Canal SUR celebrates 20th Anniversary.

Canal SUR was founded 20 years ago this September, becoming the first Spanish-language channel in the U.S. to broadcast programming channels from Latin America. The channel was originally designed specifically for Latin American immigrants living in the U.S. to have a window into their country’s programming. Canal SUR celebrates its two decades as a broadcasting industry pioneer during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Born in 1992, Canal SUR is the flagship channel for parent company SUR LLC, having paved the way for Spanish-language programming from Latin America to be aired around the world. Canal SUR is renowned for having the greatest variety, widest distribution reach and longest running programming over the last two decades. Dubbed by audiences as the “channel for news,” Canal SUR was introduced into the market as the “United Nations of Latin America” and is an iconic channel where immigrants can find their favorite news program every day.

SUR LLC boast five distinct ethnic television networks that broadcast programming from 10 countries and 31 channels in Latin America. The cable channels are available via DISH Latino, DIRECTV or local cable providers across the nation.

The SUR family of networks includes:

o Canal SUR (www.canalsur.com) is the firstborn channel, the most renown and by far most requested. The channel is broadcast exclusively in the U.S. with breaking news and entertainment programming directly from the most prominent networks in Latin America-in the original format without editing. Canal SUR reaches more than one million households via satellite for DISH subscribers and via local cable providers in the U.S.

o SUR (www.canalsur.com) is broadcast across the nation to DISH Latino subscribers, reaching more than one million Hispanic households that subscribe to the satellite provider in the United States. The channel includes authentic entertainment and news magazine programs favored in Latin America. The channel also broadcasts highly-acclaimed Mexican films and much sought after boxing matches with some of the biggest names in the sport.

o SUR PERU (www.surperu.tv) was the second channel launched in 2005 and quickly became the leading channel for the immigrant Peruvian community in the U.S. SUR PERU transmits the best programs in Peru today, with exclusive programming from the leading channels: América TV, Frecuencia Latina, PAX Televisión, RPP, TV UNSA, UNITEL and others. SUR PERU broadcasts the most highly rated programs in Peru with more than 1.2 million subscribers via DIRECTV and 600,000 subscribers via the leading cable providers in the United States.

o MEXICO TV (www.mexicotv.tv) is the first original channel that’s authentically Mexican in the U.S. and was launched in December 2005. Known for acclaimed Mexican films and beloved soccer coverage, Monday thru Friday the lineup includes entertainment and news from the leading local channels that provide information directly from the top markets in the U.S. Over the weekend, the channel broadcasts professional Mexican soccer league games to the delight of fans throughout the region, as well as movies from the Mexican Golden Age of films and original programming from the 15 Mexican states. MEXICO TV has 1.2 million subscribers via DIRECTV and more than 500,000 via the leading cable providers.

o TV VENEZUELA (www.tvvenezuela.tv) emerged in 2006 as a strategic alliance between the Venezuelan channels-Globovision and Meridiano Television–and SUR in the United States with the goal of filling the information void experienced by Venezuelans flocking to the U.S. TV VENEZUELA was designed to have mass appeal and offers a wide variety of programming, including news programs, original series, political commentaries and sporting events. The broadcast gathers the best news channel, the first entertainment channel and the leading sports network. TV VENEZUELA has 1.2 million subscribers via DIRECTV and more than 110,000 via the leading cable providers in the U.S.

The concept for Canal SUR was developed by Latin American broadcasting executive Hector Delgado Parker, who was troubled by the lack of quality programming from neighboring countries, compared to the abundance of channels and original programs from the U.S. and Europe. Being so close and with so many cultural similarities, there was little Latin Americans knew about their neighbors. Delgado Parker decided to launch a television channel to inform Latin American immigrants about the reality and daily lives of their homelands, thus Canal SUR was born.

“Our vision has always been to reach each and every Hispanic household in the United States, delivering news and current events from our countries of origin,” said Arturo Delgado Pastorino, President of SUR LLC. “This is a way to preserve our rich cultural history and introduce future generations to their Latin roots.”