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69 channels
Costa Rican television is a compact but diverse market shaped by its small population and stable democracy. Unlike its Central American neighbors, the country has a strong public broadcasting tradition through Channel 13 (SINART), which produces culturally focused content, news, and educational programming alongside private giants Teletica and Repretel. These two private networks dominate ratings with a diet of Latin American telenovelas, local reality shows, and talk programs that follow the familiar rhythms of afternoon and primetime slots. One distinct feature is the outsized presence of religious channels, evangelical and Catholic networks make up a significant chunk of the 75 available feeds, reflecting the country's deep religiosity. Sports coverage centers on football (soccer), especially the domestic league and Costa Rica's national team, but cycling, boxing, and baseball also get airtime. Music channels are plentiful, playing everything from reggaeton and salsa to local folk genres like tambito and punto guanacasteco. All imported programming is dubbed into Spanish with a neutral Latin American accent; subtitling is rare outside of select film channels. Costa Rica's news media is notably professional and less overtly partisan than in other parts of the region, though tabloid-style coverage of crime scandals appears on some evening bulletins. Primetime generally kicks off around 19:00, with telenovelas and news leading into variety shows later in the evening. For a small market, Costa Rican TV manages a surprising variety, from state-produced documentaries to round-the-clock gospel sermons, making it a microcosm of Latin American broadcasting's different streams compressed into one country.