Television in Portugal
Encyclopedia
Television in Portugal was introduced in 1956 (test broadcasts) by Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (now named Rádio e Televisão de Portugal
), which held the nation-wide television monopoly until late 1992. Regular broadcasting was introduced on March 7, 1957. Colour transmissions were introduced on March 10, 1980.
Digital television
as TDT was introduced at a very late stage when compared to other countries in Europe. It was planned to be introduced as early as 2002, this only became true in cable services and as of 2007, TDT was delayed until late 2008. Portuguese television is regulated by the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC). In 2007, TVI was the ratings leader with 29% share while RTP1, SIC and RTP2 had 25.2%, 25.1% and 5.2%, respectively.
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal
(RTP) began broadcasting RTP1, the first television channel in the country. A second RTP channel, RTP2, started broadcasting on December 25, 1968. Private commercial channels were launched in the early 1990s, with SIC on October 6, 1992 and TVI on February 20, 1993.
The four existing analogue channels started simulcasting in DVB-T
MPEG4 in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
since November 1, 2008. PT extended this to 80% of the territory on April 29, 2009.
There were two auctions: one for the management of the FTA frequencies, and one for the management and distribution of the pay channels. Both were won by Portugal Telecom
. The Government wants around 6 FTA channels (including the analogue channels already broadcasting) and 40 pay channels. This means there will be a pay-TV offer over DTT, even after the failure of the Spanish
and British
offers.
PT
was announced as the winner of both the auctions. PT acquired the transmitter network of Televisão Independente, thus becoming the sole provider of analogue television signals. The creation of a third private TV channel has also been criticized by the main private broadcasters, TVI and SIC. Both of them argue that the television advertising market is already full and a new broadcaster would be prejudicial for the existing channels. It is worth mentioning that during the fiscal year of 2007, SIC and TVI had 185,2 and 222,4 million euros of advertising revenues, respectively.
has launched RTP HD
, but this one had non-continuous programming, broadcasting only the Olympics (which come to air very late night) and some RTP2 sports programing during the day, pausing in the morning to around 15 (3 p.m) for Desporto 2 and then stopping again until 21 (9 p.m) to show primetime during the week and movies during weekend. Night was filled with the Olympics from 0 to 2 (12 am to 2 am) with reruns and 2 to 7 am with live events. MOV
also launched a HD channel in 2008.
Also for the UEFA Euro 2008, SportTV
launched an HD simulcast of SportTV 1
, which was, in the beginning of 2009, replaced with the all-native HD, SportTV HD
. Also in 2009, RTP relaunched RTP HD
, now with a different name, RTP1 HD (name still used for some sports broadcasts, since the channel was again renamed RTP HD). SIC also start test broadcasts, with UEFA Europa League broadcasts. Thematic channels, AXN
, FOX
, FOX Life
, TVCine
, Syfy Universal, also started their HD broadcasts in 2009.
STBs, with VoD provided by Kasenna
MediaBase video servers. PT Comunicações (Portugal Telecom
) has also launched one called meo, providing that the spin-off of subsidiary PT Multimédia was concluded. Vodafone
also launched an IPTV service called Vodafone Casa TV.
.
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, S.A.,commonly known as RTP, is Portugal's public service broadcasting organization. It operates four terrestrial television channels and three national radio channels, as well as several satellite and cable offerings....
), which held the nation-wide television monopoly until late 1992. Regular broadcasting was introduced on March 7, 1957. Colour transmissions were introduced on March 10, 1980.
Digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
as TDT was introduced at a very late stage when compared to other countries in Europe. It was planned to be introduced as early as 2002, this only became true in cable services and as of 2007, TDT was delayed until late 2008. Portuguese television is regulated by the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC). In 2007, TVI was the ratings leader with 29% share while RTP1, SIC and RTP2 had 25.2%, 25.1% and 5.2%, respectively.
History
On March 7, 1957 public broadcasterPublic broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, S.A.,commonly known as RTP, is Portugal's public service broadcasting organization. It operates four terrestrial television channels and three national radio channels, as well as several satellite and cable offerings....
(RTP) began broadcasting RTP1, the first television channel in the country. A second RTP channel, RTP2, started broadcasting on December 25, 1968. Private commercial channels were launched in the early 1990s, with SIC on October 6, 1992 and TVI on February 20, 1993.
