InterTV Costa Branca

InterTV Costa Branca is a regional Brazilian television station headquartered in Mossoró, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The station operates on channel 18 and is affiliated with TV Globo, combining the national network's programming with locally relevant news and reporting for communities outside the state capital, Natal. Its creation addressed a long-standing gap in commercial television generation in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, where viewers had historically depended mainly on relay transmitters from stations based in other cities and states. Mossoró had received television signals through relay infrastructure since the 1970s. TV Verdes Mares, based in Fortaleza, reached the city beginning in that decade, while TV Rádio Clube de Pernambuco also operated as a relay during the period when TV Tupi remained on air. Following the collapse of Rede Tupi in 1980 and the subsequent expansion of TV Cabugi, much of the region continued to receive network programming through retransmission rather than through a locally generated commercial station. During the 1990s and early 2000s, additional relay signals appeared, but these did not create a sustained local news operation in Mossoró. The federal Ministry of Communications opened a 2009 competition for the first commercial television generator in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. Rede InterTV participated against 19 other interested media companies. In December 2011, Rede InterTV was announced as the winner after submitting a bid of R$17 million. The proposed station was initially presented as TV Costa Branca, a name referencing the coastal and western region of the state. Plans called for a Mossoró production base, local journalism, additional reporting offices, and a signal reaching more than half of Rio Grande do Norte. The project also included a further R$7 million investment in the station's facilities and equipment, according to the cited historical account. Construction and technical preparation took longer than initially expected. The station was expected to begin operating in 2013, but that target was missed. Tests and infrastructure work accelerated in 2014, including the construction of a new tower and the adaptation of antenna systems for analog and digital transmission. Digital test transmissions began on May 20, 2014, initially relaying the signal of InterTV Cabugi. The formal launch followed on March 27, 2015, with the local edition of RNTV 2nd edition serving the station's coverage area. The station was announced as reaching 123 municipalities in the interior of the state. Local journalism was an important part of the launch strategy. Carlos Adans was hired to present the evening local news edition, while Sara Cardoso and other journalists were associated with InterTV's regional programming. However, in December 2015, the station dismissed journalism and engineering employees and ended its local edition of RNTV 2nd edition. Reports cited financial difficulties, although the owning group denied that the station would close. After the reduction of the original local-news operation, the station continued to contribute regional reports and maintain coverage through journalists serving areas such as Currais Novos and Seridó. In the 2020s, InterTV Costa Branca continued operating as a Globo-affiliated regional broadcaster. Reporting assignments mentioned in the historical record include Franciélly Medeiros in 2022, Pedro Albuquerque later in 2022 and early 2023, Lázaro Jordão between March and June 2023, and Cardoso Silva from September 2023 for coverage of Seridó from Caicó. These changes illustrate a more distributed reporting model than the full local newsroom initially envisioned. The station's principal role remains the distribution of TV Globo content and regional reporting to the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, particularly the western and central portions of the state.

Mossoró's television history predates the establishment of a locally generated commercial station. In 1973, the municipality inaugurated microwave relay infrastructure during the administration of Mayor Dix-Huit Rosado. One of the important signals reaching the city was TV Verdes Mares from Fortaleza, which had been inaugurated in 1970 and later became affiliated with Globo. A relay of TV Rádio Clube de Pernambuco was also available from 1977, giving local audiences access to more than one network signal during the final years of Rede Tupi. After Rede Tupi's stations ceased operating in 1980, television availability in Rio Grande do Norte was concentrated around TV Universitária and relays associated with stations in Natal and Recife. In Mossoró, TV Verdes Mares remained an important signal until September 1987, when it stopped broadcasting in the city and the state and was replaced by the TV Cabugi relay. During the 1990s and the first half of the 2000s, the city received additional retransmitted signals from networks including SBT, Bandeirantes, Manchete, CNT, Record, Vida, RedeTV! and TVE Brasil. These arrangements increased channel choice but did not provide a permanent local commercial news generator. The federal government changed this situation by opening competition No. 67/2009 for a commercial station on UHF channel 18 in Mossoró. The license would be the first for a commercial television generator in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. Rede InterTV competed with 19 other media companies. On December 7, 2011, the Ministry of Communications announced Rede InterTV as the winner, citing a bid of R$17 million. The project was initially called TV Costa Branca. Its promoters described a station designed to cover more than half of Rio Grande do Norte, produce local news in Mossoró and eventually establish reporting offices in other cities, including Caicó. The station's planned launch was delayed. In addition to the license bid, the project was described as requiring approximately R$7 million for construction and equipment. Although operation had been anticipated for 2013, the station did not open that year. Construction and engineering work accelerated in 2014, including a new tower and antenna arrangements capable of supporting analog and digital transmission. On May 20, 2014, a digital test signal went on air, initially relaying InterTV Cabugi. The new technical infrastructure was installed near the station's operating site in Mossoró's Costa e Silva neighborhood. Preparation continued into 2015. The station announced a March 27 opening and an intended coverage area of 123 municipalities. Carlos Adans joined as presenter of the local RNTV 2nd edition, and the station promoted its commercial proposition to advertising agencies in Mossoró and western Rio Grande do Norte. The official launch took place on March 27, 2015, with the local RNTV edition serving the station's coverage area. Sara Cardoso later assumed the RNTV Mossoró anchor position, while also being associated with InterTV Rural; reporter Ivanúcia Lopes took over presentation of the Sunday program. The initial local-news model was short-lived. In December 2015, journalism and engineering employees were dismissed and the local RNTV 2nd edition ended. Financial problems were cited in reports and there was speculation that the broadcaster might cease operations, but the group rejected that possibility. The station continued as a Globo-affiliated broadcaster, relying more heavily on network programming and regional reporting than on a large standalone newsroom. Regional coverage continued to evolve. In July 2022, Franciélly Medeiros was hired to report from Currais Novos and Seridó. After her move to InterTV Cabugi in Natal, Pedro Albuquerque took over in September 2022 and remained through February 2023. Lázaro Jordão covered the area from March through June 2023. From September 2023, Cardoso Silva was identified as the reporter covering Seridó from Caicó. These assignments demonstrate the station's continuing role in connecting Globo's Rio Grande do Norte service with communities in the state's interior, even after the discontinuation of its original local evening-news edition.

