TV Bandeirantes Rio Grande do Sul

Band RS is a Brazilian television station based in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. It is an owned-and-operated station of Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação and serves as the group’s principal television operation in the state. The station broadcasts on analog channel 10’s former allocation and on digital UHF channel 32, while its transmission facilities are associated with Morro da Polícia. Its studios and the wider Rio Grande do Sul operation of Grupo Bandeirantes are located at the Tecnopuc scientific and technological park at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. The station’s roots extend to Rádio Difusora, established in Porto Alegre in 1934 by the Capuchin Franciscans. The television service was inaugurated as TV Difusora on October 10, 1969. Its launch was attended by major political and religious figures, including the state governor, Cardinal Dom Vicente Scherer and President Emílio Garrastazu Médici. From the beginning, TV Difusora combined religious and educational influences with entertainment, news, sports and locally produced variety programming. The station used a lion mascot and a multicolored circular logo centered on the number 10. TV Difusora became an important regional broadcaster during the 1970s. In 1972 it carried a live color broadcast from the Grape Festival in Caxias do Sul, an event described as the first Brazilian television broadcast made live in color from that festival. Its local schedule included the long-running midday program Portovisão, the news program Câmera 10, the sports program Camisa 10, children's programming, films, imported series and locally produced variety shows. The station also gave airtime to prominent journalists, commentators, artists and public personalities from Rio Grande do Sul. The broadcaster attempted to strengthen Porto Alegre as a center of television production outside the dominant Rio de Janeiro–São Paulo axis. Financial difficulties limited that ambition, however. In 1979, TV Difusora became affiliated with the newly established Rede Bandeirantes, initially carrying a substantial but not exclusive share of network programming. On June 30, 1980, Organização das Fraternidades Menores sold TV Difusora and Rádio Difusora to Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação. Following the transaction, the television station adopted the TV Bandeirantes Rio Grande do Sul identity and became part of Band’s national station network. After the acquisition, the station continued developing regional programs while integrating more programming from Band’s São Paulo headquarters. Local productions included Carrossel Bandeirantes, TV Cidade, Noon A Hora Local, Sul TV, Bandeirantes Receive, Jornal da Mulher and Lado a Lado, among others. Several programs combined local news, public affairs, sports, lifestyle coverage and entertainment. The station’s presenters and commentators included figures such as José Antônio Daudt, Tatata Pimentel, Lauro Quadros, Larry Pinto de Faria, Tânia Carvalho, Vera Armando and Maria do Carmo Bueno. In the 2010s, Band RS continued to refresh its on-air staff and management. Sports broadcaster Paulo Brito joined Grupo Bandeirantes in 2016 after a long period at Grupo RBS, while Sérgio Cóssio was announced as the station’s general director in 2017. Management changes followed in 2019, including the temporary appointment of Cláudio Giordani and the return of Leonardo Meneghetti. The station also experienced the death of chef and presenter Rodrigo Werner in December 2019. Band RS completed its transition from analog to digital television in Porto Alegre on March 14, 2018, when the channel 10 VHF analog signal was switched off under Brazil’s national digitization plan. On March 11, 2024, the group moved its Rio Grande do Sul headquarters from its historic Santo Antônio neighborhood premises to Tecnopuc. The relocation was accompanied by the debut of new studios and visual environments for the station’s local programs. Band RS remains a regional television outlet combining Band network content with news, sports and other programming directed at audiences in Rio Grande do Sul.

Band RS developed from the broadcasting activities of the Capuchin Franciscans in Porto Alegre. The group inaugurated Rádio Difusora on October 27, 1934, and later expanded into television with the launch of TV Difusora on October 10, 1969. The inauguration brought together state and national political authorities and Catholic leaders, reflecting the station’s religious origins and its intended public role. Its early identity was represented by a lion mascot and a colorful circular emblem bearing the number 10. During the 1970s, TV Difusora built a broad regional schedule. It transmitted imported entertainment series, films and cartoons alongside children's, educational, news, sports and variety programs. Local shows such as Portovisão, Câmera 10 and Camisa 10 became important vehicles for regional journalism and commentary. The station also hosted a range of well-known presenters, writers, athletes and cultural figures from Rio Grande do Sul. Portovisão in particular served as a major midday platform, combining news, interviews, social commentary, entertainment and sports material. TV Difusora also sought to make Porto Alegre a more significant center of Brazilian television production. That objective was connected with the acquisition of a controlling interest in TV Rio in 1972, but financial problems eventually led to the closure of that operation in 1977. TV Difusora’s own ability to sustain a primarily local schedule was likewise limited. In 1979 it affiliated with Rede Bandeirantes, taking a substantial share of network content while preserving local programming. On June 30, 1980, Organização das Fraternidades Menores transferred TV Difusora and Rádio Difusora to Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação. The television operation then became known as TV Bandeirantes Rio Grande do Sul and was incorporated into Band’s national network. The acquisition brought greater access to network programming but did not end the station’s regional identity. During the 1980s and 1990s, Band RS continued to produce local shows, including Carrossel Bandeirantes, TV Cidade, Noon A Hora Local, Sul TV, Bandeirantes Receive, Jornal da Mulher and Lado a Lado. These programs covered children's entertainment, police and general news, sports, lifestyle and regional public affairs. The station’s later history includes changes in presenters, sports talent and management. Paulo Brito joined Grupo Bandeirantes in 2016 after working for Grupo RBS and appeared on Os Donos da Bola as well as Rádio Bandeirantes. Sérgio Cóssio became general director in 2017, replacing Leonardo Meneghetti, who moved to a São Paulo-based role. Cóssio left the station in 2019 for personal and health reasons; Cláudio Giordani served temporarily before Meneghetti returned. Chef and presenter Rodrigo Werner, associated with Truques de Cozinha, died in December 2019. Technologically, Band RS moved from analog to digital broadcasting in accordance with Brazil’s federal transition plan. The analog channel 10 signal ended shortly before midnight on March 14, 2018, with digital transmission continuing on UHF channel 32. The station’s transmission antenna is located on Morro da Polícia. In March 2024, Grupo Bandeirantes moved its Rio Grande do Sul headquarters from its long-standing Santo Antônio address to the Tecnopuc complex at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. The move consolidated the group’s state operation in a technology-oriented campus and was accompanied by new studio designs for the local programs.

