Rede Manchete

Rede Manchete (; lit.: Headline Network; also known as TV Manchete or only Manchete) was a Brazilian television network that was founded in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1983 by the Ukrainian-Brazilian journalist and businessman Adolpho Bloch. The network remained on the air until 10 May 1999. It was part of Grupo Bloch, which published the magazine ''Manchete'' by Bloch Editores, its publishing division; the television network was named after the magazine.

With sophisticated equipment and seeking an upper class schedule, Manchete was known for its programming based on journalism, covering the world and Brazilian sport, with major sporting events. Telenovelas, series and miniseries from Manchete also made history in the Brazilian television dramaturgy. In addition to their own schedule, Manchete is known as airing Japanese programmes like tokusatsu and anime, including some of the Super Sentai series (Choushinsei Flashman, Dengeki Sentai Changeman), Sailor Moon, Kamen Rider Black and Black RX and most notably, MegaBeast Investigator Juspion.

In May 1999, the partners Amilcare Dallevo and Marcelo de Carvalho (known as TeleTV Group) bought the licenses of Manchete, moved the headquarters to Barueri, and changed the network's name to RedeTV!.

History

Early history

The successor network not only to Rede Tupi but to Rede Excelsior, two former Brazilian television networks, it was owned by Adolpho Bloch, the Ukrainian – Brazilian founder of the publishing group called "Bloch Editores", from half of the defunct Rede Tupi (the other half became SBT in 1981). Its slogan in 1983 was the unofficial slogan "A Televisão do ano 2000" (The Television of the year 2000) and the official slogan "A TV de 1ª Classe" (First Class Television). Initially planned to launch between September and November 1982, and then March 1983, Manchete began operations at 7:00 pm on 5 June 1983 with a speech by Bloch, followed by a segment with the network's logo flying over Brazil and then stopping on a building. The network received high ratings in Rio de Janeiro, and as a result, it suddenly moved to second place in viewership in that area.

In the beginning, the network broadcast various shows and operas, like TV Record in 60s, bringing the focus for the A and B Classes. In 1984, model and actress Xuxa presented the Clube da Criança program in 1984, beating sometimes TV Globo's morning show, Balão Magico. This was the year it began a rival coverage of the Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, its most successful one.

In 1985, with two years of existence, losses of Manchete were evident. The network entered its first financial crisis. Bloch, in 1988, wanted to sell the network and asked for US$350 million. In the 1990s, congressman Paulo Octávio made a proposal to Adolpho Bloch of the proposed purchase of TV Manchete for US$200 million. The Paulo Octávio partner was the businessman João Carlos Di Genio, but the sale was not made. Editora Abril also showed interest in the network. Then the IBF company took Manchete, but then had revoked its management justice. Adolpho Bloch took control of the network, with staff salaries six months late. Within four months, Bloch had brought staff pay back up to date.

By 1987, for the first time, Rede Manchete and Rede Globo jointly broadcast the Brazilian Carnival to all over the country. The next year, however, the network was in a weak financial situation after just 5 years, but came out stronger.

The Pantanal phenomenon

1990 saw the launch of the telenovela Pantanal (named after the Pantanal wetlands on which it was set), which would beat the TV Globo telenovela Rainha da Sucata (Queen of the Junk) in popularity and score. The story mixed romance, very beautiful images of the Mato Grosso Pantanal and a bit of the supernatural. The plot centered around a son of a big farmer of Mato Grosso that came to know his father for the first time, and also Juma, a wild lady that lives in a forest cabin and transforms herself in a jaguar when she's angry, with which he falls in love. Afterwards, Manchete continued making telenovelas that were well known for their good image and content quality. They were exported to various countries, but never proved as successful as Pantanal or competing telenovelas from the Rede Globo.

However, beginning in 1992 and continuing through the end of the decade, the network was forced off the air three times; the first of those shutdowns was due to an invasion of employees at the network's transmission tower in São Paulo.

Closure

After Bloch's death in 1995, his nephew Pedro Jack Kapeller became president of Manchete. Manchete's financial troubles deepened after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when the network's income fell 40 percent. As a result, the network laid off 540 employees, as well as pay day wages of the remaining employees. In October 1998, the network cut the production of almost all of its programs, including the telenovela '. The network was to be sold to Reborn in Christ Church in January 1999, but in February of the same year, the proposal was withdrawn due to a breach of contractual clauses. On 8 May 1999, Rede Manchete's license was sold to TeleTV Group for US$608 million.

Slogans

1983: A TV dos Anos 2000 (''TV of the Year 2000'')
TV de Primeira Classe (''First Class TV,'')

1990: O Brasil passa na Manchete (''Brazil passes on Manchete'')

1997: Qualidade em Primeiro Lugar (''Quality in First Place'')

1998 :Você em Primeiro Lugar (''You in First place'')

Telenovelas and series

1984
* Marquesa de Santos
* Viver a Vida
* Santa Marta Fabril
1985
* Tudo em Cima
* Tamanho Família
* Antônio Maria
* Joana
1986
* Dona Beija
* Novo Amor
* Tudo ou Nada
* Mania de Querer
1987
* Corpo Santo
* Helena
* Carmem
* A Rainha da Vida
1988
* Olho por Olho

1989
* Kananga do Japão
1990
* Pantanal
* Fronteiras do Desconhecido
* Escrava Anastácia
* O Canto das Sereias
* Mãe de Santo
* Rosa dos Rumos
* A História de Ana Raio e Zé Trovão
1991
* Filhos do Sol
* Ilha das Bruxas
* O Farol
* Na Rede de Intrigas
* Floradas na Serra
* O Guaraní
* O Fantasma da Ópera
* Amazônia
1992
* Amazônia – Parte II

1993
* Família Brasil
* Guerra sem Fim
* O Marajá (not aired)
1994
* Incrível, Fantástico, Extraordinário
* 74.5 – Uma Onda no Ar
1995
* Tocaia Grande
1996
* Xica da Silva
1997
* Mandacaru
1998
* Brida

News programming

The network's main newscast was entitled ''Jornal da Manchete'', which began airing on 6 June 1983 and aired for the final time on 8 May 1999. It was the longest running programme in the network's history.

When ''Jornal da Manchete'' first premiered, it had an excessive duration of two hours (with commercials), and was divided into several segments that would eventually become separate programmes. The duration of the newscast would be reduced to 30 minutes after the 1985 Brazilian presidential election.

The opening theme of the programme was based on "Videogame" by the Brazilian group Roupa Nova; the original master recording was used from 1983 until 1989.

References

{{Brazilian television stations

Manchete
Defunct television channels in Brazil
Manchete
Manchete
Television channels and stations established in 1983
Television channels and stations disestablished in 1999
1983 establishments in Brazil
1999 disestablishments in Brazil
Portuguese-language television networks