Television

NBCUniversal’s Hispanic Group, executives from NBCU Hispanic Enterprises and Content announced plans to partner with DEFY Media. The alliance will build upon the combined pioneering expertise of each media company to develop new social and mobile content specifically designed for “Generation M” (Millennial, Mobile, Multicultural). 

Telemundo announces “La Sorpresa de Tu Vida” (The Surprise of Your Life), a weekly two-hour, family-oriented Saturday night show to be hosted by actress, singer and comedian Angelica Vale and multi-talented and dynamic Hispanic television star Raul Gonzalez. 

Pasiones will offer its U.S. audience the exclusive premiere of “Laberintos del Corazón” (Tangled Hearts), one of the biggest hits from top Brazilian producer TV Globo.

TELEMUNDO plans to add to its growing slate of reality fare with “Gran Hermano,” a Spanish-language spin on the worldwide hit format that will feature U.S. Hispanics.

Univision Communications Inc. hosted its annual Upfront presentation to unveil its 2015-16 programming line-up and to highlight how targeting U.S. Hispanics through Univision’s multiplatform portfolio is the way forward for marketers to fuel growth. At the UCI Upfront event, Univision announced that “La Banda,” the music-based, multi-media competition show developed by Simon Cowell’s SYCO Entertainment and Haim Saban’s Saban Brands and co-produced with FremantleMedia Latin America is back for a second season. Simon Cowell as executive producer brings SYCO Entertainment’s trademark talent for finding stars and creating great entertainment to Spanish-language television for the first time this fall. For the second season, “La Banda 2” will scour the U.S. for the ultimate Latina girl super group.

Univision Communications Inc. as part of its award-winning Univision Contigo empowerment platform, last week launched Clave al Éxito (Key to Success). This groundbreaking Spanish-language, mobile-optimized website empowers Hispanic parents and other family members to engage in their child’s education from the earliest years, helping them become college ready.

It seems that the recent hoopla with the end of “Sabado Gigante” has sent ripples across the grid with many alluding that this, in fact, is “the beginning of the end for Univision,” and while I agree that in a way it does symbolize the end of an era/format that is no longer reflective of today’s USH audience, I still don’t hear the fat lady singing. In fact, this is a day they knew would eventually arrive.  Univision Will Be Just Fine Says Alma’s Media Director, Jorge Mercado.

Univision Communications Inc. announced that it will once again celebrate Mother’s Day with a special program, the “Íntimamente… Compartiendo entre Amigas” (Intimately… Sharing among Friends) franchise, co-produced with Televisa and in partnership with The Clorox Company. Guest stars will share their experiences as mothers and grandmothers during the sixth annual special, which will air Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET/PT (6 Central).

WAPA América has acquired exclusive U.S. rights to premiere the Colombian hit telenovela “Niche, lo que Diga el Corazón” (Beats of Love, Niche). The novela, produced by Caracol Televisión, is set to premiere on Monday, May 11, at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

TELEMUNDO plans to add “Gran Hermano,” the first-ever Spanish-language U.S. reality show based on the worldwide hit format, to its growing slate of reality fare.

Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, Chairman and Founder of El Rey Network (ERN), announced the creation of the El Rey Diversity Council, an advisory group comprised of leading national Latino advocacy organizations that have collaborated with the 24-hour, English language cable network since its early days of development in late 2011.

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) announced that Francisco (Frank) J. Lopez-Balboa has been named chief financial officer, effective immediately.

ESPN Deportes was recognized at the Sports Emmys, presented for the 36th year by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The network claimed its first win in the Best On-Air Personality Spanish-language category with the honor going to baseball play-by-play veteran Ernesto Jerez.

Telemundo 47 received an Emmy in the Evening Newscast: Larger Markets (1-49) category in recognition of “Noticiero 47 Telemundo: Tormenta de Nieve.”

TuYo  IPTV network will provide a la carte and pay-per-content channel bilingual and multicultural entertainment options for viewers when it debuts in July.

NBCUniversal’s Hispanic Enterprises and Content announced the appointment of Ana Salas Siegel to General Counsel. 

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations announced that Ric Harris has been named President and General Manager of NBC10 / WCAU and Telemundo62 / WWSI, the local stations owned by NBCUniversal that serve viewers in the Philadelphia area.

WXTV Univision 41 was honored by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with five Emmy Awards.

Azteca America announced tthat it has signed two additional affiliate agreements with Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. for KGBT-TV, to be broadcast in Harlingen-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas, and with Lazer Broadcasting for KSTV, Channel 32, located in Sacramento, California.

Univision Deportes announced “Zona NBA” (NBA Zone), a new Sunday morning sports magazine show with highlights of the league’s basketball games and news on UniMás & UDN (Univision Deportes Network).