Feliz Navidad is here to stay.

The day after Christmas is special this year. While others are throwing out empty gift boxes, shredded packing and ripped up wrapping, Univision will mark a significant anniversary. On Dec. 26, the Spanish-language network celebrates a full year of having its ratings ranked side-by-side with ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.

It’s historic. Before, Nielsen Media Research rated the Spanish-language networks separately, against each other, using the Nielsen Hispanic Television Index. Univision and complained for years that the rating method undercounted Hispanic households. Thereby, the network contended, Nielsen undervalued the real reach of Spanish-language television.
When complaining didn’t get Univision what it wanted, it sued. Then, last December, the network and the rating service announced a five-year deal. Beginning Dec. 26, Univision became the first Spanish-language network to be included in the National Television Index, along with the English-language broadcasters.

The Big Fish in the Spanish-language pond led the way. Within months of Univision making the leap, its sister-network Telefutura and rival Telemundo insisted on being measured in the NTI as well.

Spanish is not only alive and well in the U.S., it’s the real bright spot in television, in growth and in raw numbers.
In fact, Spanish-language viewership is strong enough that Univision beat out all the English-language networks among 18- to 34-year-olds on half the nights in the May sweeps and on more than a third of the nights during the November sweeps. That’s a key demographic, during two key rating periods.

And I’m not just talking in pockets here and there. It did that, too. But on 14 out of 28 nights in May and 11 nights in November, Univision beat out every one of the English-language networks, all across the country.

But Univision isn’t the only Spanish-language network that can crow about ratings. While ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW have been worrying over dwindling numbers of viewers tuning in, Univision and the rest of the Spanish-language networks have been posting double-digit increases in viewership.

From May ’05 to ’06, Univision counted a massive 60 percent increase in total viewers and an even more impressive 71 percent among the vitally important 18- to 49-year-old segment. Telefutura showed similarly remarkable gains, comparing its most recent November numbers to last year’s. The network reported that its total audience went up 42 percent, and its 18- to 49-year-old viewership leapt 61 percent year over year.

Telemundo also counted significant primetime gains among 18- to 49-year-olds. Comparing its September ’06 ratings to the year before, ratings in its weekday 9 to 10 p.m. telenovela block went up 14 percent, and its 10 to 11 p.m. hour brought in 15 percent more viewers over the previous year’s.

Even more important is what’s happening with younger viewers. They’ve been turning away from traditional English-language programming in worrisome numbers for the general market networks. But they’re tuning in solidly to Spanish-language television. On broadcast and cable.

Galavisión, the nation’s No. 1 Spanish-language cable network, showed a 13 percent increase among 18- to 34-year-olds in its Total Day count. That segment went up an even more striking 25 percent in primetime.

The same thing is happening with the broadcast networks nationally, and in individual markets across the country.
In May, Univision’s Los Angeles station, KMEX, came in first, beating all the rest of the competition among 18- to 34-year-olds and 18- to 49-year-olds in Primetime, Daytime, Early and Late News, and Total Day.

In Miami that same month, WLTV took first place in Primetime, Early News and Total Day.

The network racked up similar victories in Dallas (first among 18- to 34-year-olds during Primetime, Total Day, Daytime, and Early and Late News), San Francisco (number one choice for 18- to 34-year-olds in Daytime and Early News), and Chicago (first among 18- to 34-year-olds in Early News and Early Fringe).

In July, the network’s national newscast marked a historic first, winning New York’s ratings race in the 6:30 p.m. slot, beating out the three English-language network newscasts.

Then, in September, its New York affiliate made history, too, taking the early morning news race. “Noticias Univision 41 Al Despertar” brought in more 18- to 49-year-olds in the 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. hour than any other station, in English or Spanish.
And, for those who thought it was only a fluke, the network’s affiliates repeated their success in November, taking important firsts in Dallas, Miami, San Francisco and Chicago all over again.

That’s a lot of numbers, I know, but they all add up to some important takeaways:

First, while English-language viewership is lagging, Spanish-language is growing.

Second, in the key demographics – especially among younger viewers – Spanish-language is gaining mightily.

And, finally, it’s happening everywhere – across the country and in the largest markets.

Bottom line: the growth is in Spanish, especially among America’s youth. To reach viewers, particularly young viewers, se habla Español.

By Jose Cancela is Principal of Hispanic USA Inc., a full service Hispanic market consulting firm.

jo**@*********sa.net