Fox To Launch U.S. Hispanic Broadcast Net

Fox International Channels and the RCN Television Group (RCN), headquartered in Colombia, jointly announced today the formation of joint venture that will launch MundoFox, a new Spanish-language television network catering to the U.S. Hispanic market.

The network, scheduled to launch during this fall in markets across the United States, will “aim to bring a similar sensibility as the Fox Network to Latino audiences,” Fox said, with “exciting entertainment, best-in-class programing content and differentiation from the limited options currently available to viewers.”

“Our partnership with RCN is a key step in the launch of MundoFox” said Hernan Lopez, president-CEO of Fox International Channels. “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-plus Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television. Our partnership with RCN will help us do this and we aim do it in a big way.”

“RCN has provided the main Hispanic networks in the U.S. with much of their primetime content for over two decades. We now plan to maximize our capabilities and bring an increasing variety of fresh and innovative productions directly to Spanish-speaking viewers. I am certain that Fox is the best partner to make this a successful network,” said Gabriel Reyes, CEO of RCN.

Fox International Channels operates 350 channels in 35 countries, including a consortium of three cable networks targeting the U.S. Hispanic consumer: Fox Deportes, Utilisima and NatGeo Mundo. RCN is one of the largest producers and exporters of Spanish-language television in the world and operates cable channels throughout the Americas.

Content for the network will come from several sources, including:

• Colombia’s RCN Television S.A (Ugly Betty, El Capo)

• Fox International Channels

• Fox Deportes (exclusive U.S. Spanish-language rights to the UFC, as well as various soccer tournaments)

• Shine Group (formats for The Biggest Loser, MasterChef and One Born Every Minute and international dramas including Merlin and The Hour) will producing original Spanish-language content

• NTN24, RCN’s international, 24-hour channel that offers Spanish-language news, analysis, opinion, sports and entertainment news programs.

Additionally, MundoFox will license and/or commission original programs and movies from a variety of third-party producers, both from the English-language world as well as Spanish.

Fox said that although distribution is being established, MundoFox has plans to be carried on stations covering 75% of U.S. households. The network currently has several affiliate deals being finalized in top Hispanic markets across the country.