2013 was not the best year for Anglophone TV in Portugal.

Sport TV Liga Inglesa had to stop broadcasting because of news that Benfica TV grabbed Premier League rights, the channel aired in English without any breaks.

ESPN America and ESPN Classic both died of "natural causes": ESPN's European operations were just reduced to a single ESPN channel in the UK and Ireland, owing to BT's acquisition of the brand in Europe from Disney. Most of Europe lost access to sporting events from the EUSA, incluiding baseball.

In November, NOS announced that they would drop TCM and Boomerang. Later it was announced that on the 3rd of December, what I like to call CN HQ would be replaced by CN PT. Action is needed to bring back CN HQ (this time 24/7), Boomerang HQ and TCM HQ (this time 24/7) to Portugal.

Last year, some major Portuguese kids channels added English audio tracks. First Disney Channel and Disney Junior got it, then Cartoon Network Portugal got one as well. However, not all shows are in Portuguese. Portugal needs kids channels airing all their shows in English.

It's 2014 now, and ironically due to the obligation to include English as a subject on all Portuguese schools, there are fewer and fewer channels in English. We must take action and expand the number of channels in English.

By taking action, ANACOM will start taking licenses for TV channels and a handful of radio stations entirely in the English language. These markets need their expansion, especially in the Algarve. Here's what would become a reality in the near future:

-Launch unsubtitled versions of FOX, AXN and others, with breaks in English and translated Portuguese ads

-Issue licenses for TV channels and radio stations entirely in English

-Create the Portuguese Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), consisting of national terrestrial radio and TV stations. It will be a public broadcaster, a member of the EBU (forcing it to air RTP's EBU events with English commentary + RTP's national preselection with English commentary)

-The PBC will launch a general channel, a cultural channel, a pre-school channel, a youth channel and a news channel which has a double role: it's the first English-speaking news channel in Portugal but the channel, in order to air internationally, must offer a Portuguese view on world news

-Bring CN HQ, Boomerang HQ and TCM HQ back to Portugal

-RTP needs to launch RTP World, an international TV channel in English to complement RTP Internacional, taking a schedule format similar to NHK World

-Creation of the English lesson series "English as a Life Skill", based on the Sri Lankan educational program of the same name. RTP and PBC will air it

-Create FOX Sports Portugal, two separate channels: one in Portuguese and one in English

-On a slightly minor note, expand the Spanish market. ANACOM really needs to issue licenses in the Spanish language as well

-Launch ITV Choice in Portugal

This is what we deserve: people whose native language is Portuguese don't pronounce English really well. With our combined support, we will expand the anglophone audiovisual landscape in Portugal.

This petition is aimed at people whose native language is Portuguese and can speak properly in English, British expats (like those that live in the Algarve) and people who want to learn English.

It's up to you. With your help, English will become more popular on television than before, and this time with no subtitles! Good luck!

We're waiting for you!

Guilherme Fontes