Launch
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, launched the television station on 24 May 2010 at a ceremony in Itamaraty Palace in Brasília where the Foreign Affairs Ministry is based.[1][2] He portrayed the aim of the project as “presenting Brazil to the world.[2] He called it as “the realisation of a dream […] I don’t want a TV channel to speak well of Lula. I want a channel that speaks well of the country, that can show Brazil as it really is”.[2] He also said: “We want a network that talks about politics in quality terms, leaving aside prejudices because this will be a public network showing how Brazilians are beyond our borders”.[3]
The BBC‘s Americas editor James Read said it “shows Brazil’s growing interest in Africa”.[2]
President of Mozambique Armando Emilio Guebuza said TV Brasil Internacional would “enrich communication between Brazil and Africa” in his remarks that were recorded prior to the ceremony’s occurrence.[3]
Audience
Among the countries in Africa to avail themselves of TV Brasil Internacional are those that speak the Portuguese language: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe.[2] Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has made several visits to the African continent and expressed interest in the promotion of Afro-Brazilian bilateral ties.[2] Brazilian football and soap operas are keenly followed by the inhabitants of Portuguese-speaking Africa.[2] The government of Brazil agreed to a deal with Africa’s pay TV operator MultiChoice for signal distribution.[1] TV Brasil Internacional’s target audience also includes around three million Brazilians who are outside Brazil.[2]
Programming
TV Brasil broadcasts its programming on TV Brasil Internacional, focusing on news and culture topics.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 “Brazil launches its public broadcasting service targeted to Africa”. MercoPress. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 “Brazil launches international TV station for Africa”. BBC News. BBC. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- 1 2 “Brazil launches international TV network”. France 24. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.[permanent dead link]
