Rede 21

Rede 21 is a Brazilian commercial television network operated by Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação and headquartered in São Paulo. The service began broadcasting on October 21, 1996, as Canal 21 São Paulo, a locally focused UHF station serving Greater São Paulo. Its original concept was urban television: live and service-oriented reporting, traffic and weather information, sports coverage, entertainment, films, imported series, music programming, and a visual identity designed to appear more contemporary and metropolitan than conventional Brazilian broadcasters. Early programs included local news bulletins, football coverage, music-video shows, traffic reports, interview programming, and film and television-series slots. The station’s UHF concession had been obtained by Grupo Bandeirantes in 1989. The initial artistic and programming project was developed by television and journalism professionals Rogério Brandão and Alberto Luchetti for the Saad family, which controlled the concession through the Bandeirantes group. Canal 21 initially broadcast only during part of the day and concentrated on the capital of São Paulo. Its local orientation was reflected in programs such as Jornal Meio Dia, Jornal São Paulo, Jornal das Dez, Jogo Aberto, Trânsito Livre, Circular, and Top Teen. Reporting drew on resources associated with Rádio Bandeirantes and emphasized practical city information as well as conventional news. The brand began moving toward national distribution in 2000, when Canal 21 announced an affiliation with TV Super in Belo Horizonte. The project was subsequently strengthened through affiliations in other Brazilian markets, particularly the addition of TV Brasília in 2003. At that point the service was more explicitly presented as Rede 21, with a mix of centrally supplied programming and a stated expectation that affiliates would preserve regional journalism, traffic reports, and weather coverage. A major 2003 schedule redesign introduced a broader national offering, including American and British comedy series, subtitled films, children's animation, documentaries, music specials, and an expanded Jornal 10 newsroom operation serving Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Rede 21's identity and business model changed repeatedly after its national expansion. From 2006 to 2008, a substantial portion of its schedule was occupied by PlayTV, a youth-oriented service created through a partnership with Gamecorp. The block focused on video games, anime, music videos, and related popular culture. After the arrangement ended in July 2008, Rede 21 briefly returned to a youth-oriented schedule of its own before entering a programming lease with the World Church of the Power of God. Beginning in August 2008, approximately 22 hours per day were occupied by the church's Rede Mundial programming, while limited in-house content remained. Grupo Bandeirantes ended the Rede Mundial lease in November 2013 after reported payment delays. The channel then became associated with programming from the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, generally identified on the channel as TV Universal. That arrangement dominated the schedule for much of the following decade. In December 2022, retransmission stopped amid contractual disagreements, and Grupo Bandeirantes temporarily filled the channel with material from other group services, including BandNews TV and Canal Empreender. The parties later reached a renewed agreement, and TV Universal programming returned on May 1, 2024, again occupying most of the daily schedule. Rede 21 remains a Brazilian free-to-air network whose national signal is distributed by satellite through the open-reception TVRO system, using standardized digital receiver position 21. Its schedule and positioning have therefore evolved from metropolitan local television, to a general-interest national network, to youth-oriented and leased programming, and finally to a service largely defined by religious programming supplied by a partner organization. A sports-focused in-house project announced in 2023, with proposed programs including Descarga Elétrica, Mulher na Área, Nitro, Show de Bola, Arena UFC, 21 Minutos, 21 News, and Online 21, was ultimately abandoned before launch.

