Univision beats all other broadcast networks for the week in 18-49 demographic for the first time

Spanish-language broadcaster Univision made history last week, beating all other broadcast networks in the coveted 18-49 demographic for the first time ever. Univision also managed to beat both Fox and the CW in viewers for the week.

Of course, it is rerun season on Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC and the CW and the last week of August and first week of September are always slow weeks for the networks.

Nonetheless, that is still an impressive performance. Also, while for the most part the English-language networks still take summers off, they have been offering some fresh programming as well.

Univision's big shows include its telenovelas "Hasta que el Dinero Nos Separe” ("For Love or Money") and “Soy Tu Dueña” ("Woman of Steel"). The network also had a soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador that drew a big audience.

While the broadcast networks can shrug off Univision's win because it happened in the last week of August, the network has been gaining fast and it may be only a matter of a time until it takes a week during the regular television season.

-- Joe Flint

Comments

[Laurence Glavin]

Since the switch from analog to digital, now ALL broadcasting stations are on an equal footing. In the past, VHFs on channels 2 thru 6 had better coverage than VHFs on channels 7 thru 13...and they all had better coverage than UHFs with a few exceptions (some very powerful Us on mountaintops). Now nearly all broadcast TV stations are on UHF, and the few VHF outlets are at reduced power by FCC diktat. With comparative advantages removed, there's no rerason why a Spanish-language over-the-air signal can't equal or beat any other o-t-a channel.

[Instant Immersion Spanish]

Personally I think this is just kind of a freaky thing that isn't likely to happen again.

[Bob Fernandez]

Que lastima... The problem is that TV viewers do not realize that the owners of Univision and the other top Spanish language network in the US are not Hispanics and have chosen to hire non Hispanic presidents who do not even speak Spanish.