It was part of Emissoras Unidas, having led the homonymous network together with TV Record in São Paulo between 1959 and 1967, in addition to having pioneered the massive use of videotape in programming and long-distance microwave transmissions.

However, with the consolidation and professionalization of its competitors, who invested in national television network projects that were left behind by TV Rio, the station began to suffer financial problems.

The partnership resulted in, at the time, the first color TV broadcast in Brazil, with coverage, in March 1972, at the Grape Festival, straight from Caxias do Sul (RS).

Today, famous names were part of the broadcaster's cast of artists, such as Chacrinha, Norma Benguell, Moacyr Franco, Dercy Gonçalves, Consuelo Leandro, Ronald Golias, Flávio Cavalcanti and Chico Anysio.

He brought famous stars from the revue theater scene, such as Carmem Verônica, Dorinha Duval and Virgínia Lane, who performed in the programs Show Praça Onze and Noites Cariocas, set to music by João Roberto Kelly.

Among them, Rita Pavone, Trini Lopez, Connie Francis, Gigliola Cinquetti, Sergio Endrigo, Brenda Lee, The Platters, Chris Montez, Tom Jones, among others.

It was also TV Rio that was responsible for the first broadcast in Brazil, in 1964, of the Japanese series National Kid, considered the biggest children's success on television in the 1960s.

[3] Other prominent series debuted on TV Rio, such as The Untouchables, Bat Masterson, The Addams Family, Sea Hunt, James West and The Outer Limits.

In 1963, the Grande Teatro Murray program, directed by Sérgio Britto, achieved good repercussion, where texts by renowned authors of universal literature were represented.

This fact resulted in the dismissal of the management of TV Tupi in Rio de Janeiro, who had rejected the telenovela because they thought it would not have an audience, as it had already been presented on the radio a few years earlier.

[10] TV Rio also broadcast the International Formula 1 Trophy to the SBC stations, directly from Silverstone, England, preceding the European season of the category.

[5] This is because all transactions involving TV Rio were carried out without any authorization from the government, which led the Broadcasting Workers Union to request action through the Ministry of Communications.

[13] A journalist said that the real estate group Letra wanted to buy the station, which formed a line of bailiffs to collect debts — the deal ended up being undone before it started.

To return to the air, a group of presenters and producers calling themselves the "financial committee" took money out of their own pockets to solve part of the station's problems.

[5] The VHF channel 13 concession was again granted in 1983 to the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Niterói, Nilson Fanini, who tried to recreate TV Rio from June 1, 1988.