SBT Brasília

SBT Brasília is a Brazilian television station serving Brasília and the Federal District. It is an owned-and-operated station of SBT, one of Brazil's major television networks, and broadcasts its programming on VHF channel 12, with a digital transmission on UHF channel 24. To improve reception in parts of the Federal District, the station also operates a relay on UHF channel 27 in Gama. Its studios are located in the Palácio da Imprensa Building in the Setor de Rádio e Televisão Sul, in Brasília's Asa Sul district, while its transmitters are installed at the Brasília Digital TV Tower in Lago Norte. The station's history is linked to the politically complex allocation of television licenses during Brazil's transition from military rule to democratic government. The Brasília channel 12 license was initially associated with Rede Bandeirantes after a late-1984 bidding process that also involved Rede Manchete. That license was cancelled by President João Figueiredo, and a later allocation process resulted in the license being granted to SBT on January 31, 1985. During the licensing dispute, SBT's planned Brasília operation lost its authorization after the Ministry of Communications ordered a review of licenses approved during the final period of Figueiredo's administration. The reversal caused substantial losses for SBT and delayed the station's launch. The licensing position was eventually preserved under President José Sarney. SBT began a test transmission on June 8, 1986, initially carrying only national programming, and formally inaugurated the Brasília station on July 14, 1986. At launch, the operation used the TVS Brasília name, reflecting the TVS identity historically associated with SBT's broadcasting operations. The inauguration included SBT owner Silvio Santos, network directors, President Sarney, and other guests. SBT had considered Brasília as a possible base for a centralized national news operation because of the city's political importance, but that plan was not implemented. In 1990, SBT discontinued the TVS designation at its local stations and adopted the SBT Brasília name. The station later expanded its technical footprint through digital television. Digital broadcasts began on October 12, 2009, using UHF channel 24. SBT Brasília began carrying local programming in high definition alongside SBT's other owned-and-operated stations on August 4, 2014; the change received formal confirmation later that month. Today, the station combines SBT's national schedule with programming and transmission infrastructure designed for the Brasília market, including local coverage and terrestrial distribution across the Federal District.

SBT Brasília emerged from a disputed television licensing process during Brazil's political transition in the mid-1980s. VHF channel 12 in Brasília had initially been granted to Rede Bandeirantes after a bidding process in which Rede Manchete also participated. The allocation was later cancelled by President João Figueiredo, and the channel was subjected to a new licensing process. SBT received the authorization on January 31, 1985. The station's launch was delayed when the Ministry of Communications revisited a large group of radio and television licenses approved during the final period of Figueiredo's administration. The review affected the planned TVS Brasília operation and created significant losses for SBT. During 1985, SBT owner Silvio Santos discussed the matter with President José Sarney. In October, the Ministry of Communications stated that the licenses held by SBT and Rede Manchete in Brasília would remain valid, allowing the SBT project to proceed. SBT began test transmissions on June 8, 1986, using only national programming at first. The station was formally inaugurated on July 14, 1986, in an event held at the Academia de Tênis in Brasília. It operated initially as TVS Brasília, reflecting the branding used by SBT's local stations at the time. SBT had envisioned Brasília as a possible center for a national news department because the city is Brazil's political capital, but the proposed centralization did not occur. In 1990, the TVS identity was removed from SBT's local stations, and the Brasília operation became known as SBT Brasília. The station operates on analog channel 12 and digital UHF channel 24. It also maintains a relay on UHF channel 27 in Gama because terrain and reception conditions can limit coverage in some parts of the Federal District. The station's studios are in the Palácio da Imprensa Building in the SRTVS area of Asa Sul, and its transmission facilities are at the Brasília Digital TV Tower in Lago Norte. Digital transmission began on October 12, 2009. On August 4, 2014, SBT Brasília joined the network's other owned-and-operated stations in broadcasting local programming in high definition; formal confirmation of the upgrade followed on August 25. The station remains a regional outlet combining SBT's national schedule with programming intended for viewers in Brasília and the surrounding Federal District.

• 2014

  Local broadcasts transition to high definition

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  Local programming began airing in high definition on August 4, with confirmation issued on August 25.

• 2009

  Digital broadcasting launches

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  Digital broadcasts began on October 12 through UHF channel 24.

• 1990

  Local TVS branding is replaced

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  SBT discontinued the TVS name at its local stations, including the Brasília operation.

• 1986

  Test transmissions begin

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  The station started a test period on June 8 with national programming.

• 1986

  Formal inauguration as TVS Brasília

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  The station officially opened on July 14 under the TVS Brasília identity.

• 1985

  SBT receives the Brasília channel 12 authorization

  [1]SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org

  A new licensing process awarded SBT the authorization for VHF channel 12 in Brasília on January 31.

A regional SBT owned-and-operated television station focused on serving Brasília and the Federal District through a combination of locally relevant programming and SBT's national entertainment, news, and sports schedule.

• Local television broadcasting · 1986

  SBT Brasília local television service

  The station's regional free-to-air service for Brasília and the Federal District. It combines SBT network content with locally oriented programming and uses channel 12 for its principal terrestrial service. The station's local output was upgraded to high definition in 2014.

• Digital broadcasting · 2009

  Digital terrestrial television service

  SBT Brasília's digital transmission service began in 2009 on UHF channel 24. The station also uses a UHF channel 27 relay in Gama to address reception limitations in parts of the Federal District.

• 2014

  High-definition local programmingGeneration change

  Background

  SBT upgraded the local output of its owned-and-operated stations as part of the network's digital broadcasting development.

  Action taken

  SBT Brasília began airing local programming in high definition on August 4.

  Aftermath

  The change improved the technical quality of the station's local broadcasts and was formally confirmed on August 25.

  Source

• 2009

  Digital transmission rolloutGeneration change

  Background

  Brazil's transition toward digital terrestrial television required local stations to add digital transmission facilities.

  Action taken

  SBT Brasília began digital broadcasting on UHF channel 24.

  Aftermath

  The station expanded its technical service beyond its analogue channel 12 operation.

  Source

• 1986

  SBT considers Brasília for centralized national newsStrategy

  Background

  Because Brasília is Brazil's federal capital, SBT considered locating its national news operation there rather than following the concentration of network news production in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

  Action taken

  SBT incorporated the idea into its plans for the new station, but did not ultimately establish the proposed centralized news department in Brasília.

  Aftermath

  The station launched primarily as a regional outlet carrying national programming and local content.

  Source

• 1985

  SBT pursues a Brasília-owned station during the licensing reviewStrategy

  Background

  SBT's authorization for Brasília was caught in a government review of television licenses granted during the final months of President Figueiredo's administration.

  Action taken

  SBT sought to preserve the channel 12 authorization and continued preparations for a Brasília operation despite the resulting delay.

  Aftermath

  The license was retained under the Sarney administration, enabling the station to launch in 1986.

  Source

1. 1SBT Brasíliaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2SBT Brasília official station pagesbt.com.br