Company:Vrio Corp.

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Vrio Corp.
FormerlyGalaxy Latin America Investments, LLC (1994–2000)[1]
DirecTV Latin America, LLC (2000–2018)
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded1994; 32 years ago (1994)
Headquarters
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
,
United States[citation needed]
ProductsSatellite television
ParentGrupo Werthein
SubsidiariesDirecTV Argentina
DirecTV Chile
DirecTV Colombia
DirecTV Ecuador
DirecTV Peru
DirecTV Uruguay
Sky Brasil
Torneos (65%)

Vrio Corp. (formerly DirecTV Latin America LLC; stylized as Vгio.) is an American-headquartered company that manages the commercial operations of the Latin American branch of DirecTV (mostly known as DirecTV Latin America). It produces TV content and owns several TV channels.[2][3]

As of November 2021, it is owned by Grupo Werthein from Argentina.[4] In 2025, Vrio has become part of Werthein's media and tech holding company Waiken ILW.[5]

History

DirecTV SF6 2-LNB "round" satellite dish in Latin America

In 1994, Hughes Electronics Corporation and Venezuelan media company Grupo Cisneros create a joint venture named Galaxy Latin America, a company intended to distribute DirecTV services in 27 Latin American countries, initially with an offer of 144 channels.[6] In the following years, it enters the Chilean market and then it was launched in Mexico.[7]

In 2000, Galaxy Latin America LLC was renamed as DirecTV Latin America LLC.[1] On December 19, it announced its exclusive rights for both 2002 and 2006 World Cups, valid for Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay.[8] The following year, it announced the creation of a pop-up channel to cover the World Cup in full, with interactive functions, for Chile, Colombia and Uruguay, produced by Venevision International.[9] On September 24, 2001, it launched in Uruguay.[10][11]

In late 2003, now-defunct News Corporation acquired a controlling stake of 34% in Hughes Electronics for US$6 billion, which included a portion of DirecTV Latin America.[12] As News Corp. already had similar operations across Latin America, it was announced a merge in the following year, which consisted on combining DirecTV and Sky operations in the region.[13] Sky México and Sky Brasil absorbed their DirecTV counterparts and their customers, while the Sky brand was defunct in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, as well as other countries, in favor of DirecTV.[13]

In 2005, Grupo Cisneros sold its 14% stake on DirecTV Latin America to The DirecTV Group Inc.[14] DirecTV was later exchanged for shares to Liberty Media in 2008,[15] spun-off into a separate company in 2009[16] and then bought by AT&T in 2015.[17][18]

On January 17, 2016, the Secretary of Environment of Bogotá, sanctioned DirecTV's Colombian subsidiary, Directv Colombia Ltda., with a sum of $118 million for placing advertisement without the proper permission from the city.[19] The company violated Decree 959, published in 2000, that regulates where companies can place public publicity.

On September 15, 2017, Reuters reported that AT&T, the owner of DirecTV's U.S. and Latin American divisions, had hired an advisor to consider offering DirecTV Latin America on the public stock market.[20] The principal motive was cited as the need to reduce the debt load AT&T would assume if it took over Time Warner as planned.[20] Since that date, the U.S. Dept. of Justice filed suit to block that acquisition on antitrust grounds, a trial is scheduled to start on 19 March 2018 before Judge Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and a decision is not expected before June–July. However, even if the deal is blocked, AT&T might dispose of the division as not core to its business.

The initial public offering of the new company called Vrio Corp., which would consist of the Latin America assets of DirecTV, was announced on March 7, 2018.[21] On April 19 of that same year, the IPO was cancelled hours before the new stock was to start trading.[22] The AT&T subsidiary's Vrio branding has been kept since then.

On May 19, 2020, the company ceased operations in Venezuela, due to US sanctions against pro-Maduro TV channels Globovisión and PDVSA TV in 2019. These channels require mandatory transmission imposed by the telecommunications commission of Venezuela, CONATEL, while the US sanctions simultaneously block the transmission of these channels.[23][24]

On July 21, 2021, AT&T Latin America announced that they would sell Vrio to Grupo Werthein, which will include all DirecTV operations in Latin America and SKY Brasil (while keeping the broadband operations in Colombia and their stake at Sky México).[25] The sale was completed on November 16, 2021.[4][26]

Operations by country

Brazil

Main article: Company:SKY Brasil

SKY Brasil operates a subscription television service in Brazil since 1996.[27] It received DirecTV Brazilian customers in 2006.[13]

Chile

The Chilean subsidiary of DirecTV has operated in the country since 1994, but only started distributing DirecTV to customers after getting permission from the government in 1996.[7] It absorbed Sky Chile into its operations in 2006, which had been launched in 1998.[7][13] It signed an agreement with GTD Manquehue to offer full telephone, television, and internet services throughout the country.[28]

In 2012, it made an agreement with Club Deportivo Universidad Católica to carry the brand name DirecTV on their jerseys.[29] In 2014, it made an agreement with Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile and, in 2015, with the association football club Colo-Colo, to also carry the DirecTV logo.[30]

As of 2024, DirecTV had a 18.2% market share in Chile pay TV, according to Subtel.[31]

Mexico

Main article: Company:Sky México

DirecTV used to operate in Mexico, but was merged with Sky México in a 2006 reestructure.[13] Its assets are no longer part of Vrio since the company was sold to Grupo Werthein, in a deal that didn't include Sky México.[4]

Channels

DSports

DSports logo

DSports is a group of sports channels[year needed] that are exclusive to DirecTV subscribers, featuring primarily association football, basketball, cycling and combat sports.

