State broadcaster TTT Limited has apologised to viewers following an audio interruption during the performance of Helon Francis at the Dimanche Gras on February 15.

In a media release issued February 16, the broadcaster said the disruption occurred during the live transmission of the National Calypso Monarch Final and was caused by a Dante system failure.

“TTT Limited sincerely apologises to viewers for the audio interruption that occurred during Helon Francis’ performance at the National Calypso Monarch Final on Sunday night at the Dimanche Gras,” the release stated.

The broadcaster said the interruption was not intentional and engineers restored the signal around 10:45 pm, allowing the remainder of the programme to continue without further incident.

TTT explained that the issue occurred at the audio source, which meant there was no clean recording available for immediate playback of the performance.

According to the station, technical monitors observed a complete loss of audio signal entering the primary mixing console around 10:30 pm. While the console remained powered, there was no incoming signal from the stage boxes, resulting in the temporary loss of programme output.

Engineers later identified a connectivity fault after inspecting the stage boxes. TTT said both units, which were configured in a parallel set-up for redundancy, lost connectivity simultaneously, suggesting a localised network or synchronisation error rather than cable damage.

The broadcaster said technicians verified bus cables and power systems before restoring the signal through a sequence of system restarts. A final console reset was later performed following a brief second interruption, after which the signal remained stable.

TTT said preliminary diagnostics suggest the disruption was likely caused by a Dante network routing error or connectivity fault between the audio board and digital stage boxes. The company said it is conducting a full review to prevent a recurrence.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Nicholas Morris also addressed the issue, praising the overall production of the event while rejecting allegations of censorship.

“At no time was the audio intentionally or nefariously cut,” Morris said. “This was a technical difficulty which we have seen TTT experience even before this Government took office.”

The minister referenced a similar incident in 2024 involving Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar during a live address at Divali Nagar.

Morris noted that the disruption only affected the live television and online broadcast and did not impact the performance inside the venue. He added that other entities providing pay-per-view services were still able to broadcast the performance.