Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão

Silvio Santos launched Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão on August 19, 1981, seizing a government tender that revived licenses once held by Tupi and Excelsior. The station went live immediately, turning the concession signing into its own premiere broadcast. This move built upon Grupo Silvio Santos' existing foothold from 1976 with TVS Rio de Janeiro, paving the way for a massive national footprint.

The network carved out a distinct identity centered on accessible variety shows, telenovelas, and children's programming. It secured a unique partnership with Disney to air daily animated content, a strategy that helped cement its status as a household staple. While Globo often leads in primetime novelas and sports, SBT consistently holds the second spot in free-to-air viewership, except for a brief period between 2007 and 2014 when Record Network took the lead.

Leadership shifted dramatically following Silvio Santos' death in 2024. His daughter, Ana Maria Santos, stepped in to guide the company through a modernization phase focused on streaming integration and 24-hour news cycles. The family's estimated wealth sits at R$ 6.4 billion, reflecting the enduring value of an empire built over four decades. Recent moves include launching a FAST channel via Amagi in 2023 and extending a collaboration with TelevisaUnivision for Mexican soaps through 2028. [edit]