Saksi (transl. Witness) formerly known as Saksi: GMA Headline Balita and Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan is a Philippine television news broadcasting show broadcast by GMA Network. Originally anchored by Mike Enriquez and Karen Davila, it premiered on October 2, 1995, on the network's evening line up replacing GMA Balita. Arnold Clavio and Pia Arcangel currently serve as the anchors. It is the longest running news broadcasting show of GMA Network.
History
Saksi: GMA Headline Balita
The early years (1995–96)
GMA Network launched the newscast, originally entitled Saksi: GMA Headline Balita, as a 15-minute early evening weekday newscast on October 2, 1995. It was then anchored by Mike Enriquez (then known as "Mr. Saksi") and Karen Davila.[1]
Mike Enriquez, Karen Davila and Mel Tiangco (1996–98)
On July 8, 1996, Mel Tiangco joined Enriquez and Davila, after her transfer from ABS-CBN.[2] Economist Solita "Winnie" Monsod also joined the newscast with her own opinion segment, "Mareng Winnie" (which became a moniker 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), S na S (Showbiz sa Saksi) (a showbiz segment with Lyn Ching then she anchored with Enriquez, Davila and Tiangco) and Jessica Soho Reports were also added to the news program, as its set was reformatted and running time was expanded to 30 minutes.[3]
Jay Sonza, Mel Tiangco and Luchi Cruz-Valdes (1998–99)
In 1998, the show was relaunched when Partners Mel and Jay and Tapatan with Jay Sonza host Jay Sonza and Luchi Cruz-Valdes joined Mel Tiangco and they replaced Enriquez and Davila, while was Enriquez appointed as an anchor of GMA Network News with Vicky Morales. 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).[4] New segments such as, "Pulso ng Mamamayan" where the program asks to citizens to speak up and tell them what they think of what's happening in the country today.
Saksi (1999–2004)
Mike Enriquez and Vicky Morales (1999–2004)
On August 23, 1999, Tiangco was appointed as anchor of Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco, which replaced GMA Network News on the late-night weeknight slot. She, Sonza and Valdes were replaced by Enriquez and Morales, thus continuing their partnership on Network News. The original subtitle, GMA Headline Balita, was also dropped since then. The studio set also used chroma-key technology, and later on they transferred to the newly built GMA Network Center in 2000.[5] This was also the beginning of simulcasting the newscast on the network's radio station, Super Radyo DZBB 594 kHz.
On July 15, 2002, Saksi exchanged timeslots with Frontpage. By the same day, the program is reformatted as a late night newscast. The shift to late-night also prompted the start of "Side Trip", a human-interest segment hosted by Howie Severino.[6]
In the same year, Saksi won 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.[7] 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.
On March 12, 2004, Enriquez left the newscast to join Frontpage anchor Mel Tiangco as anchors of 24 Oras.[8]
Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan
Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales (2004–14)
After Enriquez's transfer to the network's new early evening newscast 24 Oras, Unang Hirit host Arnold Clavio was named anchor of the newscast joining Morales. It was relaunched as Saksi: Liga ng Katotohanan (League of Truth) on March 15, 2004.[9]
Saksi (2011–present)
The show launched a segment called "Saksi Ako" where viewers can make their own report there by using cellphone and camera recordings via GMA's Youscoop. The new theme is incorporated with the elements of the 2008–2011 theme music & 2004–2008 theme music and its 2004-2008 bed music. In July 2013, it launched its segment "Midnight Snack", a food-trip segment hosted by Mikael Daez every Mondays to Thursdays, After a one-week hiatus, On November 5, 2013, it returned under the new title "Midnight Express".[10]
Arnold Clavio and Pia Arcangel (2014–present)
In 2014, as part of GMA News' shakeup, Pia Arcangel was appointed co-anchor replacing Vicky Morales who moved to 24 Oras.[11]
