TV Subaé
A TV Globo-affiliated television station serving Feira de Santana and surrounding areas in Bahia, Brazil.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
TV Subaé is a Brazilian television station licensed to Feira de Santana in the state of Bahia. It operates on virtual channel 10 and is affiliated with TV Globo through Rede Bahia de Televisão, the Bahia-wide television network associated with Grupo TV Bahia. The station's primary facilities, including its studios and transmission infrastructure, are located on Avenida Presidente Dutra in central Feira de Santana. The station began broadcasting on June 1, 1988, founded by businessman Modesto Cerqueira. Its launch made it the first TV Globo affiliate located in the interior of Bahia rather than in the state capital. The initial operation was supported by Globo's former affiliate implementation structure and brought together technical, editorial, commercial, programming, and engineering personnel from several Brazilian television markets. The inauguration was attended by regional political authorities, including Feira de Santana mayor José Falcão da Silva and Bahia governor João Durval Carneiro. TV Subaé originally formed part of a broader local media group controlled by Grupo MC, also known as Rede Baiana de Comunicação. That group included the station, the Subaé AM and Nordeste FM radio stations, and the newspaper Jornal Feira Hoje. Following Modesto Cerqueira's death in 1994, control of the businesses passed to his sons Modezil and Florisberto Cerqueira. In April 1998, Grupo MC sold half of its interest in TV Subaé to Grupo TV Bahia. The transaction brought the station formally into Rede Bahia de Televisão and established the ownership structure under which it has operated as part of the Bahia Globo-affiliate network. TV Subaé's principal business is free-to-air television broadcasting, combining TV Globo network programming with locally produced journalism and regional content. Its local news operation has included editions of Bahia Meio Dia and BATV, as well as earlier programs such as Bahia Agora, Jornal da Manhã, and the Sunday newsmagazine Rede Bahia Revista. The station is an important regional news outlet for Feira de Santana and nearby communities, with its coverage extending through digital translators in municipalities including Alagoinhas, Serrinha, Conceição do Almeida, and Santo Antônio de Jesus. The station completed a major technical transition during the 2010s. Its digital allocation on UHF channel 27 was assigned in 2013, with experimental transmissions beginning in June and official digital broadcasting following in July. Further translator infrastructure expanded its reach across Bahia. The analog VHF channel 10 signal was shut down on December 5, 2018, under Brazil's federally coordinated analog-to-digital transition; the station retained virtual channel 10 on its digital service. In 2020, its programming was added to the SKY pay-television platform, replacing TV Bahia in the relevant lineup for the region. In 2021, TV Subaé activated digital subchannels 10.2 and 10.3 under the Caminhos da Educação branding, carrying educational classes from Feira de Santana's municipal school network. TV Subaé remains a regional broadcaster rather than a nationally distributed standalone network. Its identity is built around the combination of TV Globo affiliation, locally relevant journalism, coverage of the Feira de Santana area, and integration into Rede Bahia's statewide media infrastructure.
History
TV Subaé was established by businessman Modesto Cerqueira and inaugurated on June 1, 1988, in Feira de Santana, Bahia. Its creation expanded TV Globo's affiliate presence beyond Salvador and made it the network's first affiliate in the interior of the state. The launch used support from Globo's former affiliate implementation structure and involved professionals recruited from television markets in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and other parts of Brazil. The founding team included journalism, editing, reporting, technical, operations, commercial, programming, and engineering specialists. The inauguration was attended by local and state officials, including mayor José Falcão da Silva and governor João Durval Carneiro. In its early years, TV Subaé operated within Grupo MC's wider media portfolio. The group, also called Rede Baiana de Comunicação, combined the television station with Subaé AM and Nordeste FM radio stations and the newspaper Jornal Feira Hoje. This arrangement gave the station a local-media ecosystem while its affiliation supplied national programming and a connection to TV Globo's commercial and journalistic structure. Modesto Cerqueira died in 1994. Ownership and control of the station and the other Grupo MC businesses subsequently passed to his sons, Modezil and Florisberto Cerqueira. A significant structural change occurred in April 1998, when Grupo MC sold 50 percent of its stake in TV Subaé to Grupo TV Bahia. The transaction made the station part of Rede Bahia de Televisão, a statewide network of Bahia television stations, while preserving its regional identity and Feira de Santana base. The station's technical development accelerated during Brazil's transition from analog to digital television. On March 18, 2013, UHF physical channel 27 was assigned for TV Subaé's digital service in Feira de Santana. Experimental transmissions began on June 13, and the official digital launch followed on July 18. The upgrade included a new generator, an updated editing room, and new transmission equipment. Digital translators were subsequently activated in Alagoinhas in June 2014, Serrinha in May of the following year, and Conceição do Almeida in May 2018. The Conceição do Almeida service later extended coverage to Santo Antônio de Jesus in June 2019. The analog VHF channel 10 service ended on December 5, 2018, as part of Brazil's national analog switch-off program. TV Subaé retained the familiar virtual channel 10 on its post-transition UHF digital signal. The station also expanded its distribution beyond conventional over-the-air reception: on February 7, 2020, its programming was added to the SKY pay-TV platform, with a formal launch event held in Feira de Santana on February 12. TV Subaé's core editorial operation has centered on regional news. Its current local schedule includes weekday editions of Bahia Meio Dia and BATV, together accounting for more than six hours of locally produced news each week when the station's reported weekly total is considered. Earlier local programming included Bahia Agora, Jornal da Manhã, and the Sunday newsmagazine Rede Bahia Revista. In April 2021, journalist Lete Simões, a 22-year veteran of the station, was dismissed. She had been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic because of health issues associated with stress and had made several returns to the BATV anchor desk earlier that year. On July 2, 2021, TV Subaé activated digital subchannels 10.2 and 10.3 under the Caminhos da Educação name. These services carried classes produced for Feira de Santana's municipal education network, demonstrating the station's use of digital capacity for public-service and educational distribution. Today, TV Subaé remains an active regional broadcaster, combining TV Globo network content, Rede Bahia integration, local news, digital terrestrial distribution, translators, and educational services for communities in Bahia.
