Azteca Guatemala

Azteca Guatemala, identified in its canonical Wikipedia subject as TV Azteca Guate, is a Guatemalan free-to-air television operation associated with TV Azteca and Grupo Salinas. Its principal signal broadcasts in Guatemala City on analog UHF channel 31 under the TV Azteca Guate name, while a second signal operates on channel 35 under the A Más Guate brand. The operation’s facilities and production studios are located in Zone 3 of Mixco, in the Guatemala Department. The business began on March 5, 2006, when channels 31 and 35 in Guatemala City were operated by Latitud Televisión. The frequencies were then owned by the Botrán family, whose business interests included Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala. In 2007, Grupo Salinas, the Mexican business group that owns TV Azteca, acquired a 70 percent stake in Latitud Televisión and began operating the two UHF frequencies. The acquisition established TV Azteca’s presence in Guatemala while retaining a two-signal structure: a principal station carrying the TV Azteca Guate identity and a secondary station that initially operated as Azteca 35. The operation has combined locally available television distribution with programming supplied by the wider TV Azteca network. Its principal channel has carried general entertainment, television series, news or informational material, sports, and other programming associated with a commercial free-to-air broadcaster. A Más Guate, the channel 35 service, has generally relied on syndicated and acquired content rather than a substantial schedule of locally produced programming. Its published profile includes entertainment, children’s programming, classic films, music videos, TV Azteca telenovelas, and occasional live or sports broadcasts. A major disruption occurred on September 6, 2013, when a fire destroyed the TV Azteca Guatemala studio sets. Following the incident, the network adopted cost-reduction measures and made greater use of chroma-key backgrounds for production. The event affected the operation’s production methods but did not end its broadcasting activity. Sports rights have been an important audience-growth tool. In 2018, an agreement with Tigo Sports Guatemala enabled TV Azteca Guate to broadcast all 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup in Russia. The coverage reportedly produced a 31.5-point rating and exceeded the performance of competing local networks. The partnership was renewed in March 2021, providing free-to-air rights for selected FIFA tournaments, including the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup, the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, and all 64 matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The secondary signal was rebranded in October 2020 from Azteca 35 to A Más Guate, adopting the visual identity of TV Azteca’s A Más network in Mexico. From May 2022, TV Azteca Guate expanded its cable distribution by moving to channel 8 on most national cable providers. The broader placement was intended to improve household reach beyond the service’s original terrestrial footprint in Guatemala City. Audience claims reported for 2024 indicated substantial momentum: the network reported 47.8 percent audience growth during the first seven weeks of the year and said that it reached 5.3 million viewers during the first week of July. These figures are company or network-reported measures, and the available reference material does not provide an independent methodology or audited basis for comparison.

TV Azteca Guatemala traces its operating history to Latitud Televisión, which launched on March 5, 2006, using two UHF frequencies in Guatemala City: channel 31 and channel 35. The frequencies were associated with the Botrán family, known in Guatemala for its ownership of Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala. At launch, the two stations formed a local television platform rather than a fully integrated national network. In 2007, Grupo Salinas acquired a 70 percent interest in Latitud Televisión. Grupo Salinas is the parent group of TV Azteca, and the transaction brought the Guatemalan stations into the TV Azteca orbit. The two frequencies continued to serve different roles. Channel 31 became the principal TV Azteca Guate signal, while channel 35 was initially branded Azteca 35 and primarily carried delayed or acquired programming associated with the main network. The operation’s facilities and studios were established in Zone 3 of Mixco, within Guatemala Department. A serious production setback occurred on September 6, 2013, when a fire broke out at the TV Azteca Guatemala studios. The fire destroyed the filming sets. The available account attributes the rapid spread of the blaze to highly flammable production materials in one of the soundstages, although it does not provide a definitive technical investigation or a conclusion about responsibility. Afterward, the network adopted cost-saving measures and increasingly used chroma-key backgrounds instead of physical sets for much of its programming. Broadcasting continued, but the incident changed the practical model for locally produced content. Sports became a significant component of the operation’s public profile. During June and July 2018, TV Azteca Guate broadcast all 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup in Russia through an agreement with Tigo Sports Guatemala. The coverage was reported to have achieved a 31.5-point rating, surpassing other local networks. In March 2021, the companies renewed their relationship. The renewed arrangement included free-to-air rights for the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup and the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, as well as complete coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. These agreements gave the broadcaster event programming capable of attracting audiences well beyond its regular entertainment schedule. The second signal underwent a branding change in October 2020. Azteca 35 became A Más Guate, using the visual identity associated with TV Azteca’s A Más service in Mexico. A Más Guate remained a free-to-air station on Guatemala City UHF channel 35, but its distribution also expanded through cable providers. Its schedule has not been characterized by a significant slate of original local productions. Instead, it has drawn on syndicated entertainment, children's shows, classic cinema, music videos, TV Azteca telenovelas, and occasional live or sports programming. Distribution of the main channel broadened again from May 2022, when TV Azteca Guate moved to channel 8 on most national cable systems. The change was intended to increase household access and reduce reliance on the limited geographic reach of the original terrestrial frequencies. By early 2024, the network reported a 47.8 percent audience increase during the first seven weeks of the year. It further reported reaching 5.3 million viewers in the first week of July 2024 and described itself as Guatemala’s fastest-growing network with the highest ratings at that time. The available material does not independently verify those audience figures, so they should be treated as reported network performance claims. Today, the operation is best understood as a Guatemalan TV Azteca broadcasting platform with one principal channel and a complementary secondary service. Its business combines free-to-air transmission, cable carriage, acquired and syndicated programming, sports rights, entertainment content, and advertising. The reference material does not identify current executives, a separate publicly listed corporate entity, or a distinct corporate headquarters apart from the Mixco studio and facilities location.

