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When Channel 5 was sold to BTL last week, we reported that Janelle Chanona would likely take over as news director for the departing Stewart Krohn. Krohn who was the Managing Director and News Director sold out his shares to the Michael Ashcroft controlled Telemedia. Chanona was in line to take over the news, but quite suddenly she has resigned after what we understand was an editorial difference of opinion with the new management. She has confirmed to us that today was her last day of work. She had been working at Channel 5 since 2001.

While Chanona would not comment on any differences of opinion, she did say that she “could not in conscience continue her employment because she felt that to do so would violate her principles of objectivity.” What would be or could have been that violation? Well, we can’t say but our sources tell us that one very deliberate strategy of the BTL acquisition has been to give the embattled Lord Ashcroft a voice in public discourse.

Additionally, Channel 5’s new CEO is Amalia Mai who was named by government as an interested party for her role in the transfer of the Venezuelan grant funds to the Belize Bank. Prime Minister Dean Barrow has said that Mai issued the payment instructions authorising the funds to go to the Belize Bank.

Chanona says she will pursue interests in consulting, teaching and freelance journalism.