TeleFutura Gains In NYC.

New York’s TeleFutura TV stations, WFUT-TV Channel 68 (NYC) and WFTY-TV Channel 67 (Smithtown, Long Island), known as WFUT, have help promote viewing gains in Spanish-language TV in the past year, according to a comparison of Nielsen Hispanic Station Index (NHSI) figures for the recently concluded May 2004 sweep with those from the May 2003 sweep. WFUT has scored gains in every key measure of Hispanic afternoon TV audience, marked by triple digit percentage increases among viewers aged 18 to 34, 18 to 49, and 25 to 54 years old. The WFUT+ achievement is all the more remarkable in light of the station’s very brief history: WFUT is barely two-and-one-half years old.

Weekdays from Noon to 4 pm, the WFUT audience has soared by 114 percent among Hispanics aged 18 to 34, 245% among those aged 18 to 49, and 217% among those aged 25 to 54. In those age groups the WFUT+ average quarter hour audience stands at 15,000, 38,000, and 38,000 viewers respectively.

Highlights of TeleFutura weekday afternoon programming on WFUT include:

· “Escándalo TV” airs LIVE on weekdays from noon to 2 pm, “Escándalo TV’s audience has soared 150% among Hispanics aged 18 to 49 and 111% among those aged 25 to 54. “Escándalo TV” now reaches 40,000 Hispanic viewers in each age group in the New York TV market.

· “Mónica.” A talk show with host Mónica Zevallos. “Mónica,” seen weekdays from 2 pm to 3 pm enjoys audience growth of 283% to 23,000 Hispanic viewers aged 18 to 49. Among viewers aged 25 to 54, the “Mónica” audience is up 229% in a year also to 23,000, while it has doubled its audience among those aged 18 to 34.

· “Quién Tiene La Razón?” “Who’s Right?” is a unique TV show combining elements of talk shows, court programs, and advice columns replaced two half-hour programs seen in the 3 pm to 4 pm hour a year ago. “Quién Tiene La Razón?” has boosted WFUT+ ratings in the hour by astronomical percentages. Among Hispanics aged 18 to 34, the audience for “Quién Tiene La Razón?” has soared a shocking 1,750% to 37,000. That’s more viewers aged 18 to 34 than Spanish-language Telemundo’s WNJU, on the air for more than 40 years, attracts in the time period. “Quién Tiene La Razón?” is up 733% among those aged 18 to 49, of whom it reaches 50,000. Among those aged 25 to 54, “Quién Tiene La Razón?” is seen by 51,000, a gain of 750% over what WFUT attracted in the time period a year ago.