DNews

DNews logo

DNews is a news channel that was launched in 2022, whose programming is based on newscasts and journalistic programs in partnership with other international outlets such as Deutsche Welle, BBC, AFP, Reuters and Europa Press.[32]

On August 4, 2023, DNews would celebrate its first year of existence with an event held at the channels headquarters in Buenos Aires with involvement of high personality participating in the event.[33]

OnDirecTV

OnDirecTV logo

OnDirecTV is a entertainment channel[year needed] that airs series, movies, documentaries, musical events and beauty pageants exclusively for its subscribers.

DGO and Sky+

DGO logo
Sky+ logo

DGO (previously known as DirecTV Go) and Sky+ are over-the-top video streaming services that includes both linear channels and video on demand. The service was launched in 2018 in Argentina, Chile and Colombia. In 2019, the service was expanded to Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, then Mexico and Brazil in 2020.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025} DirecTV satellite subscribers have free access to the service, but Sky Mexico and Sky Brazil subscribers do not. On October 11, 2022, DirecTV Go was rebranded as DGO.[34] On December 6, 2023, DGO was rebranded as Sky+ only in Brazil.[35]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Galaxy LatAm cambia nombre por DirecTV LatAm" (in es). November 11, 2000. https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/galaxy-latam-cambia-nombre-por-directv-latam/. 
  2. ↑ "DirecTV's Latin America Pay-TV Is Booming". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/09/20/directvs-latin-america-pay-tv-is-booming/#497e8cbf4320. 
  3. ↑ "Who we are – Vrio". https://test.vriocorp.com/en/who-we-are/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Grupo Werthein completes the acquisition of Directv Latin America" (in en). November 16, 2021. https://senalnews.com/en/content/grupo-werthein-completes-the-acquisition-of-directv-latin-america. 
  5. ↑ Misculin, Nicolás (November 24, 2025). "Waiken to invest $450 million by 2031 in its Latin America entertainment business". https://www.reuters.com/business/waiken-invest-450-million-by-2031-its-latin-america-entertainment-business-2025-11-24/. 
  6. ↑ Cole, Jeff (March 3, 1995). "Nueva alianza de televisión para América Latina" (in spanish). https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/mam-364873. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Medina, Fernández; Javier, Francisco (2005-01-24). "Perspectivas de desarrollo de un espacio audiovisual en los países del cono sur de américa latina: elementos para un análisis y diagnóstico de la televisión" (in es). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. ISBN 8468922854. https://www.tdx.cat/handle/10803/4185. 
  8. ↑ Izarra, Ríchard (December 19, 2000). "DirecTV adquiere derechos de TV del Mundial de Fútbol 2002 y 2006" (in es). https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/directv-adquiere-derechos-de-tv-del-mundial-de-futbol-2002-y-2006/. 
  9. ↑ Ramos-Weiner, Maribel (July 31, 2001). "VVI con derechos del Mundial 2002 en Chile, Colombia y Uruguay" (in es). https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/vvi-con-derechos-del-mundial-2002-en-chile-colombia-y-uruguay/. 
  10. ↑ "DirecTV llega a Uruguay" (in es). September 9, 2001. https://www.produ.com/television/noticias/directv-llega-a-uruguay/. 
  11. ↑ "Directv festejó sus primeros 10 años en Uruguay" (in es). November 29, 2011. https://www.elpais.com.uy/tvshow/sociales/directv-festejo-sus-primeros-10-anos-en-uruguay. 
  12. ↑ Sorkin, Andrew Ross (April 10, 2003). "G.M. Board Set to Sell Control Of Hughes Unit to News Corp.". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/09/business/gm-board-set-to-sell-control-of-hughes-unit-to-news-corp.html. Retrieved December 8, 2022. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Learmonth, Michael; Bensinger, Ken (October 11, 2004). "Satellite synergies: DirecTV, Sky consolidate Latin America ops". https://variety.com/2004/digital/features/satellite-synergies-1117911813/. 
  14. ↑ "Grupo Cisneros vende su parte en Directv A. Latina" (in es). February 1, 2007. https://www.portafolio.co/economia/finanzas/grupo-cisneros-vende-parte-directv-latina-173300. 
  15. ↑ David Lieberman (December 7, 2006). "Deal would give Liberty reins of DirecTV". USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2006-12-07-liberty-news_x.htm. 
  16. ↑ Tim Mullaney and Kelly Riddell (May 4, 2009). "DirecTV Group to Combine With Liberty Entertainment". Bloomberg News. https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=auGzOOELO3.0. 
