Note: This content originated on our online community inspiring conservation, RarePlanet.Org.

Bogii and I went to visit the offices of the Mongolian National Broadcast (MNB). They created the Gobi Bear “Maazahai” program that now features a baby gazelle character thanks to Bogii’s hard work! This is also the same group who is producing Bogii’s campaign mascot. Please join me on my tour of MNB:

This is the front entrance to MNB’s offices, which also shares the building with Mongolian National Radio (MNR). In total, there are 1,000 employees of MNB and MNR. The companies were started in 1967 and are considered some of the most popular stations in all of Mongolia (and Bogii’s survey confirmed this).

We were granted access to MNB’s storage room where we could see Maazahai’s custom up close. This is the head of the costume with his traditional Mongolian shoes to the left. It felt like seeing Mickey Mouse’s head!

Next we went into the design studio where the team was actively working on the head of Bogii’s gazelle mascot. What great timing. This is the designer who is showing us where the nose and eyes will go. The material feels very similar to gazelle fur, and the head will be complete with a smiling jaw line. The ears are flexible as well and you can bend one downwards a bit if you want. Very exciting!

Above, bogii giving the mascot head a whirl. She’s going to make an excellent adult gazelle. MNB is talking with Bogii now about producing a short TV skit with the adult female gazelle costume looking for her baby gazelle that would be featured during the Maazahai program.

On the second floor of the building is where we met the editing team. They are currently editing an episode about eating habits where the rabbit character is showing the other animals that she eats carrots. The baby gazelle character explains that she eats grass and prefers the high, dry grass called stipa. Bogii and I will be visiting a local family this Saturday to watch this episode air on TV.

Not only is she the editor, she’s also Maazahai. She wears the costume on a weekly basis and is the voice of the character. She is also responsible for conducting visits to local kindergarten schools when they’re not filming. Maazahai is widely known across the country by children and adults alike, with everyone wanting Maazahai to come to their schools and events.

We learned that students are now asking for the baby gazelle character during visits as well, which is a real sign that our character is having an impact on reach and recall. Additionally, MNB has seen positive feedback from including more environmental segments in the show, and they are expanding to include information on plants, ecosystems, science, conservation, and more.

Finally, we visited the studio where Maazahai is actually filmed. The set was not up today, but we can imagine what this looks like when filled with colorful backgrounds, costumed characters, and engaged children.

The program originally only aired on Tuesday afternoons, which can be a difficult time for children to catch the show. But after Bogii helped MNB conduct a survey among 120 students, and gathered anecdotal data from them as well, the Maazahai working team was able to convince MNB to schedule the show’s airtime for Saturdays at 10a.m. instead, with a second airing on Tuesday afternoons. A real win for this program to get more exposure.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this tour of the Mongolian National Broadcast studios and offices. I know I sure did.

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