Univision Closes Spanish Upfront
By Simon Applebaum -- Multichannel News, 5/15/2002 1:15:00 PM
New York -- Univision Communications Inc. wrapped up the Spanish-language channels' 2002 upfront presentations Wednesday with word, among other things, that its Univision broadcast network will launch the first animated series in Spanish produced by -- and aimed at -- U.S. Latinos.
And while sister cable service Galavisión is, for now, de-emphasizing U.S.-produced primetime shows in favor of news coverage and entertainment/information fare from Grupo Televisa S.A. and Venevision -- TV suppliers from Mexico and Venezuela, respectively -- Univision will increase its U.S.-made fare at night, including a Los Angeles-shot novela.
Univision's animated project is Baldo, based on the popular newspaper comic strip launched two years ago. Co-creators Hector Cantu and Carlos Castellanos serve as the series' executive producers, with an all-Latino writing and directing team in place and a cast of newcomers providing the voices.
Paloma Productions -- an independent company working with Univision's program-development unit in Los Angeles -- will handle Baldo, as well as Te Amare en Silencio (I Will Love You in Silence), the city-based novela with a female deaf protagonist. Both shows will premiere this fall.
Other domestic productions coming to Univision next season include Quien Dijo Miedo? (Who's Afraid?), a two-hour Sunday-night stunt game; Playa Tropical (Tropical Beach), a sketch comedy set on a tropical resort; and weekend versions of Primer Impacto (First Impact), the network's long-running late-afternoon newsmagazine.
Before a packed house at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall here, Univision also delivered a progress report on TeleFutura, its five-month-old sister broadcast network, which is still looking to line up cable affiliates.
More new shows are headed that channel's way, including a nightly game-show hour led off by a Mexico-produced version of Family Feud from Fremantlemedia Ltd., the same company behind the U.S. syndication version, as well Game Show Network's Press Your Luck remake, Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck.
TeleFutura's primetime format, mostly movies, will remain intact, filtering in more flicks from Latin American sources.
The one notable addition is a game block from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., starting with Que Dice la Gente? (What Say the People?), Fremantlemedia's Feud production on Televisa. The show has been running and winning audiences there since last summer, and episodes will be shown in sequence on Telefutura this fall.
During daytime, Telefutura will premiere Corazones Rotos (Broken Hearts), a courtroom strip where married couples deal with emotional issues through family members and a team of experts.
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