• 2024

  Headquarters relocates to Tecnopuc

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  The Rio Grande do Sul operation moves from Santo Antônio to the Tecnopuc complex, with redesigned studios for local programming.

• 2018

  Analog signal is switched off

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  Band RS ends its analog channel 10 VHF service and continues through digital UHF channel 32.

• 1980

  Acquisition and rebranding

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação acquires the television and radio operations and the television station becomes TV Bandeirantes Rio Grande do Sul.

• 1979

  Rede Bandeirantes affiliation begins

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  TV Difusora joins the newly created Rede Bandeirantes while continuing to air locally produced content.

• 1972

  First live color broadcast from the Grape Festival

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  TV Difusora transmits the Grape Festival in Caxias do Sul live in color.

• 1969

  TV Difusora begins broadcasting

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  The television service launches in Porto Alegre on October 10 as TV Difusora.

• 1934

  Rádio Difusora is established

  [1]Band RSen.wikipedia.org

  The Capuchin Franciscans inaugurate Rádio Difusora in Porto Alegre, creating the broadcasting foundation from which the later television station develops.

A regional free-to-air television station that combines national programming from Band with locally produced journalism, sports, entertainment and public-affairs content for viewers in Rio Grande do Sul.

• Television broadcasting · 1969

  Band RS free-to-air television service

  The station’s core service is free-to-air television for Porto Alegre and other audiences in Rio Grande do Sul. It combines programming supplied by Grupo Bandeirantes with local news, sports, public-affairs, entertainment and lifestyle content. The station historically operated on analog VHF channel 10 and now transmits digitally on UHF channel 32.

• News programming · 1974

  Local news and public affairs

  Band RS has produced regional news and public-affairs programs throughout its history. Examples include Câmera 10, TV Cidade, Portovisão, Noon A Hora Local, Sul TV and Lado a Lado. These programs have used interviews, commentary and reporting to address local politics, social issues, sports and everyday life in Rio Grande do Sul.

• Sports broadcasting

  Regional sports programming

  Sports has been a recurring component of the station’s regional schedule, including the historical Camisa 10 program and later appearances by sports presenters and commentators associated with Band’s network output. The station has also supported radio and television sports coverage produced for Rio Grande do Sul audiences.

• 2024

  Relocation to TecnopucStrategy

  Background

  Grupo Bandeirantes had operated from its historic Santo Antônio neighborhood address since the station’s acquisition in 1980.

  Action taken

  The Rio Grande do Sul operation moved to the Tecnopuc complex at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul and introduced new local-program studios.

  Aftermath

  The relocation placed the state operation within a technology and research campus and refreshed its local production facilities.

  Source

• 2018

  Transition from analog to digital transmissionGeneration change

  Background

  Brazil’s federal television digitization roadmap required broadcasters in Porto Alegre to end analog transmission.

  Action taken

  Band RS shut down its channel 10 VHF analog signal on March 14 and continued broadcasting digitally on UHF channel 32.

  Aftermath

  The station became a fully digital terrestrial television broadcaster in Porto Alegre.

  Source

• 1980

  Acquisition by Grupo Bandeirantes de ComunicaçãoM&A

  Background

  Grupo Bandeirantes sought to expand its broadcasting investments in southern Brazil.

  Action taken

  On June 30, Grupo Bandeirantes acquired TV Difusora and Rádio Difusora from Organização das Fraternidades Menores.

  Aftermath

  The television station was renamed TV Bandeirantes Rio Grande do Sul and became an owned-and-operated Band outlet.

  Source

• 1979

  Affiliation with Rede BandeirantesStrategy

  Background

  TV Difusora faced limits in sustaining a predominantly local and nationally ambitious programming model after financial difficulties affected related expansion efforts.

  Action taken

  The station affiliated with Rede Bandeirantes and began carrying a substantial portion of the network’s programming while retaining local productions.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation preceded Grupo Bandeirantes’ acquisition of the station and its eventual integration into Band’s owned-and-operated network.

  Source

1. 1Band RSen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Band RS official websitebandtv.band.uol.com.br