Los Angeles
5999 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 348-3434

New York
605 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10158
(212) 455-5200

Miami
9405 NW 41 Street
Miami Florida 33178
(305) 471-3900

http://www.univision.com/

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“Todos estamos con Univision” 

“We are all with Univision” 

ABOUT 

Univision is the leading Spanish-language multimedia company in the United States with a network outreach of 94.1 million households. It’s the fifth largest overall network in the country and consistently outperforms English-language broadcast networks two out of every three nights a week and averages 1.4 million adults in the 18-49 primetime age group. The company is multiplatform and owns several digital properties, like TheFlama.com, Unvision.com, UnivisionDeportes.com and La Fabrica. English-language partnerships include Fusion, which caters to the millennial audience, Flama, an online media platform comparable to Buzzfeed but built for a Hispanic audience, and Tejano filmmaker Robert Rodriguez‘s production company El Rey, based in Austin, Texas. [1]

HISTORY 

Rooted in an independent Spanish language station in San Antonio, Texas, Univision’s start can be traced back to 1955, when Raul Cortez started KCOR-TV on channel 41. After a change in call letters and  less-than-profitable start, Cortez sold KUAL-TV in 1961 to his son-in-law Emilio Nicolas, Sr. and Emilio Azcarraga Vidaurreta, a Mexican entertainment mogul. The two would go on to sign a second Spanish-language station in Los Angeles in 1962 and a third in Paterson, New Jersey in 1968, appealing and expanding to both west and east coast markets. These three stations became the Spanish International Network, the first network of its kind to broadcast in a language that’s not English in the United States. SIN would continue to expand throughout the country in the next 20 years, until 1987, when Nicolas divided and sold his share of the company to Hallmark Cards and Televisa, a Mexican mass media company and the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world. It was through this negotiation that SIN rebranded and relaunched as Univision Communications Inc. [2]

KEY EXECUTIVES

 

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All executive photos from same source. [18] 

UNIVISION PURCHASES STAKE IN THE ONION

On January 19, 2016, Univision announced its purchase of a 40-percent stake in the comedy and satirical media group The Onion. [4] The purchase comes at a time when Univision is looking to further its influence and appeal with millennial audiences, as executives of the company follow the trends of the current growing Hispanic population in the U.S. [5] With the country’s Hispanic population looking to double by 2050, this purchase was a headstart, a method of preparation, for the changing demographics of this country. [6] More Hispanics means more potential viewers and a younger audience as the numbers double. Upon making the decision to purchase a stake in The Onion, Univision felt comedy and satire was an especially powerful way to communicate with millennials, who, if like what both companies produce together, will create a central fanbase that will influence future generations. Largely, though, the company saw The Onion as a complement to Fusion, their news and entertainment faction geared towards young people, and as a method to develop new comedy television programs and Spanish/English comedy and satirical offerings. [7]

FUSION GOES SOLO 

After a three-year contract agreement, Walt Disney Co.’s ABC sold back their 50% stake in the Univision-ABC joint-venture cable network: Fusion. Launched in 2013, the venture was created to act as a multi-platform resource for young bilingual Latino’s heading into the professional world. In the years since, however, Fusion’s struggled to define its identity and place as a media entity, costing Univision $85.2 million in lost revenue alongside other start-up television network El Rey. Currently, Fusion is only available in 40 million homes across the U.S., a small market number compared to competitors and other networks owned by the company. Similarly, the channel isn’t distributed by both Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corp., limiting potential viewers and detracting larger advertisers. The deal took place on April 21, 2016 and information regarding the terms of the sale have yet to be released. [8]

UNIVISION VS. AT&T

Throughout March 2016 AT&T U-Verse and Univision engaged in a dispute over carriage rates which led to a blackout of Univision-owned locally stations on March 4. U-verse’s 5.6 million subscribers lost access to UniMás, Galavisión and Univision Deportes Network for six days, restoring national services to all households in time for the Univision-sponsored democratic presidential debate. In the dispute, Univision accused AT&T of discriminatory practices by not providing fair and equal compensation comparable to English-only broadcasters. Similarly, company grievances included AT&T refusing to recognize the purpose and importance of Univision and its place and appeal to United States television audiences. Jim Cicconi, AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affair’s, refuted the allegation, calling them “despicable” and “outrageous.” [9] The two media giants came to an agreement at the end of March and Univision was restored on all local and cable channels. The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce commended both AT&T and Univision for reaching an agreement and relaunching services, restating the importance of the network in a press release. [10] 

