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Disney, Univision in News Channel Talks

New 24-hour channel would cater to English-speaking Latinos

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 7, 2012 3:20 AM CST

(Newser) – Disney and Univision are in talks to create a new English-language channel to enter the 24-hour TV news war, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal. The venture would be aimed at English-speaking Latinos, and the companies hope to get it up and running before the presidential election in order to get the edge with political coverage, the sources say.

Disney's ownership of ABC and ESPN would help it sell the new channel to cable networks. Univision—America's biggest Spanish-language media company—believes it needs to cater to second- and third-generation Latinos to maintain its audience. "Their lives are in English," one insider says. "They want to see culturally relevant news they can't find anywhere else." Univision's rival Telemundo has been investing heavily to create new content, and Fox recently partnered with a Colombian channel to create the new MundoFox channel.

A Univision presenter f on the terrace of the World Financial Center facing the Ground Zero memorial in New York on September 09, 20011.
A Univision presenter f on the terrace of the World Financial Center facing the Ground Zero memorial in New York on September 09, 20011.   (Getty Images)
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There's nearly 50 million Latinos in the US. They do want to know what's going on in Mexico, Puerto Rico and all over Latin America. The major networks don't cover that news. - Jorge Plasencia, vice chair of
the National Council of La Raza

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
RolandDeschain
Feb 7, 2012 2:07 PM CST
 If you rely on cable TV to know what's going in the world then it's obvious you really don't care.
Moon
Feb 7, 2012 1:02 PM CST
Can we get Sabado Gigante in English? I always wanted to know what Don Francisco was saying.
MDD
Feb 7, 2012 3:56 AM CST
If they want to know what's happening there, they should have stayed there!
 

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