Canal 11 Televisión
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | July 27, 1966 in Caracas, Venezuela |
| Founder | Ricardo Espina, Amable Espina |
| Defunct | May 22, 1968 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and closure |
| Headquarters | Caracas , Venezuela |
Area served | Caracas, Venezuela |
Key people | Amable Espina (director) |
| Products | Television programming, telenovelas, series, live broadcasts, comedy, sports coverage |
Canal 11 Televisión was a Caracas-based television station in Venezuela that operated for a brief period. It commenced broadcasting in July 1966 but was forced to shut down less than two years later due to insolvency.
History
During the 1950s and 1960s, numerous Venezuelan TV channels were launched with support from U.S. corporations, and Canal 11 followed this trend. The channel benefited from partnerships with companies such as Gillette, MGM, and received technical expertise from Screen Gems. Ownership was shared between Screen Gems and Amable Espina. The station’s founders were brothers Ricardo and Amable Espina; the latter also held a directorial position at Radio Caracas Televisión and spearheaded the channel’s formation alongside a skilled professional team.
Canal 11 began its transmissions on July 27, 1966, marking its debut with American model and actress Jayne Mansfield. Its schedule offered a variety of content including series, live broadcasts, comedy segments, and sports coverage. The promotional mascot featured a rabbit entering a rocket. The official opening ceremony occurred on December 1, 1966, at the former Bolívar Films facility, which served as the channel’s broadcast headquarters.
The Espina brothers intended to innovate Venezuelan television by bringing exclusive talent to Canal 11, recruiting performers such as Gina Alvaner, Daniel Farías, Enrique Faillace, Hugo Pimentel, and Bárbara Teyde. Among its significant productions were actress Zoe Ducós’s comeback in "Orgullo De Casta" and the 1967 telenovela "Mi Secreto Me Condena," starring Espartaco Santoni and Liliana Durán.
By mid-1967, financial strains emerged primarily because Canal 11’s transmission was limited to Caracas only. In an effort to manage the crisis, employees temporarily took over operations before the channel was declared bankrupt by Venezuela’s Second Tribunal in the Mercantile Jurisdiction on May 22, 1968. Operations ceased shortly after this ruling.
Since its closure, the Canal 11 frequency has remained vacant. Adjacent channels 10 and 12 were later allocated to Televen and Omnivisión respectively during the late 1980s.
Programming
Canal 11 aired popular American television series such as:
Its local productions included:
- Gran Programa del Millón
- Uge y Juanito, a children’s program hosted by clowns
The station produced four telenovelas:
- Amargo Silencio (1967)
- El Bastardo (1966)
- Mi Secreto Me Condena (1967)
- Secretos de Alcoba (1966), featuring Enrique Faillace