Europe's first black television station Ben TV moves into new multi-million pound London studios

EUROPE's oldest ethnic minority television station Ben TV has moved into a brand new multi-million pond studio complex in the heart of London as part of a new drive to reach out into the community and attract more viewers.

Founded in 2003 set a precedence by becoming Europe’s first black-interest television channel, linking disaporans up with developments back in Africa. Dr Alistair Soyode, the Ben TV chairman, said that there is now a need to build on this and so they have decided to not only move to a new premises but also put in place a new management team that will steer the company through this new phase in its development.

Dr Soyode said: “This is an exciting time for Ben as this year marks our 15th anniversary as the primary television channel of black-interest in the UK and Europe. With our new studios, we can now make the programmes that Britain’s black population have been crying out for, including talk shows, news, soap operas and other shows that reflect them.

“Our new management team, the best in their various fields, are here to propel Ben TV to that next level where it will be competing, viewer for viewer, with mainstream channels by producing and broadcasting the freshest and best programmes anywhere but our core values remain the same. We will maintain our commitment to be informative and we will continuing bridging the gap between communities, whether in regards to Brexit, Windrush or any other issue affecting our communities."

He added that Dotun Adebayo Ben TV's interim chief executive is one of the best known and best-loved broadcasters in Britain. In addition Dr Soyode said the new marketing director Jason Freeman is one of the outstanding brand managers of his generation.

"Ronke Apampa is our secret weapon as not only does she bring glamour and pazzazz to Ben TV, she also brings the knowledge, expertise, success and contacts that have seen her catapulted to celebrity status as a businesswoman. With this team, I believe, Ben is headed for the top,” Dr Soyode added.