Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation is Gibraltar's public service broadcaster. It has provided the British Overseas Territory with radio and television services since its establishment in December 1963. The majority of its current programmes are in English, along with specific broadcasts in Llanito and Spanish.
History
Modelled on the BBC, the corporation was established in 1963 with the merger of Gibraltar Television, a private company, and the Government-owned radio service, Radio Gibraltar, which started regular broadcasting in 1958. Unlike the BBC, the majority of GBC's funding comes in the form of a grant from the Government. GBC did receive a small amount of income from the levying of a television licence fee. However, it was announced in Gibraltar's budget speech of 23 June 2006 that the TV licence was to be abolished.The board
The activities of the corporation are controlled and governed by a board consisting of a chairman and not more than seven members appointed by the governor. Subject only to any directions of the Governor-in-Council the board is responsible for the corporation's policy.The corporation appoints a general manager and other staff to carry out its policies and the board is empowered to delegate any of their duties to their employees except responsibility for policy. Within GBC the board's powers are absolute.
The chairman and board thus work through their permanent staff, headed by a general manager, who are responsible to the board.
Although the chief concern of the board is undoubtedly broad policy, once laid down it is left to the general manager and senior staff, whom they appoint to carry out as trustees of the public interest in broadcasting. In view of their ultimate responsibility for everything that is broadcast, it is the board's duty to take an active interest not only in the programmes, but also in the financial and staff policies of the corporation.
This is done through a number of sub-committees in which board members and senior staff participate in decisions relating to the treatment of political and public affairs, finance and development, and programmes. Only the House of Assembly has the power to change the ordinance and the Governor-in-Council the directions.
Radio Gibraltar
Radio Gibraltar broadcasts 24 hours a day and its programme format is similar to that of commercial local radio stations in the United Kingdom. The station operates on both FM and AM, broadcasting a mix of local programming in English and Spanish, and retransmissions of the BBC World Service. In December 2005, GBC started internet streaming of its radio service on the internet. On the station's AM frequencies BBC transmission can be heard through the night. On Weekends the station broadcasts live from 8 am to 9 pm with the same format. Radio Gibraltar's station is currently located at 18 South Barrack Road in Gibraltar's south district, after moving there in the 1980s from Wellington Front, its old location since its beginning in 1958.On Saturday 16 February 2008 Radio Gibraltar celebrated its 50th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, past presenters were invited to co-host programmes in the slot which they once occupied, amongst them Peter Canessa, David Hoare, Norma Delgado, Gerry Martinez, Christine Dobinson and Richard Cartwright. During the week leading up to the anniversary, Radio Gibraltar broadcast interviews with former presenters who recalled their memories of Radio Gibraltar as well as on-air jingles from the past. One of the high points of Radio Gibraltar's history was that it served as a communications link between Gibraltar and the neighbouring communities in Spain during the closure of the land frontier, which divided families between 1969 and 1982. A special Roadshow live from Main Street was held on the anniversary.
GBC TV showed a special programme to commemorate Radio Gibraltar's 50th anniversary which was celebrated during the week starting 18 February 2008.
Radio Gibraltar programming
Radio Gibraltar largely devotes its daytime hours to local news and current affairs, delivered through the flagship programme Focus, which has an AM, Lunchtime and PM edition.Outside the Focus News programmes, Radio Gibraltar's daytime hours are filled with magazine type shows that feature chat, games, competitions and phone-ins, and all is sandwiched in between "Classic Hits, Latest Songs" as per the station's slogan. Programmes include The Morning Show, The Afternoon Show and the long-running Spanish language programme Saludos which has anchored the 2-4 pm slot for over twenty years.
The weekend schedule normally features personality-led shows alongside repeats from Radio Gibraltar's evening schedule, the UK Chart Show and a live transmission of Sunday Mass.
Radio Gibraltar's evening schedule is mostly made up of one locally produced programme airing in the 7-8 pm slot. Programmes include;
- Made in Gibraltar; A weekly series showcasing local musicians
- Jazz Town; Playing the best smooth jazz every week, from everlasting names like Sinatra to the most recent stars such as Madeleine Peyroux
- My Country; Playing the American Country Top 5 songs and featuring a brand new album every week
- Yesterday When I was Young; Radio Gibraltar's golden oldies show playing songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s. This series is Radio Gibraltar's longest running series, having been on air for over 20 years.
- Soundtrack of my life; Insight into local personalities and figures through music
- Centre Stage; Another long-running series that plays a selection of songs from the biggest musicals ever to grace a stage.
Radio Gibraltar App
On Monday 10 September 2012, coinciding with Gibraltar's National Day, a Radio Gibraltar App for the iPhone became available giving listeners a new way to listen to Radio Gibraltar on the go.GBC Television
Prior to the 1990s, GBC TV was the only English-language channel available in Gibraltar. Launched as Gibraltar television in 1962, a privately owned commercial station, the broadcaster became the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation a year later in 1963 when it became a public broadcaster funded by government.GTV, later GBC TV was first housed in Wellington Front, in what was commonly called Wellington Front Studios. Due to its location in Gibraltar, the area around Wellington Front usually floods during the rainy season. GBC often flooded and once this occurred during a live TV broadcast.
