Television in Portugal

Television in Portugal was introduced in 1956 (test broadcasts) by Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (now named Rádio e Televisão de Portugal), which held the nationwide television monopoly until late 1992. Regular broadcasting was introduced on March 7, 1957. Colour transmissions were introduced on March 10, 1980.

TV viewing share in 2022:[1]

  SIC (16.7%)
  TVI (15.7%)
  RTP1 (10.8%)
  CMTV (4.8%)
  CNN Portugal (3.1%)
  SIC Notícias (2.3%)
  FOX (1.9%)
  Canal Hollywood (1.7%)
  Globo (1.7%)
  Other channels (41.3%)

Digital terrestrial television (DTT) was introduced at a very late stage when compared to other countries in Europe and with limited channels, and according to the European Audiovisual Observatory it occupies the last place in 34 European countries with the weakest offer on digital terrestrial television, in such a way that most Portuguese are subscribers of cable (HFC) or IPTV (DSL or FTTH) platforms, in percentages higher than in the rest of Europe and these platforms are well developed with many channels. During the transition from analog to DTT, subscription-based television services experienced a 10% increase and reached 72.5% of homes in 2012. Outside of the internet, there are no regional or local television channels - with the exception of the autonomous state TV channels, RTP Açores and RTP Madeira -, although a couple of pay TV channels are partly or wholly dedicated to regional matters. Portuguese television is regulated by the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (ERC).[2]

History

In 1953, a group on behalf of Emissora Nacional de Radiodifusão (later RDP) was set up examining the feasibility of a television service in Portugal. The group started a preliminary work for a network of television signals, with a budget on the order of 500,000 escudos. A foreign company had a proposal for the setup of the television network, including the possibility by a foreign company, with high foreign capital, tasking up a proposal for the building of the network and having the exclusive rights of the selling of television sets in the country for a determined period of time[3] In July 1954, their report A Televisão em Portugal (Television in Portugal) was published and was built upon the following pillars:

  • 1. The current status of TV and the opportunity for its introduction in Portugal
  • 2. The operating system to be adopted
  • 3. The solution that seems possible
  • 4. Outline of an initial plan and related charges
  • 5. Economic study
  • 6. List of work already carried out by ENR.[4]

On March 7, 1957 public broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) began broadcasting RTP1, the first television channel in the country. A second RTP channel, RTP2, started broadcasting on December 25, 1968. Private commercial channels were launched in the early 1990s, with SIC on October 6, 1992, and TVI on February 20, 1993.

In 2021, the 24-hour television news channel TVI 24 was revamped and started to broadcast as CNN Portugal. In December 2021, Lisbon-headquartered investment management firm Alpac Capital signed an agreement to buy a controlling stake in the pan-European television news network Euronews from Egyptian telecoms magnate Naguib Sawiris.[5][6][7]

Terrestrial
The logos of the 3 main TV networks in Portugal: RTP, SIC and TVI.

Analog broadcasts in Portugal were discontinued on April 26, 2012. There are eight free-to-air channels on Portuguese terrestrial TV: 6 are owned by the public service broadcaster RTP (with 2 being regional channels that broadcast FTA only in the Madeira and Azores Autonomous Regions), two are from private broadcasters (SIC and TVI) and one is owned by the Assembly of the Republic and broadcasts parliamentary sessions (like BBC Parliament). See Digital terrestrial television in Portugal

Nationwide channels
  • ARtv (Portugal): a public TV channel that broadcasts the sessions of Assembly of the Republic. The least watched terrestrial channel in Portugal.
  • RTP1: the flagship channel of RTP, the Portuguese public broadcasting corporation, and presents a general programming composed mainly by news, talk shows, discussion-based programs, national and international fiction and drama and entertainment. It is the third most watched TV channel in Portugal from 2001 to 2006, 2008, and again from 2011 to present. In the 37 years since its inception in 1957, it was the most watched channel in Portugal until 1995 when SIC overtook it, putting it at second place until 2001 (and again in 2007 and from 2009 to 2010).
  • RTP2: the second channel of Portuguese television. It focuses more on intellectual and cultural programming, as well as children and documentary programs. It is the only terrestrial channel in Portugal that broadcasts international (mostly American) TV-series during the prime-time.
  • RTP3: a news channel from RTP.
  • RTP Memória: archive programming from RTP and classic programming from various worldwide broadcasters (ranging from BBC's 'Allo 'Allo! to FOX's The X-Files).
  • SIC: The first private television station in Portugal. It broadcasts mainly Brazilian telenovelas and long talk shows (more than 8 hours every day), talent shows, as well as themed programming. Like competitor TVI, SIC does not broadcast many international TV-series during prime-time. It was the second most watched channel for 13 years (save for 2007, 2009, and 2010 when it was at third place) until 2019, when it overtook TVI for the number 1 position. Prior to that, SIC was number 1 from 1995 to 2004, breaking RTP1's long-standing lead.
  • TVI: The second private station in Portugal. It focuses mainly on Portuguese telenovelas (usually 5 or more in production at the same time), as well as talk-shows. These talk-shows account for more than 45% of TVI's programming and concentrate mainly on human interest stories, while the other 55% comprises telenovelas. It is also well known for its popular reality shows. The primary target audience of TVI are housewives and the elderly. For over 13 years since 2005 (when it overtook the once-dominant SIC), it reigned as the most watched channel in Portugal before relinquishing the position again to SIC in 2019.

