America Television (Argentina)

América Televisión (occasionally known as América), is an Argentine open television channel headquartered in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, although its signal is produced in The city of Buenos Aires. It is also known for being one of the five open channels that broadcast from the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.

The station was inaugurated on June 25, 1966 and is owned by Grupo América and Argentine businessman Claudio Belocopitt.

History

Award and launch

On April 14, 1964, through Decree 2659 (published on April 22), the National Executive Branch awarded Rivadavia Televisión S.A. a license to operate the frequency of Channel 2 of the city of La Plata, capital of the province of Buenos Aires.

The station began its operations on June 25, 1966 as LS 86 TV Canal 2 de La Plata and operating under the trade name Tevedos, where its headquarters were on Calle 36 between 2 and 3, and its studios at Avenida 32 n° 1215 between 19 and 20 owned by the same company, made up of the then owners of the Buenos Aires radio station of the same name.

The early years (1966-1979)

On August 30, 1966, through Decree 1231 (published on September 8), the National Executive Power authorized Rivadavia Televisión S.A. to install a transmitting plant in the town of Ingeniero Juan Allan, Florencio Varela District. Given the proximity, from the beginning it was possible to tune it in the AMBA, although rather poorly the further north the receiving antenna was, since Unlike the other air channels that broadcast from the Federal Capital, it is located south of the suburbs.

Several of the technicians who moved to this new station emigrated from Channel 13 to Channel 2, among them, set designer Enrique Zanini and lighting designer Juan Carlos Berraud. Technicians from Channel 9, such as director Nicolás del Boca, also participated in soap operas. One of his first shows was Pinky's Feminísima ; also the first complete transmission of a Soccer World Cup in Argentina, in this case the one from 1966 although delayed.

As the signal did not reach Buenos Aires clearly, where audience measurements were taken, the station's economy began to be affected, having to replace its own programming with low-cost foreign series and films. For a time, it even broadcast in duplex with Channel 13 under the management of Goar Mestre, director of the latter, as a way of reducing costs.

In 1976, after the coup that established the so-called National Reorganization Process, Channel 2 was intervened by the provincial government, becoming dependent on the Ministry of Economy of the Province of Buenos Aires.

1980s

On May 26, 1980, Channel 2 began its color transmissions under the PAL-N standard.

On June 23, 1983, through Resolution 362, the Federal Broadcasting Committee called for a contest for the award of the license for Channel 2. In said privatization process, Rivadavia Televisión was presented. On October 27 That year, through Decree 2811 (published on October 31), the National State awarded the license to Radiodifusora El Carmen, a company run by José Irusta Cornet and Teresa Flouret, although it did not have enough equipment and capital to run the station.

On October 2, 1984, through Resolution 781, the Federal Broadcasting Committee authorized the Municipality of 9 de Julio to install a repeater for the channel, assigning it channel 12 in the VHF band.

A few years later, the permit holder reached an agreement with Héctor Ricardo García, owner of Estrellas Producciones S.A. and the newspaper Crónica and former director of Teleonce, who on December 18, 1987 took charge of the channel's programming, which was renamed Teledos and managed to place itself in second place in audience, competing directly with Channel 9, the leader of the moment.

Teledos based its success on programming with an emphasis on the popular and journalistic, similar to that of Teleonce at the time, summoning figures then absent on television: Pinky, Roberto Galán, Hugo Moser, Ethel Rojo, Lucho Avilés, Quique Dapiaggi, among others. However, the relationship between García and his partners ended in bad ways when Cornet and Flouret were opposed to the "bloody" tone; that García gave to the news, particularly with the extensive coverage of the murder of Alicia Muñiz, generating a lawsuit that led to her forced departure on November 11, 1988. The channel would rename itself Tevedos, the audience collapsed and fell to the last place, as it had been historically. Many of the shows were independent productions that rented space from the station. At the end of 1989, a summons to creditors was declared.

Part of the archive of Teledos y Estrellas Producciones remained in the hands of García, many of which are regularly repeated on the news channel Crónica TV, founded by the same businessman in 1994, in its space El archivo de oro.