• 2022

  Main channel expands cable distribution

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  The principal service begins moving to channel 8 on most national cable providers.

• 2021

  FIFA rights partnership is renewed

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  TV Azteca Guate and Tigo Sports Guatemala renew their agreement for selected FIFA tournaments and the 2022 World Cup.

• 2020

  Azteca 35 becomes A Más Guate

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  The channel 35 service is rebranded and adopts the identity of TV Azteca’s A Más network.

• 2018

  First full FIFA World Cup coverage

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  Through a Tigo Sports Guatemala agreement, the station broadcasts all 64 matches of the Russia FIFA World Cup.

• 2013

  Studio fire destroys production sets

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  A fire at the TV Azteca Guatemala studios destroys the filming sets and leads to increased use of chroma-key backgrounds.

• 2007

  Grupo Salinas takes a majority stake

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  Grupo Salinas acquires 70 percent of Latitud Televisión, bringing the frequencies under the TV Azteca group.

• 2006

  Latitud Televisión launches

  [1]TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor broadcaster begins operating channels 31 and 35 on UHF frequencies in Guatemala City.

A commercial, mass-market television operation combining TV Azteca network programming, local Guatemalan distribution, and high-profile sports rights across free-to-air and cable platforms.

• Free-to-air television channel · 2006

  TV Azteca Guate

  The principal Guatemalan TV Azteca signal broadcasts on analog channel 31 in Guatemala City and has also been distributed through national cable systems. It carries a general commercial television schedule supplied by the TV Azteca operation and augmented by sports, entertainment, and other acquired programming. Its distribution was broadened from May 2022 through placement on channel 8 on most national cable providers.

• Free-to-air television channel · 2006

  A Más Guate

  A Más Guate is the secondary signal operated on Guatemala City UHF channel 35. It was previously known as Azteca 35 and adopted its current name in October 2020. The service generally relies on acquired and syndicated material, including entertainment, children's programming, classic films, music videos, TV Azteca telenovelas, and occasional live or sports broadcasts. The available reference material states that it does not produce original local content.

• Sports broadcasting rights · 2018

  FIFA tournament broadcasts

  Through its partnership with Tigo Sports Guatemala, TV Azteca Guate has carried major FIFA events on a free-to-air basis. The arrangement supported complete coverage of the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup and was renewed for selected 2021 FIFA tournaments and all 64 matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

• 2021FIFA tournament free-to-air rights renewal

  Guatemala

  The renewed Tigo Sports Guatemala partnership made selected FIFA events available through TV Azteca Guate, including the 2021 futsal and beach soccer World Cups and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

  Outcome. The agreement extended the channel’s sports-led audience strategy and preserved access to major international football programming.

  Source
• 2018Russia FIFA World Cup coverage

  Guatemala

  TV Azteca Guate promoted and aired all 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup in Russia through an agreement with Tigo Sports Guatemala.

  Outcome. The broadcaster reported a 31.5-point rating, higher than competing local networks.

  Source

• 2022

  Expand cable carriage through channel 8Strategy

  Background

  The operation sought to increase household coverage beyond the geographic limits of its original terrestrial frequencies.

  Action taken

  Beginning in May 2022, TV Azteca Guate moved to channel 8 on most national cable providers.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the main channel’s distribution across Guatemala’s cable households.

  Source

• 2020

  Rebrand Azteca 35 as A Más GuateGeneration change

  Background

  The secondary channel required a new identity and was aligned with the A Más brand used elsewhere in the TV Azteca network.

  Action taken

  The channel 35 service adopted the A Más Guate name and visual identity in October 2020.

  Aftermath

  The service continued as a complementary channel focused mainly on syndicated and acquired programming.

  Source

• 2013

  Shift production toward chroma-key backgroundsStrategy

  Background

  A studio fire destroyed the operation’s filming sets in September 2013.

  Action taken

  The network implemented cost-cutting measures and used chroma-key backgrounds for much of its programming.

  Aftermath

  The change reduced reliance on physical production sets while allowing the broadcaster to continue its programming operations.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquire a majority stake in Latitud TelevisiónM&A

  Background

  Grupo Salinas sought to establish and operate a TV Azteca presence in Guatemala through the existing two-frequency broadcaster.

  Action taken

  Grupo Salinas acquired 70 percent of Latitud Televisión and began operating channels 31 and 35 in Guatemala City.

  Aftermath

  The frequencies became part of the TV Azteca group’s Guatemalan broadcasting operation.

  Source

1. 1TV Azteca Guateen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Azteca Guatemala official websiteazteca.com.gt