Francesca Hawkins
Encyclopedia
Francesca Hawkins is a television news presenter
and public relations specialist in Trinidad and Tobago
. She is currently a frontline presenter for CNC3 Television.
Francesca's television career began at, the age of 21 when she was asked to serve as a frontline news presenter at Trinidad and Tobago Television
under the guidance of veteran broadcaster Jones P. Madeira
. In the mid 1980s she continued to work for the Trinidad Broadcasting Company as a radio announcer. She later moved to the Caribbean Communications Network where she worked as an announcer for Prime 106 FM.
The Caribbean Communications Network launched its own television station in 1991 and Francesca served as the main presenter of The TV6 News on CCN TV6
from its inception until 1997.
Francesca was the face and voice of TV6 in the early 1990s. In addition to her role as primary anchorwoman, she presented a wide range of promotional and special broadcasts such as the station's yearly carnival coverage and other cultural events.
Following her departure from TV6, Francesca returned to the state-run Trinidad and Tobago Television
, where she served as the coordinator of special projects, as well as co-anchor of the nightly news programme, Panorama. In 1999, she left the station to work as a Communications Officer at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Francesca returned to the broadcasting arena in 2001 as the morning voice of Hott 93.5FM.
In 2006 she co-hosted and co-presented "Total Football", the only local TV show to follow the historic journey of the National Football Team, Soca Warriors, to the Germany 2006 World Cup. Jamaal Shabaaz, Angus Eve ad Michael McCommie, all football professionals were part of the Total Football team.
In mid-2006 she joined Cable News Channel 3, where she currently presents miscellaneous news programmes.
She was also among the first group of students to graduate from the University of the West Indies BA FILM program in 2009, with an honors degree. The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival recognized her work on the documentary "Siege" which explored for the first time on film, the experiences of media workers who were held hostage at Trinidad and Tobago Television during the 1990 attempted coup.
She currently works on independent film making projects, in addition to her work as a news presenter.
.
She was also a member of the organizing committee for the 1999 Miss Universe
pageant, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago
, where she was the producer for all the local elements of the stage production, including working with the set and costume designers Peter Minshall and Wayne Berkley.
She interned in the Communication Office at the Cabinet Office, Whitehall, London immediately after the 9/11 events in New York.
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
and public relations specialist in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. She is currently a frontline presenter for CNC3 Television.
Media career
At 17 years old, Francesca Hawkins was one of the youngest voices put on the air at Radio Trinidad. She instantly attracted audiences, particularly the younger age groups and set about including local artists in her formats, a practice that is now a norm, but at that time local artistes were given little airtime. She controversially replaced the well known and popular DJ, Rennie Bishop, who was known for saying "find me a good local record and then I'll play it". Lancelot Layne then wrote a song deriding his attitude to local culture and his American style accent. Amid this background, Francesca made her debut.Francesca's television career began at, the age of 21 when she was asked to serve as a frontline news presenter at Trinidad and Tobago Television
Trinidad and Tobago Television
The Trinidad and Tobago Television Company ', was a national television broadcaster in Trinidad and Tobago. The company operated two stations, ttt on channels 2 and 13 and Alternative Television on channels 9 and 14...
under the guidance of veteran broadcaster Jones P. Madeira
Jones P. Madeira
Jones P. Madeira is a journalist from Trinidad and Tobago.-Early career:Madeira began his career as an amateur broadcaster with the Voice of Rediffusion, a wired radio channel of the Trinidad Broadcasting Company which also operated the Radio Trinidad station...
. In the mid 1980s she continued to work for the Trinidad Broadcasting Company as a radio announcer. She later moved to the Caribbean Communications Network where she worked as an announcer for Prime 106 FM.
The Caribbean Communications Network launched its own television station in 1991 and Francesca served as the main presenter of The TV6 News on CCN TV6
CCN TV6
The Caribbean Communications Network Television 6 ' is the largest private television broadcaster in Trinidad and Tobago. The station operates an analog composite NTSC 525 television system, broadcasting on channels 6 and 18 in the island of Trinidad, channel 5 on the Flow Cable System and channel...
from its inception until 1997.
Francesca was the face and voice of TV6 in the early 1990s. In addition to her role as primary anchorwoman, she presented a wide range of promotional and special broadcasts such as the station's yearly carnival coverage and other cultural events.
Following her departure from TV6, Francesca returned to the state-run Trinidad and Tobago Television
Trinidad and Tobago Television
The Trinidad and Tobago Television Company ', was a national television broadcaster in Trinidad and Tobago. The company operated two stations, ttt on channels 2 and 13 and Alternative Television on channels 9 and 14...
, where she served as the coordinator of special projects, as well as co-anchor of the nightly news programme, Panorama. In 1999, she left the station to work as a Communications Officer at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Francesca returned to the broadcasting arena in 2001 as the morning voice of Hott 93.5FM.
In 2006 she co-hosted and co-presented "Total Football", the only local TV show to follow the historic journey of the National Football Team, Soca Warriors, to the Germany 2006 World Cup. Jamaal Shabaaz, Angus Eve ad Michael McCommie, all football professionals were part of the Total Football team.
In mid-2006 she joined Cable News Channel 3, where she currently presents miscellaneous news programmes.
She was also among the first group of students to graduate from the University of the West Indies BA FILM program in 2009, with an honors degree. The Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival recognized her work on the documentary "Siege" which explored for the first time on film, the experiences of media workers who were held hostage at Trinidad and Tobago Television during the 1990 attempted coup.
She currently works on independent film making projects, in addition to her work as a news presenter.
Public Sector Projects
Francesca served as a Communications Officer at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of Energy during the term of office of Prime Minister Basdeo PandayBasdeo Panday
Basdeo Panday was the 5th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001 and has served as Leader of the Opposition from 1976–1977, 1978–1986, 1989–1995 and 2001–2010. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North. He is the former...
.
She was also a member of the organizing committee for the 1999 Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, where she was the producer for all the local elements of the stage production, including working with the set and costume designers Peter Minshall and Wayne Berkley.
She interned in the Communication Office at the Cabinet Office, Whitehall, London immediately after the 9/11 events in New York.