Trinidad and Tobago Television

The Trinidad and Tobago Television Company (ttt)
TTT's logo from 1962-2005
Launched

31 August 1962

30 August 2018 (Re-launched)
Closed 14 January 2005
Owned by Government of Trinidad and Tobago (100%)
Slogan it's yours!
Country Trinidad and Tobago
Language English
Broadcast area Most of Trinidad and Tobago
Affiliates Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
(operated by Guardian Media Ltd.)
610 Radio-Guardian
(operated by Guardian Media Ltd.)
Radio Trinidad
(operated by Guardian Media Ltd.)
Headquarters 11 A Maraval Road, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Replaced C TV
Website http://www.ttt.live/
Availability
Terrestrial
Streaming media

The Trinidad and Tobago Television Company, stylied as, (TTT), (callsigns: 9YL on channels 2 and 9, and 9YM on channels 13 and 14) was a national television broadcaster in Trinidad and Tobago. The company operated two stations, ttt on channels 2 and 13 and Alternative Television on channels 9 and 14. The headquarters of TTT is located at 11 A Maraval Road, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[1] The station was closed at midnight on 14 January 2005.[2][3] TTT Limited was re-launched as a re-branded version of former media group CNMG by Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley at 3:00 PM EST replacing C TV. [4][5]

Company information

TTT has been the state-owned television broadcaster, and the only television operator for over thirty years from 1962 to 1991. TTT provided the young nation with its earliest collection of cultural heroes, showcasing the diversity of Trinidad and Tobago's plural society by embracing some of its best exponents of indigenous artistic expression.

History

TTT "It's Yours" rebrand 2001

Trinidad & Tobago Television was created by Canadian businessman Roy Thomson, then owner of the Thomson Organization. The Trinidad & Tobago Television Company, a partnership by the Thompson Organization (50%), British Rediffusion (30%), CBS-USA (10%) and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (10%) was developed to serve the two islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

On Friday August 24, 1962, Trinidad and Tobago Television was launched one week before the two-island state of Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation on 31st August 1962 within the British Commonwealth. Mervyn Telfer, a former Radio Trinidad announcer, read the first broadcast, the 7PM News. The two channels to transmit the service to the new twin island state were channels 2 and 13. News shown during that first week included highlights of Independence Day preparations.

Other former Radio Trinidad personnel who joined TTT were announcers Clyde Alleyne and Hazel Ward (later Hazel Ward-Redman); salesman (later 'Scouting for Talent' host) Holly Betaudier; and technical operators, including Errol Harrylal, Hugh Pierre and Miley Duke.

The first events that were shown on the evening of August 30–31 were the Flag Raising Ceremony and the Playing of the National Anthem for the Birth of the Nation and the inauguration of television.[6]

Timeline of events

  • 24 August 1962: Trinidad and Tobago Television began broadcasting one week ahead of Independence Day on August 31, with Mervyn Telfer reading the nightly news at 7.00 o'clock.
  • 1 November 1962: TTT was opened formally by Government Minister Dr Patrick Solomon.
  • 1 November 1969: Government of Trinidad & Tobago acquired the shares of the Thompson Organization and British Rediffusion making the station a state-owned majority.
  • 1977: Colour television was introduced as the station was traditionally black and white.
  • 1983: The Trinidad & Tobago Television Company opened a second television station "Alternative Television" popularly known as TTT Channels 9 & 14.
  • 27 July 1990: The stations were taken-over during the Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt. Several employees were held hostage,[7][7] and the station was used for propaganda by the Jamaat al Muslimeen. Channels 9 and 14 went off the air permanently after this incident.
  • 13 March 1994: The Trinidad and Tobago Television Company was merged with the state-owned radio company, the National Broadcasting Service. The new entity was called the International Communications Network.
  • February 1997: The Government of Trinidad & Tobago acquired the bankrupt AVM Television (AVM Channels 4&16), which merged with the state-owned International Communications Network (ICN). AVM Television was renamed and relaunched as "The Information Channel".
  • 3 September 1999: The International Communications Network was restructured and renamed the National Broadcasting Network (NBN). "TTT It's Yours" re-branding exercise was launched. Archived content from TTT was shifted and later broadcast on The Information Channel.
  • 11 January 2005: The new state owned Caribbean New Media Group Ltd (CNMG) was incorporated as the successor of the National Broadcasting Network which was suffering from financial losses.
  • 14 January 2005: The National Broadcasting Network was shut down with TTT Channels 2 and 13 ended their transmissions at midnight.[8][9][10] The Information Channel, was leased to the National Carnival Commission to become NCC4.
  • 5 June 2006: CNMG TV, later renamed C TV was formally launched as the successor to TTT.
  • 24 August 2017: The Government of Trinidad & Tobago announced that the state owned CTV will be revamped and revert to its former name TTT in the near future.[11]
  • 26 June 2018: A new state board was appointed to execute the transition process. Operations of the reinstated TTT is set to commence in July 2018.
TTT Anchorman Jones P. Madeira (right) informs the nation that the Jamaat al Muslimeen has taken over the nation on Friday 27 July 1990. Leader of the Jamaat, Imam Abu Bakr (centre) and other members of the organisation look on.
  • 25 July 2018: Minister of Communications Stuart Young announced that the new Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) is scheduled to launch on August 30th, one day before Independence Day. [12]
  • 30 August 2018: TTT Limited is re-launched as a re-branded version of former media group CNMG by Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley at 3:00 PM AST.[4][5]

