Online tele-radio broadcaster Heart & Soul Broadcasting Services, a baby of Alpha Media Holdings — publishers of NewsDay, The Standard, Zimbabwe Independent and Southern Eye — is fast-gaining approbation in the cut-throat broadcasting industry, thanks to the dynamic and compelling listener interaction exhibited by the team behind the microphone.
One such programme that has managed to win the hearts of all and sundry is the World’s Best Breakfast, which airs every weekday between 6am and 10am. Below are excerpts from an interview involving two famous voices behind the morning show — Ian Venganai (Ian P) and Fungai Mawada (Fufu).
Q: Tell us briefly about yourselves.
Ian P: My name is Certain…. Like in the Bible. It’s Ian Prosper Venganai and I am the station manager of Heart & Soul.
Fufu: My name is Fungai Linda Mawada. I am the last born and my mother’s favourite child.
Q: Where did you grow up?
Ian P: I grew up in Harare and Cape Town.
Fufu: I grew up in Bulawayo, the City of Kings and Queens, and consider myself royalty in two ways being raised in a royal city and more importantly, being the child of a King (God). I’m fortunate to have found my calling at a young age and did not think twice about getting an honours degree in Media Studies, and while I was at it, I dabbled in modelling and photography.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Q: What is your presenter name and where did it come from?
Ian P: They call me Ian P and it all started in college. I used to carry my camera and film everywhere at UCT [University Of Cape Town], then everyone started identifying my work as Ian P Concept.
Fufu: During the most part of my life I was called Fifi even when I was at college and at home. However, strange enough, my presenter name is Fufu and I have no idea where I got that name from, but somehow it stuck.
Q: Why Heart & Soul?
Ian P: It is everything to me, for me it’s a legacy project. Building something from ground up and empowering a new wave of talent is an amazing experience.
Fufu: Heart & Soul is a daily challenge and I am always learning every day. Going digital is still something new, particulary at the level we operate as Heart & Soul. I am proud to be a part of the people shaking the status quo. You ask why Heart & Soul, I ask why not (laughs)?
Q: What is your morning show all about?
Ian P: The World’s Best Breakfast is the premium show that kickstarts your day or winds it up depending on, which part of the world you are in. The breakfast show is very smart, fun, engaging and entertaining. We allow our audiences to become part of the show on a daily basis.
Fufu: I produce and host the World’s Best Breakfast together with Ian P. The World’s Best Breakfast is what we like to call the perfect jumpstart to your fresh day. The show simply sets the tone for the day by giving you the right starter pack in terms of news, education and entertainment, with my favourite segment being Zim Classics, which enables our over 700 000 listeners and Facebook live viewers to tune in and have live engagement with us on the show.
Q: Who is the primary target audience for your show?
Ian P: Our target audience ranges from ages between 18 and 25 years, but our core audience is the 25 to 45 who are now at work stealing the bosses’ WiFi before they get in at 10am.
Fufu: Our primary audience are businesspeople, civil servants, office workers, informal workers and civic society.
Q: What has been the most exciting moment so far on Heart & Soul?
Ian P: I’d say the Chamisa “Now you see me, Now you don’t skit, while live on radio with Fufu my co-host, was the best radio moment for me. It was natural, unrehearsed, funny and honest. Most people thought we were a station in Nigeria.
Fufu: For me, everyday is an exciting day at Heart & Soul. On a daily basis, I bump into people I’d never meet on a normal day, ranging from musicians, politicians, to socialites and entrepreneurs. It’s like having Christmas gifts every day because you never know who is coming or what they are like in person.
Q: If you had a payoff line… What would it be?
Ian P: Ian P Pfee, but on a real it would be ‘Now you see me, Now you don’t”.
Fufu: Wow off the top of my head “Induku enhle iganyulwa ezizweni” or better yet “I am a woman, what’s your super power?”
Q: Where can we find you digitally?
Ian P: @ianpuniverse is where I digitally live and protect the galaxy.
Fufu: First of all and more importantly, HSTV is @HStvZim on all social media sites. Fufu can be found on Instagram @fungai_linda and Fungai_Linda on Twitter. Yes, I follow back.
Q: What’s next for Heart & Soul?
Ian P: Live broadcast at the Grammys or Oscars. Which year? It doesn’t really matter; it will happen anytime soon because we are the right talent for it. Both musically and cinematic.
Fufu: God knows what the future holds, but I firmly believe the future is digital. Countries like Rwanda and Kenya have proven this and it’s high time we embraced major developments in information and communications technology and this includes digital tele-radio. Heart and Soul are simply going to and have changed the game. If you don’t believe me, tune in on www.hstv.co.zw.
