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| Mega (Chilean TV channel) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mega |
| Country | Chile |
| Launched | 1990 |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV |
| Owner | Grupo Bethia |
| Headquarters | Santiago |
| Former names | Megavisión |
| Language | Spanish |
Mega (Chilean TV channel) is a Chilean free-to-air television network headquartered in Santiago, Chile and owned by Grupo Bethia. Founded in 1990 during the transition from the Pinochet dictatorship to the Patricio Aylwin presidency, Mega developed programming across telenovela production, news, sports, and entertainment, competing with broadcasters such as Televisión Nacional de Chile, Canal 13 (Chile), CHV (Chile), and La Red (Chile). The channel has been involved in national debates linked to media consolidation around conglomerates like Copesa and El Mercurio SAP while forging partnerships with international distributors including Warner Bros. Television, TelevisaUnivision, and BBC Studios.
Mega began operations as Megavisión in 1990 amid deregulation movements that followed the end of Pinochet’s rule and the establishment of the Concertación governments led by Patricio Aylwin. Early executives included figures associated with Consorcio Periodístico de Chile and production companies that had worked with Canal 13 and Televisión Nacional de Chile. During the 1990s Mega invested in local telenovela workshops, aligning with producers who previously contributed to TVN hits and competing for talent from Canal 13 (Chile) and CHV (Chile). In the 2000s Mega underwent ownership changes tied to investment groups such as Grupo Claro and later was acquired by Grupo Bethia, joining other media assets like newspapers and radio stations owned by conglomerates including Cascada Capital affiliates. The network expanded its facilities in Sanhattan and modernized transmission alongside the national shift to digital broadcasting coordinated by the Subtel (Chile). Mega has been a platform for series that toured festivals such as Santiago a Mil and screened at events connected to Festival de Cine de Valdivia.
Mega's schedule mixes produced dramas, acquired series, reality formats, and variety shows. The channel's drama unit created telenovelas and serials that competed with imports from Televisa, Rede Globo, and Pol-Ka Producciones, and worked with writers and directors who had credits on programs for Canal 13 (Chile), La Red (Chile), and CHV (Chile). Entertainment franchises and reality formats were licensed from distributors including Fremantle, Endemol Shine Group, and Sony Pictures Television. Mega's magazine shows and late-night offerings featured personalities who had come from Radio Cooperativa, Canal 13 (Chile), and TVN, while acquired programming included documentaries from BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic affiliates. Children’s blocks once aired content from Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon syndicators. In the 2010s and 2020s Mega invested in streaming strategies alongside services operated by Entel and cross-promotion with digital portals akin to those of La Tercera and El Mercurio.
Mega's news division, known for broadcasts competing with 24 Horas (TVN) and Canal 13 Noticias, produced evening newscasts, investigative reports, and morning magazines. Anchors and journalists moved between Mega and outlets such as Radio Biobío, El Mercurio, La Tercera, and CNN Chile. Editorial decisions at Mega intersected with national controversies involving media regulation under administrations of Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet, and the network faced scrutiny from oversight institutions like the Consejo Nacional de Televisión (Chile). Mega collaborated with international news partners for special coverage of events such as the 2010 Chile earthquake, the 2019–2020 Chilean protests, and elections where candidates from parties including Partido Socialista de Chile, Renovación Nacional, and Partido Comunista de Chile campaigned.
Mega acquired broadcasting rights and produced coverage for national and international sporting events, competing with sports programming on TVN, Canal 13 (Chile), and cable channels like TNT Sports Chile. Coverage included football matches from domestic leagues involving clubs such as Colo-Colo, Universidad de Chile, and Universidad Católica, international tournaments organized by CONMEBOL and FIFA, and Olympic features tied to the Comité Olímpico de Chile. Sports commentary teams included former athletes and journalists who worked for Radio ADN and sports pages of La Tercera and El Mercurio. Mega also broadcast special sports documentaries produced in collaboration with producers tied to ESPN regional productions and local independent filmmakers participating in festivals like Festival Internacional de Cine de Viña del Mar.
Mega has faced criticism over editorial bias and commercial influence, paralleling debates involving El Mercurio SAP and Copesa about concentration of media ownership. Specific controversies involved reportage during the 2019–2020 Chilean protests, programming alleged to stigmatize social movements connected to Movimiento Estudiantil (Chile) and indigenous protests linked to Mapuche conflict, and legal challenges brought before the Consejo Nacional de Televisión (Chile). Talent departures brought public disputes reminiscent of labor tensions seen at Televisión Nacional de Chile and Canal 13 (Chile), while content ratings and watershed policies triggered responses from advocacy groups including Corporación Humanas and media watchdogs collaborating with Amnesty International offices in Chile. Corporate decisions during acquisition phases drew attention from regulatory bodies like the Fiscalía Nacional Económica (Chile).
Mega is owned by Grupo Bethia, a conglomerate with holdings in media, real estate, and finance, and its board has included executives with ties to companies such as Coca-Cola Andina affiliates and regional investment firms like Matías Vial-linked entities. The channel's corporate governance interacts with Chilean regulatory frameworks overseen by the SERNAC in areas touching consumer broadcast promotions and by the Consejo Nacional de Televisión (Chile) for content standards. Mega entered commercial partnerships and content licensing deals with multinational distributors including Warner Bros. Television, Paramount Global, and BBC Studios, and its advertising sales have engaged agencies formerly associated with groups like McCann Erickson and Publicis operating in Chile.
Mega competes for ratings with Televisión Nacional de Chile, Canal 13 (Chile), Chilevisión, and La Red (Chile) in key markets such as Santiago, Chile and regional centers like Concepción and Valparaíso. Audience measurement by firms similar to Kantar IBOPE Media and local measurement panels has tracked Mega's performance across demographics, showing strong primetime performance during local telenovelas and entertainment franchises. Mega's digital strategies sought to capture viewers migrating to streaming platforms run by telecom operators like VTR and Movistar Chile, while social engagement metrics paralleled trends on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among Chilean audiences.
Category:Television networks in Chile Category:Mass media in Santiago de Chile