Lionsgate and Grupo Televisa to expand TV partnership

Santa Monica-based independent studio Lionsgate and Mexico's programming powerhouse Grupo Televisa are expanding their budding partnership with a new venture that aims to create television shows for English-language audiences.

The move continues a trend of major media companies in the U.S. looking south to Latin America for programming concepts and business partners. Earlier this week, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. said it planned to launch a new broadcast network this fall in collaboration with Colombian broadcaster RCN. 

Companies -- and advertisers -- are becoming increasingly interested in capitalizing on the growing clout of Latino consumers. They make up the fastest growing demographic group in the U.S.

Lionsgate and Televisa -- Mexico's largest media company -- said Tuesday that their new unit would tackle six to eight TV projects a year. The plan is to mine story lines from Televisa's vast vault of wildly popular telenovelas and adapt them into English-language comedies and dramas for U.S. broadcast networks and cable channels. Executives also intend to develop original concepts for scripted and unscripted shows.

The two companies first went into business in 2010 with a joint venture called Pantelion Films. Its purpose is to acquire and distribute feature films that appeal to Latinos in the U.S. 

The parties declined to disclose financial terms of their new TV arrangement. The soon-to-be-named venture will be managed by Paul Presburger, chief executive of Pantelion Films. Presburger helped put the TV entity together with Lionsgate on behalf of Televisa.

Televisa separately has an equity stake in Univision Communications, the largest Spanish-language media company in the U.S. Televisa's programming fuels the prime-time ratings on the flagship Univision network, helping to build it into the nation's fifth most popular network.

A handful of projects already are in development for English-language programmers, including a comedic adaptation of Pantelion's first film, "From Prada to Nada." The firm is working on a scripted drama for ABC based on Televisa's smash hit "Soy Tu Duena." The new show will be called "Badlands."  Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC Studios is collaborating on the series.

Until now, little of Televisa's programming was accessible to mainstream audiences. The new development, unveiled at the National Assn. of Television Program Executives convention in Miami, followed Univision's announcement that it would begin adding English-language subtitles through closed caption to its prime-time telenovelas. 

RELATED:

Venezuelan TV shows hope to make it in Hollywood

Univision telenovelas with a twist:  English subtitles

Nickelodeon makes telenovela grab with Reach for a Star

-- Meg James

Photo: Actors Fernando Colunga and Lucero in Televisa's telenovela "Soy Tu Duena," which produced huge ratings in the U.S. for the Univision network. Credit: Antonio Uribe / Univision

 

 

Univision telenovelas with a twist: English subtitles

Univision Communications is going bilingual. Well, sort of.

Beginning next week, the Spanish-language media giant will begin offering closed captioned English-language subtitles for its prime-time telenovelas, or soap operas. The move, announced Tuesday at the National Assn. of Television Program Executives convention in Miami, underscores the belief by  TV executives that the enormously popular Latino series, which run five nights a week and can last for several months, have commercial appeal beyond their loyal Spanish-speaking fan base.

Already, the programs have catapulted Univision to the rank of the nation's fifth most popular network. Advertisers have taken notice, intrigued by the passion of the audience and the rapid growth of the U.S. Latino population. 

“The continued success of the telenovela genre speaks to its broad appeal that crosses culture and language, which is why, as part of our commitment to connect audiences to our culture, we are delivering our novela block with closed captioning in English,” Cesar Conde, president of Univision Networks, said in prepared remarks.

Most of the Univision novelas are produced by Mexican powerhouse Grupo Televisa, which has an equity stake in Univision. Univision is also planning to launch a new cable TV channel in the U.S. dedicated to the soaps.

Earlier this week, another U.S. media giant -- News Corp. -- said that it was partnering with Colombian programmer RCN to form a new Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S. called MundoFox. It is expected to launch in the fall. Others have joined the stampede to attract the Latino audience. Last month, online video service Hulu began providing Spanish-language programming.

Univision is currently airing “Una Familia Con Suerte” ("A Fortunate Family") and “La Que No Podia Amar” ("The One That Couldn’t Love"). On Monday, the New York-based Univision will roll out its highly anticipated telenovela, "El Talismán,” produced by Univision Studios and the Venezuelan company Venevision.

