Madina Dahiru Maishanu is a senior journalist with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). She is the host of a youth-focused programme ‘Mahangar Zamani.’ In this interview, the Mass Communication graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, shares her experience on how the show inspires women and youths to make positive changes in their lives, and contribute to society.
What inspired you to anchor the talk show, ‘Mahangar Zamani,’ and what was your journey like?
I grew up watching people like Oprah Winfrey hosting her show seamlessly, making an impact. And since when I was a child, I always dreamt of hosting a show myself. When the opportunity came to do that at the BBC, I was elated. With Mahangar Zamani we wanted to do something different; we wanted to create a platform that gives women and youth a voice to discuss topics that are often shied away from so we can stir conversations that come along with societal change.
When I started hosting Mahangar Zamani, I just returned to Nigeria from the United States. I was very anxious because I was learning on the job but it has been a great ride so far with the support of my editor, Aliyu Tanko.
How do you stay up-to-date with current events and topics?
I do social listening, which means searching online for the most trending topics in our society to understand what the audience is interested in. I also get our topics from random conversations at the workplace/public spaces, suggestions from colleagues or from problems that we know are prevalent in our society which need to be brought to light so they can get the necessary attention. Mahangar Zamani is a show that focuses on creating impact, so any topic that can bring change, educate or inform our society, we will focus on it.
Can you walk us through your research process for a programme?
Sometimes I find the topics myself and other topics are suggested by colleagues during editorial meetings. After taking notes of all the suggestions we sit down and decide which ones and how we are going to treat each topic according to BBCs editorial policy and guideline. And finally, it has to tick all the boxes and the editor gives the final go ahead for the topic and the guests to be invited.
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How do you handle sensitive or controversial topics on your show?
As part of BBC’s editorial policy there is taste and decency. We look at how the audience perception will be and decide what will go on air. Of course, if it is controversial, before airing we make the edit in such a way that all comments that are deemed too sensitive are removed. The bottom line is all the videos are not contrary to the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
What is your process for selecting and booking guests for the programme?
Most of the time, we discuss the guest’s suitability during editorial meetings and other staff will make suggestions of guests and share their contacts. So, it is a team work, I don’t do it alone, there are other colleagues behind the camera.
Can you share a particularly memorable guest experience?
Every guest I have had is memorable; they all have a unique journey, story and valuable insight to share that inspires the audience and sometimes even myself as the host.
Can you share a time when a guest became confrontational or difficult?
I have never had this experience with any of my guests. Because we do pre-interviews before we go on air so they understand the focus of the show and know what they are getting into.
If you could have any historical or influential figure as a guest, who would it be and why?
I would love to have Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, as my guest. She is someone I aspire to be like and she is the true definition of using your craft to become successful in life. The main reason why I would want to interview her is for her to share her journey so it can serve as an inspiration to our Nigerian girls, so they know that they can achieve anything they want in life, by starting small, using their talent and by practising to perfect their craft up until they become a household name like her.
How do you connect with your audience?
I connect with my audience via social media mostly. I am very active on my social media platforms. So, I try to engage them by replying to their comments, that way I get to understand how they react to some topics, what we need to improve and I also get to use the topics they suggested on the show. We even created a segment which we have vox-pops from the audience on some topics we discuss so they can share their own views.
Can you share a highlight or accomplishment from your career?
For me, being the anchor of Mahangar Zamani is the highlight of my career. In a few months I would have hosted 100 episodes. For me this is a huge accomplishment. Throughout this period, I was able to make mistakes, learn from them, perfect my craft and deliver powerful episodes that have changed lives and made an impact on every level. That is the biggest highlight of my career.
I am also very happy that this show has paved a way and inspired other youths that want to venture into journalism. It serves as an example that they can also become show hosts and create impact despite their young age. I want to say a huge thank you to the BBC for the opportunity and my editor Aliyu Tanko, my team and my family for supporting me throughout the journey.
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