New deals double signal of Brazil’s public broadcasting
Brazil’s National Public Communication Network (RNCP), coordinated by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), is about to undergo the biggest expansion in its history. At an event at the Planalto presidential palace this week, cooperation agreements were signed between EBC, the National Association of Heads of Federal Higher Education Institutions (Andifes), and 31 federal universities for the operation of 72 new radio and TV stations.
The RNCP, established by the law that also created EBC in 2010, comprises TV and radio broadcasters in operation throughout the country, bringing culture and information to millions of Brazilians. As it stands today, this is the fifth largest broadcasting network in Brazil, as per official data.
EBC is in charge of strengthening and expanding RNCP’s reach. The first transmission took place 13 years ago, using seven university stations and 15 state broadcasters. Since then, the network has brought its integrated broadcasting of journalistic, educational, and cultural content to all regions of Brazil through 40 radio stations and 69 television channels—adding up to 109 broadcasting vehicles. These stations broadcast productions from TV Brasil, Rádio MEC, and Rádio Nacional, in addition to productions by partner stations countrywide.
With the permits for new radio and TV stations grated by the Ministry of Communications to EBC, the scope of the network should nearly double. These grants provide the license for services carried out on behalf of the government by ministries, EBC, the lower house, the Senate, as well as the Supreme Court.
In addition to the 32 universities and 72 new stations, another 13 federal universities are expected to sign similar agreements with EBC soon, aimed at cooperating with another 28 stations, potentially raising the amount of new stations to a hundred.
“The move we’re making today is the biggest expansion of the national public broadcasting network in EBC’s history,” said Paulo Pimenta, head of the Brazilian president’s press office.
Quality content
Márcia Abrahão Moura, president of the University of Brasília (UnB) and current head of Andifes, celebrated the step taken by universities to expand the network. The expected agreements should establish new stations across 50 municipalities, she pointed out.
“We joined the call right away because we know how important it is to deliver quality communication with accurate information. We live in a world and at a time in our country when quality information is vital,” she declared.
The challenge now, she argued, is to secure the resources to set up and operate these boradcasters. “All this progress certainly needs more investment and staff, not to mention funding—not only for the maintenance of our institutions, but also for a larger budget, so we can meet our obligations with great social commitment.”
Minister of Communications Juscelino Filho described the expansion of EBC’s coverage in Brazil through federal grants for FM and digital TV services side by side with universities as indispensable. “In addition to being informative, it brings a range of educational content, not only in terms of local culture, but also in the form of studies and research conducted by our universities,” he stated.
Speaking to journalists after the event announcing the expansion, Paulo Pimenta mentioned the complementary nature of public broadcasting in offering content to the people.
“EBC’s partnership with public universities is the affirmation of a broadcasting system that offers the population access to content that is not commercially relevant to other broadcasters,” he pointed out.
Branching out with diversity
Among the agreements inked is a deal to expand the signal of TV Ufal, the channel of the Federal University of Alagoas (Ufal). Currently serving 1.3 million people in the metropolitan region of Maceió, the signal will be expanded to the campi of Arapiraca and Delmiro Gouveia. Furthermore, the capital and the two municipalities will also have a new FM station operated by the university. The move is expected to increase the radio and TV signal to reach around 3.2 million people, said Ufal President Josealdo Tonholo.
“There’s nothing better than this partnership between education and EBC, which is now poised to serve the whole country through the universities,” said Tonholo.
The measure, he went on to note, creates new possibilities for regional content with both culture and information, boosting diversity on radio and free-to-air TV.
“The important thing about this step is that we are connected as a public broadcasting network. Each broadcaster plays a solid role for its local public, but when we bring this up to a national level, we’re able to publicize major themes and agendas, such as scientific dissemination, scientific and technological development, and education, creating a special agenda committed to the accuracy of facts and contributing to Brazilian democracy,” said Maíra Bittencourt, professor at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS) and director of the College of Communication Managers of Federal Higher Education Institutions (Cogecom), linked to Andifes.
EBC was created in 2007 as the company in charge of Brazil’s public federal broadcasting system, including the public radio and TV broadcasting network. The corporation controls stations Rádio Nacional, Rádio MEC, Radioagência Nacional, in addition to news portal Agência Brasil and channels TV Brasil and Canal Gov, as well as the traditional radio program Voz do Brasil.