RELATED:

Venezuelan TV shows might have a future in Hollywood

Fox and RCN team up on Spanish-language broadcast network

Hulu launches Latino service with Spanish-language programming

-- Meg James

Photo: Actors Rafael Novoa and Blanca Soto in "El Talismán." Credit: Univision Communications and Venevision Studios

The Morning Fix. Senior TV. 'Underworld' untouchable! Fox goes Spanish.

After the coffee. Before prepping for two weeks of non-stop Super Bowl hype.

The Skinny: Monday's headlines include News Corp.'s plans to launch a Spanish network in the U.S., a look at the weekend box office, a story about RLTV, a cable channel aimed at people over the age of 50 and a piece from Advertising Age about how ABC's "Modern Family" balances content vs. commerce when it comes to product placement. 

 

The Daily Dose: With the New York Giants set to battle the New England Patriots in almost two weeks, NBC couldn't have asked for an easier Super Bowl to promote. Not only did the contenders play in a nail-biter during the regular season, they squared off in perhaps the most memorable Super Bowl ever four years ago when the Giants topped the then undefeated Patriots in a stunning upset. Last year's Super Bowl drew a record 111 million viewers: Don't be surprised if this year's tops that mark. 

 

Senior moment. RLTV, a cable channel founded by John Erickson, who made his fortune building retirement communities, hopes to convince Hollywood and Madison Avenue that the over-50 audience is worth reaching. The network, currently in 15 million homes, hopes to double its reach in the next 12 months and has attracted some familiar faces to go in front of the camera including Joan Lunden, Deborah Norville and Florence Henderson. But persuading big cable operators and advertisers to support the channel is no easy sell. A look at RLTV from the Los Angeles Times.

Caliente! News Corp. announced early Monday that it is teaming up with Colombian broadcaster RCN to launch Mundo Fox, a Spanish broadcast network in the U.S. that will compete against Univision and Telemundo. The announcement, made at the National Assn. of Television Program Executives conference in Miami, said the channel should debut this fall. Details on the new channel from the News Corp.-owned Wall Street Journal, which broke the story.

Unbeatable. Sony's "Underworld: Awakening," the fourth installment of a franchise I was unaware of until three days ago, finished at the top of the box office with $25.4 million. "Red Tails," a historical film about the Tuskeegee Airmen, delivered a stronger-than-expected $19.1 million. "Haywire," which I thought would do better, took in only $9 million. Coverage from the Los Angeles Times and Movie City News.

Man behind the moustache. With the last name Murdoch a little bit tarnished, News Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey, known for his handlebar moustache and his no-nonsense approach to deals, has risen even higher in stature at the Rupert Murdoch-controlled media empire. The New York Times looks at Carey. The Los Angeles Times last year profiled Carey and his "everyone pays" revenue strategy.

A fine line between clever and silly. ABC's "Modern Family" is on the top of every advertiser's list when it comes to product placement. But the show's producers are very selective about the companies they do business with and how products are incorporated into the show. The fear is being seen as a shill, a perception currently plaguing CBS's "Hawaii Five-O," which took heat last week for an over-the-top placement for the Subway sandwich chain. Advertising Age examines what it takes to make the cut and get your product in the hands of the cast of "Modern Family."

Report card. Steve Burke is wrapping up his first year as chief executive of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The New York Post gives him a report card that pretty much reads incomplete and questions whether Universal Studios stays in the portfolio. My question: Where would it go?

Inside the Los Angeles Times: A look at the unappreciated work of Hollywood makeup artists.

-- Joe Flint

Follow me on Twitter. You'll join an elite club. Twitter.com/JBFlint

Photo: The Giants and Patriots battling in the 2008 Super Bowl. Credit: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Fox and RCN team up on Spanish-language broadcast network

News Corp.'s Fox International Channels and RCN Television Group, a Colombian broadcaster, are teaming up to launch a Latino broadcast network in the United States.

The new channel, dubbed MundoFox, will launch in the fall of this year. The Spanish-language channel will look to compete against Univision and the Telemundo network, both of which have big head starts. News Corp. and RCN made the announcement Monday at the National Assn. of Television Program Executives conference in Miami.

For News Corp., the push represents the growing importance of the Latino demographic in the United States. The media giant already owns Fox Deportes, a cable sports channel that caters to Spanish-speaking viewers.

“There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers. Fox saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50+ million Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television," said Hernan Lopez, president and chief executive of Fox International Channels.

RCN, which already provides programming to other Latino channels in the United States, will be heavily involved in creating original content for MundoFox.

-- Joe Flint