Ben TV wins Best Diaspora Television Station of the Year Award at Lagos media bash

LONDON-based Ben TV has been voted as the best diaspora television station at the recent Nigerian Media Awards in Lagos that honoured the doyens of the industry who have done the nation proud through sterling journalism.

Founded in 2003 by Alistair Soyode, Ben TV was Europe's first ever black television station, spurring the growth of ethnic minority broadcasting outlets. Yesterday, the TV station was appreciated for its pioneering role for exporting Africa in general and Nigeria in particular to the wider world, which has among other things attracted foreign direct investment.

According to the Nigerian Media Awards organisers the Best Diaspora Television Station awards was designed to recognise and appreciate members of the fourth estate who are setting the agenda for the public office holders. They took into account the media outlets that held public office holders accountable by asking the right questions and provided true information for members of the public to make informed decisions.

Solkem Communications, who received nomination for the awards on the night,  had received hundreds of entries to contest in different categories. Also on the night, Bond FM won the Radio Station of the Year award, while the television personality of the year award went to Oseni Rufai of Arise News.

Receiving the award on behalf of Mr Soyode, at Airport Hotel in Lagos yesterday, Adeniyi Ifetayo, said that Ben TV was founded to tell beautiful Nigeria and African stories in the right perspective.  He added that the aware will spur the brand to do more and give more family-oriented, informative, educative and entertainment programmes.

Mr Ifetayo said:  “I want to quote from famous inaugural speech of late American president, John F Kennedy who said: "Ask what you can do for your country, ask not what your country can do for you. Ben TV was founded to give back to Nigeria and Africa at large, to tell beautiful African stories in the right perspective.”