In the late 70s GBC TV began experimenting with colour broadcasts. An all colour operation began in 1980 when GBC was relocated to 18 South Barrack Road into a building that is now called Broadcasting House.
For a short period, GBC's signals were seen on a second transmitter on VHF Band III in Fuenjirola; this transmitter was shut down per government orders in early 1984.
Broadcast hours and schedule
In its early days and until the 1990s, GBC TV offered viewers a mix of local production and international series, mainly imported from the BBC, ITV franchises and also from Canada and Australia. Broadcasting hours would be restricted to the evenings, with television normally being on air between 7 pm until shortly after midnight. GBC TV would also go on air during the daytime from 3:30 pm during school holidays at Christmas.Typically TV broadcasts would begin with a PRD which would air for a few minutes before giving way to a title sequence playing the GBC TV start-up theme and logo.
Traditionally the programme line-up would be composed of children's programming between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. In the mid-1980s children's programming would take two slots, 6:30 pm – 7 pm and 7:30 pm – 8 pm with the decision to relay live the BBC Six O'clock News. BBC News at Six was later dropped in favour of ITN bulletins.
Local programing would usually air in the 8 pm slot and in later evening slots following the news bulletin. Imported series would usually air during Primetime and in the late night 11 pm slot. Feature films would traditionally air on Tuesday nights and Saturday nights under the Tuesday Movie and Saturday Movie banners.
Local news
Local news has occupied various slots, airing as late as 10:30 pm, and 9 pm before settling in the 8:30 pm slot, where it currently remains. On occasions, during the summer months, and prior to the introduction of the 11:30 pm News replay, news programmes would be scheduled at the later time of 9 pm to accommodate viewers' summer routines.Local news has been re-branded on air a number of times over the years. During the 1980s, it aired as "Deadline". During the 90s, it was rebranded to "Newswatch" while taking on the name "GBC News" for international broadcasts. In 2023 the "GBC News" brand was taken on for all news bulletins.
GBC News
At present, one news team produces news programming for both GBC TV and Radio Gibraltar. The GBC News programme airs weekdays at 8:30 pm with a replay at the later time of 11 pm. It also streams live on www.gbc.gi and is also available next day after broadcast via the Watch Again player. No local news is produced or airs on TV or Radio at the weekend or on Public Holidays, unless events dictate otherwise.
News headlines air weekdays at 8 pm with an approximate duration of 60 seconds. For a period from 1 October 2012, as part of GBCs autumn schedules, the GBC News headlines moved forward to 7:30 pm, airing immediately after the station went on air, and also incorporated the weather and the What's On feature.
GBC News is fronted by several newsreaders who work on rotation.
Due to budget constraints, but taking full advantage of social media sites, local news is also updated via X, Facebook, and the www.gbc.gi website. This was notably demonstrated when GBC provided Breaking News Coverage and News Updates of the ongoing British Waters incursions by Spanish Police and two Bomb Alerts via Social Media instead of opting for a traditional TV news update style broadcast.
Viewpoint
Viewpoint is the brand name for GBC's ongoing current affairs discussion series. The series has been running for a number of years and occupies the Thursday night slot that has traditionally accommodated most of GBC's past discussion series. The programme's duration and frequency has been significantly reduced over the years; from a 90-minute weekly format to a 60-minute fortnightly one. The programme usually runs new series between late September and early December, and continues after the Christmas break; from late January or February until late June, with a break in the spring coinciding with the Easter break. Viewpoint normally airs live and consists of a panel discussing community / political issues. In recent times, the programme has become more participatory by expanding on the traditional "Viewers Phone-in" and vox-pop to also include e-mails and comments made on social media sites.
Until the cancellation of companion series, "Community Call" which dealt with social issues and topics, Viewpoint dealt exclusively with political issues.
Like GBC News, Viewpoint has several different presenters who work in rotation.
Gibraltar Today
Gibraltar today is GBC's ongoing news discussion program. The program has been running for several years and occupies the weekday lunchtime slot. The program normally picks a few of the day's major news headlines and interviews topical guests.
Other news formats
GBC News also produces Special reports and programming as required or dictated by events. These include interviews and addresses by politicians and community figures, and special reports centring on specific news items.
BBC and ITN News on GBC TV
In the mid-1980s GBC TV decided to introduce international news into its schedules. Coinciding with the launch of the Six O'Clock News a few months earlier, GBC took the option to carry the bulletin. The programme aired live and in a simultaneous broadcast with BBC1. When greeting the audience, the BBC newsreader would acknowledge "viewers in Gibraltar" and also note the time difference.
GBC TV also carried the BBCs flagship news broadcast the Nine O'Clock News. Again this would air live and simultaneously with the BBC broadcast, but at the local time of 10 pm.
Shorter 10-minute bulletins also aired on Saturdays and Bank holidays, although these were sometimes not aired live and were accommodated into the GBC TV schedule.
In the late 1980s, ITN launched World News, a newscast which they produced for the new satellite TV channel Super Channel, which at the time was owned by all but one of the ITV companies. Coinciding with this, GBC TV opted to drop the BBC News bulletins in favour of ITN World News. Like with the BBC broadcasts, ITN provided two broadcasts; the first was a pre-recorded bulletin which aired at 7 pm Gibraltar Time and was a version produced for international syndication. The second aired at 10 pm Gibraltar Time and was the live broadcast produced for Super Channel.