Rede Globo

Rede Globo is Brazil's dominant television network, it reaches nearly every corner of the country and sets the cultural agenda. The evening novelas are the main event for most viewers; they're glossy, high-production melodramas that dictate water-cooler conversation the next day. Jornal Nacional, the nightly news at 8:20, is polished and sober, but it's also extremely establishment. Critics say it gives too much deference to political power. Light morning programming blends lifestyle segments with celebrity gossip; Saturday nights pull out all the stops with variety shows that mix musical performances and comedy sketches. You won't find gritty documentaries or alternative voices here. That's not Globo's job. It's a network that knows its audience, middle-class, mainstream, national. For anyone wanting to understand Brazil through its most-watched screen, Rede Globo live is the place to start. The production values are consistently high, the acting in novelas is often superb, and the programming cycle feels as regular as clockwork. To watch Rede Globo online is to plug into the heart of Brazil's pop culture. General tv Brazil doesn't get more influential than this.