TV Meio Norte
Brazilian television station licensed to Timon, Maranhão, headquartered in Teresina, Piauí, and serving as the flagship of Rede Meio Norte.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
TV Meio Norte Piauí is a Brazilian television station associated with Teresina, the capital of Piauí, although its broadcasting license is based in the neighboring city of Timon, Maranhão. The station operates on VHF channel 7 and is the flagship outlet of Rede Meio Norte, a regional television network created after the station became independent from Rede Bandeirantes in 2011. Its service area and identity are closely linked to the urban and cultural region surrounding the Parnaíba River and the Maranhão–Piauí border. The station began broadcasting on April 25, 1985, under the name TV Timon. Established at the initiative of businessman Paulo Guimarães, it initially relayed Rede Bandeirantes programming and became the first television station in eastern Maranhão and the second station serving the greater Teresina area. Although the license and transmitter were located in Timon, the station targeted viewers in Teresina from the beginning. It established an administrative and commercial office in the Piauian capital and gradually developed local programming for that market. TV Timon's early operation was interrupted during its experimental period after a competing station obtained a formal Bandeirantes affiliation. It resumed transmission in March 1986 as an SBT affiliate, but did not begin regular local programming until May 1987. During the early 1990s, the station became part of the expanding Grupo Meio Norte de Comunicação. The group assembled assets in television, radio, and newspapers and began constructing a consolidated headquarters in Teresina. TV Timon moved its main operations from Timon to the Monte Castelo neighborhood of Teresina in late 1994, following a period of restructuring and a damaging windstorm that had brought down its transmission tower. On January 1, 1995, the station adopted the name TV Meio Norte. The name referred to the Brazilian geographic subregion connecting Maranhão and Piauí. After the move to Teresina, the station expanded its coverage using microwave links and its own relay system. In May 1995 it began satellite distribution, described in the station's historical account as an early Latin American use of an Intelsat transponder for television relay. The signal later reached São Luís and Fortaleza through arrangements involving relay facilities, although those out-of-state operations were discontinued in 2001. The station's relationship with SBT deteriorated during the late 1990s as TV Meio Norte increased its local output and altered or pre-empted portions of the network schedule. It changed affiliations on January 9, 2000, joining Rede Bandeirantes and ending nearly fourteen years with SBT. During the 2000s, it increasingly emphasized locally produced programs, at times carrying approximately fourteen consecutive hours of local content on weekdays. This strategy generated complaints from viewers and tension with the national network because some Bandeirantes programs were delayed or omitted. In 2011, TV Meio Norte ended its Bandeirantes affiliation and became an independent station. It introduced a new visual identity and the slogan "A TV da nossa gente," while becoming the principal outlet of Rede Meio Norte. The network subsequently began adding affiliates, including TV Codó. The station also moved into digital broadcasting, beginning transmission on August 11, 2011, and starting high-definition production in January 2012. Its analog signal was switched off in the early hours of May 31, 2018, in accordance with Brazil's national digital-transition schedule. Today, TV Meio Norte remains a regional broadcast brand centered on local news, entertainment, public-affairs programming, and network distribution across Piauí.
