Guinea-Bissau Television
Guinea-Bissau Television (Televisão da Guiné-Bissau, TGB) is the state TV of Guinea-Bissau. It is based in the capital, Bissau. The main transmitter is in Nhacra, with additional relay towers in Gabu (east) and Catió (south) to reach more viewers.
History in brief
- In the 1980s a Portuguese company won the public tender to build a TV network. Test broadcasting began in October 1987, and the official launch followed in November 1989.
- The station started as Televisão Experimental da Guiné-Bissau (TEGB) with a partnership with Portuguese broadcaster RTP (now RTP). When it began, TV in Guinea-Bissau ran about four and a half hours daily, with half local and half foreign programs. Brazilian and Portuguese soap operas were popular, and the 9pm news used local and RTP material. Sesame Street from Portugal was also shown.
- The studio building opened in 1990. TEGB’s first broadcast included an interview between Portuguese leader Cavaco Silva and Guinea-Bissau’s Nino Vieira. TEGB also aired the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
- In 1995 the station was renamed Rádio e Televisão da Guiné-Bissau (RTGB). During Guinea-Bissau’s civil war in 1998–99, RTGB survived but faced financial problems after Vieira fell from power in 1999.
- In 2003 the station was renamed Televisão da Guiné-Bissau (TGB); the radio arm became a separate company, Radiodifusão Nacional da Guiné-Bissau (RNGB).
- In 2006 TGB bought rights to broadcast 64 World Cup matches from Germany, the first time a Bissau-Guinean media company had World Cup rights. The price was about $16,000. Until 2006 the channel usually aired only four hours of programming daily; on November 15, 2006, it extended to 12 hours, starting at 10am.
- In 2011 a coup led to the replacement of TGB’s director by journalist Francelino Cunha. In 2014 TGB began broadcasting on the Canal+ Afrique satellite channel, encrypted. On October 1, 2021, the signal became free-to-air, making it easier for people abroad to watch.
- TGB has worked toward digital television and partnered with UNICEF in 2018, receiving funding and equipment (a donated camera) as part of a CFA 17 million project.
Recent events
- On December 4, 2023, the military occupied the station for a short period, suspending the signal and causing the director to leave the premises. Regular broadcasts resumed the next day, with music programming initially.
About the channel
- Ownership: Government of Guinea-Bissau
- Type: State television
- Coverage: National, with a focus on the Bissau region and accessible areas through its relay towers
- Notable past issues: Censorship has been a long-standing challenge; reforms occurred in 2017, but tensions with staff have led to strikes over pay and subsidies in the past.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:59 (CET).