Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão

Before SBT

Rede Tupi, channel 4 in São Paulo, began operations in 1950. In 1962 (when he began his first TV program), Silvio Santos produced his own programs on Tupi, TV Paulista and on Rede Globo beginning in 1965. Soon enough, he started plans to have his own television channel. His production company, Estudios Silvio Santos Cinema e Televisao, was successful on Tupi, Globo and (since 1972) on Rede Record (where he then owned half of the company's stock).

In 1976, with help from humorist and friend Manoel de Nóbrega (who had a show on Rede Globo and was part of Bau de Felicidade), Santos obtained a license for his own station: Rio de Janeiro's channel 11, known as "TV Studios" or "TVS". Soon after its launch, its flagship program (Programa Silvio Santos on Sundays) plus the late night Silvio Santos Diferente on weekdays began to be broadcast (Santos left Globo the same year). Other programs soon began, as the network gained support from city residents who sought an alternative to Globo, Tupi, Bandeirantes and TV Rio (the city's network, related to TV Record along with TVS). The new channel debuted on May 14, 1976, with a logo of a gold circle with the number 11 slanted in gold, which featured in the first Scanimate idents and promos for the channel - making it a pioneer station in the country when it came to computer animation. While during its early years the network studios were based in Rio, all program production for TVS transferred to São Paulo in 1978-79.

When Rede Tupi went out of business in 1980, Santos obtained three stations from the network: São Paulo's channel 4, Porto Alegre's channel 5 and Belém's channel 5. SBT was created, launching on August 19, 1981 but using the TVS name until 1990 for some of its stations. Until the formation of SBT, the Silvio Santos Group also had a station named TVS in Nova Friburgo, serving viewers in the northern and western pparts of the state, this was also its first branch station, having opened in 1979.

In 1978, Minas Gerais's TV Alterosa became one of SBT's broadcast-affiliate networks, the first affiliate station for the channel. Some later affiliates were adopted from Rede Tupi after its closure on July 18, 1980 by order of Brazilian Minister of Communications Haroldo de Matos, who the following year would order SBT to begin transmissions. When Tupi closed, Programa Silvio Santos moved to Record but continued simulcasting Sundays on TVS Channels 11 and 3, as well as on yet another SS Group station - Channel 9, purchased from TV Continental. Santos began the network's expansion efforts, convincing stations to become SBT and Record affiliates. The official launch of the network on August 19, 1981 also marked the debut of its first presentation package using its famous circle logo (similar to the one used till today by the American Broadcasting Company) and dual branding (SBT being the official name of the network while TVS being the station branding in its 3 founding stations), and it was the only network launch to be held in Brasilia and broadcast directly from the federal capital city. The first idents were similar to ABC's Still the One idents of 1979, used by the Nine Network in Australia in 1980.

The Matos decision also gave the network the Sumare studios of Tupi for drama production. By the time of the 1981 launch SBT had 18 affiliate channels nationwide.

1980s

During the 1980s SBT established itself, contracting popular hosts and airing a mix of its own and Televisa programming (especially Mexican telenovelas and comedy shows such as El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulín Colorado). It climbed to second place in the Brazilian ratings (except in Rio de Janeiro, where Rede Manchete occupied that position). Moreover, it hosted the Brazilian version of Bozo for kids plus even let ex-Tupi program presenters bring their shows over to the fledgling network.

1985 would see SBT score a historic victory with the broadcast of the Australian miniseries The Thorn Birds, and TVS Channel 4 São Paulo became SBT Channel 4 São Paulo thus becoming a truly national network with the introduction of satellite broadcasts.

In March 1986, the network premiered its new talk show, Hebe, with Hebe Camargo as host; the show was formerly on Rede Tupi and Rede Bandeirantes. It became one of the network's longest-running programs, running for over 24 years; the final show was at the end of 2010, when Camargo ended her contract. She had a spin-off show, Hebe por Elas (Hebe for All), during the early 1990s. The death of Flavio Cavacante, one of the network's pioneer presenters, just days after his May 22 episode of his own program shocked the nation so much that on the day of his funeral the network started transmissions only in the afternoon in his honor.

