Brazil: Flávio Bolsonaro Campaign Weighs a 24-Hour Channel and a Northeast Push
BRAZIL · ELECTIONS
Key Facts
- —What happened: Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign is weighing a 24-hour YouTube channel for the election period.
- —The status: The project is under discussion, with no launch date or final decision announced.
- —The model: It copies Jair Bolsonaro’s livestream strategy, which included a 22-hour live broadcast in 2022.
- —The target: The campaign has also built a Northeast strategy to cut Lula’s big lead in the region.
- —The catch: Lula still dominates the Northeast, where a May poll gave him 50% against 24%.
- —What comes next: Free television and radio campaign advertising starts on Friday 28 August across Brazil.
The Flávio Bolsonaro campaign is studying something no Brazilian candidate has tried at this scale: a channel of his own, streaming 24 hours a day. It is one half of a plan to close the gap with Lula before October.
A channel of his own
The idea under discussion is a continuous programme on YouTube for the whole campaign. It could run on the senator’s existing channel or on a new structure built for the election.
No launch date has been set, and the campaign stresses the project is still being weighed. The plan was first reported by Brazilian media on Thursday 27 August.
The programming would mix interviews, videocasts, campaign ads, analysis and live broadcasts. Influencers linked to the Bolsonaro movement would produce and spread the content.
The channel would also serve as a content hub for other candidates of the Liberal Party, known as the PL. The aim is a media machine that feeds social networks all day.
The father’s playbook
The model is Jair Bolsonaro’s digital operation, which carried him to the presidency in 2018. Back then he had little television time and spoke to voters through constant livestreams.
In 2022 the then-president once broadcast live for roughly 22 hours. The Flávio Bolsonaro campaign now wants to bottle that formula in a permanent channel.
The logic is control. An owned channel cuts dependence on traditional outlets and lets the campaign frame every story itself.
The Northeast problem
The other half of the plan is geographic. The campaign has built a specific strategy for the Northeast, Brazil’s second-largest regional electorate and Lula’s stronghold.
The focus is strengthening local state tickets that can carry his name, according to UOL columnist Letícia Casado. That includes alliances with regional figures who are sworn enemies of Lula’s Workers’ Party.
The distance to close is large. A Real Time Big Data poll in May gave Lula 50% in the Northeast, more than double Flávio Bolsonaro’s 24%.
The campaign is coordinated by Senator Rogério Marinho, himself a Northeasterner from Rio Grande do Norte. His home state is part of the terrain the strategy must win.
Traditional airtime starts on Friday
Free campaign advertising on television and radio begins on Friday 28 August. The public funding behind the ad programme is estimated at nearly R$ 1 billion (US$ 194 million).
Globo, the country’s biggest network, also began its interview series with the candidates this week. Flávio Bolsonaro spent Thursday in São Paulo at a dinner with business executives.
The first round is on Sunday 4 October. A channel launch before then would signal how this race will be fought online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flávio Bolsonaro launching his own TV channel?
Not yet. His campaign is weighing a 24-hour channel on YouTube for the election period, but no launch date or final decision has been announced.
Why does the Northeast matter so much in Brazil’s election?
It is the second-largest regional electorate and Lula’s strongest region. A May poll gave Lula 50% there, against 24% for Flávio Bolsonaro.
When does official campaign advertising start in Brazil?
Free television and radio advertising begins on 28 August 2026. The first round of voting is on 4 October.
Connected Coverage
The state-level strength of the senator showed in his poll lead in Rio Grande do Sul. The national picture sits in the latest PoderData/Aya survey, a statistical tie.
Sources: Rádio Pampa; UOL (Letícia Casado column); Real Time Big Data; R7. Exchange rate: 5.15 reais per US dollar on 27 August 2026.
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