Regionals channels

HD broadcasts

HD broadcasts in Portugal began around the late 2000s mostly for sports events through temporary channels. During the 2010s, high definition gained more traction as the standard quality for TV broadcasts with by the end of the decade most television channels having an HD feed. However, high definition is still only available through pay TV services since, as of 2023, it has yet to be implemented for Portuguese Terrestrial Digital Television.

  • For the UEFA Euro 2008, TVI became the first Portuguese channel to broadcast in HD, launching TVI HD to broadcast the event (although TVI wouldn't have a permanent HD simulcast until September 2019).
  • Also for the UEFA Euro 2008, SportTV launched an HD channel called SportTV HD, and in the beginning of 2009 SportTV HD became a permanent channel, until August 13, 2011, when it was replaced by a simulcast of SportTV 1 and all other Sport TV channels begun broadcasting in HD as well.
  • For the Beijing Olympics 2008, RTP launched RTP HD, but this one had non-continuous programming, broadcasting only the Olympics during night time and some RTP2 sports programing during the day.
    • During the day the channel would be closed from 7 am until 3 pm, then it would broadcast RTP 2's Desporto 2 and afterwards it would close until 9 pm to show prime-time TV shows during the week and movies during weekend. During the night, RTP HD would show the Olympics with the time from 12 am to 2 am consisting of reruns and the time from 2 am to 7 am consisting of live events.
    • In 2011, RTP relaunched RTP HD, now with a different name, RTP1 HD, now maintaining regular broadcasts, until November 28, 2017, when it became a permanent simulcast of RTP 1. Meanwhile, RTP 2 would only get its own HD feed on July 2, 2019.
  • SIC started test broadcasts in HD in 2009, with UEFA Europa League broadcasts. The channel would however remain inactive afterwards, until 2016 when it began to broadcast certain events in high definition. It wouldn't be until October 6, 2016, the 24th anniversary of the first official broadcasts of SIC, when the channel would finally be implemented as a permanent HD simulcast of SIC, alongside all other SIC owned channel also getting HD feeds.
  • Thematic channels on pay TV services begun broadcasting in HD, during the late 2000s, with MOV being the first one to do so in 2008, followed by other channels such as AXN, FOX, FOX Life, TVCine and Syfy in 2009.
    • This process would continue for other pay TV channels over the course of the 2010s, although some like Disney Channel and Cartoon Network would only receive HD feeds by 2021 and 2022 respectively and some channels like Nickelodeon and BBC News are still broadcasting at standard definition only, despite already having HD signals in other countries in Europe.
  • A HD channel is present on Portuguese Digital Terrestrial Television but has yet to be actually used.

IPTV

Optimus Clix has launched in 2006 a service called SmarTV (rebranded as Optimus Clix TV), provided on Amino and Motorola STBs, with VoD provided by Kasenna MediaBase video servers. The service would be merged into ZON in 2014 to create NOS.

PT Comunicações /Portugal Telecom, now Altice Portugal, has also launched its own IPTV service called MEO, after spuning off its subsidiary PT Multimédia (now NOS) in 2007.

Vodafone also launched an IPTV service called Vodafone Casa TV, now just simply known as Vodafone TV.

Cable

All cable providers in Portugal, NOS and Nowo, introduced digital television (DVB-C). However, some providers still offer analog cable.[8]

Satellite

Digital satellite services have existed since 1998. Currently, the providers are NOS and MEO operating in Hispasat.

