Bandeirantes: Based in São Paulo, through flagship TV Bandeirantes São Paulo channel 13. Founded in May 13th, 1967. The network has 18 owned stations in major markets and country spots and some 60 affiliates. It is the only network in the world that goes by a nickname: "Band".

TV Globo : Founded in April 25th, 1965, with the launch of it's flagship station TV Globo Rio de Janeiro channel 4. It has been Brasil's number one network since late 60's/early 70's, with the tactic of relying basically in news and soap operas. It was appointed in the Guiness Book of 2005 as the world's largest soap opera producer. Also aired Brasil's first network news program in real time: Jornal Nacional, in september of 1969. It has been on the air ever since. Produces all of it's shows in house, and has 5 owned and operated stations: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Recife and Brasília (and over 100 affiliates)

Record: First aired in September 23rd, 1953 with it's sole station TV Record channel 7 in São Paulo. It remained that way until it was sold to the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (Universal Church of the Kingdom of God – evangelic church) in 1989. In 1990, Record began to brand itself as a network and bought several stations in major markets to make that come true. Since the mid 90's it has reached number 3 among all networks. In the last couple of years, has reached number 2 and sometimes number 1 in ratings, moving SBT out of the first runner-up spot. The network has 14 owned stations and around 80 affiliates

RedeTV! Launched in 1999 in the place of the former Manchete network (1983 – 1999) that went bankrupt. Rede TV has 5 owned stations: São Paulo (RedeTV! São Paulo channel 9), Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza and Recife and an estimate of 40 affiliates. The network ranks around fourth in overall ratings.

SBT – Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão: Owned by brazilian TV host Silvio Santos. Began it's broadcasts in August 19th, 1981, airing it's own license signing in the Ministry of Communications in Brasília via flagship TVS São Paulo channel 4 and other at-that-exact-moment acquired channels. It is said that SBT is the only network in the world to broadcast it's own birth. At that time, SBT stepped in what once was the place of the defunct Tupi network. That one debuted in 1950 and ended it's operations in 1980 after going bankrupt. Silvio Santos gained licenses to former Tupi channels in São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Rio and Belém. Santos already had a TV station since 1976: TVS Rio de Janeiro channel 11. That one was independent until SBT made the scene in 1981. Many thought that TVS Rio was to be the network head, but Silvio Santos made TVS São Paulo flagship instead. The Rio acquired channel in 1981 was sold. Since that year, SBT is second in ratings but has lost considerable audience share in recent years almost giving away it's silver medal to the Record network. Nowadays, SBT has 8 owned stations: São Paulo, Rio, Brasília, Porto Alegre, Belém, Nova Friburgo, Ribeirão Preto and Jaú. They also have over 90 affiliates.