CNN licenses its name for a new country to start a news channel

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CNN has agreed to license its name to a Brazilian company owned by journalist Douglas Tavolaro and entrepreneur Rubens Menin.

  • The network, which will be known locally as “CNN Brasil” (or “CNN Brazil” in English), doesn’t have a set launch date yet.
  • The deal reportedly calls for the 24/7 news channel to use content from CNN International.
  • The network is expected to broadcast in Portuguese.
  • Tavolaro currently works as vice president of news at Grupo Record, the country’s second largest TV network in the country.
  • Menin, meanwhile, made his fortune by founding MRV Engenharia, the largest construction company in Brazil.
  • The new entity is expected to employ up to 400 journalists.
  • CNN already reaches the Brazil market through its Spanish language CNN en Español, but the new CNN Brasil effort will be in Portuguese, which is the country’s official language.
  • CNN also runs a Portuguese focused section of its website.
  • CNN has also licensed its “CNN Money” brand to CNNMoney Switzerland, an independently owned and operated channel in that country.
  • At the time, CNN announced plans to license the CNN Money brand globally, although with its shift to the “CNN Business” brand, it’s not clear which name will be used going forward.
  • As of January 2019, the Switzerland channel still uses the “Money” branding.