Mobile TV

All operators had mobile TV under UMTS platforms. It was abandoned in favor of web-TV applications for mobile devices.

Most-viewed channels

Yearly viewing shares

Yearly average viewing shares of the five main television channels in Portugal since 1992:[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][1]

Monthly viewing shares

Monthly viewing shares in September 2023:[18]

PositionChannelGroup (Owner)Share of
total
viewing (%)
1SICImpresa14.7%
2TVIMedia Capital14.1%
3RTP1RTP10.2%
4CMTVCofina5.7%
5CNN PortugalMedia Capital2.8%
6FOXFox Networks Group Portugal2.1%
7SIC NotíciasImpresa2.0%
8Canal HollywoodDreamia1.9%
9FOX MoviesFox Networks Group Portugal1.6%
10GloboTV Globo1.4%
11TVI FicçãoMedia Capital1.3%
12FOX LifeFox Networks Group Portugal1.1%
13SportTV +Sport TV1.0%
14Canal 11FPF1.0%
15AXNSony Pictures1.0%
16Disney JuniorDisney0.9%
17SIC MulherImpresa0.9%
18RTP2RTP0.9%
19TVI RealityMedia Capital0.9%
20FOX CrimeFox Networks Group Portugal0.8%
Other Cable / Watched in deferred / Non TV content33.7%

Most watched shows

[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

RankShowEpisodeRatingShareDateChannel
1UEFA Euro 2004Portugal vs The Netherlands (semi-final)40.987.2%30 June 2004RTP1
2UEFA Euro 2012Portugal vs Spain (semi-final)39.576.0%27 June 2012SIC
3UEFA Euro 2004Portugal vs England (quarter-final)39.085.1%24 June 2004RTP1
4UEFA Euro 2016Portugal vs Wales (semi-final)38.475.4%6 July 2016RTP1
5UEFA Euro 2016Portugal vs France (final)38.278.1%10 July 2016RTP1
6UEFA Euro 2012Portugal vs The Netherlands (group stage match)38.173.4%17 June 2012TVI
72014 FIFA World CupUnited States vs Portugal (group stage match)37.875.4%22 June 2014RTP1
8UEFA Euro 2004Portugal vs Greece (final)37.789.7%4 July 2004RTP1
9UEFA Euro 2016Poland vs Portugal (quarter-final)37.469.9%30 June 2016RTP1
102006 FIFA World CupPortugal vs France (semi-final)37.282.3%5 July 2006SIC
11A Próxima VítimaLast Episode (Brazilian telenovela)37.180.2%19 January 1996SIC
12UEFA Euro 2012Czech Republic vs Portugal (quarter-final)36.171.7%21 June 2012RTP1
13UEFA Euro 2004Russia vs Portugal (group stage match)35.581.4%16 June 2004SIC
14UEFA Euro 2016Portugal vs Iceland (group stage match)35.168.6%14 June 2016RTP1
15UEFA Euro 2004Spain vs Portugal (group stage match)34.983.2%20 June 2004TVI
162006 FIFA World CupPortugal vs The Netherlands (round of 16)34.980.7%25 June 2006SIC
17UEFA Euro 2008Portugal vs Germany (quarter-finals)34.575.6%19 June 2008TVI
182015 Portuguese legislative electionDebate: António Costa vs. Pedro Passos Coelho34.166%10 September 2015RTP1, SIC, TVI
192014 FIFA World Cup qualificationSweden vs Portugal (second leg playoff match)34.162.2%19 November 2013RTP1
20UEFA Europa LeagueSL Benfica vs Chelsea FC (final)33.862.3%16 May 2013SIC
21UEFA Euro 2000France vs Portugal (semi-finals)33.276.7%28 June 2000RTP1
222006 FIFA World CupAngola vs Portugal (group stage match)32.880.9%11 June 2006SIC
23UEFA Euro 2012Germany vs Portugal (group stage match)32.468.3%9 June 2012RTP1
24UEFA Champions LeagueMonaco vs Porto (final)31.770.5%26 May 2004RTP1
25UEFA Euro 2016Croatia vs Portugal (round of 16)31.370%26 June 2016RTP1
26UEFA Europa LeagueSevilla FC vs SL Benfica (final)31.161.4%14 May 2014SIC
27UEFA Champions LeagueReal Madrid vs Atlético Madrid (final)30.864.3%24 May 2014TVI
28Terra NostraLast Episode (Brazilian telenovela)30.864%11 January 2000SIC
292006 FIFA World CupPortugal vs Iran30.483.1%17 June 2006SIC
30UEFA Europa LeagueJuventus FC vs SL Benfica (semi-final)30.458.9%1 May 2014SIC
31Big Brother PortugalLive eviction show30.272.5%26 December 2000TVI
32UEFA CupSporting CP vs CSKA Moscow (final)30.168.4%18 May 2005RTP1
33Taça de PortugalSL Benfica vs Sporting CP (sixth round)29.962.6%26 January 2005RTP1
34Torre de BabelLast Episode (Brazilian telenovela)29.877.1%2 April 1999SIC
35UEFA Euro 2008Switzerland vs Portugal29.871.8%15 June 2008TVI
36UEFA CupCeltic FC vs FC Porto29.767.5%21 May 2003SIC
372006 FIFA World CupGermany vs Portugal (third place play-off)29.678.4%8 July 2006SIC
382006 FIFA World CupEngland vs Portugal (quarter-finals)29.288.1%1 July 2006SIC
39UEFA Champions LeagueBarcelona vs Benfica(quarter-finals)29.365.6%5 April 2006RTP1
402010 FIFA World CupSpain vs Portugal (round of 16)29.175.9%29 June 2010RTP1
47Médico de Família(source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)(Last Episode) Portuguese TV series (Most watched Portuguese TV production - all genres / formats(source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)27.9(source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)61.4%(source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)16 March 1999 (source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)SIC (source: Sociedade Independente de Comunicação)

