Helen Television System

Helen Television System
Ownership
OwnerHelen Television System
History
First air date
December 1982 (1982-12)

Helen Television System (channel 4) is a commercial radio and television network in the Caribbean state of Saint Lucia. The country's first television station, it is named after Saint Lucia's nickname of "Helen of the West".[1]

History

HTS started broadcasting on VHF channels 4 and 5 in December 1982, conducting test broadcasts as the first televisions tation in Saint Lucia. The line-up consisted of a mix of local programs and American relays.[2] As of 1990, its director was Valrie Albert.[3]

Most of its news reports tend to be government-oriented, often using materials and images supplied by the Government Information Services.[4] DBS broadcasts entirely in English, with no programming in Kwéyòl, except for occasional use.[5]

Historically, DBS operated from 4pm to 11pm,[6] in 2007, DBS expanded its lineup, running from 5am to near midnight.[7]

Other activities

As early as 2001, HTS initiated a subsidiary, Helen IT Systems, employing a staff of 600 at its local call center.[8]

References

  1. ^ National Influenza Plan; Volume 3: Communication Strategy (PDF). Government of Saint Lucia. 2009.
  2. ^ Our Timeline
  3. ^ Caribbean Media Directory: With Profiles of the English-speaking Caribbean Countries (in Chinese). Jamaica Institute of Political Education. 1990. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  4. ^ 世界知识年鑑 (in Chinese). 世界知识出版社. 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  5. ^ Aonghas St-Hilaire (2009). Kwéyòl in Postcolonial Saint Lucia: Globalization, language planning, and national development. John Benjamins Publishing Company. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  6. ^ What's On Tonight
  7. ^ Fridays
  8. ^ ICTs In The Eastern Caribbean: Saint Lucia Case Study