Tonight Channel 5 has a new majority owner. In a transaction completed this morning, the Belize Telemedia Limited Group acquired majority ownership of Great Belize Productions Limited, the parent company of the Channel 5 television station. This is in keeping with Telemedia’s strategic objectives “to expand the current range of services develop partnerships, and expand beyond the national borders as opportunities present themselves.”

Former C.E.O. in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador, Amalia Mai, has been named C.E.O. of the company, which according to Telemedia’s Business Development Manager, Karen Bevans, will be run as a separate and distinct entity retaining the independence and editorial freedom established over the last twenty-five years. Mai, who prior to her diplomatic career worked extensively in journalism and the broadcast media, has been named to replace Managing Director Stewart Krohn, who led the company since its inception in 1983.

According to Mai, this is a time for new challenges and opportunities at Channel 5 that will expand viewership nationwide and provide a wider variety of local programming and more in depth coverage of the issues affecting Belizeans.

Krohn, who is leaving to focus on a major resort development on the Placencia Peninsula, remains a consultant to the Company. In his remarks to the Channel Five staff this afternoon, he expressed his full confidence that the combination of Mai’s energy and Telemedia’s willingness to invest long term resources in the growth of the station, will produce great results.

Telemedia and Channel Five wish to acknowledge the groundbreaking work done by Krohn that over the last quarter century has earned the station a reputation for excellence in the nation, the region and internationally.

Does this mean we might get todays news today instead of tomorrow?