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3rd Spanish TV Nework?
- Thread starter e-dawg
- Start date
Maybe, but based on the previews we're getting in Phx on KVPA-LP, Estrella TV isn't going to break new ground. So far, all I've seen is similar fare to what is on the other networks. If they do become the #3 or even #4 Hispanic network, it will be due to viewers hungry for more of the same.
Funny, because the cable provider in my area in New York is going to drop Azteca America on the 19th, barring a last-minute change. So I guess the "fastest-growing Spanish network" is not important enough to keep it on their channel lineup.
As for Estrella TV, I've tried to learn more about them. Nothing on that network that makes me want to watch it. It has the typical variety show fare but more targeted at Mexican audiences, which doesn't make them all that different from Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura or Azteca America. At least the last four can show soccer matches. Without sports or music, it would be difficult for any Spanish-language network to compete.
As for Estrella TV, I've tried to learn more about them. Nothing on that network that makes me want to watch it. It has the typical variety show fare but more targeted at Mexican audiences, which doesn't make them all that different from Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura or Azteca America. At least the last four can show soccer matches. Without sports or music, it would be difficult for any Spanish-language network to compete.
I think TelFutura has a leg up already being owned by Univision.
I do wonder how much of a Spanish population is needed to support the number of stations.
Like in Chicago about 1.5 million people in the metro area speak Spanish according to the latest census estimates. That is out of a total of 9.5 million people in the Consolidated Metro Area of Chicago. That's about 15%
Yet we have 3 full time Spanish stations. I well received low power TV station and both WGN and WTTW have Spanish subchannels.
I do wonder how much of a Spanish population is needed to support the number of stations.
Like in Chicago about 1.5 million people in the metro area speak Spanish according to the latest census estimates. That is out of a total of 9.5 million people in the Consolidated Metro Area of Chicago. That's about 15%
Yet we have 3 full time Spanish stations. I well received low power TV station and both WGN and WTTW have Spanish subchannels.
Well, on another thread, I opined that there would eventually be three major Spanish-language networks, based on population growth trends. One of the three, I figured, would be Univision, being that they were there first and is currently the largest network. What I also notice is that all the main Spanish-language nets market to one group, the Mexicans. Now I understand that Mexicans are the largest Latino group and would get the majority of the marketing dollars spent on them. However, it is interesting to see the main nets predominantly focused on that group (I won't even bring up Estrella TV or Azteca America, as that's very obvious), as if they're the only ones who speak Spanish. Telemundo, for all intents and purposes, has become another "Mexican" net, with their coverage of the MFL soccer league and their own telenovela lineup. It wasn't that way in the very beginning. What we see today is basically Mexican TV, but extended well into the States.
Maybe the question isn't whether there is space for another net but whether there is space for another net focused predominantly on one group!
I know about cable channels and all but many people still can't afford cable or satellite. That goes across ethnic lines.
Perhaps going with a pan-Latino or mixed-group strategy is what TeleFutura should have been doing from the start. Better yet, forget different groups and operate a general audience net, using English subtitles to draw in new people. If they won't do that then somebody will in the future.
Maybe the question isn't whether there is space for another net but whether there is space for another net focused predominantly on one group!
I know about cable channels and all but many people still can't afford cable or satellite. That goes across ethnic lines.
Perhaps going with a pan-Latino or mixed-group strategy is what TeleFutura should have been doing from the start. Better yet, forget different groups and operate a general audience net, using English subtitles to draw in new people. If they won't do that then somebody will in the future.
DToTheJ said:
Not a good analogy. DuMont was an innovative network in all senses of the word. Estrella TV is not.
stationless listener said:
I attribute much of Univision's success to the fact that, despite having decidedly Mexican roots (KCOR/KUAL San Antonio and KMEX Los Angeles and longtime affiliation with Mexico's Televisa), they also sought programming from other sources: Sabado Gigante host Mario Kreutzberger - better known as Don Francisco - brought his variety show from Chile, and the network imports telenovelas from Venezuela's Venevision. Univision also programs its Telefutura network with Colombian programming.
