# RTP (Bolivia)

RTP (abbreviation of Radio Televisión Popular), is a Bolivian free-to-air television channel, based in La Paz. It was launched in 1985 by Carlos Palenque and is owned by Sistema Nacional de Radiodifusión Boliviana (better known as the RTP System).

## History

In 1985, Carlos Palenque, who already had a radio station, founded the channel. The channel was created following the principles of his radio outlet: "Alternative and participative communication, presenting the fact as they happen, community services and programming according to the expectations of the people". Numerous participants spontaneously appeared in front of its cameras to express their needs and daily problems. At the time, the channel broadcast a five-hour schedule still in experimental format, from Mondays to Saturdays.
In June 1988, the government of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement under the command of Víctor Paz Estenssoro, ordered the closure of the Metropolitana radio station and the RTP channel due to an interview with drug trafficker and self-proclaimed "king of cocaine" Roberto Suárez Gómez (who had a stance against the Bolivian government), which involved Paz Estenssoro. The State considered that the interview was an apology for crime and a lack of respect for the president.
The closure was rejected by press organizations. The crowd that caused the event not only forced the reopening of both stations, but also led to the founding of Condepa.
Everything continued with the purchase of RTP by ATB and La Razón.
Following the profits received from Televisa productions, the Garafulic Group bought 30% (later increased to 50%) of the shares and transferred all the remaining programming to RTP and Bolivision . Thus having Garafulic as the total owner, until the bankruptcy of Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, which led to the PRISA Group taking all the properties of the Garafulic Group.
In 2008, the channel started over-the-air broadcasts in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, being also available on cable company ITS; in January 2014, the channel was added to COTAS.
Originally, the son of Carlos Palenque and Mónica Medina knew the channel since he was 14 years old, it was not until 2014, where after assuming the direction of La Doble 8 (a radio station of La Paz origin, also owned by the channel), he took over the RTP directive. Rumors emerged of a possible sale, which were denied by its administration.
Its first changes were to stop broadcasting telenovelas that were previously broadcast on other networks such as Pantanal, distance itself from talk shows (common on most channels) and broadcast several films (mostly from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon from Paramount Global's. with its long-standing partner, ATB). The channel also managed to produce its own series, mostly identified as Documentales RTP (the most notable being, Busch, Two Shots at Dawn), or also several national series. It maintained several programs such as La Tribuna Libre del Pueblo or La Wislla Popular, but it also brought other programs, which were mostly broadcast on Bolivia TV.
While the reality talent show Bailando por un Sueño was broadcast on Red Uno, Jorge Luis Palenque criticized the channel, the program and stated that it was garbage television (telebasura), compared to RTP programming. He said that the program also objectified women, due to the controversial nature of the program.
After several attempts to launch its signal in HD, the ATT (the Bolivian Telecommunications and Transportation Authority) authorized Radiodifusoras Populares SA (the channel's corporate name) to operate in high definition, according to D.S. 3152. Although the license applies to the runk axis (La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz), the signal only operates in La Paz, as it only has one VHF signal.
Between 2017 and 2019, RTP received 42.5 million bolivianos in government propaganda.
RTP presented its new logo in 2021, and with this, it gradually renewed its programming.
In 2023, RTP made radical changes, withdrawing Cinemundo (a magazine program of cinematographic origin, similar to Cinescape and which moved from Red Uno) and Axesso (a musical program dedicated to rock, previously broadcast on Bolivia TV) and replacing them with more movies from Paramount as well as a new reality show, Lucha de Caseritas (hosted by former Sipiripi host, Rayssa Arias).
In 2024, it completely loses the rights to Paramount Pictures films, with Red Uno being the only channel with an agreement with Paramount Global (broadcasting Nickelodeon series).

## Network

Stations given to Radiodifusoras Populares S.A. :
| Location | Channel | Status |
| Trinidad | 21 | Relayer |
| Sucre | 11 | Transmitting station |
| Cochabamba | 18 | Relayer |
| Bolinda | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Bolinda | 6 | Relayer |
| Caranaví | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Caranaví | 6 | Relayer |
| Cerro Muruata | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Cerro Muruata | 6 | Relayer |
| Chulumaní-Huancane | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Chulumaní-Huancane | 6 | Relayer |
| Coripata | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Coripata | 6 | Relayer |
| Coroico | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Coroico | 6 | Relayer |
| La Paz | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Luribay | 4 | Relayer |
| Luribay | 63 | Transmitting station |
| Pilón | 4 | Relayer |
| Pilón | 6 | Transmitting station |
| Tipuani | 4 | Relayer |
| Tipuani | 6 | Transmitting station |
| Tres Arroyos | 3 | Transmitting station |
| Tres Arroyos | 6 | Relayer |
| Cerro Negro Pabellón | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Cerro Negro Pabellón | 63 | Relayer |
| Oruro | 4 | Transmitting station |
| Cobija | 39 | Relayer |
| Cerro Malmisa | 4 | Relayer |
| Cerro Malmisa | 63 | Transmitting station |
| Potosí | 4 | Relayer |
| Potosí | 63 | Transmitting station |
| Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 47 | Transmitting station |
| Tarija | 5 | Relayer |
| Tarija | 15 | Transmitting station |

## Programming

* La Tribuna Libre del Pueblo
* Taypi
* RTP Informa
* Noticiero Popular
* La Wislla Popular
* El Equipo Deportivo
* Los Principales
* Gustito Boliviano
* QD Show
* Fuego Cruzado
* Haciendo Historia
* Domingueando
* Cinemundo
* Tu Top
* Fiebre de Finde
* Lucha de Caseritas
* Claroscuro
* El Telepolicial
* Ritmo Popular
* ABC de la medicina
* No Mentiras
* RTP Mundo
* Sabado Estelar
* No Top
* Las Tardes con Rodrigo Zelaya
* Desacuerdo
* Kausay Pacha
* Reporte Rural

## Staff
### Current

* Jorge Luis Palenque
* Ángel Careaga
* Valeria Gonzáles
* Pepe Murillo
* Inés Quispe
* Eduardo Godoy
* Irguen Pastén
* Sofía Aracena
* Álvaro Funes
* Marco Tarifa

### Former

* Carlos Palenque
* Adolfo Paco
* Edgar Pato Patiño
* Mónica Medina
* Remedios Loza
* Perico Perez

### Channel announcer

* Dieter Rocha (since 2016)