Dave’s Television Station Channel 8 (DTV-8) is celebrating 20 years of broadcasting in Berbice this month with a series of activities.
Sunday was the actual anniversary day and it saw the management of the company giving God thanks for his many blessings at a mass held at the All Saints Anglican Church in New Amster-dam. At the special mass, the Rambarran family who own and operate the company provided lunch for those in attendance and made a monetary donation to the church.
Popularly known as the Berbice Super Station, DTV-8 which is located at 8 Main Street New Amsterdam was started on December 22, 1993 and is a subsidiary of Dave’s Portrait Studio. The late David Rambarran, who was regarded as a pioneer in the field of still photography in Berbice, founded Dave’s Portrait Studio in 1947. The portrait studio later developed to include a video production section in 1985 and eventually a television station in 1993.
20 years after its genesis, DTV-8 has found its niche in Berbice as a community oriented TV station, committed to informing, educating and entertaining Berbicians.
Among the activities held to mark the anniversary were a live call-in programme and quiz show, an exhibition, a visit to an orphanage, a donation to a church and an award ceremony.
The station is also periodically re-broadcasting important events considered unique in its coverage over the years.
On December 17, DTV-8 visited the Children of Promise Eden Orphanage in New Amsterdam and donated a quantity of items. Meanwhile, on the same day, DTV-8 sponsored a live call-in programme and quiz show giving its avid viewers the opportunity to win 20 prizes in keeping with the 20th anniversary celebrations. Also, during the one hour programme viewers were given a brief insight into the genesis of DTV-8 by co-host Gregory Rambarran.
An exhibition of equipment used by DTV-8 over the years and pictures of important people and events covered by the TV station was held on December 20 and 21, to give members of the public a glimpse of the evolution of DTV-8 over the past 20 years. On the final day of the exhibition the winners of the quiz show received their prizes.
Acknowledging that the family run business could not have been a success without the help and support of others, DTV-8 hosted an award ceremony on the same day to honour those who have contributed to its success and a cake sticking exercise which brought together the management, past and present staff, and associates under one roof to mark the memorable occasion. Long service awards (plaques) were presented to Raymond Mohammad, Simeon Burnette, Steven Baichoo and Jannelle Williams along with Leon Suseran and Tameshwer Persaud – for years of voluntary service rendered to the TV station.
DTV-8 is the only television station in Berbice with the capabilities of providing live outdoor coverage of events. A segment of DTV’s broadcast peculiar to Berbice includes birthday and anniversary greetings, and memoriam and death announcements. The TV station is also known for its promotion of sports, cultural, religious and social activities of the people of Berbice. DTV-8’s signal is accessible in Regions 5 and 6. Some persons in Essequibo also claim to have access to DTV’s signal.
