American news cable channel CNN announced on Monday (14th) that it licensed the brand for a new Brazilian 24-hour news cable channel.

CNN Brazil will be programmed and operated by a new media company, led by journalist Douglas Tavolaro and entrepreneur Rubens Menin. Tavolaro is leaving his position as vice-president for news at Grupo Record, the second largest TV network in Brazil, to helm the new cable channel. Rubens Menin is the founder of MRV Engenharia, the country's largest construction company.

The agreement was established with CNN International Commercial (CNNIC), a Turner division responsible for sales operations of CNN properties outside the US. The licensing deal includes the use of content from CNN International, but there is no information on how long the contract is for.

The channel will be available on cable -- no agreements with providers have been announced so far -- and on digital platforms.

There is no set a date for the channel to start its operations, but the founders say the plan is that for it to happen until the end of the year.

They are expecting to hire 400 people and set up offices in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasília, as well as international correspondents.

It's not CNN's first foray into Portuguese. During the 1990s, the cable channel invested in global editions of its website, with a Portuguese version launched in 1999.
 

^{Translated by NATASHA MADOV}

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