1990s

In 1991, Eduardo Eurnekián, then owner of Cablevisión, radio stations América, Aspen, FM Sport and the newspapers El Cronista and Extra, acquired Channel 2, renaming it América Te Ve (ATV) and a new newscast “América Te Ve Noticias” on April 15 of that year. With these media, to which Radio del Plata and Frecuencia 95 later added, forming the Corporación Multimedios América.

This change improved signal reception, along with new studios in the Palermo neighborhood, in the city of Buenos Aires. It was the first television production plant with digital technology in Argentina, surpassing Channel 13, which claimed that milestone. Indeed, in August 1994 the new facilities of the corporation were inaugurated, in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo (1650 Fitz Roy street), conceived entirely in SDI and with Digital Betacam. Technically, it was the best stage in the entire history of the channel still called La Plata.

In April 1993, the channel was renamed América 2 and since April 1995, América, although “TV” or “Televisión” is usually added to differentiate it from the homonymous radio.

Between 1995 and 1996, it sponsored Club Atlético Banfield.

In 1996, Channel 10 of Junín in Buenos Aires joined the group. At the same time, Eurnekián began to get rid of the companies that make up Multimedios América, first Cablevisión and then the rest of the media.

The beginnings of América TV were difficult, with programming made with few resources and that was not attractive, which was reflected in the audience ratings. Later he appealed to talk shows, sometimes abusing curiosity and scandal, with exponents such as Mediodía con Mauro (1997-1998) or Amor y Moria (1997-1998).). At the same time, some programs that have contributed in some way to renewing television aesthetics were highlighted: such as the humorous De la cabeza (1992-1993), Cha cha cha (1993, 1995-1997), The Bible and the water heater (1997-1998, 2001) and Registered Television (1999-2005) and shows El rayo (1995, 1997-1999, 2001), along with others that satirized reality such as Whoever falls down (1995-1999, 2012), D-Day (1996-1997, 1999-2000, 2003) by Jorge Lanata and Zoo (1997-1999) by Juan Castro and Dolores Cahen D'Anvers, thus achieving second place at the end of 1997.^{[citation required]}

On September 24, 1999, through Resolution 612, the Federal Broadcasting Committee authorized the change of location of the transmission plant formulated by América TV S.A.

In December of that year, through Resolution 3459, the Ministry of Communications authorized América TV to carry out tests on Digital Terrestrial Television under ATSC regulations (regulations that were established through Resolution 2357 of 1998). this was assigned Channel 5 on the VHF band.

2000s

In August 2000, América TV became part of Ávila Inversora, a company made up of Carlos Ávila and his family. The new owners, creators of the Torneos company, dedicated to the production and transmission of sports programs and events, brought changes to the programming of América TV, dedicated mainly to journalism, show business and sports.

In 2002, América TV (which at that time was owned by businessman Carlos Ávila) and its sister channels CVN Cablevisión Noticias (today A24) and Canal 10 de Junín, became part of the Multimedios América group, made up of Ávila, Daniel Vila (from Grupo UNO, today Grupo América, which put 3 television channels and their percentage in La Primera newspaper) and Eduardo Eurnekian. Likewise, it managed to survive the bankruptcy and obtain the renewal of its license as an open channel, after despite the energetic protest of Héctor Ricardo García, who still claimed rights over it, and thus obtain third place that same year.

In June 2005, the company that controls América TV was bought for the most part by businessman and politician Francisco De Narváez, who also acquired radio stations La Red and FM Milenium. In terms of audience, the Canal suffered a slight drop in 2008, being 1.3 points below its main competitor, Canal 9, in the overall average for third place.

2010s

On November 17, 2010, the Federal Authority for Audiovisual Communication Services, through Resolution 327, authorized América TV to carry out tests on Digital Terrestrial Television under the ISDB-T standard (adopted in Argentina through Decree 1148 of 2009). For this, Channel 36 was assigned in the UHF band.

On November 20, 2012, the international signal of América TV was launched, called América TV internacional.

On November 30 of that year, Grupo UNO presented its voluntary adaptation plan before the Federal Authority of Audiovisual Communication Services in order to adapt to the Audiovisual Communication Services Law, where it proposed, among other things, to sell Junín Channel 10, San Rafael Channel 6, 6 radios, 8 cable TV licenses and 3 signal registries. The plan was approved on February 17, 2014, leaving the 16 licenses and 3 signal registries for sale. On December 29, 2015, through Decree 267/2015 (published on January 4, 2016), changes were made to various articles of the law. The changes in the law meant that it was no longer It is necessary for Grupo UNO to adapt to the Law. On February 2, the National Communications Entity (successor to AFSCA) decided to archive all adaptation plans (including that of Grupo UNO); as a consequence of this, Grupo UNO no longer has an obligation to sell any of its licenses.