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FINANCIALS

Univision is a privately traded company and has not yet released its 2016 quarterly earnings. However, a trend that should continue, as substantiated by their 2016 fourth quarter earnings, is a gain in subscriber fee and content licensing revenue. If the company continues to follow the trend set in 2015, overall earnings will increase at a minute percentages across all platforms. [11]

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THE FUTURE

FUSION MEDIA GROUP 

After Univision’s recent acquisitions of The Onion and Fusion, the company announced the formation of the Fusion Media Group, a “multi-platform destination for the new, rising American mainstream.” The effort is a preparation to serve a rising generation of multiculturals who are rapidly approaching 40% of the total U.S. population. Fusion Media Group Will Include Fusion, The Onion, The Root, Flama, Univision Digital, Univision Music and El Rey. [12] 

LATINO VOTER EFFORT

In February Univision announced an effort to register 3 million Latino voters in time for the 2016 presidential election next fall. The effort, which extends to all of the company’s digital properties, will include engagements created by Fusion and The Root, a website that caters to an African-American audience and cultural issues. This summer, Univision will bring voter drives to the Copa América soccer tournament and run public-service announcements throughout the matches, expected to reach millions of potential viewers. The company looks to expand an online presence and has William Valdes, one of their most popular, and youngest, telenovela stars, is acting as a face of the Latino voter movement. [13]

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[1] Univision Network – Univision. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/media-property/univision-network/

[2] Univision Communications Inc. History. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/univision-communications-inc-history/

[3] Univision Unveils a New Brand Logo, Signaling Transformation – Univision. (2012, December 17). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/2012/10/univision-unveils-a-new-brand-logo-signaling-transformation/

[4] Steel, E. (2016, January 19). Univision Buys a Stake in The Onion to Reach Millennials. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/20/business/media/univision-buying-large-stake-in-the-onion.html?_r=0

[5] Baysinger, T. (2016, April 22). How The Onion Is Helping Univision Grow Beyond the Spanish-Language Market. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://www.adweek.com/news/television/how-onion-helping-univision-grow-beyond-spanish-language-market-171014

[6] Krogstad, J. M., & Lopez, M. (2015, June 25). Hispanic population reaches record 55 million, but growth has cooled. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/06/25/u-s-hispanic-population-growth-surge-cools/

[7] Folkenflick, D. (2016, January 19). Area Satirical Publication The Onion Sold To Univision (Seriously). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/19/463535648/area-satiric-publication-the-onion-sold-to-univision-seriously

[8] James, M. (2016, April 21). Walt Disney Co.’s ABC sells its Fusion stake to Univision, exits joint venture. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-abc-ends-fusion-univision-20160421-story.html

[9] Lieberman, D. (2016, March 24). Univision Networks Return To AT&T’s U-verse While They “Finalize” Carriage Deal. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://deadline.com/2016/03/univision-networks-att-uverse-carriage-deal-1201725920/

[10] USHCC Commends AT&T and Univision for Relaunching Services. (2016, March 29). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/ushcc-commends-at-t-and-univision-for-relaunching-services-2109830.htm

[11] Szalai, G. (2016, February 23). Univision Subscriber Fee Revenue Rises, and So Does Its Q4 Earnings. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6889307/univision-earnings-fourth-quarter-financials

[12]  Univision PR (2016, April 21). Univision Communications Inc. to Launch Fusion Media Group to Serve the Rising American Mainstream – Univision. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/2016/04/univision-communications-inc-to-launch-fusion-media-group-to-serve-the-rising-american-mainstream/

[13] Corasaniti, N. (2016, February 22). Univision Aims to Make Hispanic Voting Bloc Even More Formidable. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/us/politics/univision-hispanic-voting.html

[14] Univision | The #1 place to reach Hispanic America. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/

[15] Garcia, A. (2016, January 19). Univision invests in satirical news site The Onion. No joke. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/19/news/companies/univision-invests-the-onion/

[16] Fusion. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://fusion.net/

[17] Univision Statement Regarding AT&T U-verse – Univision. (2016). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/2016/03/univision-statement-regarding-att-u-verse/

[18] Executive Leadership | Univision. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://corporate.univision.com/corporate/executive-leadership/