TVI is one of Portugal's most-watched free-to-air channels and a daily habit for Portuguese speakers abroad. Mornings on the live feed belong to Dois às 10, a weekday talk show hosted by Cláudio Ramos and Cristina Ferreira. In the evening comes Jornal Nacional, the network's flagship newscast, anchored on weekdays by José Alberto Carvalho and Sandra Felgueiras, while Portuguese telenovelas, one of TVI's trademarks, fill much of prime time. When a season is on, the live shows of Big Brother and Secret Story – Casa dos Segredos take over the evening.
That mix has deep roots. Big Brother premiered on TVI in 2000 as Portugal's first reality show, and in 2001, helped by home-grown drama, the network topped prime time for the first time. Its soaps and series have since been shown in more than ten countries, and in 2021 TVI became the first Portuguese broadcaster on HBO.
Televisão Independente went on air on 20 February 1993 and is based in Queluz de Baixo, near Lisbon. It belongs to Media Capital, the group behind CNN Portugal, V+ TVI and TVI Reality, and its motto is A televisão feita por si, television made for you. Tuning in to TVI is an easy way to follow Portugal as it happens.
Portugal