Giuliana Napolitano
São Paulo – The first Brazilian tourism channel is expected to go on air in September. Travel News Network (TNN) is a project by Mixer, a production company owned by award winning businessman João Daniel Tikhomiroff, and his famous partner, filmmaker Carlos Diegues, who directed films like "God is Brazilian", "Orfeu", among others. The company has offices in São Paulo. In the first months, the programs will be aired in Brazil and in Latin America, and "in future" the idea is to transmit to Europe, Asia, and the Arab countries, informed Mixer general director for the project, Paulo Ricci.
"We have already started talks with Japan and are interested in establishing partnerships with the Arab world," informed Ricci. "We want to show the good things in Brazil," he added. According to him, around 70% of the programming on the television channel will be about Brazil. The rest will be divided between Latin America, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
A team of almost 100 people is working on the channel. "We have eight teams recording, and already have a lot of material ready," informed the executive. What is missing is closing transmission contracts. The channel will be transmitted by cable television, but no proposal has yet been formalized. Ricci stated that his intention is to have Mixer transmitting "on all networks, as we do not want to create an exclusive channel." "In reality, we wanted an open channel, but it was not possible," he added.
Other negotiation is under way with the federal government. "Nothing has been closed yet, but we are after government support. The interest is natural," explained Ricci, recalling the Tourism ministry plan of more than doubling the domestic and international tourist flow. According to him, "initial" investment by Mixer in establishing the TNN infrastructure and running the first programs was US$ 12 million.
Site: support
According to the director, the idea to release TNN "came when it was noticed that there was no Brazilian tourism channel." "There is only a program now and then," he commented. "Another reason was the desire to publicise information about the country, about the culture, traditions, and the way of life of Brazilians, which is so discussed, but little known," he declared.
The programming, added Ricci, will include news about tourism, places to visit, and "very much information". "We will explain how to get to the place, what the infrastructure is, etc., things that many programs do not mention," he affirmed. Supporting the channel, Mixer is also gong to create a site (www.tnntv.com), to bring together the main data shown on the channel.
Ricci pointed out, however, that although the channel is produced in Brazil, it is not only for Brazilians. "We will have international programming. In international transmissions, for example, the content will be turned to local populations, and not to the Brazilian community in those countries," he explained. For that, transmission will also be in various languages: Portuguese for Brazil; Spanish for Latin America; and English when the USA or Great Britain are included, and so on.
Mixer
Mixer was born after two companies joined forces: advertisement producer Jodaf, winner of 40 Lions at the Cannes Festival, and Radar TV, which develops content for television channels and has large customers such as Brazilian channels GNT and Bandeirantes, and international Disney and AXN.
Contact
Mixer
www.mixer.com.br
