Saksi

Infobox Television
show_name = Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan


caption = Magsamasama Tayong Maging Saksi
format = News
camera = multicamera setup
picture_format = 480i SDTV
runtime = 45 minutes
creator = GMA Network
developer = GMA News and Public Affairs
executive_producer =
starring = Arnold Clavio
Vicky Morales
Various contributors
narrated =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = Philippines
network = GMA Network
first_aired = October 2, 1995
last_aired = Present
preceded_by = GMA Balita (as early evening newscast)
(as late night newscast)
followed_by =
num_episodes = n/a (airs daily)
website = http://www.gmanews.tv/show/saksi
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =

"Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan" ("Eyewitness: Legion of Truth") is the late night news broadcast of GMA Network in the Philippines. It was formerly the early evening and flagship newscast of the station from 1995 to 2002. The newscast is currently anchored by Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales.

History

In the last quarter of 1995, GMA Network launched an early evening news program that distinguished itself from other newscasts by taking the viewers right to where the news is happening. The pace was brisk, the look was new, the language was easily understood and the response was overwhelming.

The program, originally entitled "Saksi: GMA Headline Balita", started as a 15-minute newscast from Monday to Friday. 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 method 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).

Mel Tiangco joined Enriquez and Davila in 1996, after her transfer from ABS-CBN. Economist Solita "Winnie" Monsod also joined the newscast with her own opinion segment, "Mareng Winnie" (which became a monicker 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 "EtChing ni Lyn Ching" (a showbiz segment with Lyn Ching, which later spun off into an entertainment talk show of her own with the same title) were also added to the news program as its running time was expanded to 30 minutes.

In 1998, Enriquez became co-anchor of the late-night GMA Network News with Vicky Morales, as the said newscast underwent a reformat. 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"). Jay Sonza, Tiangco's co-host on Partners Mel and Jay, then joined the newscast as co-anchor. The original subtitle, "GMA Headline Balita", was also dropped since then.

In 1999, Tiangco was appointed as anchor of "", which replaced "GMA Network News" on the late-night slot. She and Sonza were replaced by Enriquez and Morales, thus continuing their partnership on "Network News".

In June 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 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 1998) was later recognized by the Philippine Congress by issuing the network a commendation for its work in News and Public Affairs.

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" with Tiangco. 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.

On August 11, 2008, together with 24 Oras, Balitanghali, and News on Q, it was relaunched with a new start, new Opening Billboard and a competitive outlook.

Awards

* 1999 Best Newscast of the Asian Television Awards
* 2002 Best Newscast of the New York Festival (Gold Medal)

See also

* List of Philippine television shows
* List of programs broadcast by GMA Network

External links

* [http://www.igma.tv GMA Network Site]
* [http://www.gmanews.tv GMA News Site]