Univision

The Trump reelection campaign is branding Spanish-language network Univision a “leftist propaganda machine,” saying it will “treat them accordingly,” and is taking issue with the company’s effort to become a 100% foreign-owned network as part of an internal financial restructuring.

Turkish telenovela adaptations, soccer programming, music and reality shows and amped-up news coverage are among the programming highlights of Univision’s 2020-21 content slate. The Spanish-language media giant hosted a virtual upfront presentation on Tuesday for media buyers. The event is likely to be the last public outing for Univision before it is sold to a consortium of new investors in the fall, led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis’ Forgelight Media.

Spanish-language broadcaster Univision plans to offer live sports and scripted series in coming months, as the network’s company strives to woo ad dollars from English competitors while being sold to a new company in the not-too-distant future. Univision plans to unveil 11 new scripted series, the result of a long production pipeline that readies series with a much longer lead time than counterparts, as well as televise matches from Liga MX, UEFA Champions League and MLS.

It’s designed to help political buyers purchase more targeted campaigns ahead of 2020 election.

In a virtual presentation to media agencies and marketing executives on Tuesday, Steve Mandela, president of advertising sales and marketing for Univision Communications, said: “Unlike English-language networks, our primetime schedule for the next year is set with first-run episodes every hour of primetime.”

Univision will be presenting its 2020-21 programming plans with advertisers and agencies virtually on June 16, the broadcaster said, the latest to announce a day and time for a upfront that replaces a traditional live event originally scheduled in May but sidetracked by the coronavirus pandemic.

Univision Communications has joined Nielsen’s beta program for its addressable TV platform. Nielsen began testing its addressable platform last year, and announced the participation of seven broadcast companies in January: A+E Networks, AMC Networks, CBS, Discovery, Fox, NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia.

The Spanish-language broadcaster will update buyers on the state of its business and unveil its programming strategy for the remainder of 2020.

Univision Communications, the privately held Spanish-language broadcaster that recently changed hands, said it has close to $1.3 billion in available cash, $7.8 billion in debt and posted estimated revenue up 8% last quarter to $612 million. The Miami-based company said it was unveiling financial metrics and preliminary quarterly results as it considers potential refinancing transactions and market opportunities.

CNN and Univision drew 10.8 million total average viewers for Sunday night’s Democratic debate between Sen. Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden, handing CNN its most-watched debate of the election cycle, according to Nielsen Fast National data.

An investor group led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis has agreed to acquire a 64% majority stake in Spanish-language media giant Univision Communications for an undisclosed sum. The group includes private equity firm Searchlight Capital and ForgeLight, with Davis set to run the company as CEO upon deal close. Mexican TV giant Televisa has elected to retain its stake of about 36%.

The Democrats are heading to the Valley of the Sun next month for the 11th Democratic primary debate of the 2020 election cycle. CNN and Univision will host the debate on March 15, in Phoenix. It will air from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. Additional info, including moderators, venue and criteria, will be released at a later date, according to CNN.

Univision Communications is in exclusive talks with a bidding group that includes former Viacom CFO Wade Davis for a sale that could value the Spanish-language broadcaster at close to $10 billion including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

Joe Ianniello, who oversees CBS assets at ViacomCBS, hasn’t decided whether to join Platinum Equity’s bid for the Spanish-language broadcaster.

Univision may be selling itself to Liberty Global and a smaller rival called Hemisphere Media, a struggling Spanish-language broadcaster in Miami that bills itself as “the only publicly traded pure-play U.S. media company targeting the high growth U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets.”

Several firms have expressed interest in acquiring Univision Communications, according to people familiar with the matter, a deal that would give the Spanish-language broadcaster’s private-equity owners a long-sought exit. Hemisphere Media Group, Platinum Equity and former Viacom CFO Wade Davis are among those that have made overtures.

ABC News said Thursday it would televise just one night of debates among Democratic hopefuls for 2020, as opposed to the two nights it had previously planned. ABC’s Sept. 12 coverage will feature 10 candidates, reflecting the fact that a good chunk of those campaigning for the job had failed to reach the next level of support to participate in the event, organized by the Democratic National Committee.

Just weeks before it co-hosts its first Democratic presidential primary debate with ABC, Univsion is bolstering its news division with the promotion of María Martínez-Guzmán as SVP and executive news director. Prior to this appointment, she was VP, newsgathering for Univision News.

Univision reported revenue fell 4% to $701.7 million. What the company describes as core revenue dropped 3.5% to $694.5 million. It also posted lower second-quarter net income, it fell 21% to $90.7 million from $114.3 million a year ago.

Years of boardroom bickering and missteps, including a disastrous foray into English-language media, as well as rising competition from rival Telemundo and shifting demographics, have taken a toll.

The Spanish-language TV giant may pitch itself to Disney, Viacom and Fox, but its sale likely won’t make much for investors.

Spanish-language broadcaster Univision expects the volume of advance advertising commitments for its next programming cycle to rise after wrapping its negotiations in TV’s annual upfront market, according to a person familiar with the matter. This person says Univision saw its overall volume grow between 5% and 6% over last year’s efforts, driven in part by an influx of new advertisers and expanded budgets from current clients. The results represent Univision’s best from an upfront market in four years, this person added.

Univision says its board of directors is “reviewing strategic options” for the Spanish-language media giant, which could include the sale of the company. Univision has been struggling with debt and increased competition from Comcast’s Telemundo unit.

While many traditional TV players are looking to diversify beyond linear TV, Univision, with Vince Sadusky at the helm, has spent the past year getting back to its roots as a Spanish-language broadcaster. But while Sadusky believes in the broadcast TV model, Univision’s ratings are challenged, and it has felt increased pressure from its main rival, NBCU-owned Hispanic-targeted broadcaster Telemundo. But Sadusky’s bigger priority, he says, is telling Univision’s refocused story to the ad marketplace.

Univision Communications is rebooting its UniMás network with a focus on live entertainment in the shape of sports, news and reality. May 13 is also premiere day for a 10 p.m. newscast on UniMás. And it’s rebranding its Univision Deportes network to TUDN.

WXTV’s existing 1,800 square-foot set has been redesigned to accommodate new technology that also reduces power consumption and enhances the storytelling experience. It includes a 24-foot long, wall to ceiling, curved monitor wall and a larger Chroma wall to magnify weather maps, animations and enhance the artwork of daily forecasts within the daily meteorology reports.

A broad coalition of television station groups as well as public broadcasters announced at the NAB Show on Monday that ATSC 3.0 will be rolled out in 40 U.S. markets by the end of 2019.

The Hispanic-language giant is selling the brands, acquired from Gawker Media, to Great Hill Partners.