TV Zimbo
TV Zimbo is an Angolan private television station and broadcaster owned by Medianova.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
TV Zimbo is a private television station based in Angola and one of the country’s most important commercial broadcasters. It began broadcasting on 14 December 2008, becoming the first private television channel established in Angola. Its launch represented a significant change in a television market that had been dominated for decades by Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA). The channel emerged during a broader opening of Angola’s media sector following the 2006 Press Law, although the regulatory framework for television signals was still developing during its experimental phase. The station was created by Medianova, a private media publisher that also operated the newspaper O País and Radio Mais. TV Zimbo received technical and editorial assistance from TVI and Portugal’s Media Capital group during its launch. This support influenced the channel’s initial visual identity, programming structure, and production practices. Its first schedule combined news, locally produced entertainment, imported Portuguese and Brazilian fiction, talk formats, public-service programming, music, sports discussion, and children’s content. The inaugural edition of its main evening news programme, initially called Jornal da Noite and later renamed Jornal da Zimbo, was presented by David Diogo and Cláudia Constance, both of whom had previous broadcasting experience. The channel expanded its distribution on 15 May 2009 when it joined the DStv satellite platform. This increased its national reach and allowed it to extend its daily transmission schedule to approximately 18 hours. During 2009, TV Zimbo added several prominent formats, including an Angolan adaptation of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the afternoon programme Zimbando, and the morning programme Sexto Sentido. These shows positioned the station as a direct competitor to established TPA programmes and helped it build a broader general-entertainment identity rather than functioning only as a news outlet. TV Zimbo experienced financial and administrative difficulties in 2010. A restructuring resulted in extensive staff reductions, particularly among Portuguese expatriate employees, and the replacement of many positions by Angolan technical personnel. The process was accompanied by regulatory clarification from the Ministry of Media regarding the station’s operating status. Between May and November 2011, the channel temporarily used the name ZTV. It also changed the scheduled time of its principal evening news bulletin from 8:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a programming decision that intensified its competition with TPA. The station subsequently restored the TV Zimbo name, introduced a new corporate identity, changed its management structure, and revised its schedule. From 2012 onward, TV Zimbo strengthened its role in national coverage, including reporting on the 2012 general elections and the London Olympic Games. It began a technical modernization programme in 2014, followed by the opening of new news studios and improvements to its technical centre in 2015. High-definition broadcasting was introduced gradually and officially launched in August 2019. These investments contributed to the channel’s association with modernized production methods and the professionalization of Angola’s television industry. The station has also been part of debates about media pluralism and political balance in Angola. During the 2017 presidential election period, the Angolan Journalists’ Union criticized the distribution of political airtime on TV Zimbo, arguing that MPLA representatives received substantially more coverage than other parties. In audience terms, the channel was reported to have become Angola’s leading television station from 2018, overtaking TPA after decades of public-sector dominance. In July 2020, legal action involving Media Nova led to state tutelage over the company and its media assets. The state later announced plans in July 2021 to reprivatize Media Nova and its outlets. TV Zimbo continued operating and remained available through Angolan subscription television services, including ZAP, DStv, and TV Cabo Angola. On 5 September 2024, an international feed launched on NOS in Portugal, extending access to Angolan programming among viewers in Portugal. The station’s identity remains centered on Angolan news, current affairs, entertainment, sport, and locally produced television.
History
TV Zimbo was launched on 14 December 2008 by Medianova as Angola’s first private television station. Its creation followed the gradual liberalization of the Angolan media environment after the 2006 Press Law and challenged the longstanding dominance of Televisão Pública de Angola. The launch was supported technically and editorially by TVI through Portugal’s Media Capital group, which contributed to aspects of the channel’s graphics and initial programme structure. The original schedule was designed as a broad general-interest service. It included the main evening news, initially titled Jornal da Noite, Portuguese and Brazilian fiction, the Portuguese-Angolan comedy Makamba Hotel, legal and human-interest programmes, interviews, Angolan music, football discussion, and children’s content. The station recruited a large workforce for its launch, including an editorial team, and sought to establish a credible news operation aimed at Angola’s expanding television audience. Its name refers to the zimbo, a small shell that historically served as currency in Angola and along much of the West African coast. On 15 May 2009, TV Zimbo joined DStv. Satellite distribution gave the station a much wider national footprint and supported an expansion to approximately 18 hours of daily transmission. The same year saw the debut of several high-profile formats: an Angolan version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the afternoon talk show Zimbando, and the morning programme Sexto Sentido. These programmes placed TV Zimbo in direct competition with established TPA offerings and helped define its identity as both a news service and a mass-market entertainment channel. The station encountered substantial financial and administrative problems in 2010. A restructuring affected a large proportion of the workforce, with many Portuguese expatriate employees dismissed and replaced by local technicians. The difficulties were connected to both the channel and Medianova, and the reorganization was accompanied by official clarification from the Ministry of Media regarding the legality of the station’s operation. In 2011, TV Zimbo temporarily changed its name to ZTV. During the same period, it moved its principal news bulletin from 8:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., breaking with the established scheduling pattern associated with TPA and intensifying competition between the stations. It later restored the TV Zimbo name, adopted a new visual identity, changed management, and revised its schedule. From 2012, TV Zimbo expanded its coverage of major public events, including the 2012 general elections and the London Olympics. Technical modernization began in 2014. New news studios were inaugurated in 2015, while the technical centre was renovated to improve production and transmission quality. The channel gradually adopted HDTV and formally launched high-definition broadcasting in August 2019. TV Zimbo has played a visible role in debates over political pluralism in Angola. During the 2017 presidential election period, the Angolan Journalists’ Union criticized the channel for an imbalance in political airtime, alleging that MPLA representatives received considerably more exposure than other parties. Despite such criticism, the channel continued to expand its audience and was reported to have become Angola’s audience leader from 2018, overtaking TPA after roughly four decades of public-broadcaster dominance. In July 2020, legal proceedings concerning Media Nova led to the company and its outlets being placed under state tutelage. The state announced in July 2021 that it intended to reprivatize Media Nova and its media properties. TV Zimbo remained distributed in Angola through ZAP, DStv, and TV Cabo Angola. Its international expansion continued with the launch of TV Zimbo Internacional on NOS in Portugal on 5 September 2024. The international service primarily carries programming produced in Angola, with the possibility of additional Lisbon-oriented content for Angolan audiences in Portugal.
