Mega (Chilean TV network) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Mega
Programming
"Se siente bien"
Country	Chile
Language(s)	Spanish
Picture format	1080i HDTV
Ownership
Owner	Mega Media (Bethia)
History
Launched	23 October 1990
Former names	Megavisión (1990–2001)
Availability

Terrestrial
Digital VHF	Listings may vary

Mega is a TV channel from Chile. It's a free-to-air channel, meaning you don't need to pay to watch it. It is owned by a company called Mega Media.

Mega started broadcasting on 23 October 1990. It was the very first private TV channel in Chile. It took over channel 9 in Santiago, which used to be Señal 2 from Televisión Nacional de Chile. Mega is also part of important TV groups like the Asociación Nacional de Televisión.

History of Mega TV
- Starting the Channel (1990–1992)
- Growing in the 1990s (1993–1999)
Popular Programs
Channel Slogans
Logos
See also

History of Mega TV

Starting the Channel (1990–1992)

A camera used by Megavisión in its early years.

Mega began its journey on the night of 23 October 1990. First, they showed a sneak peek of their programs. Then, they aired the movie Oliver. The new TV studios were opened in Santiago. The President of Chile, Patricio Aylwin, was there for the opening.

Official broadcasts started the next day at 1:00 p.m. At first, you could only watch Mega in the Metropolitan Region and Valparaíso. The first news show, Meganoticias, was hosted by Susana Horno.

When Mega first started, not many people watched it. But things changed when they began showing telenovelas (soap operas) from Televisa. They also got the rights to broadcast important soccer games. These included the Chilean National Tournament and the Copa Libertadores.

Mega quickly grew its reach across Chile. By 1991, the channel was available in many cities. These included Talca, Concepción, and Temuco. By the end of that year, over 85% of Chile could watch Mega.

Growing in the 1990s (1993–1999)

In 1991, a big Mexican TV company, Televisa, bought 49% of Mega. This meant they could work together on shows. For example, they co-produced Siempre en Domingo. Later, Televisa's share in Mega went down. By 1999, the Claro Group owned the channel completely again.

In March 1992, new shows joined Mega's lineup. These included Happening con ja and Accompáñeme. The Peruvian children's show Nubeluz also became very popular in the mornings.

In 1993, Mega and Televisa won the right to broadcast the Viña del Mar International Song Festival. This was a very famous music festival. The host, Antonio Vodanovic, moved to Mega to present it. That year, Mega also showed the Copa América soccer tournament.

The 1994 Viña Festival was the first with Televisa's help. Televisa helped bring famous artists like Plácido Domingo. Mega also broadcast the IMSA GT Championship car races. During this time, Mega became one of the top three channels in Chile.

In 1995, Mega kept the rights to show the Spanish soccer league. This was a big deal because Chilean star Iván Zamorano played for Real Madrid. Mega also broadcast the IndyCar Series races.

Mega launched its website during the 1996 Viña del Mar Festival. You could watch the event live online! This was done with MCL Internet, an early internet provider in Chile. Mega also won the rights to broadcast the Viña Festival again until 1999.

The channel also started a new company for making soap operas. It was called Área Dramática. In 1996, Mega broadcast the 1996 Summer Olympics for the first time. They also showed games from the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.

For kids, Mega started showing the original Dragon Ball in 1997. It was a huge hit! Because it was so popular, they also aired Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT.

Mega's first soap opera, Rossabella, started on 10 March 1997. It did well in the afternoon. However, another soap opera, Santiago City, was not as successful. In 1998, A Todo Dar was very popular. But the channel decided to stop making new soap operas for a while. The drama department closed at the end of 1999.