Terrestrial
Portugal started digital broadcasts on 29 April 2009 with 6 free access channels, including a High-Definition test channel, and 40 pay channels. It is expected that all the existing terrestrial channels will broadcast in HD as frequencies become free after the analog switch-off.The four existing analogue channels started simulcasting in DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
MPEG4 in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Lisbon Metropolitan Area is a territorial zone that includes 18 municipalities in Portugal. The smaller Grande Lisboa area is a subregion of the NUTS II Lisbon Region by its own right....
since November 1, 2008. PT extended this to 80% of the territory on April 29, 2009.
There were two auctions: one for the management of the FTA frequencies, and one for the management and distribution of the pay channels. Both were won by Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom is the largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal. Although it operates mainly in Portugal and Brazil, it has also a significant presence in Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Angola, Kenya, the People's Republic of China, and São Tomé and...
. The Government wants around 6 FTA channels (including the analogue channels already broadcasting) and 40 pay channels. This means there will be a pay-TV offer over DTT, even after the failure of the Spanish
Quiero Television
Quiero Television was one of the first companies to provide Digital Terrestrial Television in Spain. The company collapsed in April 2002, shortly before the United Kingdom's DTT provider ITV Digital ceased broadcasting....
and British
ITV Digital
ITV Digital was a British digital terrestrial television broadcaster, which launched a pay-TV service on the world's first digital terrestrial television network as ONdigital in 1998 and briefly re-branded as ITV Digital in July 2001, before the service ceased in May 2002. Its main shareholders...
offers.
PT
Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom is the largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal. Although it operates mainly in Portugal and Brazil, it has also a significant presence in Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Angola, Kenya, the People's Republic of China, and São Tomé and...
was announced as the winner of both the auctions. PT acquired the transmitter network of Televisão Independente, thus becoming the sole provider of analogue television signals. The creation of a third private TV channel has also been criticized by the main private broadcasters, TVI and SIC. Both of them argue that the television advertising market is already full and a new broadcaster would be prejudicial for the existing channels. It is worth mentioning that during the fiscal year of 2007, SIC and TVI had 185,2 and 222,4 million euros of advertising revenues, respectively.
List of free-to-air terrestrial channels
- RTP1: the flagship channel of RTP, the Portuguese public broadcastingPublic broadcastingPublic broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
corporation, and presents a general programming composed mainly by news, talk shows, discussion-based programmes, national and international fiction and drama and entertainment. It's the second most watched TV channel in Portugal. - RTP2: the second channel of Portuguese television. It focuses more on intellectual and cultural programming, as well as children and documentary programmes. It is the only terrestrial channel in Portugal that broadcasts international (mostly American) TV-series during the prime-time. The least watched terrestrial station in Portugal.
- SIC: first private television station in Portugal. It broadcasts mainly telenovelas and long talk shows (more than 8 hours every day), as well as themed programming. Like competitor TVI, SIC does not broadcast many international TV-series during prime-time. It's the third most watched channel in Portugal.
- TVI: second private station in Portugal. It focuses mainly on Portuguese telenovelas (usually 5 or more in production at the same time), as well as talk-shows. These talk-shows account for more than 45% of TVI's programming and concentrate mainly on human interest stories, while the other 55% comprises telenovelas. The primary target audience of TVI are housewives and the elderly. It is the most watched TV channel in Portugal with a 28% audience share.
- A fifth national channel was to be launched with the introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television in 2009, in Portugal. Two companies (ZON Multimédia and Telecinco - unrelated to the Spanish television channel of the same nameTelecincoTelecinco is a Spanish commercial television channel operated by Mediaset España. Launched in 1990 as Tele 5, it was the fifth of the national terrestrial television channels. In 1997, Tele 5 was rebranded as Telecinco, dropping the flower logo seen in other Mediaset channel...
) have tendered for the license of this channel but were both refused.
HD Broadcasts
As of worldwide sport events, the common broadcasters usually start a temporary HD channel for digital television users. For the UEFA Euro 2008, TVI launched TVI HD to broadcast the event in HD (although you could also see the channel 24 hours) and for the Beijing Olympics 2008, RTPRádio e Televisão de Portugal
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, S.A.,commonly known as RTP, is Portugal's public service broadcasting organization. It operates four terrestrial television channels and three national radio channels, as well as several satellite and cable offerings....
has launched RTP HD
RTP HD
RTP HD is RTP's HDTV channel. In 2008 it broadcast the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD on ZON's cable and satellite platforms. It is also marketed as RTP1 HD, when broadcasting RTP1 programming.- Sports :* UEFA Champions League...
