Betty La Fea @ Univision.

Univision Communications Inc. and RCN Television announced that they have reached a five-year exclusive program licensing agreement under which RCN programming will be broadcast on the Univision Network, Puerto Rico’s Tele-Once and Super Siete, Galavision, and Univision’s new broadcast network – expected to launch in January 2002.

Under the five-year agreement with RCN, Univision has the exclusive rights to at least 300 hours of new novelas each year as well as the exclusive rights to all other RCN programming, including dramatic series, talk shows and special events. Univision has also obtained the broadcast rights to the new blockbuster ‘Betty La Fea’ novela sequel entitled ‘Eco Moda,’ which will debut in primetime on Univision this Fall, as well as rebroadcast rights to the original ‘Betty La Fea’ novela and broadcast rights to numerous first-run specials based on the characters from ‘Betty La Fea.’ These specials and rebroadcasts will begin airing in 2002.

In addition, Univision’s Emmy award-winning news division has agreed to form a strategic alliance with RCN’s news division, under which Univision will have access to RCN’s extensive news network, the most prestigious and advanced news organization in Colombia. RCN Television will gain the support of Noticias Univision, the most recognized Spanish-language news organization in the United States. Under the alliance, Univision’s and RCN’s news divisions will collaborate on special projects throughout the world, including entertainment and sports news.

Commenting on the new programming alliance, Ray Rodriguez, President and Chief Operating Officer of Univision, stated, “This is an exciting time for Univision and Colombian television, and we are proud to be a part of this premier programming alliance uniting the United States’ Spanish language television market with the market leader in Colombia, RCN Television.”

Gabriel Reyes, President of RCN Television, said, “This is the most important alliance in the history of Colombian television, for both RCN and all of television in Colombia. RCN’s programming alliance with Univision confirms the strong positioning of our productions in the international marketplace. We are very proud to be a part of this programming alliance with Univision, the leader in the U.S. Spanish television market.”

“Together with the highly competitive product delivered by our current programming partners, our new RCN offerings in the years ahead will meet the progressive demands of the growing Hispanic audience in the U.S.,” said Mario Rodriguez, President, Univision Entertainment. “RCN has a long track-record of producing top-quality novelas. Specifically, ‘Betty La Fea’ has become one of the most recognized and loved characters in novela history. ‘Betty’s’ millions of U.S. and Puerto Rico fans will now be able to continue enjoying their favorite television characters on Univision. The ‘Betty Revolution’ has arrived at the ‘Home of the Stars.'”

Luis Calle, RCN’s Programming Vice President, added, “Univision is a symbol of worldwide excellence, and this agreement is a recognition of the quality of our productions. With this alliance, RCN productions will have access to the most important Hispanic window in the U.S. The joint projects that RCN and Univision will pursue from this point on, will serve as a reference point for what Spanish television can achieve through creativity and professionalism.”

Commenting on the alliance of the news departments, Alina Falcon, Senior Vice President of Univision News, stated, “Noticias Univision is excited to form a news alliance with our well-respected colleagues at RCN Television in Colombia. Noticias Univision is dedicated to providing our audience with superior coverage of Latin American countries, news and issues, which are of vital importance to them. Together with RCN Television, Noticias Univision will now have exclusive access to the highest quality journalism coming out of Colombia while complementing RCN’s Newscasts with our own Emmy award-winning coverage.”

Alvaro Garcia, Director of RCN’s News Information System, said, “For RCN, an alliance with Univision, the most important Spanish television network in the U.S., represents the consolidation of our leadership in the national and regional markets. It also represents the possibility to expand exponentially the special coverage plan, nationally and internationally. Without a doubt, this strategic alliance in the news divisions will guarantee that the RCN and Univision audiences will have the best, most current information about what is happening in our respective countries.”

“RCN has been one of the most innovative programming producers in Latin America, and today it has become an important component of our long-term programming strategy,” said Otto Padron, Director of Programming and Promotions at Univision. “Incredibly thrilling is our exclusive access to the future works of Latin America’s premier novela writer, Fernando Gaitan. As the genius and leader behind RCN’s great staff of writers, and the creator of ‘Betty La Fea,’ Gaitan is synonymous with success, a revolutionary playwright and a representative of the great talent leading RCN today.”

Fernando Gaitan, RCN Director of Dramatic Scripts, stated, “This is perhaps the most overwhelming point of the consolidation of our product in the international market. Univision, as many people know, is the most important Spanish network in the United States. Its coverage and programming practically assures the success of RCN’s product. Univision transmits productions from other great television producers, like Televisa and Venevision, as well as their own product. The programming alliance between RCN and Univision confirms the level and the ranking that our productions have reached, which undoubtedly are at the very forefront of the Latin American market.”