TeleSUR Celebrates 18 Years of Informative Sovereignty

On July 24, 2005, Hugo Chávez's dream came true: the creation of teleSUR, the New Television of the South, currently a multimedia that exposes the voices of the peoples, social movements and political forces that fight for justice and against oppression.

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From its beginnings, teleSUR emerged as a counter-hegemonic and decolonizing South American television project from the media point of view, different from the traditional spaces that respond to capitalist interests, and had the support of the governments of Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua and, of course, Venezuela.

Thus, its hallmark has been to make visible the thoughts, stories and actions of the majorities that make up the Latin American and Caribbean diversity, becoming, as a multimedia, a reference for the region and the world.

Throughout 18 years, teleSUR's agenda has focused on addressing the issues of Latin American integration, offering coverage of events that do not find space in other media, or showing them from the struggles of social movements, popular sectors, leftist parties, the rights of indigenous peoples, among other aspects.

Cameras and microphones are used to search for stories that expose the realities of the peoples that make up the Americas, from the perspective of its protagonists, but does not exclude the emancipation struggles that are brewing in countries on other continents, revealing the essence of the conflicts and what other international media tend to silence in the construction of their discourses.

Scope and challenges against disinformation

For 18 years, the television station has had to face more than a few challenges. In 2016, the government of former Argentine President Mauricio Macri censored teleSUR's signal in his country, withdrawing it from the basic package of Cablevisión, a Clarín Group company, in retaliation for the multimedia's truthful style.

Three years later, the Ecuadorian authorities also censored the broadcasting of teleSUR, in the context of the political crisis that this South American country was going through, as a consequence of unpopular economic measures that had been approved by the government of former president Lenín Moreno.

However, despite these setbacks, teleSUR has evolved significantly. It began its transmissions with a first studio in Caracas, capital of Venezuela, but currently has offices in Quito (Ecuador), Mexico City (Mexico) and Havana (Cuba).

From these capitals, the channel produces news, analysis and interviews programs that diversify its programming and have a large audience. The English-language transmission of teleSUR for the Caribbean, Europe and Africa also takes place from Havana.

The contents of the website, social networks and multimedia are managed jointly between Caracas, Mexico City and Havana, as part of the sustained work that involves highly qualified professionals committed to teleSUR's mission.

In 2022, the multiplatform began operating with new satellite parameters to expand its high-definition signal to other continents. The use of the IS-34, IS-14 and Astra 1L satellites guarantees its consolidation as a multimedia of international reference.

What's new at teleSUR?

As we celebrate a new anniversary, teleSUR takes the leap into the world of podcasts and launches itself to take our content to new platforms and conquer new audiences.

Starting July 24, the multiplatform will make available to the public a wide range of products in both audio and video to expand its news offerings from the hands of experienced communication professionals in the continent.

The podcasts will be in audio and video format, distributed free of charge, will be available on various platforms and is one of the flagship projects of the television station as it celebrates 18 years of uninterrupted transmissions.

This new teleSUR bet is based on informative and current affairs podcasts such as the well-known and award-winning Los Nadies with Patricia Villegas, Maestra Vida with Víctor Hugo Morales, La Noticia with Jorge Gestoso and Mundo Conexo with Yanet Perez Moya. But we do not stay exclusively in the news area.

As part of its 18th anniversary, teleSUR is also expanding its offer with cultural and sports programs.

In this sense, journalist Renier González in "Rueda Renier" will make a summary of what happened over the weekend in the sports world, where Latin Americans have been protagonists.

Venezuelan singer-songwriter José Alejandro Delgado will celebrate the richness and cultural diversity of Latin America through the program "OrbeArte".

Argentinean Fernando Duclos will offer a sonorous journey through different cultures of Asia and the Middle East in "Periodistán en Telesur".

TeleSUR has demonstrated in these almost two decades how necessary, timely and pertinent is the journalistic work it does, since many of the events it has narrated over the years would not have been known from any other perspective if it had not existed as a multiplatform news platform.