InterTV Cabugi
Corporate brand
UnclaimedInterTV Cabugi is a Brazilian television station in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, affiliated with TV Globo and serving the eastern part of the state.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
InterTV Cabugi is a Brazilian free-to-air television station based in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte. It broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and operates as an affiliate of TV Globo, combining Globo's national programming with locally produced news and regional content. The station's studios are in the Lagoa Nova neighborhood, while its transmission facilities are associated with Parque das Dunas in Tirol. The station originated with the concession of VHF channel 11 in Natal on December 17, 1986. The concession was granted to Aluízio Alves, a prominent politician who was serving as federal administration minister in the government of President José Sarney. After a preparation period of almost one year, TV Cabugi began broadcasting on September 1, 1987. It was the third television station to begin operations in Rio Grande do Norte and the last state in Brazil to receive a Rede Globo affiliate at that time. Its early local output included Bom Dia RN and RNTV, which initially appeared in three daily editions. Over time, the station also produced programs such as Cabugi Verão, Cabugi Cidade, Meio Dia RN and Valeu o Boi. Much of its schedule, however, remained centered on TV Globo's network programming and the required local windows. The station historically performed strongly when carrying national Globo programming, while its local newscasts competed with rival stations that often emphasized police and crime-oriented formats. InterTV Cabugi gradually expanded the reach of its signal through retransmitters in municipalities across Rio Grande do Norte. It also developed a commercial and journalism presence in Mossoró, the state's second-largest city, where its relay replaced a signal previously associated with TV Verdes Mares in Fortaleza. In 1998, the station launched Cabugi.com, an early broadcaster-affiliated internet portal in the state. Other associated activities included FM 102.9, Cabuginet, Cabugitec and Cabugisat, although some of these businesses were later sold or discontinued. Ownership changed materially during the 2000s. In August 2005, amid reports about the controlling group's financial difficulties, half of the station's shares were sold to Rede InterTV, controlled by businessman Fernando Aboudib Camargo. The station formally joined the InterTV network in September 2006 and adopted the InterTV Cabugi name. The transition brought a major restructuring and substantial layoffs, particularly among long-serving employees. The Cabugi.com portal was subsequently closed and replaced by the in360 operation. The station modernized its transmission infrastructure by replacing older inland microwave links with satellite distribution in 2009. It launched digital transmission on March 22, 2010, using UHF channel 34, and began presenting local news in high definition on December 2, 2013. Following Brazil's federally coordinated digital television transition, its analog VHF channel 11 transmission ended on May 30, 2018. InterTV Cabugi's geographic role changed after InterTV Costa Branca began operating in Mossoró on March 27, 2015. Much of the interior coverage previously handled by InterTV Cabugi moved to the new station, leaving Cabugi focused on 44 municipalities in the eastern portion of Rio Grande do Norte. The station has continued operating as a regional Globo affiliate, although staffing reductions affected its news and sports production. Layoffs in December 2019 reduced its camera and film-reporting teams, and in July 2020 it ended production of Globo Esporte RN and dismissed the program's production staff.
History
The concession for Natal's VHF channel 11 was granted on December 17, 1986, to Aluízio Alves. Following nearly a year of preparation, TV Cabugi began broadcasting on September 1, 1987. It became the third television station to operate in Rio Grande do Norte and completed TV Globo's affiliate presence across Brazil. The station initially operated from a modest building in Lagoa Nova. Approximately fifteen years later, it moved into a larger purpose-built facility next door, designed for television production and operations. Its first local programs included Bom Dia RN and RNTV, the latter presented in three daily editions. Other programs produced at different points included Cabugi Verão, Cabugi Cidade, Meio Dia RN and Valeu o Boi. The station remained heavily dependent on Globo's national schedule, while its local journalism competed with rival outlets specializing in police-oriented programming. During the following years, InterTV Cabugi expanded its signal through retransmitters in municipalities across the state. In Mossoró, it replaced a relay of TV Verdes Mares from Fortaleza and established a commercial and journalism office to cover the interior. Reports and recorded material were sent to Natal for broadcast. In 1998, the station launched Cabugi.com, making it one of the early broadcasters in Rio Grande do Norte to maintain a dedicated internet portal. It also had connections with other businesses, including FM 102.9, Cabuginet, Cabugitec and Cabugisat. The station's political associations generated controversy. It was accused of favoring the political group linked to its ownership in its programming, and the Electoral Court removed its signal from the air in 2006. In the preceding year, half of the station's shares were sold to Rede InterTV, controlled by Fernando Aboudib Camargo, amid reports about the controlling group's weak financial position. The broadcaster joined Rede InterTV in September 2006 and became InterTV Cabugi. The ownership transition was accompanied by mass layoffs, especially among older employees, and a broader restructuring. Cabugi.com was shut down and replaced by in360. Technically, the station replaced its former inland microwave distribution system with satellite transmission in 2009. Digital broadcasting began on March 22, 2010, on UHF channel 34. Local news moved to high-definition presentation on December 2, 2013. On March 27, 2015, the opening of InterTV Costa Branca in Mossoró transferred much of the station's interior coverage to that new operation. InterTV Cabugi thereafter concentrated on 44 municipalities in the eastern part of Rio Grande do Norte. Its analog VHF channel 11 service ended on May 30, 2018, under Brazil's national digital television transition schedule. Workforce reductions continued in the late 2010s and early 2020s. In December 2019, eight camera operators and five film reporters were dismissed. On July 13, 2020, the station ended local production of Globo Esporte RN and dismissed the program's team, including presenter and editor Thiago Cesar and video reporters Luiz Gustavo Ribeiro and Douglas Lemos. InterTV Cabugi remains a regional TV Globo affiliate serving Natal and eastern Rio Grande do Norte.
