We welcome you all to this, the first in BEN’s series of events, The BEN TV Diplomatic Awards. It gives me great privilege in inviting you to witness the opening of what we believe will an extension, to the platform we have constructed through BEN TV. As the only black ethnic orientated channel broadcasting in Europe and North Africa, eight years have now passed since our initial launch.
With the high and lows that come with maintaining a business based in an external market, BEN TV continues to go strong and spread its reputation around. This past year, I felt privileged to be profiled on CNN as part of their ‘African Voices’ features. My quest to provide a positive and constructive representation of Africa and its wide diaspora is now a respected reality, if too occasionally a challenge to sustain. But with all these expected obstacles, the output both creative and commercial remains as rewarding to the team as it is to our loyal audiences across the country and beyond
The staples of BEN continue to be programmes which revolve around us, the black communities primarily of the UK- the institution that takes us all back, be it to Africa, the Caribbean or Australasia, for example. Our youth programme ‘TalkTime’ continues to go from strength to strength, as a debate show which brings to attention issues and pressures that many young black Britons find themselves under
Regularly, ‘TalkTime’ showcases young writers and poets, bringing to the focus the drive and passion that is creating black Britain’s emerging art scene. ‘ConnectAfrik’ is our talk-show hosted and produced by Diasporan Africans seeking to find that link that will both tie and educate them as to what they have missed, being so long away from her. The diversity in our traditional cultures is frequently showcased. ‘Lifestyle on BEN’ is another highlight of BEN. Artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, models, sports journalists, DJs and actors from the black diaspora feature weekly performances or in-depth interviews looking the entertainment industry’s impact on our guests and promoting the best consumer retail for viewers, often with a prize giveaway. Recently, Lifestyle on BEN has undertaken a political and social agenda, focusing on relief projects for the hurricane hit West Indian islands and medical issues in the black community, particularly on lupus.
Our documentary series ‘Swahili Diaries’, features interviews and profiles on political issues, movements and icons in Africa, both with interviews here in the UK and frequent travels to Africa. ‘The Debol Show’ & ‘Breakfast Show’, look at art, entertainment, party and fashion industries primarily in London. ‘BEN TV News’ provides an alternative take to the mainstream, keeping our viewers informed of global events. Will trade and investment on the upswing in the developing world, BEN TV will be launching three Current Affairs programmes.
The first ‘At the Embassy’ follows the popular reality format, take us closer to you, African and Caribbean high commissions and embassies working in the UK to represents both the interests of your nations and promoting your country’s reputation, the in face of an increasingly globalised and competitive world. Our second ‘UK Policies’ attempts to close the gap between the public audience and the management behind the UK’s biggest public and private institutions. We’ll future regular interviews with industry professionals and experts. Lastly but by no means least, ‘In the Community’ goes under the skin of Diasporan organisations such as charities, town unions, businesses and remittance banks. Slowing things down has never been BEN’s agenda, so we find ourselves faced with exciting prospects for 2011 building on the talent and success that has driven the station for the last eight years and counting.
Our advertisers, many of whom are present with us tonight, promote their businesses, churches and products aimed at providing services and catering to tastes that often the mainstream has neglected. This has been the ethos of BEN TV; to build on the network which has been successfully built across the UK, with London at its heart since the first mass immigration of African-Caribbean immigrants to the UK in 1948. Successively, Africans, Asians and a minority from the Pacific and the Americas have come to invest and develop in what particularly during the height of the British Empire, was praised as the mother country. As our families head into further generations, the need to remain in contact with home became crucial. The need to speak, remind and celebrate what was left behind, as well represent the best of diasporan communities here.
In this respect, we find our work, particularly creatively, crosses similar objectives and boundaries with our High Commissions and Embassies based in the UK.
BEN TV recognises our market; how many businesses and projects have managed against the storm of the recession to develop into commodities opening further doors for many members of our communities. This is why this next year will see BEN TV launch its events subsidiary. Events, such as this, which commemorate and promote achievements, opportunities and talents to come out of the black Diaspora here in the UK. July will see us hosting our first trade exhibition, ‘Africar Tradex’. A three day trade exhibition fair, the event will features conferences, fashion shows, catering displays and trade platforms all to encourage communication and investment between African and Caribbean sectors.
So as we open tonight, I encourage you not just to revel and celebrate the achievements of your own nation, but also of that of your many neighbours. We hope this first BEN TV Diplomatic awards, will be a platform to build on the networking between your high commissions and embassies. Perhaps it may encourage an existing or new dialogue previously unconsidered, or encourage you to remember the benefits of being stationed in one another’s countries.
Take this as an opportunity to recognise the similarities in our interests and policies, rather than the differences that have prevented us from meeting like this before. It is my honour to welcome you all to the first BEN TV diplomatic awards. Thank you.dR ALISTAIR SOYODE
