Saksi

Saksi
Logo used since February 21, 2011.
Format	Newscast Live action Citizen Journalism
Created by	GMA Network
Developed by	GMA News and Public Affairs
Directed by	Joel San Luis
Presented by	Arnold Clavio Vicky Morales
Country of origin	Philippines
Original language(s)	Tagalog Filipino
No. of episodes	n/a (airs weeknights)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Marissa Flores Jessica Soho
Camera setup	multicamera setup
Running time	15 minutes (1995–1996) 30-45 minutes (1996–1998; 2002-present) 1 hour (1998–2002)
Broadcast
Original channel	GMA Network
Picture format	480i SDTV
Original run	October 2, 1995 – present
Chronology
Preceded by	GMA Balita (as early evening newscast) Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco (as late night newscast)
External links
Website

Saksi (EYEWITNESS) is the late night news broadcast of GMA Network in the Philippines. It was formerly the early evening and flagship newscast of the network from October 2, 1995 to July 12, 2002. The newscast is currently anchored by Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales. It is aired Mondays to Thursdays 11:00pm-11:30 pm (PST) and Fridays 11:30pm-12:00 am (PST) It is also aired internationally thru GMA Pinoy TV and is heard on a slightly delayed basis through Super Radyo DZBB 594 AM.

History

As Saksi: GMA Headline Balita

In the last quarter of 1995, GMA Network launched the program, originally entitled Saksi: GMA Headline Balita, as a 15-minute early evening weekday newscast. It was then anchored by Mike Enriquez (then known as "Mr. Saksi") and Karen Davila. Saksi became popular in such a short time, that people were using the word as a catchphrase, complete with the pointed forefinger like the program’s news anchors. In the early years of the newscast, the anchors, especially Enriquez, popularized the word "pasok" (come in) in introducing reporters (who included Jessica Soho, Arnold Clavio, Mao dela Cruz and Susan Enriquez, among others). This style of introducing reporters was also previously used in GMA's other regional news programs patterned after "Saksi" like Balitang Bisdak (Cebu), Testigo (Davao) and Ratsada (Iloilo).

On July 1, 1996, Mel Tiangco joined Enriquez and Davila, after the former's transfer from ABS-CBN when she suspended from doing a TV commercial. Economist Solita "Winnie" Monsod also joined the newscast with her own opinion segment, "Mareng Winnie" (which became a moniker by which she has been since known for). Other special segments, such as Huling Hirit (light human-interest stories to cap the newscast, reported by Kara David) and S na S (Showbiz sa Saksi) (a showbiz segment with Lyn Ching then she anchored with Enriquez, Davila and Tiangco) were also added to the news program, as its set was reformatted & running time was expanded to 30 minutes.

Sonza-Tiangco Era

On June 1, 1998, Saksi reformatted its studio set, & graphics, but the logo has the same design. Partners Mel and Jay & Tapatan host Jay Sonza replaced Enriquez while he appointed as an anchor of GMA Network News with Vicky Morales who and the news team switched to Taglish then Filipino. Davila, on the other hand, became a co-host of Extra-Extra, a magazine program featuring different human-interest and entertainment stories (which also served as pre-programming to Saksi). Monsod left the newscast to host GMA's new public affairs program "Debate". The "Mareng Winnie" segment was replaced as "Pulso ng Mamamayan" (Pulse of the People), the segment features some filipino citizen say upon the pass events. Mel Tiangco, Sonza's co-host on Partners Mel and Jay, then joined the newscast as co-anchor, thus Saksi and Partners Mel and Jay are the news programs exclusive to them. When GMA Network News transfers from English to Filipino Language, Saksi reformatted, the original subtitle, GMA Headline Balita, was dropped out in late 1998.

Enriquez-Morales Era

The August 1999 Saksi logo since the Enriquez-Morales Era

On August 2, 1999, Saksi began to transfer its studio at the newly-bulit GMA Network Center. Tiangco (who was appointed as anchor of Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco, which replaced GMA Network News on the late-night slot but the newscasts continuously on weekends until 2002.) and Sonza left the newscast, & returning GNN anchor Mike Enriquez with Vicky Morales. Enriquez & Morales were final anchors with him on the weekday edition of GMA Network News in their partnership. In the year 2000, Davila, now moved to ABS-CBN. The show won its first international awards the "Asian TV Awards". The show reformatted its logo & set, twice.