In 2013, it managed to rebound, returning to third place after 11 years, directly below Telefe and El Trece, due to the good results of several of its programs.

América TV outdoor mobile in 2012.

On February 26, 2015, the Federal Authority for Audiovisual Communication Services, through Resolution 35, assigned Channel 32.1 to América TV to broadcast regularly (in HD format) on Digital Terrestrial Television.

By April of that year, the strategy seems to focus on two directions: on the one hand, it agreed with Endemol to screen Big Brother, the reality show that was originally it broadcast on Telefe, to its screen; on the other, being an election year in Argentina, and given that the channel is characterized by having most of the programs live and with panelists, it turns mainly to political debate. In fact, it was the only open television channel in Buenos Aires to broadcast the first presidential debate in the country's history.

The National Communications Entity, through resolutions 10090 of December 29, 2016 and 1631 of March 9, 2017, assigned channel 36.1 to América TV to broadcast on TDA.

On February 15, 2017, it was announced that businessman Claudio Belocopitt had acquired the 40% of Grupo América Medios and its media that belonged to De Narváez. The purchase was made by the company Swiss Medical, controlled by Belocopitt.

2020s

On December 12, 2022, Mendoza businessman Daniel Vila announced the sale of the channel. Those interested in the purchase are rumored to be Marcelo Fígoli's Alpha Media Group and inland multimedia such as Grupo Televisión Litoral (Rosario) and Cadena 3 (Córdoba).

A year later, new figures joined the channel; among them, the long-awaited return to television of the renowned producer and television presenter Marcelo Tinelli and his debut on this channel as his new member in conduction was announced.

Newscasts

Current

• Good morning America
• America News

Previous

• I'll tell you at noon. (2016-2018)

Disputes

• In August 2005. Television registered, one of the most popular programs on the channel, invited Mario Pontaquarto, one of those involved in the famous case of coimas in the Senate of the Nation in 2000. According to the producer of this program, Diego Gvirtz, this made Rolando Graña, journalistic director of the channel, censor the program without the consent of the production before being issued. Because of this, the PPT producer decided to break his contract with America and move to Canal 13 with its products Television registered e Indomitable.

• Three powers It was a journalistic program issued by this channel, led by Reynaldo Sevencase, Maximiliano Montenegro and Gerardo Rozín, where topics of politics and economy of Argentina were played. On 7 June 2009, in the campaign for the legislative elections of that year, Francisco De Narváez was interviewed, a candidate for national deputy by Unión Pro and one of the shareholders of the channel. The interview included mentions of the accusations for illicit enrichment made by the newspaper Page 12 about the candidate. At the end of the program, while Sevencase was publishing an editorial on journalists and media owners, the broadcast was cut and started The corniceThe program that followed him. According to Sevencase, this fact, added to the neutral posture he took Three powers During the discussion of the Audiovisual Communication Services Act, the cycle was lifted in November 2009, one month before the end of the contract. Another program, Wild side, led by Sevencase and Montenegro in A24, was also the victim of unequal conditions that determined its closure. The column of Sevencase was also lifted on the LT8 radio of Rosario. America TV only issued a statement acknowledging the uprisings of Three powers and Wild side to the completion of contracts. It should be clarified that all the above-mentioned media belong to Group One itself.

Signs

América TV broadcasts through three national and two international channels, with the same graphics, ID and screen curtains. None of them broadcast the same advertising, due to the transmission area and the respective laws. In addition, in cities where there are affiliated channels, they have exclusivity to retransmit the satellite signal, therefore, cable operators cannot place it on their grid.

Air

Analog

It is the original signal, which has been broadcast since 1966 on VHF channel 2. It has repeaters in several cities and is also retransmitted by the AMBA cable operators. The transmission plant is located in the town of Ingeniero Juan Allan, Florencio Varela district, Buenos Aires province.

