Rede Tupi

Rede Tupi de Televisão

Country	Brazil
Network	Rede Tupi
Headquarters	São Paulo
Ownership
Owner	Diários Associados

Rede Tupi (Network Tupi Television, known as Channel 3 during its early years, later Network Tupi Channel 4 in Sao Paulo) was the first Brazilian television network. It was commonly known as TV Tupi. The network was owned by Diários Associados or Diários e Emissoras Associadas, who formed the Rede de Emissoras Associadas. Rede Tupi was founded in 1950 by Assis Chateaubriand in São Paulo, initially broadcasting on TV Tupi Canal 3(Tupi Television Channel 3). Rede Tupi was later broadcast on Channel 4 (in 1960, as Network Tupi 4) as a competitor to TV Cultura (Culture TV) and Channel 2, also a TV Station from Associadas.

In Rio de Janeiro, TV Tupi was broadcast on Tupi Channel 6, and had its own station. In Brasília, TV Tupi was retransmited by TV Brasília on Channel 6. In Salvador, TV Tupi was retransmitted by TV Itapoan, on Channel 5. Other TV Stations were formed by the Rede de Emissoras Associadas (Associated Broadcasting Networks).

After 30 years of continuous broadcast throughout Brazil as the nation's first television network, Rede Tupi became defunct on July 16 to 18,1980 when its two stations in Sao Paulo (Tupi Channel 4) and Rio de Janeiro (Tupi Channel 6) shut down, together with its 7 other stations nationwide, by order of the Brazilian Federal Government, through the Department of National Telecommunications which did not approve the planned extension of Rede Tupi's television concession. The Rio station signed-off for the last time on midday of the 18th, the other stations the previous day. The final day of broadcasts at the network's Rio de Janeiro studios (including the 18-hour long vigil)was covered by various networks in Brazil, including Rede Bandeirantes. It marked the end of Brazil's first national television network, as well as an defining era of the Brazilian television industry, as millions of people tuned to their TV screens that day to witness the final moments of the nation's and Latin America's first television network.

When everyone saw the last words they would see on Rede Tupi from its last remaining studio in Rio de Janeiro on the early afternoon of July 18(ATE BREVE,TELESPECTADORES AMIGOS with the network name flashing on the screen), and saw the network logo for the last time(they also heard the last words on the network: Nos deixe trabalhal, Our job is over), all Brazil and Latin America mourned the passing of the nation's and South America's pioneer television network, which served the nation and South America for 29 great and glorious years of broadcasting.

It was succeeded by SBT (then TVS) of the Grupo Abril (April Group) that year and Rede Manchete (Network Manchete),of the Bloch Editores publishing group of Adolpho Bloch, in 1983, the two stations using Rede Tupi's two television stations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro as their headquarters of operations (Rede Manchete was later succeeded by Rede TV! in 1999, after 16 years of broadcasting operations from Sao Paulo, Tupi's birthplace). The decision for the two networks to own Rede Tupi's stations and channel frequencies, plus its affiliate stations all over Brazil, came just later after the station's closure in the following weeks.