- 2021
Educational digital subchannels activated
[1]Channels 10.2 and 10.3 began carrying Caminhos da Educação programming for Feira de Santana's municipal education network.
- 2020
SKY distribution begins
[1]TV Subaé programming entered the SKY pay-TV lineup in February.
- 2018
Analog transmission discontinued
[1]The analog VHF channel 10 signal was shut down on December 5, with virtual channel 10 retained on the digital service.
- 2013
Digital television launch
[1]The station began experimental digital broadcasts in June and made them official in July on UHF channel 27.
- 1998
Integration into Rede Bahia
[1]Grupo TV Bahia acquired half of Grupo MC's stake, formally bringing TV Subaé into Rede Bahia de Televisão.
- 1994
Control passes to Modesto Cerqueira's sons
[1]After the founder's death, Modezil and Florisberto Cerqueira took control of the station and related Grupo MC businesses.
- 1988
Station inaugurated
[1]TV Subaé began operations on June 1 in Feira de Santana as the first TV Globo affiliate in the interior of Bahia.
Products and positioning
A regional TV Globo affiliate focused on local journalism and television service for Feira de Santana and surrounding communities, supported by Rede Bahia's statewide network.
Television broadcasting · 1988
TV Subaé terrestrial television service
The station's main free-to-air service, operating on virtual channel 10 and carrying TV Globo programming alongside locally produced news and regional content for Feira de Santana and nearby areas.
Television news
Local news programming
TV Subaé produces local editions of Bahia Meio Dia and BATV. The station has also previously produced regional versions of Bahia Agora, Jornal da Manhã, and Rede Bahia Revista.
Educational television · 2021
Caminhos da Educação
Educational programming carried on digital subchannels 10.2 and 10.3, presenting classes from Feira de Santana's municipal education network.
Broadcast distribution · 2014
Digital translator network
A group of digital translator services extends TV Subaé's regional reach to municipalities including Alagoinhas, Serrinha, Conceição do Almeida, and Santo Antônio de Jesus.
Brand decisions
2021
Launch of Caminhos da Educação subchannelsProduct launchBackground
Digital broadcasting enabled the station to use additional capacity for educational distribution.
Action taken
TV Subaé activated subchannels 10.2 and 10.3 to carry classes from Feira de Santana's municipal education network.
Aftermath
The station added a public-service educational role alongside its regular network and local news programming.
2013
Transition from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration changeBackground
Brazil's television market was moving from analog terrestrial broadcasting to digital transmission.
Action taken
TV Subaé deployed a digital service on UHF channel 27, adding transmission, power-generation, and editing equipment before making the service official in July.
Aftermath
The station later expanded digital coverage through translators and ultimately ended its analog channel 10 transmission in 2018.
1998
Sell half of Grupo MC's stake to Grupo TV BahiaM&ABackground
Grupo MC sought a new ownership and network structure for the station within Bahia's regional television market.
Action taken
Grupo MC sold 50 percent of its interest in TV Subaé to Grupo TV Bahia, making the station part of Rede Bahia de Televisão.
Aftermath
TV Subaé continued as a Feira de Santana-based TV Globo affiliate while becoming part of a statewide network.
Recent events
- 2021
Long-serving journalist Lete Simões leaves TV Subaé[1]
Leadership change
Lete Simões, who had worked at the station for 22 years, was dismissed in April after working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic because of stress-related health problems.
- 2021
Caminhos da Educação subchannels go on air[1]
Product launch
TV Subaé activated digital subchannels 10.2 and 10.3 on July 2 to carry classes from Feira de Santana's municipal education network.
- 2020
TV Subaé programming added to SKY[1]
Other
The station entered the SKY pay-television lineup in February, replacing TV Bahia on the relevant channel.
- 2013
TV Subaé launches official digital transmission[1]
Product generation
After experimental broadcasts began in June, the station officially launched its digital signal on UHF channel 27 in July with upgraded transmission and production equipment.
- 1998
Grupo MC sells half of TV Subaé to Grupo TV Bahia[1]
M&A
The ownership transaction formally integrated TV Subaé into Rede Bahia de Televisão.
- 1988
TV Subaé begins broadcasting[1]
Other
The station was inaugurated in Feira de Santana on June 1 as the first TV Globo affiliate in the interior of Bahia.
Sources2 sources
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