Telemundo celebrates 20 years of service.

On January 12 2007, Telemundo marks 20 years of service to the community, excellence in journalism and pioneering innovation —the very principles under which the network was established. The network will commemorate the occasion with a series of events and program launches that will strengthen its position for the next 20 years of Spanish-language television.

On the heels of having taken full ownership of its Miami production studios and the creation of the new international division, Telemundo Internacional, the network will kick-off the year with the introduction of a new on-air redesign; the launch of a fully integrated Yahoo/Telemundo website; new daytime programs including a new novella; a new game show Buena Fortuna; the premiere of two major primetime telenovelas Dame Chocolate and the much anticipated Zorro: La Espada y La Rosa in high definition; the launch of its new Los Angeles based Taller Telemundo program; the premiere of two original programs on sister cable network mun2 – The Chicas Project and Have you Cine?; the launch of mun2’s state-of-the-art production studios on CityWalk at Universal Studios, Hollywood; the introduction of its newly created Telemundo Internacional at NATPE; and a celebration party with fans at the star-studded Fiesta de Estrellas, in Los Angeles, CA.

“Telemundo’s legacy as a pioneer in the industry began twenty years ago when the network set the goal of informing, inspiring, empowering, and entertaining the Latino community in the United States,” said Don Browne, President, Telemundo. “Since then, Telemundo has remained 100% committed to its goal as an innovator and has become an industry leader, creating opportunities and jobs for thousands of Hispanics in the U.S.”

The network also enters its 20th year delivering some of the best performances of its history. The network wrapped-up its best rated TV season with the recently completed 2005-2006 season and currently averages 1.2 million viewers in weekday primetime, more than tripling the delivery from ten years ago. In addition, this past October, Telemundo achieved thirteen consecutive months of year-over-year growth among Hispanic Adults 18-49.

In its 20 year broadcasting trajectory, Telemundo has achieved significant milestones as it paves the way towards creating the high quality channel of choice that Hispanics in the U.S. expect and deserve. Highlights of these achievements, among others, include being the first Spanish-language network ever to receive the prestigious Sentinel for Health Award; being the first network to create a network that speaks specifically to the needs of young U.S. Latinos with mun2; being the only Spanish-language network to offer 100% original programming properties on-air and on-line; and the first U.S. based broadcaster to export Spanish-language content to the world.

Telemundo supports, celebrates, and services the ever-growing Hispanic community in the U.S. with an estimated population of 42.7 million as of July 1, 2005, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constitute 14% of the nation’s total population and are also the fastest-growing minority group. The buying power of Hispanic households is currently just under $800 billion and is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2010. The projected Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2050 is 102.6 million and will constitute 24% of the nation’s total population on that date.