, but this one had non-continuous programming, broadcasting only the Olympics (which come to air very late night) and some RTP2 sports programing during the day, pausing in the morning to around 15 (3 p.m) for Desporto 2 and then stopping again until 21 (9 p.m) to show primetime during the week and movies during weekend. Night was filled with the Olympics from 0 to 2 (12 am to 2 am) with reruns and 2 to 7 am with live events. MOV
MOV (TV channel)
MOV is a Portuguese television channel operated by Dreamia S.L.U. , the spun-off media arm of Portugal Telecom. MOV was launched on December 1, 2007, on the PT Multimédia-owned TVCabo cable operator....
also launched a HD channel in 2008.
Also for the UEFA Euro 2008, SportTV
Sport TV
SportTV is the brand name for a group of seven Portuguese sports-oriented television channels. SportTV is the dominant subscription television sports brand in Portugal. The first channel, then known as only SportTV, was launched on 16 September 1998 and is produced by ZON Multimédia and...
launched an HD simulcast of SportTV 1
SportTV 1
SportTV 1 started its broadcasts in 1998, being the first Portuguese pay-tv channel. It broadcast mainly soccer, handball, basketball and sports news coverage....
, which was, in the beginning of 2009, replaced with the all-native HD, SportTV HD
Sport TV
SportTV is the brand name for a group of seven Portuguese sports-oriented television channels. SportTV is the dominant subscription television sports brand in Portugal. The first channel, then known as only SportTV, was launched on 16 September 1998 and is produced by ZON Multimédia and...
. Also in 2009, RTP relaunched RTP HD
RTP HD
RTP HD is RTP's HDTV channel. In 2008 it broadcast the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD on ZON's cable and satellite platforms. It is also marketed as RTP1 HD, when broadcasting RTP1 programming.- Sports :* UEFA Champions League...
, now with a different name, RTP1 HD (name still used for some sports broadcasts, since the channel was again renamed RTP HD). SIC also start test broadcasts, with UEFA Europa League broadcasts. Thematic channels, AXN
AXN (Portugal)
AXN Portugal is the Portuguese version of the AXN network, owned by Sony. It was a Cabovisão exclusive in its beginning, but now it is available in all operators...
, FOX
FOX (Portugal)
FOX Portugal is a Portuguese TV channel. It broadcasts series such as House, Bones, The Walking Dead, The Simpsons and much more. It is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
, FOX Life
Fox Life
Fox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...
, TVCine
TVCine
TVCine is a Portuguese premium television brand used on four movie channels, operated by ZON Multimédia. They showcase recent movies and premieres from all the major studios, as well as comedy, action, classic and old movies....
, Syfy Universal, also started their HD broadcasts in 2009.
IPTV
Optimus Clix has launched in 2006 a service called SmarTV (rebranded as Optimus Clix TV), provided on Amino and MotorolaMotorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
STBs, with VoD provided by Kasenna
Kasenna
Kasenna is a Video On Demand company based in California that was spun off of Silicon Graphics in 2000.- Products :* MediaBase: Video On Demand and NPVR server* vFusion: manage clusters of MediaBase video servers, and content distribution...
MediaBase video servers. PT Comunicações (Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom
Portugal Telecom is the largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal. Although it operates mainly in Portugal and Brazil, it has also a significant presence in Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Angola, Kenya, the People's Republic of China, and São Tomé and...
) has also launched one called meo, providing that the spin-off of subsidiary PT Multimédia was concluded. Vodafone
Vodafone Portugal
Vodafone Portugal, a full subsidiary of the Vodafone Group, is the second mobile operator in Portugal, both chronologically and in market share...
also launched an IPTV service called Vodafone Casa TV.
Cable
All cable providers in Portugal are slowly introducing digital television. ZON has already started one since 2003, but it is quite poor in amount of channels and image quality, which is very compressed even in premium channels.Satellite
Digital satellite services have existed since 1998. Currently, the providers are ZON and meo operating in HispasatHispasat
Hispasat is a group of Spanish communication satellites . They were developed by the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial and the European Space Agency...
.