Globoplay Novelas
Globoplay Novelas is a Brazilian pay-television channel operated by Canais Globo and centered on telenovelas from Globo and selected international partners.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Globoplay Novelas is a Brazilian pay-television channel operated by Canais Globo, the Globo group’s subscription-television unit. The channel began on 18 May 2010 under the name Canal Viva, commonly shortened to Viva. It was created as an archive-oriented companion to TV Globo and GNT, drawing extensively on Globo’s historical programming library while also carrying selected imported films and series. Its initial target was broadly described as women over 35 across different social classes, although its schedule developed into a wider celebration of Brazilian television history. During its Canal Viva period, the service combined reruns of telenovelas, comedy programs, variety shows, music specials, youth programming, reality television, talk formats and selected series. Much of the schedule consisted of programs previously broadcast on TV Globo, including classic comedies, children’s shows, variety productions and multiple generations of telenovelas. The channel also used its archive to build a distinct editorial identity around television nostalgia. It commissioned or presented tribute and retrospective programs focused on prominent actors, fictional villains, couples, comedians, children’s programming and major figures in Brazilian television. Viva was not limited to time-shifted programming. In 2013, it marked its third anniversary with newly produced episodes of the comedy series Sai de Baixo featuring part of the original cast. It also developed original and commemorative productions such as Meu Amigo Encosto and a range of retrospective formats. The channel occasionally expanded beyond its normal recorded schedule, broadcasting events including Rio de Janeiro Carnival parades and the Brazilian Music Awards. In 2014, it introduced a high-definition feed and refreshed its on-air presentation. The channel’s programming strategy changed over time. It continued to rely heavily on Globo’s archive, but restored or reintroduced requested titles and formats, including Xou da Xuxa in 2023. It also explored international melodrama through a partnership with TelevisaUnivision, bringing Mexican telenovelas such as Marimar, La usurpadora, María la del Barrio, Amar a muerte and Caer en tentación to its schedule. The channel progressively adapted older material for contemporary television presentation, including the use of widescreen formatting for many productions originally recorded in standard-definition 4:3. On 7 May 2025, Globo announced that Viva would be relaunched as Globoplay Novelas in the year marking the original channel’s fifteenth anniversary. The rebrand reflected the increased audience interest in telenovelas and the prominence of the genre on the Globoplay streaming service. The new positioning narrowed the channel’s editorial focus: comedy series, general reruns and much of the broader variety schedule were removed in favor of an all-telenovela lineup. Additional drama time slots were introduced for Brazilian and international titles, including Além do Tempo, El amor invencible, Hercai and Guerreiros do Sol. The relaunch took effect on 9 June 2025, when Globoplay Novelas began its new schedule with the first episode of Além do Tempo. The service also announced an interactive thematic-battle slot in which viewers could participate in selecting the title to be broadcast.
History
Globoplay Novelas originated as Canal Viva, a pay-television service launched by Canais Globo on 18 May 2010. Canais Globo was formerly known as Globosat and operates subscription television channels associated with Globo. Viva was conceived as an outlet for TV Globo’s extensive archive, supplemented by content from GNT and selected imported productions. Its original audience strategy emphasized women over 35, but the channel’s actual programming covered a broad cross-section of Brazilian television history. The early schedule mixed telenovela reruns with comedy, variety, music, youth, reality and general entertainment programs. Rather than functioning only as a drama channel, Viva offered viewers access to older Globo productions that were difficult to find elsewhere, including classic sitcoms, children’s series, entertainment shows and earlier versions of long-running formats. Telenovelas nevertheless remained a major component of the service and eventually became the foundation for its later repositioning. Viva also developed a nostalgic editorial approach. It aired retrospective and tribute programs about actors, television personalities, villains, couples, comedians and children’s programming. Its output included the original production Meu Amigo Encosto and anniversary-related projects. In 2013, the channel commissioned four new episodes of Sai de Baixo for broadcast during its third-anniversary celebrations, reuniting part of the original cast. The channel occasionally carried live or event programming, including Rio de Janeiro Carnival parades and the 26th Brazilian Music Awards. On 18 May 2014, Viva introduced a high-definition feed and refreshed its on-air design. The channel continued to adapt older programming for modern distribution, including widescreen presentation of many pre-2007 productions that had originally been made in 4:3 standard definition. In 2022, it aired Caminho das Índias as its first telenovela broadcast in high definition. Viva also widened its drama selection through a relationship with TelevisaUnivision, airing Mexican titles including Marimar, La usurpadora, María la del Barrio, Amar a muerte and Caer en tentación. The service periodically brought back especially requested archive titles. In 2023, for example, it began rerunning Xou da Xuxa and resumed talk-show programming after an earlier schedule change. These choices reinforced Viva’s role as a repository for well-known Globo television properties. On 7 May 2025, Globo announced that Viva would be renamed Globoplay Novelas. The decision followed increased interest in telenovelas, particularly on the Globoplay streaming platform, and an assessment that the genre was the channel’s strongest audience proposition. The relaunch on 9 June 2025 replaced the mixed archive schedule with a dedicated telenovela strategy. Comedy series and broader general-program reruns were removed, while additional drama slots were created for Brazilian and international productions. The opening title under the new identity was Além do Tempo. The channel also introduced plans for an interactive thematic-battle slot, allowing viewers to choose between competing telenovela titles.
