Univision

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:27pm on Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Univision Makes A Deal With YouTube

November 16, 2009:

Univision, the leading Spanish- language media company in the United States, today announced that it is partnering with YouTube to make short-length and long-form Univision videos available on YouTube.

"This is a very exciting milestone, as it represents the first time that any Univision programming is available on the Web outside our own properties in both a short- and long-form format," said Kevin Conroy, president of Univision Interactive Media, Inc. "This partnership uniquely extends our reach to our audience and solidifies our position as the leading Spanish-language video provider for U.S. Hispanics with unparalleled programming in all respects."

"Clearly, Univision has established itself as a premier provider of Spanish-language television content here in the U.S.," said Chris Maxcy, head of Content Partnerships at YouTube. "This deal is a big win for us and marks one of the most comprehensive partnerships for full-length programming signed to date. There is a huge demand to watch Spanish-language content on YouTube. With this new partnership, our community here in the U.S. can watch and enjoy both full-length and short-form programming from Univision's three major networks on our platform."

Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision television programs will be featured and promoted throughout the YouTube.com website. Content will be updated to include relevant offerings as well as an extensive archive of library programs.

In addition to top Univision shows, users will have access to Univision.com videos across key content categories, as well as unique footage from Univision celebrity interviews and special events such as next year's "Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina" (Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards). Univision will also be using YouTube's leading Content ID technology to more effectively track user engagement and monetize Univision content uploaded by YouTube users.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 10:06pm on Friday, January 23rd, 2009

On January 23, 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that Univision and Televisa have settled their differences:

"After years of bad blood and nearly three weeks of court testimony, Mexico's entertainment giant Grupo Televisa and the dominant Spanish-language TV company in the U.S., Univision Communications Inc., abruptly ended their four-year legal battle Thursday.

The settlement averted a potentially disastrous outcome for Univision, which could have lost its pipeline of Televisa's popular soap operas, called telenovelas, that drive Univision's enormous ratings. In turn, Univision agreed to pay Televisa tens of millions of dollars more in royalties.

The agreement came just minutes before Grupo Televisa Chairman Emilio Azcarraga Jean, Mexico's billionaire media scion, was scheduled to take the stand in an effort to sever his company's long ties to Univision. Televisa had alleged that Univision had withheld $122 million in royalties that Televisa was rightfully due.

The new deal will enable Univision to continue as the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States. Univision commands about 75% of the Latino audience, and its Los Angeles television outlet, KMEX-TV Channel 34, ranks as the nation's No. 1 station, beating established ABC, NBC and CBS stations."

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 12:31pm on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

On January 6, 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported that Univision and Grupo Televisa are starring in their own court drama:

"A Spanish-language TV drama opened here on Tuesday -- not a "telenovela" soap opera, but rather a corporate fight that could reshape the Hispanic media landscape in the U.S.

In a dispute that has been simmering since 2005, Grupo Televisa SA, the Mexican conglomerate, is seeking to sever a 25-year programming agreement with Univision Communications Inc. Televisa supplies Univision with saucy telenovelas and other popular programming. Losing those programs could threaten Univision's place as the top Spanish-language broadcaster in the U.S.

The case has landed in U.S. district in Los Angeles at a time when Univision is grappling with a mountain of debt related to its 2006 acquisition by several investment groups.

"This is definitely a watershed moment for Spanish-language broadcasting," says Jose Cancela, a former Univision executive and marketing consultant. "Content is king, and it's no longer clear who will own the best content in Spanish-language television."
More

Televisa -- which is alleging material breach of contract related to royalty payments -- wants to take its programming elsewhere. Univision says it has paid Televisa more than $1 billion in royalties since 1992 and that Televisa could earn an additional $2 billion before the contract expires in 2017."