In 1987, Santos pursued a better-quality program lineup, while trying to attract a larger audience and better advertisers. During that year (in response to the high popularity of Rede Globo's Xou da Xuxa on weekdays), SBT began increasing its child-oriented programming with programs such as Oradukapeta, Show Maravilha and the Do Re Mi series. Nearly all SBT kids' programs had female presenters (different from the format of Xou da Xuxa), because Oradukapeta was hosted by Sergio Mallandro (also a Show de Calorous judge).

The network also launched its slogan "Quem procura, acha aqui", modeled on NBC's three-year "Be There" campaign project from 1983–1985. The slogan lasted for three seasons, with a new promo each year. The theme used each year corresponded to NBC's theme for its project:

Even all program adverts were also modeled on the NBC ones, with the 1989-90 edition seeing the program talents saying the day the program will be aired followed by the phrase No SBT (On SBT) with the program time being shown, this style was carried on to 1990.

1987 also was the year that the network began to change its corporate branding from TVS to SBT, and the 2nd year of its "QPAA" campaign resulted in the logo being relaunched, now with slanted colors on the circle (similar to ABC's 1987-88 logo and its "Something's Happening on ABC" campaign).

Humorist Jô Soares was brought in from TV Globo in 1988, introducing a late-night talk program to Brazilian TV with his 11:30-pm show entitled Jô Soares Onze e Meia. Also signed was Boris Casoy, who became the first news anchor in Brazil with his TJ Brasil newscast (which succeeded Noticentro, the network's first newscast with Antonio Casale) and ex-Balão Mágico member Simony.

In 1988, Santos prevented host "Gugu" Liberato from signing with Globo after Liberato hosted SBT's big weekend hit Viva a Noite since 1986. This was widely seen as indicative that Gugu would be Santos' successor on Sunday afternoons, reinforced by the extended timeslot of Gugu's future program Domingo Legal. As a result, Programa Sílvio Santos adopted the dual-presenter format, with Gugu hosting segments such as the Brazilian version of Double Dare,called Passa ou Repassa (known for its "Torta na Cara" segment) and Cidade contra Cidade. SBT broadcast the 1988 Summer Olympics, two years after its 1986 FIFA World Cup coverage.

1990s

The TVS brand was merged into the SBT brand in 1990; the name change was seen in a new campaign ad modeled on NBC's "Come Home to NBC" campaign of 1986-87, which premiered early that year, and in August on TV station identifications celebrating SBT's ninth year of broadcasts (that year, Silvio Santos sold Record as a national network) and it also broadcast the 1990 FIFA World Cup. 1991 saw the beginning of its newscast Aqui Agora and Serginho Groisman's Programa Livre variety show, just a few of the many successes for the year even as the network's São Paulo studios suffered damages due to massive floods that hit the city. In 1992 SBT and Rede Globo jointly broadcast the 1992 Summer Olympics nationwide, with an grand advertising campaign for the Brazilian national team. Despite problems and even the transfer of talents to other stations (such as the then resurgent Rede Record), the 90s proved to be a boom for the network.

SBT invested in its own telenovelas and remakes of successful ones from other networks (most notably Chiquititas), variety programs, news and current affairs and broadcast rights for sporting events (including the Copa Mercosur, Copa do Brasil and Champ Car). It signed host Carlos "Ratinho" Massa in 1998, obtained more Mexican productions and launched game shows (such as Show do Milhão) in 1999. By the end of the decade SBT held second place in the Brazilian ratings, after Globo, strengthed by a brand new and technologically advanced television complex, the CDT da Anhanguera, inaugurated in 1996, just in time for its 15th anniversary.

The 1990s were SBT's most fruitful decade for American-style ad campaigns:

2000s

SBT began the decade investing in movies, broadcasting a package of Disney (now affiliated with Rede Globo) and Time Warner productions (the latter promoted in a one-hour network block). In 2001, the controversial reality show Casa dos Artistas, accused by many of being a copy of Endemol's Big Brother, marked the first time SBT led the Sunday-night ratings, aside from its Domingo Legal program becoming no.1 in the Sunday afternoon ratings.

Since 2003, with the ratings advances of Rede Record and Rede Bandeirantes, SBT's ratings have declined. Two events that year marked the beginning of its problems:

Since then SBT has aired the successful Rebelde, along a child host becoume popular, Maisa, who became popular); however, one problem has been program changes without warning (even to hosts), confusing the audience. In 2006, SBT celebrated its 25th anniversary in a deepening crisis.

