Television in Chile

Television is one of the major mass media in Chile. Regular television broadcasting developed from experimental university transmissions in the late 1950s, with the first television transmission in the country taking place on 5 October 1957 at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. The first regular channels were established by universities, but television soon developed into a mass medium, particularly following the 1962 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by Chile and widely televised nationally.

Chile's television system includes free-to-air terrestrial broadcasting, pay television, and an expanding range of digital and streaming services. Free-to-air television remains an important source of news and entertainment, although its audience has declined over time as viewers have gained access to online platforms and other forms of audiovisual media.

The National Television Council (CNTV) is responsible for supervising the proper functioning and content of television services, while the technical regulation of broadcasting and telecommunications is administered by the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel), part of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications.

History

Early development

Television in Chile originated largely in universities, where engineering students and academics experimented with television technology during the 1950s. On 5 October 1957, the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV) conducted the country's first wireless television transmission. The transmission was made from the university's main building to the La Unión newspaper offices in central Valparaíso, and was led by engineer Carlos Meléndez and the university's School of Electronics. The experiment subsequently led to the establishment of UCV Televisión, which became the country's first television channel.

On 21 August 1959, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile began television transmissions in Santiago. The station initially broadcast on channel 2 and later moved to channel 13, becoming Canal 13. Its early development was also closely connected with the university's engineering programs. In 1960, the University of Chile began broadcasting on channel 9, while Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN) was established later in the decade, beginning regular nationwide service in 1969.

The 1962 FIFA World Cup, held in Chile, was an important milestone in the development of television as a mass medium. The tournament stimulated investment in television equipment and increased demand for television sets, helping to shift broadcasting away from its original emphasis on experimental and educational programming toward mass entertainment, news and sports.

Regulation and the development of national television

The first comprehensive legal framework for television was established by Law No. 17,377, enacted in 1970. The law created the National Television Council and provided for the establishment of Televisión Nacional de Chile as a national television service. Television subsequently became subject to formal public supervision of its content and operation.

Following the 1973 military coup, TVN was placed under government control and became an important part of the government's communications system. The television system operated under restrictions on political and social content during the military dictatorship. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, television operated within a new political and regulatory environment, while TVN developed as a publicly owned but financially autonomous broadcaster.

The present regulatory framework is based principally on Law No. 18,838, which established the modern National Television Council, and Law No. 20,750, which introduced digital terrestrial television. The CNTV supervises television content and exercises its powers after programs have been broadcast; it does not generally approve television programs in advance. Subtel is responsible for technical and spectrum-related matters.

Color television

The first experimental color transmission was made on 6 February 1978 during the final night of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival. Regular color broadcasting was subsequently authorized in April 1978, using the NTSC standard. The transition to color was gradual, with broadcasters progressively replacing black-and-white production equipment during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Digital television

Chile selected the Japanese-Brazilian ISDB-T International standard for digital terrestrial television in September 2009. The system was adopted with MPEG-4 video compression and was intended to increase the quality and availability of free-to-air television, including high-definition broadcasting and reception on mobile devices.

The transition to digital television was regulated by Law No. 20,750, enacted in 2014. The government subsequently established a timetable for the progressive shutdown of analog terrestrial signals. The final stages began in April 2024, when the remaining regions, including Valparaíso, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, La Araucanía and Biobío, entered the controlled shutdown process. The nationwide transition was completed on 15 April 2024.

As a result, terrestrial television in Chile is now digitally transmitted, using ISDB-T, rather than the former analog NTSC system.

Free-to-air television

Chile has a mixture of national, regional, local and community television services. The principal national broadcasters include Chilevisión, Mega, TVN and Canal 13. Other free-to-air services include TV+, La Red, Telecanal, and a number of digital and regional services.

TVN is a publicly owned broadcaster established as a national television service in 1969. It operates under a legal obligation to finance itself and is governed by a board whose members are appointed through a process involving the President of the Republic and the Senate. Its current television services include TVN, NTV, the digital TVN 3 service, the pay-TV news channel 24 Horas, and the international TV Chile service.

Canal 13 originated as a university station of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in 1959. It subsequently became a commercial broadcaster and is now part of a privately owned multimedia company. Its programming includes news, entertainment, sports, fiction and other general-interest content.

Audience and consumption

Television remains an important source of information and entertainment in Chile, although patterns of consumption have changed with the growth of digital platforms and streaming services. The 2024 National Television Survey found that television and social media were the two principal sources used by Chileans for information; television was cited by 68% of respondents, while 70% cited social media. Television nevertheless received a higher level of trust than social media in the survey, at 37% compared with 30%.

According to the CNTV's 2024 statistical yearbook, people in Chile consumed an average of 597 hours of free-to-air television per year. News programming accounted for the largest share of viewing, followed by miscellaneous programming, including morning shows, and telenovelas. In 2024, news programming represented approximately one-third of free-to-air television consumption.

The audience for free-to-air television has become older and smaller over time. In 2024, people aged over 50 accounted for approximately 60% of the audience, while the CNTV estimated that free-to-air television reached about 3.4 million people per day, 21% fewer than in 2014.

In terms of audience share, four national broadcasters dominated free-to-air television in 2024. Mega and Chilevisión were the leading channels, followed by Canal 13 and TVN. Together, the four accounted for about 95% of free-to-air television audience share.

The CNTV's 2026 research describes the current environment as one of coexistence between broadcast television, pay television and digital platforms. Free-to-air television remains an important part of household audiovisual consumption, while streaming and other digital services have become increasingly integrated into everyday viewing habits.

Pay television

Pay television developed substantially in Chile from the 1990s onward through cable and satellite services. It subsequently faced increasing competition from internet-based video and streaming services.

According to Subtel, pay-television connections totaled about 2.4 million at the end of June 2026, after declining by 8.6% over the preceding year. The decline forms part of a longer-term change in the Chilean audiovisual market as households increasingly combine traditional television services with internet-based platforms.

Subtel's historical statistics show that pay-TV penetration peaked at more than half of Chilean households during the 2010s before declining. In March 2024, there were approximately 3.0 million pay-TV connections, equivalent to 46.8% of households.

International distribution

TVN operates TV Chile, an international television service launched in 1989. The service distributes Chilean news, entertainment, cultural programming and other content to audiences outside the country. In 2024, TVN reported that TV Chile was available in 23 countries in the Americas, Europe and Oceania and reached more than 13 million households.

See also

• List of television stations in Chile
• Media of Chile
• Radio in Chile