TVI 24 was on TVI's drawing board for several years but plans for its official launch officially commenced in 2008. It was initially expected to launch on February 20, 2009, TVI's anniversary, but weeks before the launch, in late January, it was postponed to February 26 due to the change of the viewer's profile due to the Carnaval holidays, as the projected launch date was on the previous Friday.[2] The network was assigned channel 7 on most pay television lineups.
In 2011, José Alberto Carvalho became director of the channel and also TVI's overall news director. TVI24 received a refresh on January 9, 2012, where it became more competitive with its direct competitors and affirmed itself as the largest multimedia news channel in Portugal.
With the change, all news blocks on the channel were rebranded as Notícias 24, except for programs like Discurso Direto, SOS24, 21ª Hora, 25ª Hora and 2ª Hora, where in addition to news updates there are discussion, interactivity and analysis components. Between 2015 and 2019, the 21ª Hora is the main program of the channel. Filling in this place currently is another generic Notícias 24 bulletin. On weekdays, after SOS24, the journalists Ana Sofia Cardoso, José Alberto Carvalho and Judite Sousa take turns presenting bulletins.
From 20 February 2017, the network's news programming was broadcast from a refreshed TVI news studio.
The channel introduced a new look and new formats on 26 February 2021, 12 years after its launch.[3]
As CNN Portugal
On 24 May 2021, it was announced that Media Capital signed a memorandum of understanding for a licensing agreement with CNN and as a result, TVI 24 would be rebranded as CNN Portugal.[4] The rebrand commenced on 22 November 2021 at 21:00 GMT.[5]
Programming
Novo Dia
CNN Hoje
CNN Meio Dia
CNN Prime Time
Agora CNN
CNN Fim de Tarde
CNN Desporto
Jornal da CNN
CNN Sábado
CNN Domingo
Ratings
In March 2022, CNN Portugal was the most-watched paid channel - and the 4th most watched channel, in general - in Portugal, with a share of 4.7%. CNN Portugal dethroned crime and sensationalist news/generalist channel CMTV[6] - which had been leading among paid channels for 62 months -, but CMTV got the lead again in the following month of April.[7]