Great Belize Television

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Channel 5 (Great Belize Television)
image:Channel 5 Belize.jpg
Belize City, Belize
Branding "Channel 5"
Slogan It's Hot... It's Live... It's Only on Five!
Channels 5 (VHF) analog
Affiliations none
Owner Great Belize Productions
Founded December 1990

Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City based local television station established in December of 1990. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs. It is a subsidiary of Great Belize Productions, a local production company established in 1982.

Channel 5 is affiliated with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union and its subsidiary the Caribbean Media Corporation.

Channel 5 has produced such popular programs as "Lauren Da Mawnin", "The Andy Palacio Show" and most recently Karaoke Television.

Channel 5's general manager is Stewart Krohn, a veteran journalist.

Contents

[edit] News 5

Channel 5's News Department produces News 5 Live for broadcast every night from Monday to Friday at 6:30 PM, repeating later that night at 10:00 PM and at 6:30 AM the following morning (there are no weekend newscasts). The program has been the flagship of Channel Five since it premiered on December 5, 1990. The program runs for 30 minutes minus commercials (during election season it may be slightly longer). The show usually closes with the line "And that's the news!", followed by a plug for the station's website.

[edit] Special Segments

Note: These air during the broadcast, outside of the traditional news stories.

  • 60 Second Sermon with Dr. Bob Roberts: Newly added, featured during the first commercial break. A short sermon on an interesting Bible verse, with application to real life. Presented by Roberts' Christian Foundation of Faith and Belize's local Baptist churches.
  • Community Billboard: Sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce and Western Union. Features important announcements affecting Belizeans.
  • Creative Caribbean Cooking with the Radisson: Airing on Wednesdays, this program features special meals cooked by chefs from the local Radisson Fort George Hotel.
  • Sports Monday: Usually sponsored by Berger Paints, it is hosted by sports anchor James Adderly, who recaps recent sports events and looks forward to others. Adderly sometimes appears outside of this segment to present important sports news, such as his report on the CARICOM basketball tournament in 1998, hosted and won by Belize. Occasionally airs on Tuesdays if a national holiday falls on a Monday. Known for James' closing line, "Jah over all, I'm James Adderly!"
  • Weather Report: Produced by Bel-Caribe Communications; features Belize's local meteorologists presenting the weather news, with extended forecasts. During the hurricane season from June to November, the report includes "Hurricane Watch", a special look at tropical conditions that can lead to hurricanes affecting the country.

[edit] Special Edition Newscasts and Montages

Note: These are less regularly featured items airing on special occasions.

  • Cross Country Montage: Airs every Holy Thursday at the end of that newscast. Compiled images of the winners of the Cross Country Cycling Classic since 1992. Updated every year to reflect that year's winner.
  • Independence Day Montage: Usually airing on the newscast before Independence Day, it is a story culled from GBP production "Belize All Over" and narrated by Ernesto Vasquez. Vasquez tells the story of how Belize got its independence from the United Kingdom, ending with an emotional clip of the Belizean flag rising up the pole at midnight on September 21, 1981, to the tune of the National Anthem, "Land of the Free."
  • Christmas Eve in Belize City: A special look at preparations for Christmas in the Old Capital, in which reporters talk to City dwellers about their plans. Airs on the December 24 newscast, or whichever newscast comes before Christmas Day.
  • Best of the Year: Typically the last newscast of the year, airing around the end of December/beginning of January, reviewing stories that may not be the most important but represent the best work of the reporting team over that year.

[edit] Past and present anchors and reporters of News 5

  • Jacqueline Godwin
  • Janelle Chanona
  • Stewart Krohn (for special occasions; news producer)
  • Kendra Griffith
  • Alyssa Noble
  • Brent Toombs (occasionally; his usual job is cameraman)
  • Marleni Cuellar (Friday night replacement as of August 2006 and occasionally appears outside that slot)
  • Ernesto Vasquez (occasional replacement on Friday nights)
  • William Neal (occasional replacement)
  • Ava Lovell (hosted news in early 2000s)
  • G. Michael Reid (hosted Last Word segment in late 1990s/2000's)
  • Hyacinth Latchman (now working with WAVE Radio, current City Councillor)
  • Jose Sanchez (former reporter)
  • Anne-Marie Williams (former reporter, now with The Reporter (Belize))

Note: Persons in bold no longer work for News 5 as employees; Neal still hosts Karaoke Television and Carnival coverage as well as the annual Gimme 5 promotion.

[edit] Other staff members

  • Rick Romero (director)
  • Mary Rhaburn-Mangar (producer for all programs other than news)
  • George Tillett (cameraman)
  • Stephen Ferguson (cameraman)
  • Luis Sosa (technician)
  • Chris Mangar (control room)
  • Souad Assad (Internet newscast editor; newsroom assistant)

[edit] Local Programs broadcast by Channel 5: Past and Present

  • The Andy Palacio Show (Palacio also wrote the theme for News 5 Live; discussed local music)
  • Lauren Da Mawnin (short-lived morning program featuring comic Lauren Burgess; spawned primetime Sunday program spinoff Lauren Da Nite)
  • One on One (featured Stuart Leslie and Dickie Bradley; talk)
  • Karaoke Television
  • Noh Matta Wat! (produced by 13 Productions; co-broadcast with Channel 7 and Krem TV)
  • Gimme 5! (special promotion, held every year for one week)
  • Hurricane Iris: After the Storm (compilation of news stories on the hurricane; VHS)
  • The Land of Belize (host Therese Rath, discusses Belize's geography; VHS)
  • The Sea of Belize (host Tom Greenwood, discusses Belize's marine ecosystems and resources; VHS)
  • Belize: The Maya Heritage (host Froyla Salam, discusses the first settlers of Belize; VHS)
  • From Invasion to Nation: A History of Belize (based on Assad Shoman's 13 Chapters of a History of Belize; VHS)

Note: Channel 5 sells tapes of the last five programs at its office on Regent Street; one such sale is ongoing.

[edit] External links


Broadcast television in Belize
Local Broadcast television:

Channel 5 - Channel 7

Local cable television channels:

Channel 3 (CTV Orange Walk) - Krem TV - Love Belize