Television in Trinidad and Tobago

Television in Trinidad and Tobago was introduced in 1962 beginning with Trinidad & Tobago Television. TTT was the sole television station for 29 years being operated by the state until the first independently operated television station, the Caribbean Communications Network, CCN TV6 was launched in 1991 breaking the television monopoly market. In 1992, a second independently operated station, AVM Television was launched. The first independently operated cable station, The Trinity Network (TTN) now Trinity TV began operations in 1993 broadcasting on weekends only.

AVM Television was acquired by the state in 1997 and renamed The Information Channel (TIC) until it was leased by the National Carnival Commission in 2005 and re-branded NCC4. Once the lease ended in 2011, the state began controlling the station once more under the Government Information Services Limited (GISL TV4).

TTT was shut down by the state on 14 January 2005 due to financial difficulties. In its place a new state entity was created, the Caribbean News Media Group (CNMG), where C Television (CTV) began broadcasting in 2006. Since the closure of TTT, new independently operated stations were launched, the most notable being the Cable News Channel 3 or CNC3. After several years of being off the air, it was found that TTT still had a strong brand identity among the population and a cult following on social media. On 30 August 2018, TTT was re-launched replacing CTV.

Broadcast networks in Trinidad and Tobago can be divided into three categories:

  • Commercial broadcasting networks (which air English-language programming to a general audience). Example: CNC3
  • Educational and other non-commercial broadcasting member stations (which air English- and some foreign-language television programming, intended to be educational television or otherwise of a sort not found on commercial television). Example: The Parliament Channel
  • Religious broadcasting networks. Example: IBN

Table of broadcast networks

All of the networks listed below air on cable and satellite services.

Table of broadcast television networks

English-language networks

Television Network Founded Genre/Subject Terrestrial Cable (Flow Trinidad) IPTV (Blink TV) Digicel Play Satellite (Green Dot) Satellite (DirecTV)
ACTS25 15 August 2006 Christianity 25 9 112 10 Yes No
CCN TV6 31 August 1991 Commercial 6, 18 & 19 5 100 6 Yes 130
CNC3 26 September 2005 Commercial 12 &14 3 104 5 Yes 131
Darut Tarbiyah - The Islamic Network (T.I.N.) 2006 Islam No 96 115 18 10 No
Gayelle 16 February 2004 – 2017 Community No 7 No No No No
ieTV Channel 1 2005 Indian Culture No 1 116 No No No
Islamic Broadcast Network 28 October 2005. Islam No 8 114 18 Yes No
Jaagriti TV February 2015 Hinduism No 90 113 15 9 No
Sankhya TV 2010 Hinduism No No 117 17 13 No
Synergy TV March 2003 Local & Caribbean Music 33 15 108 16 Yes No
T&T Entertainment Network (TTEN) January 2017 Local & Caribbean Music No 14 No No No No
TTT Live 30 August 2018 Community 9 & 13 6 102 7 Yes No
The Parliament Channel (Trinidad and Tobago) 18 August 2006 Public Affairs 11, 26 & 29 11 No No No No
Tobago Channel 5 2001 Community 5 (Tobago Only) No No No No No
Trinity TV 1993 Roman Catholic No 10 111 12 No No
WI Sports 1 April 2010- April 2017 Sports 14 No No No No No

Over-The-Air Television Networks[1]

Non-Commercial Television Networks

Cable-Only Television Stations
  • Darut Tarbiyah - The Islamic Network (TIN) – Broadcasts Islamic Programming.
  • Gayelle Television (Gayelle) - Broadcasts local and cultural programming.
  • TV Jaagriti - Broadcasts Hindu and Indian programming.
  • i.e. Television Channel 1 (ieTV Channel 1) – Broadcasts Indian and Hindu programming.
  • Islamic Broadcasting Network (IBN 8) – Broadcasts community and Islamic programming.
  • Sankhya Television - Broadcasts Hindu and Indian programming.
  • Synergy Entertainment Network Television (Synergy TV) - Music channel with original programming featuring local and Caribbean artistes.
  • T&T Entertainment Network (TTEN) - Music channel with original programming featuring local and Caribbean artistes.
  • Trinity Communications Network (Trinity TV) - Formerly The Trinity Network (TTN) - Broadcasts Roman Catholic programming.
  • WI Sports – Broadcasts local sports. Owned by Flow Trinidad.

Subscription Television Broadcasters[2]
  • bmobile (Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited) – National
  • Digicel Play - National
  • DirecTV Limited – National
  • Flow Trinidad (Columbus Communications Limited) – Trinidad only
  • Green Dot Limited – National
  • Amplia (Formerly Massy Communications) - National
  • Independent Cable Network of Trinidad and Tobago (ICNTT) – Major Territorial Network
  • TRICO Industries Limited – Minor Territorial (Tobago only)
  • Air Link Communications – Niche – Princes Town and Environs
  • Mayaro Cable Television (MCTV) – Niche – Mayaro and Guayaguayare
  • RVR International Limited – Niche – Princes Town and Rio Claro

Defunct Television Networks
  • Caribbean New Media Group (CTV Channels 9 & 13) - (2006 -2018) - State owned television station.
  • Trinidad & Tobago Television (TTT Channels 9 & 14) - (1983-1990) - State owned television station.
  • AVM Television (Channels 4 & 16) - (1992-1996) - Privately owned television station.
  • The Information Channel (TIC Channels 4 & 16) - (1997-2005) - State owned television station.
  • National Carnival Commission (NCC TV4: Channels 4 & 16) - (2005-2011) - State owned television station.
  • Government Information Services Limited (GISL: Channels 4 & 16) - (2011-2017) - State owned television station.
  • Caribbean Video Network (CVN) - (1996-2002) - Privately owned cable television network based in Tobago.
  • SUN TV - (1996-1998) - Privately owned cable television network.
  • West Indian Network (WIN TV) - (2007-2016) - Privately owned cable and over-the-air television station.

See also

References
  1. TATT. "Telecommunications of Trinidad and Tobago". tatt.org.tt. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  2. TATT. "Telecommunications of Trinidad and Tobago". tatt.org.tt. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
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