Rede Tupi

Rede Tupi
TypeTelevision network
Country
Brazil
Founded18 September 1950 (1950-09-18)
by Assis Chateaubriand
HeadquartersSão Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
OwnerDiários Associados
ParentRádio Difusora de São Paulo S.A.
Launch date
18 September 1950 (1950-09-18)
Dissolved18 July 1980 (1980-07-18) (29 years and 10 months)
see "Broadcasters"
LanguagePortuguese

Rede Tupi (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁedʒi tuˈpi]; in English, Tupi Network) was a Brazilian commercial terrestrial television network. Its flagship station, located in the city of São Paulo, was the first TV station to operate in the country, being inaugurated on 18 September 1950 by journalist Assis Chateaubriand.[1] It was owned by Diários Associados, one of the largest media conglomerates of the 20th century, owner of several newspapers, magazines, and radio stations.

Named after the Tupiniquim tribe in Brazil, Rede Tupi was a pioneer in television programming in South America, setting the tone for the best telenovelas, news programming, sports, and entertainment in the 1950s and 1960s, such as TV de Vanguarda (Vanguard TV), O Repórter Esso (The Esso Reporter), Alô Doçura, Clube dos Artistas (1952–80), Beto Rockfeller, O Mundo é das Mulheres (The World is for Women) and many more. It led the way for the establishment of television stations throughout Brazil, and in 1960, beat other stations in broadcasting via satellite (the first Brazilian TV network to achieve such a feat) in honor of the formal opening of Brasilia.

Its success prompted other nations in the continent to have television stations. The network added new talent to Brazilian show business, which was then a thriving industry depending on films and radio. During the 1960s, its programs revolutionized television through animation, humor, comedy and children's shows plus the telenovelas that gave rise to the launch in 1965 of its rival network in Rio de Janeiro, Rede Globo.[2][3]

The network was formed in the 1970s, with members as co-brothers of the Diários Associados and affiliates. Its flagships were TV Tupi São Paulo and TV Tupi Rio de Janeiro. Due to a history of management problems, which resulted in a financial crisis, Tupi had part of its licenses revoked by the Government of Brazil in July 1980, shutting down the network.

  1. ^ Thussu, Daya Kishan (2006-10-31). Media on the Move: Global Flow and Contra-Flow. Routledge. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-134-32589-4.
  2. ^ Joyce, Samantha Nogueira (June 2022). Afro-Brazilians in Telenovelas: Social, Political, and Economic Realities. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-7936-4424-4.
  3. ^ Weil, Thomas E. (1975). Area Handbook for Brazil. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 276.