Age ratings
Icon Description
Todos (Everyone) - no age restrictions.
10 AP (+10 - Parental Advisory) - for viewers above 10 (with parental advisory recommended for people under 10).
12 AP (+12 - Parental Advisory) - for viewers above 12 (with parental advisory recommended for people under 12).
16 - for viewers above 16. Programs with this age rating can only be broadcast from 10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

See also

References
  1. "SIC lidera audiências em 2022 pelo quarto ano consecutivo". 3 January 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. Official site of the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social (in Portuguese)
  3. "TV EM PORTUGAL: o estudo e a legislação". RTP. 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  4. "TV EM PORTUGAL: o estudo e a legislação". RTP. 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  5. "Portuguese investor will buy Euronews". POLITICO. 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  6. Rosemain, Mathieu (2021-12-17). "Egypt's Sawiris to sell struggling broadcaster Euronews to Alpac Capital". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  7. Bertuzzi, Luca (2021-12-17). "Euronews changes hands with global ambitions in sight". www.euractiv.com. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  8. "Analog Cable TV in Lisbon, Portugal". YouTube. 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  9. "TVI: O turnaround até à liderança de audiências" (PDF). August 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  10. "Marktest:Audiência Tv em 2011 e 2012". 3 January 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  11. "A Televisão em Portugal. Análise das audiências e dinâmicas concorrenciais do mercado televisivo português entre 1999 e 2016" (PDF). September 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  12. "Audiências TV: Os canais e programas mais vistos de 2017". 4 January 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  13. "Audiências TV: Quem subiu e quem desceu em 2018". 2 January 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  14. "O que mudou nas audiências TV em 2019". 3 January 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  15. "Audiências 2020: Consumo cresce 18% em ano de pandemia. Share da SIC sobe e TVI e RTP1 descem face a 2019". 4 January 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  16. "SIC lidera audiências em 2021 pelo terceiro ano consecutivo". 3 January 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  17. "CMTV, a televisão de todos os portugueses". 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  18. "Audiências TV: Setembro marcado por subida nos canais FTA. SIC segue na liderança". 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  19. "Audiências de programas antigos". 21 March 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  20. "Juventus-Benfica une quase 3 milhes em frente ao ecr - TV & Media - DN". DN. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  21. "TVI leva concorrência a mínimos com a final da "Liga dos Campeões"". A Televisão. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  22. "Porto mobiliza audiência". Marktest.com. Marktest. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  23. "Audiências Tv em Janeiro". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  24. "Audiências Tv em Maio". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  25. "Audiências Tv em Julho de 2006". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  26. "Audiências Tv em Junho de 2010". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  27. "Debate entre Passos e Costa com audiência histórica de 3,4 milhões". Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  28. "Audiência recorde para o Portugal-França". Retrieved 26 June 2016.

Bibliography
  • Nelson Traquina (1995). "Portuguese Television: The Politics of Savage Deregulation". Media, Culture & Society. 17.
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