During his youth, Januário Carneiro founded Rádio Jupiter, a small-scale station situated in the rear courtyard of his residence, in the 1930s.[4] Its broadcast range extended approximately five blocks within the Serra neighborhood of Belo Horizonte.[4] His younger brother, Emanuel, would traverse the vicinity to notify neighbors of the station's broadcast commencement.[4] The programming encompassed both musical selections from 78 rpm records and live vocal performances by his sister, Ester, who sang contemporary songs of the period.[4]
Carneiro embarked on a career in journalism and was subsequently employed by Rádio Continental in Rio de Janeiro.[4] It was during this tenure that he began formulating the ambition to establish his own broadcasting station, one that would depart from conventional programming models.[4] In 1951, he procured a small radio station in Nova Lima, and in the subsequent year, he secured the requisite authorization to commence operations in Belo Horizonte.[4]
Rádio Itatiaia became renowned for its sports broadcasts and news coverage, in contrast to its competitors, which focused more on radio dramas.[5] It was the first commercial radio station in Brazil to transmit continuously and live over the internet.[5]
On May 13, 2021, after nearly seven decades under the stewardship of the Carneiro family, Rádio Itatiaia and its affiliated stations were acquired by businessman Rubens Menin, proprietor of MRV, Inter [pt], and Novus Mídia (the controlling shareholder of CNN Brasil).[6]
