Tele Aruba was born from the local community's strong desire to have their own public TV station, rather than relying on Venezuelan channels or relays from Curacao. After a lot of hard work, the station officially went on the air on September 29, 1963. In the beginning, the team faced several technical hurdles, like poor studio lighting and signal interference on Channel 12, which eventually led them to move to Channel 13—the station's official home to this day.
Over the years, Tele Aruba has always stayed ahead of the curve with new technology. They switched from black-and-white to color broadcasting in 1973, even before their Venezuelan competitors did. They also invested in mobile production trucks and microwave technology to bring live local events to viewers. The station evolved from "live" commercials—where announcers had to memorize scripts and change outfits on the fly—to using advanced digital editing systems and modern video formats.
A major turning point came in 2004 when SETAR, Aruba’s national telecom provider, bought the station. This move brought a total makeover, including a renovated building, top-notch digital equipment, and 24/7 broadcasting. By 2010, Tele Aruba solidified its spot as a leader by launching the island's first local HD channel. Today, it remains the go-to source for everything from news and sports to cultural shows and entertainment for the whole community.