Rede 21 traces its origins to a UHF concession obtained by Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação in 1989. The concession eventually produced Canal 21 São Paulo, which began broadcasting on October 21, 1996, to Greater São Paulo. The station was conceived as an urban television service with live journalism, traffic and weather information, sports, entertainment, and practical city coverage. Its original operating hours were limited, and its programs were designed for the São Paulo capital rather than for a national audience. The first schedule included Jornal Meio Dia, Jogo Aberto, Sessão Livre, Top Teen, Jornal São Paulo, a series block, and Jornal das Dez. Other early programs included Trânsito Livre and Circular. The channel's identity emphasized modern graphics, live presentation, and a close relationship with the city. A launch image showing a firefighter climbing the station's tower with the new channel emblem symbolized the network's intended connection with São Paulo's public life. A national strategy emerged in 2000, when Canal 21 announced an affiliation with TV Super in Belo Horizonte. The affiliation allowed the channel to distribute selected national content while retaining the possibility of regional production. Expansion continued in 2003 with the affiliation of TV Brasília and the formal development of Rede 21 as a broader Brazilian network. A new schedule introduced American comedies such as Will & Grace and Seinfeld, older cult series, British comedy, subtitled films, children's animation, documentary programming, Sunday music specials, and a redesigned Jornal 10. The newsroom was intended to draw reporting from Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Between 1996 and 2006 the network combined original production, news, sports, imported series, films, and music programming. In June 2006, however, Rede 21 entered a partnership with Gamecorp, allowing the company to use a large daily block to distribute PlayTV. The block concentrated on games, anime, music videos, and youth culture, while some Rede 21 programs remained as repeats and much of the remaining schedule consisted of infomercials. The PlayTV agreement expired in July 2008 and was not renewed. Rede 21 briefly aired its own youth-oriented programs before moving to a substantially different business model. In August 2008, Grupo Bandeirantes leased approximately 22 hours per day to the World Church of the Power of God for distribution of Rede Mundial. The arrangement displaced most of Rede 21's previous programming, with Jornal 10 among the limited in-house content that continued. The lease was terminated in November 2013 after reported payment delays. TV Universal, associated with the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, then took over most of the schedule. The TV Universal arrangement was interrupted on December 10, 2022. The church attributed the interruption to Rede 21's failure to comply with contractual commitments, while the subsequent history was characterized by legal conflict and competing allegations. Grupo Bandeirantes temporarily used programming from BandNews TV and Canal Empreender. A new agreement was later reached, and TV Universal returned on May 1, 2024, again accounting for approximately 22 hours of daily programming. A proposed sports-oriented relaunch was announced in August 2023. The planned schedule was to include new programs and repeats drawn from Rede Bandeirantes, Rádio Bandeirantes, and BandNews FM. In October 2023, Grupo Bandeirantes abandoned the project before the announced programs premiered. Rede 21 therefore remains active as a Brazilian commercial broadcast brand, with its current identity defined by its ownership within Grupo Bandeirantes, its national TVRO distribution, and its retransmission partnership with TV Universal.

• 2024

  TV Universal returns

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  A renewed agreement restored TV Universal programming to Rede 21 on May 1.

• 2022

  TV Universal retransmission is interrupted

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  The channel stopped carrying TV Universal amid a contractual disagreement and temporarily used programming from other Bandeirantes services.

• 2013

  Rede Mundial lease ends

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  The lease was terminated after reported delayed payments, and TV Universal subsequently became the principal programming provider.

• 2008

  Rede Mundial airtime lease begins

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  Grupo Bandeirantes leased most of the schedule to the World Church of the Power of God.

• 2006

  PlayTV partnership begins

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  Gamecorp's PlayTV occupied a major daily programming block focused on games, anime, music videos, and youth entertainment.

• 2003

  Rede 21 expands through TV Brasília

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  The TV Brasília affiliation and a new national schedule broadened the network's reach and programming mix.

• 2000

  National networking initiative begins

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  An affiliation with TV Super in Belo Horizonte marked an early step toward creating a national Rede 21 service.

• 1996

  Canal 21 São Paulo begins broadcasting

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  The station went on air on October 21 as a locally focused commercial UHF broadcaster serving Greater São Paulo.

• 1989

  Grupo Bandeirantes obtains UHF concession

  [1]Rede 21en.wikipedia.org

  The group obtained the concession that later supported the Canal 21 service in São Paulo.