- 2024
TV Zimbo Internacional launches in Portugal
[1]The international feed becomes available on NOS in Portugal on 5 September.
- 2019
Official HDTV launch
[1]High-definition broadcasting is officially introduced after several years of technical preparation.
- 2018
Reported audience leadership
[1]TV Zimbo is reported to have overtaken TPA as Angola’s audience-leading television channel.
- 2015
New news studios and upgraded technical centre
[1]TV Zimbo inaugurates new news facilities and renovates its technical centre as part of a modernization programme.
- 2012
Expanded national and international event coverage
[1]The station strengthens coverage of elections and major international events, including the London Olympics.
- 2011
Temporary ZTV identity and schedule reset
[1]The channel temporarily operates as ZTV, changes the main-news time slot, and later relaunches as TV Zimbo with a new identity and schedule.
- 2009
DStv distribution begins
[1]TV Zimbo joins DStv on 15 May and expands its transmission hours and reach.
- 2008
TV Zimbo launches
[1]The station begins broadcasting on 14 December as Angola’s first private television channel.
- 2006
Media-sector liberalization creates the context for private television
[1]Angola’s 2006 Press Law formed part of the regulatory and political context in which privately operated television services emerged.
Products and positioning
A privately operated Angolan general-interest television channel positioned around national news, current affairs, locally produced entertainment, and programming intended to compete with the state broadcaster TPA.
Television news · 2008
Jornal da Zimbo
TV Zimbo’s principal news programme. It was originally launched as Jornal da Noite and renamed Jornal da Zimbo in 2011. The bulletin is central to the station’s identity as a national news broadcaster and has been used as a key point of competition with TPA’s evening news schedule.
Afternoon talk show · 2009
Zimbando
An afternoon talk and magazine programme introduced in 2009. Its scheduling placed TV Zimbo directly against TPA’s daytime offerings and formed part of the station’s effort to build a broad daily audience beyond its news programming.
Morning programme · 2009
Sexto Sentido
A morning television programme launched in 2009 and presented initially by Dina Simão and Elsa Marques. It was positioned against TPA’s morning schedule and helped establish TV Zimbo’s full-day programming offer.
Game show · 2009
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Angola
An Angolan adaptation of the internationally known quiz-show format. The programme premiered on TV Zimbo in 2009 and was hosted by Jorge Antunes, adding a recognizable international entertainment format to the channel’s early schedule.
Music and culture · 2008
Made in Angola
A programme focused on Angolan music and local cultural production. It illustrates TV Zimbo’s effort to combine imported formats and fiction with programming rooted in Angolan creative life.
Sports discussion · 2008
Prolongamento
A football discussion programme included among TV Zimbo’s early offerings. It formed part of the channel’s general-interest strategy and provided sports analysis alongside news, entertainment, and cultural programming.
International television feed · 2024
TV Zimbo Internacional
The channel’s international feed, launched on NOS in Portugal on 5 September 2024. It primarily carries programming produced in Angola and is intended to serve Angolan viewers and audiences interested in Angolan television in Portugal.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2024
Launch TV Zimbo InternacionalProduct launchBackground
The broadcaster sought to make Angolan-produced programming available to viewers outside Angola, particularly the Angolan community in Portugal.
Action taken
TV Zimbo launched an international feed on NOS in Portugal on 5 September 2024.
Aftermath
The launch extended the TV Zimbo brand into an international subscription-television market while retaining Angola-produced programming as the feed’s core content.
2014
Begin technical modernizationStrategyBackground
The station sought to improve production quality and strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive television market.
Action taken
TV Zimbo began a modernization programme that included gradual adoption of HDTV, new news studios, and renovation of its technical centre.
Aftermath
The modernization culminated in the official launch of high-definition broadcasting in August 2019.
2011
Temporary rebrand as ZTVStrategyBackground
The station was undergoing restructuring, management changes, and schedule revisions after financial and administrative difficulties.
Action taken
TV Zimbo temporarily used the ZTV name from May to November 2011 before returning to its original identity.
Aftermath
The channel resumed the TV Zimbo name with a new corporate identity, management arrangements, and programming schedule.
2011
Move the main news bulletin to 8:00 p.m.StrategyBackground
The traditional 8:30 p.m. news slot was associated with TPA, and TV Zimbo sought a more competitive position in the evening schedule.
Action taken
The station moved its principal news programme to 8:00 p.m.
Aftermath
The change intensified direct competition with TPA and became part of the channel’s broader 2011 repositioning.
2009
Join the DStv satellite platformStrategyBackground
As a newly established private broadcaster, TV Zimbo needed broader distribution to compete with the incumbent public broadcaster and reach viewers beyond terrestrial coverage.
Action taken
The channel began distribution on DStv on 15 May 2009 and expanded its daily broadcast hours.
Aftermath
The move significantly increased the channel’s potential national reach and supported the development of a fuller general-interest schedule.
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