- 2025
Viva becomes Globoplay Novelas
[1]Globo relaunched the service with an exclusive focus on telenovelas, beginning the new schedule with Além do Tempo on 9 June.
- 2022
Caminho das Índias airs in HD
[1]The channel broadcast Caminho das Índias as its first telenovela in high definition and expanded its Mexican drama offering.
- 2014
High-definition service begins
[1]Viva launched an HD feed and introduced a refreshed on-air identity.
- 2013
New Sai de Baixo episodes mark the third anniversary
[1]Viva broadcast four newly produced episodes of Sai de Baixo with part of the original cast during its third-anniversary programming.
- 2010
Canal Viva launches
[1]Canais Globo launched Canal Viva as a pay-television channel built around TV Globo and GNT archive programming, including telenovelas, comedy, variety and imported content.
Products and positioning
A Brazilian subscription television destination specializing in Globo-affiliated and selected international telenovelas, with a strong emphasis on television heritage, recognizable drama titles and audience participation.
Pay television · 2025
Globoplay Novelas pay-television channel
The core offering is a Brazilian subscription television channel dedicated to telenovelas. Its schedule combines Brazilian dramas associated with Globo and selected international titles, using recurring time slots, curated reruns and themed programming to organize the service around melodrama rather than general entertainment.
Television archive · 2010
Canal Viva archive programming
Before the 2025 rebrand, Canal Viva offered a broad archive service featuring TV Globo and GNT reruns, classic comedies, variety shows, children’s programs, reality formats, music specials, talk shows and telenovelas. This archive orientation established the brand’s nostalgia-driven identity.
Interactive programming · 2025
Interactive thematic battles
The announced thematic-battle slot gives viewers a role in selecting which of two competing telenovelas will occupy a programming position. The format links the linear channel to audience participation and the engagement model associated with Globo’s digital services.
Brand decisions
2025
Repositioning from Viva to Globoplay NovelasStrategyBackground
Globo identified growing interest in telenovelas, especially on Globoplay, and treated the genre as the strongest audience proposition associated with the former Viva channel.
Action taken
Globo renamed the channel Globoplay Novelas, removed most comedy and general archive reruns, and reorganized the schedule around Brazilian and international telenovelas.
Aftermath
The relaunch took effect on 9 June 2025, with Além do Tempo as the opening program under the new identity and additional drama slots added to the schedule.
2021
Partnership for Mexican telenovelasStrategyBackground
Viva sought to broaden its melodrama offering beyond Globo’s Brazilian archive.
Action taken
A partnership with TelevisaUnivision was established to make selected Mexican telenovelas available for the channel’s schedule.
Aftermath
The acquired titles began appearing on the channel in 2022, including Marimar, La usurpadora, María la del Barrio, Amar a muerte and Caer en tentación.
2014
Introduction of the HD feedOtherBackground
The channel reached its fourth anniversary while continuing to distribute a substantial archive of older television productions.
Action taken
Viva launched a high-definition feed, initially operating alongside the standard-definition signal for some distributors, and refreshed its on-air graphics.
Aftermath
The channel continued modernizing the presentation of older programs, including widescreen formatting for many productions originally recorded in 4:3 standard definition.
Sources2 sources
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