A Brazilian commercial television network that originated as urban, locally focused São Paulo television and later operated as a national general-interest channel. In recent years, its schedule has been heavily shaped by airtime partnerships and retransmission agreements, particularly with TV Universal.

• Free-to-air television network · 1996

  Rede 21 television network

  Rede 21 is the network's principal broadcast service. It originated as a São Paulo UHF station and later developed national distribution through affiliations and satellite delivery. The service has carried locally produced news, sports, entertainment, imported series, films, leased blocks, and retransmitted programming. Its current schedule is substantially shaped by the TV Universal partnership.

• Television news · 2003

  Jornal 10

  Jornal 10 was Rede 21's principal national news program during the network's expansion period. The relaunch announced in 2003 emphasized analysis, investigative reporting, and reports from teams in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. It also remained one of the limited in-house programs during periods when most of the schedule was leased.

• News bulletin and documentary reporting

  Doc 21

  Doc 21 compiled reports and special coverage produced across Grupo Bandeirantes television channels. It served as one of the network's in-house offerings during periods when much of the daily schedule was occupied by religious programming.

• Religious television programming · 2013

  TV Universal retransmission

  TV Universal programming has occupied most of Rede 21's daily schedule under an airtime and retransmission arrangement with the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. The service was interrupted in December 2022 and restored on May 1, 2024, following a renewed agreement.

• 2024

  Renew TV Universal partnershipStrategy

  Background

  After the 2022 interruption and related disputes, Grupo Bandeirantes and the Universal Church reached a new arrangement.

  Action taken

  Rede 21 resumed TV Universal programming on May 1, with the partner content again occupying approximately 22 hours of the daily schedule.

  Aftermath

  The renewal restored the channel's predominantly religious programming model.

  Source

• 2023

  Cancel proposed sports-oriented relaunchProduct launch

  Background

  Grupo Bandeirantes announced a planned sports-focused schedule featuring new programs and repeats from related radio and television services.

  Action taken

  The project was discontinued in October before the announced programs premiered.

  Aftermath

  The proposed sports programming did not become part of Rede 21's schedule.

  Source

• 2022

  Suspend TV Universal retransmissionOther

  Background

  The Universal Church said Rede 21 had failed to meet contractual obligations, leading to a breakdown in the retransmission arrangement.

  Action taken

  On December 10, Rede 21 stopped carrying TV Universal and Grupo Bandeirantes filled the schedule with material from BandNews TV and Canal Empreender.

  Aftermath

  The parties entered a period of legal disputes and mutual accusations before negotiating a new agreement.

  Source

• 2013

  Replace Rede Mundial with TV Universal programmingStrategy

  Background

  Following the end of the Rede Mundial lease, the channel needed a replacement for most of its daily schedule.

  Action taken

  TV Universal programming from the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God began occupying the channel during the early hours of November 9.

  Aftermath

  The religious programming arrangement became a defining feature of Rede 21's schedule for subsequent years.

  Source

• 2008

  Lease most of the channel to Rede MundialStrategy

  Background

  After the PlayTV arrangement ended, Grupo Bandeirantes pursued an airtime-leasing model for Rede 21.

  Action taken

  Beginning August 10, approximately 22 hours per day were assigned to programming from the World Church of the Power of God.

  Aftermath

  The lease continued until November 2013, when Grupo Bandeirantes terminated it after reported payment delays.

  Source

• 2006

  Allocate a major schedule block to PlayTVStrategy

  Background

  Rede 21 sought a youth-oriented programming proposition through a partnership with Gamecorp's PlayTV service.

  Action taken

  From June 5, PlayTV content occupied the 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. block, covering video games, anime, music videos, and related entertainment.

  Aftermath

  The agreement expired on July 6, 2008, and was not renewed after the arrangement reportedly failed to deliver sufficient audience or revenue.

  Source

1. 1Rede 21en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rede 21 official websiterede21.com.br