- 2018
Analog transmission ends
[1]The analog VHF channel 11 signal ended on May 30 under Brazil's digital transition plan.
- 2015
InterTV Costa Branca opens
[1]The new Mossoró station assumed much of the interior coverage previously handled by InterTV Cabugi.
- 2013
Local news moves to high definition
[1]The station began presenting local news programs in high definition on December 2.
- 2010
Digital transmission begins
[1]Digital broadcasting began on UHF channel 34 on March 22.
- 2009
Satellite distribution introduced
[1]Older inland microwave links were replaced by satellite transmission.
- 2006
Station renamed InterTV Cabugi
[1]The broadcaster joined Rede InterTV and adopted its current name.
- 2005
Rede InterTV acquires half of the shares
[1]Rede InterTV acquired a 50 percent stake in the station.
- 1998
Cabugi.com launched
[1]The station established an internet portal to distribute broadcaster-related content online.
- 1987
TV Cabugi begins broadcasting
[1]TV Cabugi went on air on September 1 as a TV Globo affiliate.
- 1986
Channel 11 concession granted
[1]The concession for VHF channel 11 in Natal was granted to Aluízio Alves on December 17.
Products and positioning
A regional broadcast station positioned as TV Globo's local television affiliate in Natal and eastern Rio Grande do Norte, combining nationally distributed entertainment and news with local journalism.
Local television news · 1987
RNTV
RNTV is InterTV Cabugi's principal local news brand and was among the station's first internally produced programs. It has historically been broadcast in multiple daily editions, providing regional reporting for Natal and the surrounding eastern portion of Rio Grande do Norte within the TV Globo affiliate schedule.
Morning television news · 1987
Bom Dia RN
Bom Dia RN is a local morning news program associated with the station since its early broadcasting period. It forms part of InterTV Cabugi's local programming offer, complementing the station's other regional news editions and the national TV Globo schedule.
Sports television news
Globo Esporte RN
Globo Esporte RN was the station's locally produced sports-news edition. InterTV Cabugi ended its production on July 13, 2020, dismissing the program's local team.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2020
End local production of Globo Esporte RNOtherBackground
The station reduced local production after earlier workforce cuts in its camera and reporting teams.
Action taken
InterTV Cabugi discontinued local production of Globo Esporte RN and dismissed its production staff.
Aftermath
The station no longer maintained that locally produced sports-news program.
2015
Reallocate inland coverage to InterTV Costa BrancaStrategyBackground
The opening of InterTV Costa Branca in Mossoró created a dedicated InterTV operation for the western portion of Rio Grande do Norte.
Action taken
Much of the interior coverage previously assigned to InterTV Cabugi was transferred to the Mossoró station.
Aftermath
InterTV Cabugi focused its coverage on 44 municipalities in the eastern part of the state.
2006
Join Rede InterTV and restructure operationsM&ABackground
After Rede InterTV acquired half of the station's shares in 2005, the broadcaster was incorporated into the network the following year.
Action taken
The station adopted the InterTV Cabugi name and implemented a broad restructuring that included mass layoffs and the closure of Cabugi.com.
Aftermath
The broadcaster continued as a TV Globo affiliate under the Rede InterTV structure, while its digital portal was replaced by in360.
Sources2 sources
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