Programming

The previous incarnation of TTT was best known for its local and cultural programming such as Know Your Country, At Home, College Quiz, It's In The News, Time To Talk, Turn of the Tide, Teen Dance Party, Party Time, Play Your Cards Right, Meet The Press, Mainly for Women, Rikki Tikki, Beulah Darling, Calabash Alley, Mastana Bahar, Community Dateline, 12 & Under, Indian Variety, Party Flava by Request, Calypso Showcase, Steelband Concert, Zingray, The Issues Live, Best Village Competition and Scouting For Talent.

The station's flagship news programme, Panorama, remains an icon in Trinidad and Tobago, even as the station has gone off the air. For 29 years it was the nation's only evening news programme, allowing the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago access to television pictures from across the country and around the world.

Alongside the TTT re-launch in 2018, new programming introduced included TTT News and a new morning show set to be unveiled on Monday 2nd September, 2018.

Personalities

Trinidad and Tobago Television launched the careers of several of the most recognized journalists and broadcasters in the Caribbean.

With the 2018 relaunch, TTT retains the on-air personalities from its predecessor, C TV.

Former staff members

  • Dominic Kallipersad - now Head News Anchor at CCN TV6
  • Lisa Wickham
  • Francesca Hawkins - now News Anchor at CNC3 Television
  • Shelly Dass
  • Michael Clarke
  • Tony Fraser
  • Errol Pilgrim
  • Sir Trevor McDonald - ITV anchor
  • Allyson Hennessy - (deceased)
  • Terrance Greaves - (deceased)
  • Horace James (deceased)
  • Mervyn Telfer - first News Anchor (deceased)
  • Melina Scott (deceased)
  • Dale Kolasingh (deceased)
  • Hazel Ward-Redman - (deceased)
  • Holly Betaudier - (deceased)
  • Sham Mohammed (deceased)
  • Salisha Ali (deceased)
  • Jai Parasram
  • Bobby Thomas (deceased)
  • Jones P Madeira
  • Gideon Hanoomansingh
  • Anthony Harford
  • Robin Maharaj - (Weatherman)
  • Ruskin Mark - (Sports)
  • Debbie Lewis-DeGannes
  • Hansley Ajodha
  • John Victor
  • Ashford Jackman
  • Clyde Alleyne (deceased, who went on to become the first black television broadcaster in England. He worked for Tyne Tees Television (TTT) there).


Other notable presenters include Peter Minshall, Ann Austin, Barry Gordon, Freddie Wharwood (deceased), June Gonsalves (deceased 10-8-18), Errol Chevalier (residing in England), David Evelyn (deceased), Carl Redhead (deceased), Hans Hanoomansingh, Raffie Knowles (deceased), Don Proudfoot (deceased), Ashton F Chambers (deceased), Farouk Muhammad, Lloyd Roehler, Brian Carter, Terrance Greaves (deceased), Vaughn Salandy (deceased), Gary Moreno, Josanne Leonard, Afzal Khan, Bernard Pantin. Technical staff included Victor Daniel, Shaffick Mohammed, Errol Harrylal, Wellington Yen Chong, Carl Narine, Geddes Jennings, Kenwick Grannum, Stephen Lee Pow, Charles Deighton Parris, Thomas Mora, O'Neal Davis, V Dave Surajdeen, Albert Charles, Peter Singh, Mario George, Grantley Ogiste, Tony Salandy, Buffy Sinanansingh.

Network slogans

  • it's yours! (1962–2005)

References

  1. ↑ Angela Pidduck and Ann Winston, "A Momentous Period In Television History", ttt Pioneers, 7 January 2009.
  2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48488457880
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 March 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
  4. 1 2 "New 'positive' TTT launched". www.looptt.com. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
  5. 1 2 "TTT.Live". www.ttt.live. Retrieved 2018-08-31.
  6. ↑ Barry Gordon, "Here is my ttt story leading to the Inaugural Launch", ttt Pioneers, 1 February 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Journalist Raoul Pantin, 71, dies". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2006.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
  10. ↑ Charleen Thomas, "TTT Closed: End of an Era", Trinidad and Tobago News Forum, 1 August 2005.
  11. ↑ "CNMG to be wound up, TTT returns". The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  12. ↑ "TTT launches August 30". The Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Newspaper. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
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