SBT is the second-largest network in the country, vying for leadership with Rede Record. The CDT da Anhanguera is the secound-largest television-production center in Brazil, behind Projac (owned by Rede Globo). Over 5,000 employees work around the clock at SBT's 110 TV stations. In 2008 the network lost second place in the ratings to Record, but tied for second place the following year. In 2009, Liberato moved to Record after more than 20 years with SBT; at the same time, SBT signed presenters Roberto Justus and Eliana from Record. It also appeared on SKY Brasil, the last of the five major Brazilian networks to do so.

Recent programs include What's Your Talent, a local combination of Britain's Got Talent and Show de Calouros (created and hosted by Silvio Santos during the 1970s); a Brazilian version of 1 vs. 100; an annual telethon, which raised R$19 million in 2009; Kyle XY; the reality show Solitary; Smallville, Grey's Anatomy and De Frente with Gabi, a talk show featuring journalist Marilia Gabriela.

TV Alagoas left the network in September 2009 and to broadcast religious programs, and SBT executive director William Stoliar sued to ensure the network's availability there. It returned to SBT on June 1, 2010, due to viewer pressure and late rent payments by religious programs.

In February 2014, the Communist Party of Brazil sends to the Federal Government a questioning, for which he cut around 75 million dollars in advertising the broadcaster, because of criticism that the journalist Rachel Sheherazade makes against the Government.

Programming

SBT has most of its schedule dedicated to programming for children and pre-teens, and it is a popular network with young audiences. In 1998 it ran the longest children's programming block in Brazilian TV history with TV Cultura, from Sessão Desenho (a cartoon block) at 7:00 am (after the morning newscast) until 9:00 pm (when the children's telenovela Chiquititas ended). SBT promoted the 14-hour block as "SBT Kids".

While most TV stations in Brazil depend on domestic productions, SBT relies on imports (mainly from Mexico and the U.S.). Since 1984, El Chavo del Ocho (shown in Brazil as Chaves) is one of the station's most popular programs. The network had until 2014 an agreement with Warner Brothers, giving it an exclusivity deal for its sitcoms, dramas and films.

Mexican telenovelas have been a staple on SBT, reaching their peak during the early 1990s with the child-oriented Carrusel, La Usurpadora, El Privilegio de Amar and Luz Clarita and the popular "María trilogy" (María Mercedes, Marimar and María la del Barrio). Compared to subdued Brazilian telenovelas, Mexican soaps are considered tacky and exaggerated.

Other 1990s hits included Domingo Legal (Cool Sunday) (a Sunday variety show which was SBT's highest-rated program, surpassing TV Globo), and the network was the most popular channel in Brazil for hours at a stretch. Domingo Legal was criticized for its sensationalism, and its ratings began to fall after the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) scandal (see below); the show often ranks second in the ratings. Other popular programs included Programa do Ratinho (Ratinho's Show, with a similar format to The Jerry Springer Show), Show do Milhão (The Million Show, similar to Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), Topa Tudo por Dinheiro (Variety show large audience that was aired on Sunday night between 1991 to 2001), Fantasia (Entertainment program where people could play games by phoning the program in order to earn money), and the Brazilian version of the Argentinean soap operaChiquititas, popular with children.

For over 20 years SBT held second place in the Brazilian television ratings (behind Rede Globo), but in February 2007 it was outpaced by Rede Record for the first time in São Paulo. However, after a period of resurgence which started in 2011, SBT successfully overtook Record for second place in June 2014.

Since their 1990s peak in popularity, Mexican telenovelas have been steadily declining in the ratings; the last popular Mexican soap operas were Carita de Ángel in the early 2000s and Rebelde in 2006. In 2001, SBT began remaking Mexican soaps with Brazilian actors. The first soaps (Picara Sonhadora and Marisol) did fairly well in the ratings; however, later soaps (Cristal, Os Ricos Também Choram and Maria Esperança, a version of the popular Maria Mercedes) were less popular.

In addition to Mexican soaps and their remakes, the channel also airs cartoons mornings and programs such as Ídolos (a Brazilian version of American Idol which later moved to TV Record), a Brazilian version of Supernanny, a version of Deal or No Deal (presented by Silvio Santos, who also presents many network programs), talent shows and a dating show. The network also airs movies and A Praça é Nossa (a long-running, popular comedy program).

Stations

Throughout Brazil SBT has over 110 television stations; 10 are directly-owned, and the rest are affiliates.