The first television broadcast in Colombia occurred on Sunday, June 13, 1954. That day, there was an inaugural program that included a speech by then-president Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, as well as news, classical music, musical humor and the adaptation of a story called The Swamp Boy by the writer Bernardo Romero Lozano.
This Thursday the 13th commemorates seven decades of the arrival of a medium that has marked Colombian society for several generations. Since then, the history of television in Colombia has been made up of different milestones, such as the first major series, Me and youfrom the National Television of Colombia, created, produced and starring Alicia del Carpio, launched in 1956 and aired for 20 years.
In the 60s, the first soap operas were produced, such as In the name of love and 0597 is busy; in 1979 color television arrived; In 1976, regional channels were created and in 1998, private channels: Caracol and RCN.
I am Betty, la fea is recognized as the most successful soap opera in the world
FICTION FOR THE WORLD
Colombian television has been characterized during these 70 years by its ability to reflect its time, with contemporary stories of its time, varied, diverse, with women who overthrew the myth of Cinderella and with high doses of comedy.
Colombian fiction has reached all corners of the world, since before platforms globalized content, and this is how some of the most successful soap operas and series in history have been born in this country, such as I am Betty the Ugly one, Peter the Scaly, Passion of Hawks, Coffee with the aroma of a woman, Escobar the patron of evil either The boss
More recentlyand with the arrival of streamingthe panorama for Colombian television has increased in terms of its ability to captivate with its stories and series such as The queen of flow, I sing so as not to cry, Arelys Henao, Pálpito, The first time or recently Hijacking of Flight 601 They have led the lists of the most viewed in the world.
El Desafío has been on Colombian television for 20 years
BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT FORMATS AND REALITIES
In non-fiction programs, Colombia has also stood out with productions that, thanks to their quality and ability to connect with the viewer, have been maintained for decades.
A clear example is Happy Saturdayswhich has been on the air for 52 years, making it the longest-running comedy program in the history of world television.
He reality show The Challenge It is also one of the oldest formats of its type, and in 2024 it celebrated 20 years on the air, with high audience ratings.
FUTURE CHALLENGES
In the midst of the panorama of the digital era, the challenges for Colombian TV are not limited to the creation of attractive and relevant content, but also to achieve a 360 presence, which covers analog and digital screens, which to attract and maintain the youngest audiences, without letting go of the most faithful.
Likewise, in the midst of the global economic situation, Colombian television may have a great opportunity to continue growing and standing out, since it has been characterized by making great productions without the need for very high budgets. However, at this point it is vital to continue professionalizing your teams, so that they continue to be on par with their colleagues in the world.
From its humble beginnings to its current position on the global scene, television in Colombia has been a fundamental pillar of society. With its rich history and many talents within its territory, the country’s audiovisual industry continues to forge its path to continue standing out with its productions.