• 2015

  Official inauguration

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  InterTV Costa Branca officially launches on March 27 with local RNTV 2nd edition programming.

• 2015

  Local evening news edition discontinued

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  Staff reductions in December are followed by the end of the station's local RNTV 2nd edition.

• 2014

  Digital transmission tests begin

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  Digital test transmissions begin on May 20 while the station's tower and transmission systems are completed.

• 2011

  Rede InterTV wins the concession

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  Rede InterTV is announced as the winner of the licensing process with a reported R$17 million bid.

• 2009

  Commercial station licensing competition opens

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  The Ministry of Communications opens competition No. 67/2009 for a commercial television generator on channel 18 in Mossoró.

• 1987

  TV Verdes Mares signal ends in Mossoró

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  The TV Verdes Mares relay ceases broadcasting in Mossoró and is replaced by a TV Cabugi relay.

• 1973

  Microwave relay service reaches Mossoró

  [1]InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org

  Mossoró inaugurates microwave relay infrastructure, establishing an early basis for receiving television signals from outside the city.

A regional commercial broadcaster positioned as TV Globo's local and interior-Rio Grande-do-Norte television presence, combining national network content with coverage of communities underserved by locally generated television.

• Broadcast station · 2015

  Free-to-air television service

  InterTV Costa Branca operates a free-to-air commercial television service based in Mossoró. Its channel 18 operation distributes TV Globo network programming and provides a local transmission presence for western and central areas of Rio Grande do Norte.

• Television news · 2015

  RNTV regional news

  RNTV is the regional news brand used by Globo-affiliated stations in Rio Grande do Norte. InterTV Costa Branca launched a local second edition in 2015, but that locally generated edition ended later the same year. The station has continued contributing regional reports through a more distributed reporting structure.

• Regional television program

  InterTV Rural

  InterTV Rural is a regional programming offering associated with the station and its journalists. It focuses on rural communities and interior-region subjects within the broadcaster's wider Rio Grande do Norte coverage.

• Digital broadcasting · 2014

  Digital television transmission

  The station began digital test transmissions in May 2014 as its new tower, antenna and transmitter systems were prepared. Digital broadcasting formed part of the technical modernization accompanying the station's launch.

• 2015Launch advertising outreach

  Mossoró · Western Rio Grande do Norte

  Before its opening, station directors presented the new broadcaster to advertising agencies in Mossoró and encouraged commercial investment in the city and western part of the state.

  Outcome. The outreach supported the station's commercial launch positioning, but the cited material does not provide campaign performance figures.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch local commercial television serviceProduct launch

  Background

  After delays from the originally anticipated 2013 launch, the station completed its technical and organizational preparations.

  Action taken

  InterTV Costa Branca opened on March 27 with a local RNTV 2nd edition and an announced reach of 123 municipalities.

  Aftermath

  The station became the principal TV Globo commercial presence serving the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, although its local evening-news edition was discontinued later in 2015.

  Source

• 2015

  End the local RNTV 2nd editionStrategy

  Background

  The station faced reported financial difficulties several months after launch.

  Action taken

  After dismissals affecting journalism and engineering staff in December, the local edition of RNTV 2nd edition was ended.

  Aftermath

  The owning group denied that the station would close. The broadcaster continued operating with network programming and regional reporting.

  Source

• 2014

  Introduce digital transmissionGeneration change

  Background

  The station needed new transmission infrastructure for its planned commercial operation.

  Action taken

  It began digital signal tests and prepared a new tower, digital transmitter and antenna system.

  Aftermath

  The technical preparation preceded the station's formal 2015 inauguration.

  Source

• 2011

  Win the Mossoró concessionOther

  Background

  The station project was intended to provide locally generated commercial television to Mossoró and a broad interior coverage area.

  Action taken

  Rede InterTV won the licensing process with a reported bid of R$17 million.

  Aftermath

  The project moved into construction and technical preparation under the TV Costa Branca name.

  Reported concession bid. R$17 million (2011)

  Source

• 2009

  Enter the federal channel-18 licensing competitionOther

  Background

  The Ministry of Communications opened a competition for the first commercial television generator in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte.

  Action taken

  Rede InterTV submitted a bid for the Mossoró license.

  Aftermath

  Rede InterTV was later selected as the winning bidder.

  Source

1. 1InterTV Costa Brancaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rede Globo Rio Grande do Norte / InterTVredeglobo.globo.com