or social climate at that moment.

"The guest we choose to host on any given Wednesday depends on the current affairs, trending topics, hot political material at that moment and basically what's the hottest material in the news, that's what determines who we choose to host," Monica told Citizen Digital.

"We have to always be abreast with the latest talking points and that heavily influences our choice of guest, " she adds.

After the duo settles on the guest - or guests - they intend to invite over to the show, the names are then floated to the Citizen TV Editorial Leadership Team in the Wednesday morning editorial meeting who then get to approve - or disapprove - depending on various factors.

Once the Editorial Team has approved the set of guests for the day, things start to move quickly as the team prepares for yet another afternoon meeting in which they sit, deliberate, brainstorm, come up with questions and set the general mood of the show.

The meeting comprises, among others, the show's host Jeff Koinange, the producer Monica Kiragu, Linus Kaikai (Director of strategy and innovation) and Ephy Mwangi (Creative Editor).

At the meeting, questions to be asked to the guests are drafted and all are based on the day's political activities and the various TV bytes, to accompany the questions, are also settled upon.

The meeting takes roughly two hours.

"It's normally an intense meeting that involves a lot of counter-checking, fact-finding, PR research and extensive in-house consultations," Ephy Mwangi says. 

Jeff Koinange then leaves the office premises and comes back around 7.30 pm in the evening, all fresh, dressed to the nines and with his hair pristinely combed in his signature laid back perm curly.

At around 8.30pm, studio technicians start setting the stage for the upcoming show.

"We start at around 8.30pm or so," Shem Ojunga, studio Technical, told Citizen Digital.

"It's a very deliberate process that requires a lot of attention to even the smallest details. We start with getting information from the producer on what guests to expect, how many they are and so on and so forth. That helps us with determining how to set up the bench, how many cameras we need or may need to add, how many mics are required, etc."

The set takes about 20 minutes as Shem and his crew do the camera blocking, arrange to get extra cameras (in case the guest list demands so), check to ensure the signal for the extra camera reaches the gallery, do the news desk set up and also set the camera (and background) for the sign interpreter.

"At the end of it all, we check to ensure these few things - all the cameras are working, the jib is working, the lights are all working perfectly, confirm also that the lapels (mics) are working and generally ensure that we are ready to roll," Shem says.

After the set is ready, the show's producer Monica Kiragu comes to inspect the work before Jeff Koinange eventually goes live on air at around 9pm for the evening news.

"Some shows will require as many as three people operating the cameras and in some cases, a minimum of two," Shem adds.

Jeff Koinange has seen all manner of guests and, after all these years, still maintains that he doesn't have favourites.

"I don't have any favourite guests. As long as they're entertaining, as long as they know their stuff. As long as they can answer their questions, I don't have favourites," Jeff says.

And on the matter of having difficult guests, Jeff says that as long as he warms them up, then there is no such a thing as a difficult guest.

"I've been lucky, the guests I bring along, they entertain, they inform, they don't give us a hard time at all, as long as we warm them up... Then we are good to go. And yes, I do get nervous all the time. Every time you're on air you have to be nervous, it keeps the adrenaline going, but there's no particular guest who makes me nervous as such, " he adds.

Jeff Koinange admits that he has, sometimes, dealt with guests who appeared obviously intoxicated but has always made it his business to 'bring them back to the line' as the show's host.

 JKL is slated to last for a little over an hour but sometimes, given the gravity of the topic and the nature of the guests, the show, Jeff says, tends to run over for an extra half an hour or so.

And on the matter of the ubiquitous fire extinguisher, the renowned host laughs, "Things get really hot in here. Both figuratively and literally. I started using it as a joke, actually. Now, it's part of my craft. It adds to the act. I don't use it all the time though." 

Jeff's storied career as the JKL host has seen him sit and talk to some of the biggest names across the World and particularly in Africa where he has interviewed, among other leaders, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Liberia's George Weah and South Sudan's Salva Kiir. 

JKL remains Kenyan television's hottest Wednesday night ticket with a flurry of incandescent guests who light up the show, dissect topics, tackle the hardest questions and serve the hottest debates, as Jeff, as only he can, moderates with the skillfulness of an Indian snake charmer.