History
TV Meio Norte traces its history to TV Timon, which began operating on April 25, 1985, from Timon, Maranhão. Created through the initiative of businessman Paulo Guimarães, the station used VHF channel 7 and initially relayed Rede Bandeirantes. Its geographical position was unusual: while licensed in Maranhão, it was designed largely for the audience in Teresina, across the Parnaíba River in Piauí. The station therefore established commercial and administrative operations in Teresina from an early stage. The launch period was unstable. During 1985, TV Timon temporarily suspended operation after a competing broadcaster obtained a Bandeirantes agreement while TV Timon's relay was still considered unauthorized during its experimental phase. The station returned on March 23, 1986, this time affiliated with SBT. Local production developed more slowly, with the first regular local programs appearing in May 1987. During the early 1990s, TV Timon became part of the broader Grupo Meio Norte de Comunicação. The group was assembling a cross-media portfolio that included radio and newspaper assets, while also developing radio stations under the Meio Norte identity. A new headquarters was built in the Monte Castelo area of Teresina so that the group's media properties could be concentrated in the Piauian capital. TV Timon left its former Timon headquarters in late 1994. The move was also hastened by a storm that destroyed its transmission tower and interrupted its signal for several hours. On January 1, 1995, the station was renamed TV Meio Norte. The new name expressed its intended regional role, referring to the Brazilian subregion formed around Maranhão and Piauí. Following the relocation, the station expanded its terrestrial coverage through microwave relay links and later created its own relay system. In May 1995, it began satellite distribution, which allowed its programming to reach a broader audience. The station also pursued expansion beyond Piauí. From September 1997, relay operations were established in São Luís and Fortaleza using facilities that had previously carried other services. These operations were connected in part to the promotion of the group's Poupa Ganha lottery. The out-of-state relays were closed in 2001, returning the station's direct transmission focus to Piauí. The late 1990s brought a major programming conflict with SBT. TV Meio Norte increased the amount of local content in time periods normally reserved for network programming and sometimes delayed or omitted SBT shows. The network pressed the station to restore the agreed schedule, but the disagreement continued. At the end of the decade, TV Cidade Verde was selected as SBT's new Piauí affiliate, while TV Meio Norte negotiated with Rede Bandeirantes. Competition between the station's Poupa Ganha promotion and the Tele Sena product associated with Grupo Silvio Santos was also identified as a possible factor in the breakdown, although the scheduling dispute was the principal visible issue. TV Meio Norte joined Rede Bandeirantes on January 9, 2000. The station continued to expand its local schedule, and by 2004 it was producing roughly fourteen consecutive hours of local programming on weekdays. This made the station unusually localist for an affiliate, but also created friction with viewers and Bandeirantes because national programs were delayed, displaced, or unavailable on the main channel. A separate UHF relay carried more of the national Bandeirantes schedule for a period. From 2009 onward, TV Meio Norte moved toward an almost entirely local schedule, retaining selected sports and news content and delaying some network programs. The station formally announced its intention to leave Bandeirantes in 2010. After postponing the planned change to prepare its independent schedule, it ended the affiliation on January 1, 2011. The broadcaster introduced a new visual identity and the slogan "A TV da nossa gente." It then became the flagship of Rede Meio Norte, a regional network intended to extend across northern and northeastern Brazil. TV Codó became the first identified affiliate of the new network in February 2011. Technical modernization followed the independence strategy. Digital broadcasting began on August 11, 2011, on physical UHF channel 22, and high-definition production began in January 2012. The analog service ended during the national digital switchover on May 30–31, 2018; the station's analog transmitter was shut down shortly after midnight following the final scheduled program. TV Meio Norte remains an active regional broadcaster whose identity rests on local news, entertainment, public affairs, and network programming centered on Piauí.
- 2018
Analog shutdown
[1]The station completes its transition from analog to digital broadcasting.
- 2012
High-definition production begins
[1]The station starts producing programming in high definition.
- 2011
Independent broadcasting begins
[1]TV Meio Norte ends its Bandeirantes affiliation and becomes the flagship of Rede Meio Norte.
- 2011
Digital service launches
[1]Digital transmission begins on physical UHF channel 22.
- 2000
Bandeirantes affiliation begins
[1]The station leaves SBT and becomes a Rede Bandeirantes affiliate.
- 1995
Renaming and Teresina expansion
[1]TV Timon becomes TV Meio Norte and expands its regional operation from new facilities in Teresina.
- 1986
Return as an SBT affiliate
[1]After a temporary suspension, the station resumes operation with SBT affiliation.
- 1985
TV Timon launches
[1]The station begins broadcasting on VHF channel 7 from Timon, Maranhão, initially relaying Rede Bandeirantes.
Products and positioning
A regional free-to-air broadcaster focused on local programming and the social, political, and cultural life of Piauí and the surrounding Meio-Norte region.
