Television in Trinidad and Tobago

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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). The station was closed for three years and re-launched as the Education Channel in 2020.

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:

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 FLOW Amplia Digicel+ Air Link Satellite (Green Dot) Satellite (DirecTV)
ACTS25 15 August 2006 Christianity 25 153 116 10 Yes Yes No
CCN TV6 31 August 1991 Commercial 6, 18 & 19 105 106 6 Yes Yes 130
CNC3 26 September 2005 Commercial 12 &14 103 103 5 Yes Yes 131
Darut Tarbiyah – The Islamic Network (T.I.N.) 2006 Islam No 116 114 18 10 10 No
Gayelle 16 February 2004 Community No 107 107 No 5 No No
ieTV 2005 Indian Culture/News/Hinduism No 113 101 9 7 1 No
Islamic Broadcast Network 28 October 2005. Islam No 108 108 18 8 Yes No
TV Jaagriti February 2015 Hinduism No 119 109 15 14 9 No
Sankhya TV 2010 Hinduism No 117 102 17 13 13 No
Synergy TV March 2003 Local & Caribbean Music 33 112 111 16 12 15 134
T&T Entertainment Network (TTEN) January 2017 Local & Caribbean Music No 111 117 20 10 No No
Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) 24 August 1962 (originally)
30 August 2018 (relaunch)
Commercial 9 & 13 106 105 7 Yes Yes No
The Parliament Channel (Trinidad and Tobago) 18 August 2006 Public Affairs 11, 26 & 29 109 110 11 Yes No No
Tobago Channel 5 2001 Community 5 (Tobago Only) No No No No No No
Tobago Inspirational Network (TIN) 2012 Christianity (Tobago Only) No No No No No No
Trinity TV 1993 Roman Catholic No 151 113 12 15 No No
WESN 2020 Community No 110 118 21 17 7 No
Multicultural Television (MCTV) May 2021 News, Weather & Sports No 114 119 22 18 2 No

Over-The-Air Television Networks[1]

Non-Commercial Television Networks

  • The Parliament Channel – Broadcasts proceedings of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Education Channel (Channels 4 & 16) - State owned television re-launched in 2020 under the Ministry of Education.

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.
  • ieTV (ieTV ) – Broadcasts Indian Cultural, current Affairs and News programmes.
  • 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.
  • Tobago Inspirational Network (TIN) - Broadcasts Christian programming in the isle of Tobago on the Trico Cable Network Channel 137.
  • Trinity Communications Network (Trinity TV) – Formerly The Trinity Network (TTN) – Broadcasts Roman Catholic programming.
  • "WE" Entertainment, Sport and News (WESN) - Broadcasts local and cultural programming.

Subscription Television Broadcasters[2]

  • bmobile (Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited) – National
  • Digicel+ – National
  • DirecTV Limited – National
  • FLOW (Cable & Wireless Communications) – National
  • 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 Limited – (CTV Channels 9 & 13) – (2006–2018) – State owned national 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.