Telemundo's roots were with WKAQ-TV in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After becoming a network in the late 1980s, Telemundo partnered with Argentine, Spanish, Brazilian and Colombian interests for programming, and produced a lot of its own programming. Only with the past two years has Telemundo had a heavy Mexican presence, moving into a partnership with Televisa after the giant Mexican network ended its affiliation with Univision.
On the other hand, HTVN and Lat TV both decided to concentrate on the Mexican market, the former in 2000 and the latter in 2006, and both ended up bankrupt within two years, and despite Azteca America's lofty claims, its performance has been lackluster at best.
Perhaps in the future, Mexican will become such a large percentage of the Hispanic population, a network will be able to prosper concentrating on the Mexican market. In the meantime, networks that ignore the Cuban and Puerto Rican markets will do so at their own peril.
Due to Univision's coattails, I see Telefutura, not Azteca America, as the #3 Spanish-language network in the US. Many Telefutura stations are x.2 subchannels on Univision stations, and vice versa.
Number 3 is already Telefutura. The others below it are struggling. When it comes to demographics, the above discussion reminds me of homeowners back in 2007 talking about how their houses would be worth $1,500,000 by 2012! Just like markets, demographic trends do not continue forever on a straight line. They change and shift. The number of new entrants to the USA will not grow at its present rate forever. And the hispanic population that we already have here will certainly grow, but will also become more anglicized with each new generation. In other words, the concept of Latinos as a "race" may eventually become as outdated as the very old concept of Italians and Greeks as "races" as they assimilate into our culture over time.
Of course, I still think that there will be enough primarily Spanish speakers around for a long time to support UNI, TEL and Telefutura as they are now. Azteca America and the others will continue to serve niche markets. However, the Spanish speaking audience is still a small subset of the overall audience and is also a poorer than average one. Right now, Spanish broadcasters are thriving on the concept that the audience is young. But it won't be forever. The kids of those who currently watch those channels will (by and large) not be interested in them when they grow up.
If the past is any guide, that's how this will go and Univision (in particular) will have to adapt to those changes. They've been pretty good at doing that, so they'll probably be a safe investment for a long time. Telemundo (owned by NBC-U) not so much. But there's not a lot of room left for anyone else to come in and take the Spanish speaking audience by storm. They've been pretty much taken by the present contenders. Might I add that Univision was brilliant in the way that they developed Telefutura. Their timing was impeccable and their programming does grab a nice slice of the younger Spanish speaking/bilingual audience. TFT is #3 and I don't see anyone else who can even come close.
Of course, I still think that there will be enough primarily Spanish speakers around for a long time to support UNI, TEL and Telefutura as they are now. Azteca America and the others will continue to serve niche markets. However, the Spanish speaking audience is still a small subset of the overall audience and is also a poorer than average one. Right now, Spanish broadcasters are thriving on the concept that the audience is young. But it won't be forever. The kids of those who currently watch those channels will (by and large) not be interested in them when they grow up.
If the past is any guide, that's how this will go and Univision (in particular) will have to adapt to those changes. They've been pretty good at doing that, so they'll probably be a safe investment for a long time. Telemundo (owned by NBC-U) not so much. But there's not a lot of room left for anyone else to come in and take the Spanish speaking audience by storm. They've been pretty much taken by the present contenders. Might I add that Univision was brilliant in the way that they developed Telefutura. Their timing was impeccable and their programming does grab a nice slice of the younger Spanish speaking/bilingual audience. TFT is #3 and I don't see anyone else who can even come close.
Well, I think I know a way for Telemundo to better compete against Univision: more soccer from Europe. Since it now seems that every other channel is going to HD, and soccer matches are going HD more and more, it would make sense for Telemundo to beef up their soccer coverage with matches from La Liga, Serie A and/or Liga Portuguesa. Maybe even Ligue 1. That would certainly differentiate themselves from Univision and not make them appear as another "Mexican" network. Combine the main Telemundo network with mun2 for a bigger platform to provide greater coverage of matches. Hopefully, they would be able to win rights to live matches in about five years.
The question is would GE get on the ball with this?
The question is would GE get on the ball with this?
stationless listener said:
I wouldn't. I'd be surprised if there was much demand for European anything in the North American Latino community. I think you'll find most people's interest lies in the familiar. Back home. Although I suppose if they had Portuguese League soccer, WNJU would kick butt in Kearny NJ.
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