SIC (Portuguese TV channel)

The first version of SIC's logo, used until 6 October 1997.

The company was first registered in 1987, with Granada Television initially holding a 20% interest, with the rest being owned by Impala, Expresso and Projornal. Brazilian television channel Rede Globo later took over Granada's interest after the latter left the company.

The channel initially (until January 2019) broadcast from converted studios in Carnaxide. In 1992, SIC was owned by a consortium led by Francisco Pinto Balsemão, backed by Controljornal, TSF, Rádio Comercial, Lusomundo, Expresso, Impala Editores and Globo.

On October 1, 1992 (mere days after starting its signal at least in Lisbon), SIC held its first experimental broadcast. During a five day period, the channel broadcast an international soccer match, a rock concert, two made-for-TV movies and a debate about Maastricht at Associação Comercial de Lisboa.[1]

Regular transmissions began on 6 October 1992, becoming the first Portuguese private television channel.[2]

In its initial years, it acquired a large audience, eventually overtaking RTP1 by 1995. SIC became widely known across Europe for achieving high viewing figures just two to three years after launching, as well as being the subject of an Arte documentary known as Cette Télévision est la Vôtre (This Television is Yours), directed by Mariana Otero.

In 2005, TVI, after recovering from a financial crisis, overtook SIC in the ratings. Aside from RTP1 taking over second place in 2007, 2009 and 2010, for the next fourteen years, SIC would be in second place until overtaking TVI in 2019.

In 2011, Impresa opened SIC's new Porto studios in Matosinhos, on the site of a former slaughterhouse. The studios also holds the newsrooms of Expresso, Visão, the Caras magazine, the web portal AEIOU.pt and Infoportugal. In 2019, SIC, along with its parent company Impresa, relocated from its studios in Carnaxide to a new building in Paço de Arcos.

Nowadays, SIC has a programming largely based on talk shows, Brazilian soap operas produced by Globo, Portuguese soaps, game shows and sketch shows. Like the other major broadcaster, TVI, SIC airs international TV series such as Criminal Minds, the various CSI series and Entourage always after 1 a.m. SIC also relies largely on Globo productions, due to an exclusivity contract which obligates SIC to broadcast every soap opera produced. In-house productions include occasional reality shows and comedy sketch shows, which include Malucos do Riso, a long-running series with focus on dramatized jokes, and Gato Fedorento.

• Official site (in Portuguese)
• Behind the scenes of SIC's first day on air
• Impresa
• TSF Rádio Notícias
• Rádio Cidade (Amadora)
• Theme song, using Globo's IDs from the 80s and early 90s, used at the start and end of broadcasts