On July 15, 2002, Saksi exchanged timeslots with Frontpage in order for the latter show to compete with ABS-CBN's TV Patrol (which was, incidentally, the newscast that Tiangco came from before transferring to GMA). The shift to late-night also prompted the start of "Side Trip", a human-interest segment hosted by Howie Severino.

In the same year, Saksi won the Gold Medal for Best Newscast in the New York Festival, becoming one of the few news programs outside the United States to receive the said honor. The award (With the Peabody Award that the network won in 2000) was later recognized by the Philippine Congress by issuing the network a commendation for its work in News and Public Affairs in 2003. Around March 2003, Enriquez went to Baghdad, Iraq to cover the Iraq War, this was Saksi's first live coverage outside the country. By June 30, 2003, Saksi reformatted & began to share studios with Frontpage. Enriquez left again to the newscast on March 12, 2004 to rejoin Tiangco on their new early evening newscast, 24 Oras.

Clavio-Morales Era as Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan

Arnold Clavio replaced Enriquez on March 15, 2004 when the latter was slated to host the new early evening newscast of the network, 24 Oras and he rejoined with Tiangco since they first joined Saksi in 1996. The newscast was reintroduced as Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan (Legion of Truth).

A notable coverage of the program was the 2005 Papal conclave which was covered by Morales at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.

The newscast changed its graphics and studio thrice during this period; first on April 17, 2006, second on August 11, 2008, and third on November 8, 2010 (graphics only).

2011 reformat

On February 21, 2011, together with Unang Hirit and 24 Oras, the program adapted a new set, new graphics, new theme, and new OBB. The "Liga ng Katotohanan" tagline was also dropped in the newscast's titlecard. The new theme is incorporated with the elements of Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan 2008–2011 theme music & Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan 2004–2008 theme music. Months after the reformat, Saksi re-designed its graphics, this features: Saksi title card and Social Media website of GMA News and in July 2013, it launched its segment "Midnight Snack", a food-trip segment hosted by Mikael Daez every Mondays to Thursdays, After a one-week hiatus, On November 5, 2013, it returned under the new title "Midnight Express".

Theme music

In 1995, Saksi was used the first theme was composed by Craig Palmer in the title "Energy", it was used as official theme music until July 30, 1999. Later used in the ABS-CBN Sports coverage of the UAAP basketball on Studio 23 as "Energy III" in 2002.^[1] On August 2, 1999, Saksi was adopted a new theme as the title "Jagger-nut" composed also by Palmer, this was until June 1, 2001.^[2] On June 4, 2001, the theme music was another adopted in the title "The Ultimate Quest" was used during the Morales-Enriquez era until July 12, 2002, and the last theme under Craig Palmer composition in the title "The Chase" was used during the launch of the brand new slogan "Kapuso" and until March 12, 2004.

In 2004, the theme music of Saksi was adopted a new theme and composed by Ditoy Aguila as the slogan "Liga Ng Katotohanan" and later revived in 2011.

Anchors

Current

• Arnold Clavio (2004–Present)
• Vicky Morales (1999–Present)
• Mikael Daez (Midnight Express segment anchor, 2013–Present)

Former anchors

• Mike Enriquez (known as Mr. Saksi) (1995–1998; 1999–2004)
• Karen Davila (1995–1999)
• Mel Tiangco (1996–1999)
• Winnie Monsod (1997–1999)
• Jay Sonza (1998–1999)
• Luchi Cruz-Valdez (1998–1999)
• Jessica Soho (1998–1999)
• Kara David (Huling Hirit segment anchor, 1996–1999)
• Lyn Ching-Pascual (Showbiz sa Saksi anchor, 1997–1999)
• Rey Pacheco (Weatherman, 1996–1999)

See also

• List of Philippine television shows
• List of programs broadcast by GMA Network
• Saksi sa Dobol B

References

External links

• GMA Network official website
• GMA Network Official Facebook Page
• GMA News Official Facebook Page
• Saksi on Facebook Official Facebook Page
• Saksi on Twitter Official Twitter Page