Day in the life: running a TV channel
Nasfim Haque
Channel Editor - BBC 3
Read about Nasfim’s career journey in TV and media, a typical day for her, and the role mentors have played in her career.
About me…
I was born and raised in Wales and started out as a BBC trainee in BBC Wales after spending several years trying to get into the media and doing a PhD in Science which bought me time and built on my degree!
Eventually, I met someone at the BBC who was working to diversify the media who helped me get an ‘in’ and apply for a training post. Over the years I have worked across TV, Radio and Online across the BBC in Cardiff, Manchester, and Birmingham, with a stint at the BBC’s International Development charity BBC Media Action in London. I then left the BBC in 2011 to freelance in London’s huge TV production industry, working for some of the UK’s biggest TV companies.
However, I found my way back to the BBC via a trainee commissioner post at Channel 4 which then led to a digital Commissioning Editor role at BBC Three and now here I am as Channel Editor. I am based in Birmingham where I live with my husband and daughter.
I wanted to go into this career because …
We watched a lot of TV as kids and working in telly seemed like fun.
I got into this career…
By trying and writing lots of letters (no email back then!), grappling to find contacts and struggling to get work experience wherever I could. It was hard 20 years ago as the industry wasn't as open or diverse as it is now. I ended up doing a PhD to delay making hard career choices as I really wanted to try to work in the media. In the end it took an outreach worker at BBC Wales with an understanding of diversifying the workforce to help me get in via a BBC trainee scheme.
Representation at all levels in the workplace is important because …
The world isn’t made up of one kind of person from North London!
A typical day for me…
Involves being woken up by my kid, grabbing a strong coffee, battling through emails, lots of zoom meetings (be they initial ideas pitches, meeting talent, ensuring programmes are compliant or digesting audience research amongst other things), and ensuring the team working with me are happy and managing what is on their plates.
I still partly work at home which does help manage time, and the BBC is brilliant when it comes to work-life balance.
The most challenging thing about my career is…
Saying no to people who enthusiastically pitch their best ideas and themselves for TV/on-demand content. It is always better to give a speedy ‘no’ than give a charitable ‘maybe’. People appreciate honesty.
Mentors and people championing me have helped advance my career…
By enabling me to go for a role I have never seen myself in or by leaving me to do things which is often the best way to learn.
The biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career…
Is standing up to negative leadership.
The best career advice I’ve been given….
Don’t become something you are not and don’t let others force a narrative about you or on you. I am comfortable with my heritage and faith, period.
The three qualities I think you need for this career are…
Confidence, kindness and honesty (people are too scared of that at work)
The best thing about my job…
I can watch great content and TV in the name of work.
What I do to switch off …
Watch more TV…especially reality TV…! Ok that sounds like I’m terrible, but I also love spending time with my kid….priceless.