Broadcast content · 1987
Local television programming
TV Meio Norte's core offering is a schedule produced for audiences in Piauí and the surrounding border region. The station has historically emphasized local news, interviews, public affairs, entertainment, and community-oriented programming. During the 2000s, its local output expanded to occupy most of the weekday schedule, distinguishing the station from a conventional national-network affiliate.
Television network · 2011
Rede Meio Norte
Rede Meio Norte is the regional television network for which TV Meio Norte serves as the flagship station. The network emerged after the station's independence from Rede Bandeirantes in 2011 and was intended to distribute the station's programming through affiliates in northern and northeastern Brazil.
Broadcast service · 2011
Digital and high-definition broadcasting
The station's digital service began in 2011, followed by high-definition production in 2012. The digital transition culminated in the closure of the analog signal in 2018 under Brazil's national television switchover program.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011A TV da nossa gente
Piauí, Brazil
At the beginning of its independent era, TV Meio Norte launched a new visual identity and the slogan "A TV da nossa gente" to emphasize its regional and locally oriented positioning.
Outcome. The rebrand accompanied the station's role as flagship of Rede Meio Norte.
- 1995Poupa Ganha expansion
Brazil
The station's signal expansion to São Luís and Fortaleza was associated with promotion of Poupa Ganha, a lottery created by Grupo Meio Norte.
Outcome. The relay operations in São Luís and Fortaleza were later closed in 2001.
Brand decisions
2011
Become an independent broadcasterStrategyBackground
By 2010, the station's schedule was already predominantly local, with only selected Bandeirantes sports, news, and delayed programs remaining.
Action taken
The station ended its Rede Bandeirantes affiliation on January 1, 2011, introduced a new identity, and positioned itself as the flagship of Rede Meio Norte.
Aftermath
The independent model enabled the creation of a regional network and the addition of affiliates such as TV Codó.
2011
Launch digital transmissionGeneration changeBackground
Brazil was transitioning terrestrial television from analog to digital transmission.
Action taken
TV Meio Norte began digital broadcasting on physical UHF channel 22.
Aftermath
The station introduced high-definition production in 2012 and later shut down its analog signal in 2018.
2000
Switch from SBT to Rede BandeirantesStrategyBackground
The station had experienced prolonged disagreement with SBT over the displacement and delay of network programs by locally produced content.
Action taken
TV Meio Norte exchanged affiliations with TV Cidade Verde and joined Rede Bandeirantes on January 9, 2000.
Aftermath
The station continued increasing local programming and later developed tensions with Bandeirantes over the reduced presence of national content.
Recent events
- 2018
Analog transmission is discontinued[1]
Regulation
The analog signal is switched off as part of Brazil's federally coordinated transition to digital television.
- 2012
Station begins high-definition production[1]
Product generation
The broadcaster begins producing programming in high definition.
- 2011
TV Meio Norte becomes an independent station[1]
Leadership change
The station leaves Rede Bandeirantes, adopts a new look and the slogan "A TV da nossa gente," and becomes the flagship of Rede Meio Norte.
- 2011
Digital broadcasting begins[1]
Product generation
TV Meio Norte starts digital transmission on physical UHF channel 22 using a Harris transmitter.
- 2000
TV Meio Norte changes affiliation from SBT to Bandeirantes[1]
Other
Following disputes over scheduling and local programming, the station exchanges affiliations with TV Cidade Verde and joins Rede Bandeirantes.
- 1995
TV Timon becomes TV Meio Norte[1]
Other
The station adopts the TV Meio Norte name after relocating its main operations to Teresina and expanding its regional identity.
- 1986
Station resumes operation as an SBT affiliate[1]
Other
After an interruption during its experimental phase, TV Timon returns to the air and affiliates with SBT.
- 1985
TV Timon begins broadcasting on channel 7[1]
Other
The station launches in Timon, Maranhão, as a relay of Rede Bandeirantes programming under the TV Timon name.
Sources2 sources
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