  17. ↑ Dominic Patten (July 24, 2015). "AT&T & DirecTV Merger Gets FCC Approval – With Conditions". https://deadline.com/2015/07/att-directv-merger-fcc-approval-1201484821/. 
  18. ↑ Jacob Kastrenakes (July 24, 2015). "FCC approves AT&T–DirecTV merger". https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/24/8876267/att-directv-merger-approved. 
  19. ↑ "Secretaría de Ambiente sancionó a Directv por más de $ 118 millones" (in es-CO). El Tiempo (Bogotá). January 19, 2016. http://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/sancion-a-directv-por-publicidad-exterior-ilegal/16485402?ts=42. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Baker, Liana B.; Toonkel, Jessica (September 16, 2017). "Exclusive: AT&T weighs divestiture of Latin American TV assets – sources". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-at-t-m-a-latamdivestiture-exclusive/exclusive-att-weighs-divestiture-of-latin-american-tv-assets-sources-idUSKCN1BR008. 
  21. ↑ Lauterjung, Fernando (March 7, 2018). "AT&T registra pedido de IPO de parte da DirecTV Latin America" (in pt-BR). https://teletime.com.br/07/03/2018/att-registra-pedido-de-ipo-de-parte-da-directv-latin-america/. 
  22. ↑ "At the last minute, AT&T withdraws the planned IPO of its Vrio unit" (in en). April 19, 2018. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/19/at-the-last-minute-att-withdraws-the-planned-ipo-of-its-vrio-unit.html. 
  23. ↑ Malara, Neha; Otero, Efrain; Ellsworth, Brian (May 19, 2020). "AT&T shuts Venezuela subscription TV unit, citing U.S. sanctions". https://www.reuters.com/article/technology/att-shuts-venezuela-subscription-tv-unit-citing-us-sanctions-idUSKBN22V226/. 
  24. ↑ "AT&T anuncia fim das operações da DirecTV na Venezuela" (in pt-BR). May 19, 2020. https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/afp/2020/05/19/att-anuncia-fim-das-operacoes-da-directv-na-venezuela.htm. 
  25. ↑ Jill Goldsmith (July 21, 2021). "AT&T Sells Its DirecTV Latin America Unit Vrio to Holding Company Grupo Werthein". https://deadline.com/2021/07/att-latin-america-warnermedia-directv-vrio-grupo-werthein-1234797732/. 
  26. ↑ "Grupo argentino conclui compra de SKY Brasil e DirecTV GO junto à AT&T" (in pt-br). Tudocelular. November 16, 2021. https://www.tudocelular.com/mercado/noticias/n182281/werthein-conclui-compra-sky-brasil-drectv-go.html/. 
  27. ↑ Vaquer, Gabriel (March 26, 2022). "Discretamente, Globo se desfaz de participação na Sky após 26 anos" (in pt-BR). https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/mercado/discretamente-globo-se-desfaz-de-participacao-na-sky-apos-26-anos-77921. 
  28. ↑ República de Chile (April 1, 2008). "Tribunal de defensa de la libre competencia". https://www.fne.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/itlc_0002_2008.pdf. "DIRECTV, que en alianza con GTD Manquehue ofrece el producto triconexión (Banda Ancha, TV de Pago vía Satelital y Telefonía local)" 
  29. ↑ "Revelan la nueva camiseta de Católica con estreno de sponsor" (in es). January 27, 2012. https://www.emol.com/noticias/deportes/2012/01/27/523631/revelan-la-nueva-camiseta-de-catolica-con-estreno-de-sponsor.html. 
  30. ↑ "Directv firma por US$ 2,8 millones como sponsor de Colo Colo" (in es). December 9, 2014. https://www.latercera.com/noticia/directv-firma-por-us-28-millones-como-sponsor-de-colo-colo/. 
  31. ↑ Ortega, Paulina (December 12, 2024). "La televisión de pago sigue perdiendo terreno y cae de los 3 millones de suscriptores" (in es). https://www.latercera.com/pulso-pm/noticia/la-television-de-pago-sigue-perdiendo-terreno-y-cae-de-los-3-millones-de-suscriptores/QCXM6X27PRCKTCTBKOOC2HITM4/. 
  32. ↑ "Un nuevo canal de noticias, a cargo de un ex TV Pública y Canal 9". July 7, 2022. https://www.clarin.com/politica/nuevo-canal-noticias-cargo-ex-funcionario-cuestionado-k_0_DBPCcbmh18.html. 
  33. ↑ "DNEWS, la señal de noticias de Latinoamérica cumple un año y se expande". August 4, 2023. https://www.baenegocios.com/amp/sociedad/DNEWS-la-senal-de-noticias-de-Latinomerica-para-el-mundo-cumple-un-ano-y-se-expande-20230803-0066.html. 
  34. ↑ Bertolini, Paula (October 13, 2022). "DirecTV Go cambia de nombre a DGO" (in es). DPL News. https://dplnews.com/directv-go-cambia-de-nombre-a-dgo/. 
  35. ↑ "De novo! Sky anuncia mudança de nome da DGO, ex-DirecTV GO" (in pt). TudoCelular. November 27, 2023. https://www.tudocelular.com/mercado/noticias/n214766/sky-anuncia-mudanca-de-nome-da-dgo.html. 



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