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“My story is a long and winding one, filled with ups and downs. I was born in Kimberley in the Northern Cape but raised in Mafikeng in the North West. Where I come from people didn’t even dream about being on television because it just wasn’t something we saw happen to people from our community”, says Abigail Visage, the renowned broadcaster, media personality, content creator and news anchor.

I moved to Johannesburg with my family at the beginning of my high school career and a chance encounter at the Rand Easter show saw me suddenly auditioning for the role of a teen presenter on eTV’s Craze. I got the job and that’s really been the tone of my career going forward. Being at the right place at the right time and being prepared and ready for an opportunity. 

Years later I was invited to a same day audition for a news anchor, reluctantly I went, auditioned and again got the job. Five years later I anchored every time slot and big current affairs event for ANN7/AfroWorldView. During my time at the broadcaster I was headhunted by E Entertainment Africa in their search for South Africa’s face of E! Entertainment. I ended up second to Kat Sinavasin. I was then again headhunted by Moja Love during the launch of the channel to host a talk show titled Show Me Love. And most recently a chance encounter in the offices of eNCA would grant me the opportunity to test as an anchor, as they say the rest is history. 

How did your early involvement in the entertainment industry and being a semifinalist in the 2010 Miss South Africa pageant influence your career trajectory and personal development?

I don’t see my journey in Miss SA as contributing much to my personal development. I don’t think I made it far enough for it to have made an impact. Although I do see value in the platform today –  because of the platform it gives the winner. My days on crazE helped me find myself, I remember one of the people in charge telling me that I’m feeding off the energy of my co presenter and not really being myself. I remember the moment so vividly because it really forced me to think about who I am and what I bring to the show. I must have been in my early teens at the time but it’s something I always carry with me. It was such a major lesson for me to remember to be authentically myself.

With six and a half years of live television broadcasting experience, what skills have you found essential for success in this fast-paced environment, and how have you honed them? 

There’s nothing that can prepare you for LIVE television other than LIVE television itself. One of the skills I think are of importance is being able to hold discussions with people in a way that allows for them to be comfortable talking to you and open up, so often my guests will thank me for creating an environment where they feel comfortable to talk and answer sometimes difficult questions. As a broadcaster you have to be able to engage with a human, there always has to be a level of respect and unbiasedness for the person you’re interviewing because you’re always engaging with others, uncovering the story and asking the right questions. You are the anchor to the conversation so you easily allow a conversation to unfold or clamp up.

Participating in “The Search: E! Host South Africa” and finishing as the first runner-up must have been a rollercoaster! What were your key takeaways?

It was an incredible journey, but one that had its challenges as well! Finding a balance as a news anchor and entertainment journalist was such a struggle because I kept being told I’m ‘just a little too Newsy’ I really had to sit down with myself before each challenge and channel the right type of energy for this specific role, during this time I learnt that I don’t need to box myself! I can have a love and passion for both current affairs and entertainment news and I could be really good at both! So often we box ourselves into one career or one niche while we have multiple talents. This time period in my life reminded me that I can be good at multiple things and that I should be constantly pushing myself to explore all my interests. 

What criteria do you use to decide which brands to collaborate with, and why is maintaining authenticity so important? 

For me now it’s really important to be authentic and I use the word now because at the beginning of one’s content creation career, when you’re trying to build your following, brands won’t really reach out often because you haven’t proven what you’re capable of, so in the start of my content creation journey I would take on whatever brand approached me because I needed an opportunity to showcase what I can do! I’m nowhere near the pinnacle of my content creation journey but I’m working with some of the biggest brands in the world on some amazing campaigns. And now I have more say in who I want to collaborate with, for me it needs to be an authentic fit, the brands that I use in my personal life, the brands and products that I genuinely love and want to work with, I’m at a point in my life where I have the luxury of picking and choosing – which is wonderful but it doesn’t start out that way. Maintaining authenticity is vital because I have thousands of followers who trust my word and who will spend their hard-earned money on something that they see me promote online. As a creator your followers are worth everything because without them you don’t have a platform. 

You have mentioned Gerry Elsdon and Chantal RutterDross as influential mentors in your professional journey. Please unpack.

Yes. These two women guided me at the start of my career in broadcasting. I remember my very first live broadcast being a complete disaster, Gerry Elsdon was training me at the time and watched it all unravel in real time. After my broadcast I was ready to quit. I was in tears in the bathroom and I’ll never forget the words from Gerry, she said ‘Wipe your tears, get up and you’ll try again tomorrow”. At that moment I didn’t want to hear any of it because I had no intention of coming back tomorrow after the humiliation I just put myself through. That was another defining moment for me, a moment where I was reminded by a woman that I admired that I needed to be strong, I needed to pick myself up and try again. It woke something up in me that day! Something that still drives me and helps me overcome challenges to this day. I was also a reminder to myself to one day pay it forward and remind other young women of their worth. 

What are some of your professional goals for the next few years, and are there any new areas of media or entertainment you wish to explore? 

I have a few personal goals that I’m currently working on. The biggest one right now is probably my eagerness to get into radio. It’s always been a platform that I’ve loved and wanted to be a part of but also just focusing on growing as a broadcaster. I’m part of a group of young individuals who really are the future of broadcasting in our country so I’m always honing my skills because I don’t take the position lightly. 

What advice would you give to young aspiring media personalities looking to break into the industry? 

Study! Journalism or Media Studies, something along those lines.  It will help you to get your mind into the right spaces and once you’re in you can then position yourself for the position you’re really eyeing. I think it’s also vital to network, put yourself in environments where you can meet the right people and then don’t be scared to start conversations and make your interests clear, you never know when there’s an opportunity available. Once you get the opportunity it’s a constant journey of proving yourself, being a self starter and improving your craft. My biggest piece of advice is that in this industry you have to stay ready because when the opportunity presents itself it’s go time! 

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