SABIR MUSTAFA
Arlington,VA
Summary
A highly accomplished journalist with extensive experience as a writer, reporter (in English and Bangla), editorial leader and manager. Extensive experience in editorially leading complex output on various platforms, from radio to television and digital. Adept at managing people, planning, and implementing change in platform, output and personnel. Experienced in setting up news bureaus and building teams. An editorial leader who guides teams with strong editorial judgement and understanding of the audience. Excellent knowledge of Bangladesh in particular, but also South Asia in general. Spent over two decades as Editor of the BBC's Bengali service, and currently Managing Editor at VoA Bangla.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Supervisory Managing Editor, VoA Bangla
US Agency for Global Media
2023.10 - Current
- Lead on editorial matters including breaking stories and special output seasons.
- Train and mentor team on digital best practices particularly online writing, SEO, best use of photos, use of analytics, use of social media.
- Supervise team members, which includes setting goals, helping to improve output, ensure timely delivery of tasks.
- Assign duties, help with editing content generated by colleagues in DC and Dhaka.
- Liaise with VoA production teams and coordinate video output using studios.
- Work with service Chief to improve coverage of Bangladesh.
EDITOR, BENGALI SERVICE
British Broadcasting Corporation
1999.03 - 2023.08
- Joined BBC World Service in 1999 and promoted to Head of Bengali Service in 2001.
- Transformed radio-only service into a multi-media broadcast platform, with increasing focus on television output and digital content.
- Lead on and managed major changes, including setting up office with production facilities in Dhaka in 2003, creating new editorial team in 2011 and expanding it in subsequent years.
- Negotiated broadcast agreements with local Channel i television since 2006, including a co-production deal in 2015.
- Provided editorial leadership for landmark television debate programme 'Bangladesh Sanglap' in collaboration with BBC Media Action which ran from 2005 to 2015.
- Launched successful weekly TV programmes 'BBC Probaho' in 2015 and 'Bangladesh #trending' in 2020.
- Recruited teams in Bangladesh and India, mentored and managed them.
- Restructured workflow in Dhaka and London, to reflect new priorities and better coverage from the ground.
- Regularly contributed analyses of developments in Bangladesh on BBC World TV and BBC Online.
- Conducted limited study of challenges faced by people with disability in the job markets of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and Indonesia.
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Daily Star
1998.10 - 1999.03
- Wrote Editorials and a weekly column.
- Edited weekly feature page Focus.
- Acted as News Editor for the Friday edition of the newspaper.
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Financial Express
1993.09 - 1998.06
- Wrote Editorials and Op/Eds.
- Edited weekly feature on human rights and development.
- Edited weekly feature on arts and culture.
- Reported on human rights issues] as well economic ones.
- Covered three UN conferences extensively for the paper - 1994 population conf. in Cairo; 1995 conf. on social development in Copenhagen and 1995 conf. on women in Beijing.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Dhaka Courier
1993.02 - 1993.09
- Planned and edited content for weekly news magazine.
- Managed small team of editorial and production staff.
- Reported on political issues.
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Daily Star
1991.02 - 1993.01
- Wrote Editorials and Op/Eds.
- Wrote features and news reports.
- Produced special supplements.
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Dialogue
1988.07 - 1990.12
- Managed/edited output on major international developments.
- Used publishing tool QuarkXpress to design pages for the tabloid-shaped weekly paper.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations and Politics
North Staffordshire Polytechnic
Stoke-on-Trent, UK. 07.1983
A-Levels - British Constitution
Ludlow College
Ludlow, Shropshire, UK. 07.1979
A-Levels - History, Economics
Bedstone School
Bucknell, Shropshire07.1978
O levels - Various
Manor House Descartes
Beirut, Lebanon07.1975
Skills
- Editorial leadership.
- Change management, team-building, digital transformation.
- Planning, commissioning and managing multi-platform content.
- Mentoring and coaching colleagues.
- Performance management.
- Production processes for television and digital platforms.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of socio-political trends in Bangladesh and eastern India.
- Strong knowledge of European history, and understanding of socio-political evolution of post-WWII and post-Soviet eras.
- Managing budgets, assessing risks and dealing with external political pressure
- Social media analytics
- Language proficiency - English and Bangla
Personal Information
Nationality: British.
Permanent residence: 22 Virginia Way, Reading, Berskshire RG30 3QH, UK.
Dual Nationality: Bangladeshi.
Marital status: Married.
Children: None.
What I enjoy: Watching Man Utd, relaxing in pubs, watching noir thrillers on TV, a news junkie, travelling and visiting Christmas Markets.
Most visited country: Germany (Berlin often, Hamburg, Munich, Freiburg, Rothenburg, Dresden, Nuremburg).
Timeline
Supervisory Managing Editor, VoA Bangla
US Agency for Global Media
2023.10 - Current
EDITOR, BENGALI SERVICE
British Broadcasting Corporation
1999.03 - 2023.08
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Daily Star
1998.10 - 1999.03
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Financial Express
1993.09 - 1998.06
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Dhaka Courier
1993.02 - 1993.09
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Daily Star
1991.02 - 1993.01
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Dialogue
1988.07 - 1990.12
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations and Politics
North Staffordshire Polytechnic
A-Levels - British Constitution
Ludlow College
A-Levels - History, Economics
Bedstone School
O levels - Various
Manor House Descartes
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