Teleislas
| Type | Free-to-air television network |
|---|---|
| Country | Colombia |
| Broadcast area | San Andrés and Providencia Nationwide (cable and satellite) |
| Headquarters | San Andrés |
| Programming | |
| Languages | Spanish English San Andrés Creole |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| History | |
| Founded | July 10, 1973 (Simón Bolívar station owned by Inravisión) 1997 (Channel Seven) 2004 (Teleislas) |
| Founder | Inravisión |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Analog VHF/UHF | Listings may vary |
Teleislas is a Colombian regional public television channel, with headquarters in the island of San Andrés and covering San Andrés and Providencia, located in the Caribbean. The station launched in 1973 as an independent Inravisión station, older even than Teleantioquia, later it became an independent channel (Channel Seven) before becoming its current form in 2004. Its programming is general, and broadcasts in Spanish, English and San Andrés Creole.
History
The station started broadcasting in on June 10, 1973,[a] as Estación Autónoma Simón Bolívar, set up by Inravisión, which had its own studios and editing suite. It was set up at the initiative of Inravisión president Misael Pastrana Borrero.[3] Its output was a mix of national programs seen on two of the mainland channels (Cadena 1 and Cadena 2),[3] as well as local productions such as Searchlight and Creole Show.[1] The station was also used as a testing ground for future innovations on national television: it broadcast the 1978 FIFA World Cup final while mainlanders still saw it in black and white, which was also the station's first satellite broadcast. Local programming was done with a limited budget.[2]
In 1984, a formal proposal to create Teleislas was proposed and accepted. By 1987, there were more local programs on air, adopting the name "Channel Seven" in popular jargon. This arrangement lasted until 1991, when the autonomous station ceased operating and was replaced by a composite relay of Cadena Uno and Cadena Dos (later Canal A)[1] delivered using microwave.[4] This composite feed ended in 1995, when Inravisión started delivering satellite feeds of its three channels (now also enabling relays of Canal 3), as well as installing transmitters for their respective relays.[5] In 1997, an independent Teleislas entity was created, whereas full regional programming resumed in 2004, for six hours a day.[1] In January 2005, the station was not available in Providencia, as the National Television Council was still pending approval for a television transmitter there.[6]
On April 14, 2005, a group protested at Channel Seven/Teleislas's facilities, demanding more local programs regarding their culture, and the sacking of Katherine Méndez de Ávila, on the grounds that she didn't speak English.[7] In the late 2000s, its productions were seen abroad on Región Colombia Internacional.[8]
In July 2015, Teleislas started digital terrestrial television broadcasts.[9]
In September 2023, the station's new headquarters at San Andrés were announced, costing COP$14,500, with an additional COP$10,000 in technological upgrades.[10] The ICT Ministry announced on August 1, 2025, that it would initiate a public contest to select Raizal artwork for use in the station's new facilities.[11]
Raizal TV
Raizal TV is a side channel created by Teleislas on July 8, 2022, broadcasting on LCN 108 or 109, depending on the area of coverage. Initially, the channel did not afford a 24-hour schedule; as of 2025, its line-up consisted of Teleislas programs for 30% of the schedule, while the rest consisted of relays of CaribVision, a pan-Caribbean television network. The channel broadcasts entirely in San Andrés Creole (some Teleislas programs) and English.[12]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d "Las miradas regionales en la TV: Teleislas". Señal Memoria. August 12, 2024. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ a b "Televisión en San Andrés cumplió 40 años al aire". El Isleño. July 21, 2014. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ a b "Integración nacional y pluralismo cultural en la radio y la televisión de San Andrés Isla: la configuración histórica del campo periodístico". OpenEdition. 2004. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ García, Ana Patricia (2012). "Televisión en Colombia: surgimiento de los canales regionales" (PDF). Revista Luciérnaga (in Spanish). Vol. 4, no. 7. Medellín: Politécnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid. pp. 23–25. ISSN 2027-1557. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ "SAMPER INAUGURA TV POR SATÉLITE EN SAN ANDRÉS". El Tiempo. May 27, 1995. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "PROVIDENCIA ESPERA SEÑAL DE TV". El Tiempo. January 25, 2005. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "SANANDRESANOS ROMPEN VIDRIOS PARA PEDIR MÁS CULTURA EN CANAL REGIONAL". El Tiempo. April 16, 2005. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Nace canal internacional para difundir programación regional en el exterior". Radio Caracol. November 21, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Televisión en San Andrés cumplió 40 años al aire". El Tiempo. December 10, 2015. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "MinTic entregó lote en San Andrés para construir sede del canal regional Teleislas". Radio Nacional de Colombia. September 25, 2023. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "La nueva sede de Teleislas se viste de identidad raizal: ¡vote por la obra que marcará su fachada!". Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones. August 1, 2025. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Raizal TV: herramienta contra la "homogeneización cultural"". El Isleño. May 2, 2025. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.