Features:

• Logo on screen, at the top right angle;
• Text "VIVO" under the logo, when a program is broadcast live and live;
• Time and temperature on screen, at the lower right angle (only in Capital Federal);
• Sale of programming, through banners, located at the lower right angle or at the top left, during the same (except in the news);
• SAP sound system, used for self-description (AD);
• Optional subtitles for hypoacousics (Closed Caption), which are required by law.
• Watermark of the logo during the advertising sodas.

Digital Terrestrial

It is the main signal, launched on April 8, 2011, in test transmissions under the ISDB-Tb standard on UHF channel 36 of Open Digital Television (TDA), from the Alas Building and only for the BOTH. Since August 17, 2015, it has broadcast all its programming in HD. It has the following sub-channels:

• 36.1 HD America: transmits all the programming of the channel in resolution 1080i and aspect ratio 16:9.
• 36.3 A24 transmits all the programming of the channel in resolution 1080i and aspect ratio 16:9.
• America 1sec: adaptation for mobile devices of the analog signal.

Features:

• Channel resolution to 1920x1080i60;
• Logo on screen, located at the top right angle.
• Text "VIVO", under the logo when a program is broadcast live and live;
• Time and temperature on screen located at the lower right angle
• Promote the programs of the following days;
• Sale of programming, through banners, located at the lower right angle or at the top left, during the same (except in the news);
• Graphics, identifier and promotions in HD;
• It emits the air signal advertising tanda, in aspect ratios 4:3 pillarbox or 16:9 widescreen, according to advertising.
• Watermark of the logo during the advertising sodas.

Inside

Signal that has been broadcasting throughout the country via satellite since 1993 and is broadcast locally by air and cable:

• Air: by VHF system, through channels affiliated to the national network, in their respective headquarters cities and areas of influence;
• Cable: through operators, except in the host cities of affiliated channels.

Features:

• It uses the same logo as the mother sign;
• Use the text "VIVO";
• Show the time on screen;
• Makes sale of programming during it;.
• SAP Sound System;
• It does not emit the same advertising tanda as the air signal, due to the transmission area and the respective laws; sometimes it emits it by mistake, in partial or complete form;
• Promote the programs of the following days;
• It has the same graphics, identifier and screen curtains as the air signal;
• It also has optional subtitles for hypoacousics.
• It has no watermark on the logo during the advertising sodas as the air signal has it. But we can see it at the end of the tanda when it connects with the air signal.

Satellite

It is the signal that reaches the entire country, distributed by DirecTV (Channels 120 and 1120), INTV HD (Channels 13 and 614). It has the same characteristics as the air signal that is broadcast in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area and can even be picked up by affiliated air channels when there are technical problems in the Interior signal.

International

Signal inaugurated in 1995. Initially, it retransmitted the national América TV signal except for imported programming, which was replaced by repetitions of other programs and, during the early hours of the morning, by movies, video clips and the information channel CVN (currently A24), instead of the letter of adjustment that was emitted in the mother signal.

In 2009, this channel was converted under the name América Internacional for subscription television operators throughout the continent. It broadcasts the same programming as the national signal, with the exception of movies and infomercials that are replaced by program repetitions.

In Chile it was distributed by VTR Chile until the early hours of August 16, 2019 on channels 68 and 356; also available on other cable operators in the country. In Uruguay, this signal is taken by all cable operators in the interior, such as Cable 1 de Melo and Cablevisión de Treinta y Tres, and in Montevideo by TCC (who until 2016 cut the signal in the broadcast of "Intruders" due to the broadcast of the program by Channel 10) and Monte Cable, within the América and Nuevo Siglo Pack, which offers it within its basic package. In Paraguay, the operator Tigo is the only one that takes its signal for that country.

Features:

• 24-hour transmission
• Logo of the air signal is the same as the mother sign, with the word "International America".
• It does not use the text "VIVO"
• It shows neither the time nor the temperature on screen, because the signal is received in places with different time zones
• During exclusive events and programs, which are transmitted only to the Argentine Republic, repetitions of programs of the broadcaster and the retransmission of the A24 channel are on display.
• Only promotions of programming, in letterbox, are issued during the advertising tanda.

Repeaters

America has 5 repeaters in the Province of Buenos Aires and 4 in the region, being the only private channel in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires and the region that has repeaters.

Assigned channels