MEET DR ALISTAIR SOYODE AND HIS DIASPORA DREAMS
There is no better place and person to start with than when BEN TV in conjunction with newdeal africa hosted a diplomatic dinner and awards night to appreciate and celebrate the achievements made by the diplomatic corps. the Diaspora media anchor and icon - Dr Alistair Soyode the CEO of (BEN) Television. BEN is an acronym for Bright Entertainment Network.

Dr alistair soyode with the kuwait embassador H.E Alduwaisan

Since August 2002, BEN created television history, by launching the first 24-hour black-oriented television service in United Kingdom, bridging and filling the gap created by Mainstream broadcasters.

Dr Alistair with the guyana and Babardos high commissioners
BEN continues to celebrate the rich heritage of our diverse cultures, beliefs, customs, and hopes to foster a greater appreciation of the family and humanity in all its manifestations.

Saying hello to the Tanzania deputy high commissioner Mr chabaka kilumanga

To overcome the hurdles of registering/licensing an outfit in such a sensitive industry-the media is daunting.

Is every thing alright ? .. to the cameroon diplomats

In this exclusive interview, A. Soyode bares his mind on how it all started, what he has accomplished, opportunities and constraints. He offers a tip to Nigerians to join hands in rebranding Nigeria. Enjoy it.INTERVIEW:The Voice: Welcome! With me is Dr. Alistair Soyode, -Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Ben TV. Dr. Allister, you are welcome.Alistair Soyode: Thank you very much. It is my pleasure to be with you.The Voice: How did the BEN TV come about? In other words, why BEN TV?Alistair Soyode: Ben TV was established as a medium to fill the gap/emptiness that was created by none programs to cater for the interests of Africans and the Caribbean in the UK. With that emptiness, we then thought we could produce a program for all TV stations-just a program. From there basically, it became a bigger project-a production House. We then applied for a satellite license which took a long time in materializing and by 2002/2003, this station started broadcasting on the satellite.

Im honoured to have you in the house sir he seems to say to the Jamaican high comissioner

The Voice: Dr. Alistair Soyode, will you tell us a bit about yourself. I mean, do you have a background in communications? Alistair Soyode: I would say I have a background in communications, like telecommunications-GSM, mobile phones, that sort of thing, in those early days. That is as far as I can say in terms of communications. But in terms of the media, that is where we belong.

Saying hello to the Kuwait ambassaodor

The Voice: 2002 has been a very long time. What has it been like for you?Alistair Soyode: It has been challenging. Constantly, very challenging, everyday has been a totally different day from the normal media industry because what we do is that we cater for a community that has been marginalized by the mainstream. Then of course, the station represents kind of, the Nigerians content, the Nigerian people. So with that, it has always been a battle to convince the Diaspora that we mean business/have something to offer. But looking at it, I would definitely say we have been going on and to God be the glory, and without any doubt, we have been the major source of branding Nigeria internationally, be it positive or negative. This is because we combine the two together to create the story. It is a challenging task and I guess we can keep paddling on.

The Voice: What kinds of challenges have you faced?Alistair Soyode: We are facing challenges in terms of human resources, in terms of raising capital because in the media industry most of our tasks are capital intensive and require massive financial injection into our business. As a media that is a TV station, as a media that is globally seen either through the Internet or other means of information, it is without any doubt a daily challenge. Every challenge comes in different form and fashion. But we have to keep battling on.

The Voice: You are out there in the United Kingdom and you are a Nigerian. How were you able to break into the market?Alistair Soyode: Surely enough I recognized that BEN TV is a major brand in terms of the black and ethnic TV program provider in the UK or even in Africa as well. For us, being the name BEN is a major brand, we have recognized as well that we need to continue to break them all down either in terms of African or Caribbean people that we represent or the Nigerian people that we represent. So we just hope that being in the market we have to continue to sustain our growth, market our potentialities which we have not yet been totally explored. The reality is that we are a station but we have not utilized up to 10% of our capacity and capabilities.

The director of new deal africa Mr Ayoub mzee attentively listening to his boss's key note speech which out lined the ben tv 's future plans

The Voice: You are out there in the United Kingdom and you are a Nigerian. How were you able to break into the market?

Alistair Soyode: Surely enough I recognized that BEN TV is a major brand in terms of the black and ethnic TV program provider in the UK or even in Africa as well. For us, being the name BEN is a major brand, we have recognized as well that we need to continue to break them all down either in terms of African or Caribbean people that we represent or the Nigerian people that we represent. So we just hope that being in the market we have to continue to sustain our growth, market our potentialities which we have not yet been totally explored. The reality is that we are a station but we have not utilized up to 10% of our capacity and capabilities.

The Voice: What are you aiming at in the next 5years?

Alistair Soyode: I have never looked at it that way because 5years for me is a very, long, long time. I will probably say that hoping that the Station will continue to be there, to represent my people, my Africa as a continent and my Nigeria as a country, then that will give me joy

The Voice: What would you like your viewers to know about you personally and about the Ben TV?

Alistair Soyode: I am separate from BEN TV. I would want viewers to know that Ben TV emerged on the Media scene to fill the gap created to represent Africa as a continent and the Caribbean, represent the people of Nigeria and represent any nation so far as we can get to that country. We reach out to the Western Europe-the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, name it. We reach out to Africa and the North Africa. We are going to reach out to America and USA, and globally through the Internet and through the screen. That is what we are doing as Ben and then, of course, I would like anybody that has any content that is worth broadcasting including news and current affairs that are intellectual, to try to contact us. We cannot be everywhere, for instance, I am not in Holland or Italy I live in UK. So if there is anything happening in your locality that you feel people around the world or the Africans and the Caribbeans need to know, send us those materials, get in touch with us and together we can bridge the gap. Once again I say we can’t do it alone.

The Voice: Nigeria is now being rebranded. How have you been able to change the image of Nigeria?

Alistair Soyode: I tell you frankly that Nigeria is the biggest product/project that anybody would contract to sell. There is no doubt about it. It is a product that people have been seen, heard of and known. To me, rebranding Nigeria as Prof Dora, the Minister for Information has initiated is not that the Nigerian green-white-green colour is going to change-no. It is making Nigerians aware that they need to change and for me that is basically the real branding. It is not like there is water, there is electricity, no but that is achievable. But it is the people who matter, the people who can do it. It has to do with people beginning to think we want to rebrand Nigeria and that if we don’t do it, nobody else will. This is the real branding. You and all the Nigerian listeners, this is an opportunity, and instead of criticizing, let us look at the positive side and if there are no positive stories about the country, then there is nothing we can do about it. But then together we can say, let us then create it.

The Voice: Do you have any message for Nigerians in Diaspora?

Alistair Soyode: My message is–be real, follow the law of the country wherever you are. I can honestly say that as a country and as a Nigerian, we come first in any Diaspora country or any country outside Nigeria to adapt to what they want them to do when they make their laws and regulations. And to all Nigerians I say always be law abiding wherever you are and do what you can within the limited resources you have then together we can really make Nigeria a good people and a great nation. Thank you.

Hands on approach is the motto for dr alistair soyode

Did you enjoy your meal sirs?

The Voice: It has been a pleasure having you for this interview.

Alistair Soyode: Thank you very much.