{"id":473594,"date":"2025-06-30T21:28:31","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T01:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/dominican-republic-radio-television-rtvd-history-evolution-and-current-state-of-dominican-public-television\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T22:10:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T02:10:35","slug":"dominican-republic-radio-television-rtvd-history-evolution-and-current-state-of-dominican-public-television","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/entertainment\/television\/dominican-republic-radio-television-rtvd-history-evolution-and-current-state-of-dominican-public-television\/","title":{"rendered":"Dominican Republic Radio Television (RTVD): history, evolution and current state of Dominican public television"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Radio Televisi\u00f3n Dominicana (RTVD)<\/strong>, formerly known as La Voz Dominicana<\/strong> and later as Corporaci\u00f3n Estatal de Radio y Televisi\u00f3n (CERTV)<\/strong>, is the first television station in the Dominican Republic<\/a> and the third to be founded in Latin America. Since its launch in 1952, it has played a key role in the media history of the country, serving as a platform for information, culture, education, and entertainment, while also reflecting the political and social processes that the nation has experienced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Origins: From La Voz de Yuna to La Voz Dominicana<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\nRTVD has its roots in radio. It was founded on August 1, 1942<\/strong> in the municipality of Bonao under the name La Voz de Yuna<\/strong>, by initiative of Jos\u00e9 Arismendy Trujillo Molina<\/strong>, known as Pet\u00e1n<\/em>, brother of the dictator Rafael Le\u00f3nidas Trujillo. In 1946, it was moved to Santo Domingo<\/strong><\/a>, consolidating as the most influential station in the country at that time.\n\nWith technological advancement and the regime’s interest in total control of the media, August 1, 1952<\/strong> becomes a national milestone: La Voz de Yuna<\/strong> transforms into La Voz Dominicana<\/strong>, the first television station in Dominican Republic<\/a><\/strong> and the third in Latin America<\/strong>, after Mexico and Cuba.\n\nThis innovative broadcaster was a hybrid between radio and television, transmitting up to six hours daily of live programming<\/strong>. Its content combined shows, news, live music, and also political propaganda in favor of the Trujillo regime. Among its first productions, the series Romance Campesino<\/strong> stands out, a pioneer in the teletheater format in the country.\n\n\n

Later stages and institutional transformations<\/strong> of RTVD<\/h2>\n\n\nAfter Trujillo’s execution in 1961 and the collapse of his regime, the station began to change its identity to distance itself from its propagandistic image. In 1963<\/strong>, it adopted the name Radio Santo Domingo Televisi\u00f3n<\/strong>. For a brief period it was also known as Palacio Televisor<\/strong>, reflecting the institutional instability of the time.\n\nIt was in the 1970s<\/strong> when the name Radio Televisi\u00f3n Dominicana (RTVD)<\/strong> was consolidated, which would prevail for several decades as the official signal of the Dominican State.\n\nOne of the relevant moments of this stage was the management of the renowned filmmaker Agliberto Mel\u00e9ndez<\/strong> between 1983 and 1984<\/strong>, who later became the first Dominican director to produce a feature film: Un pasaje de ida<\/em> (1988).\n\nIn 1996<\/strong>, national frequencies were unified under channel 4, and RTVD began to be known as Canal 4 RD<\/strong>, expanding its coverage to the entire national territory.\n\n\n

CERTV: New Institutional Structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\nOn July 29, 2003<\/strong>, through Decree No. 212-03<\/strong>, the channel was reorganized as a public entity with its own legal personality under the name Corporaci\u00f3n Estatal de Radio y Televisi\u00f3n (CERTV)<\/strong>. This transformation allowed it to be sustained both by the state budget and by income generated by sponsorships, content production, and alliances with the private sector.\n\n\n
\"EDIFICIO<\/figure>\n\n\nIn 2016<\/strong>, the channel was renamed 4RD<\/strong>, although the governing entity still retains the institutional name CERTV<\/strong>. This duality reflects the brand strategy: an institutional face and another closer to the general public.\n\nIn 2023<\/strong>, RTVD was designated as the official channel in the Dominican Republic for the broadcast of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games<\/strong>, strengthening its role as a state media committed to the dissemination of international sporting events.\n\n\n

Functions and Legal Framework<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Law 134-03<\/strong>, which regulates the State Corporation of Radio and Television, establishes that its main mission is to manage and execute public telecommunications<\/strong> for the transmission of content by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n