Fox International Channels and the RCN Television Group Announce Initial Affiliation Agreements for MundoFox
Fox International Channels and the RCN Television Group (RCN), jointly
announced initial affiliation agreements for MundoFox, the new
Spanish-language broadcast network scheduled to launch in 2012. To date,
MundoFox has secured affiliates in 20 DMAs covering nearly 40% of US
Hispanic households.
Only six weeks have passed since we announced MundoFox, and we have
exceeded our expectations by securing affiliate partnerships in many of
the key U.S. Hispanic markets, said Hernan Lopez, President and CEO of
Fox International Channels. In the last 20 years, no U.S. broadcast
network has secured such a large footprint so quickly without assistance
from O&O stations. Interest in MundoFox has been tremendous, and we now
expect to exceed our original goal of securing distribution in 75% of
U.S. Hispanic households by launch.
The initial affiliate list includes flagship station KWHY (Channel 22)
in Los Angeles (#1), owned by the Meruelo Group and WJAN (Channel 41) in
Miami (#3) owned by America CV Group. The roster of current affiliates
also includes stations in San Antonio (#7), San Francisco (#8), Phoenix
(#9), Sacramento (#11), Fresno (#14), Tampa (#20), Las Vegas (#23), West
Palm Beach (#28), Bakersfield (#31), Monterey (#34), Fort Myers (#37),
Palm Springs (#39), Odessa (#43), Santa Barbara (#45), Lubbock (#51),
Boise (#71), Abilene (#78) and San Angelo (#92). All affiliates in the
top 10 markets are Full Power stations or are fully distributed in cable
and satellite.
Hero Broadcasting, Cocola Broadcasting and Prime Time Partners are also
among the affiliates.
The positive response and increasing interest by affiliates is a true
testament to the goal of MundoFox, which is to fill the gap in Latino
entertainment in the U.S. and bring quality content and differentiation
from the options currently available to Spanish-speaking viewers, said
Gabriel Reyes, CEO of RCN. We plan on keeping the momentum going in the
upcoming months and are confident well be widely distributed prior to
our Fall launch.
Distribution agreements in the remaining top 50 Hispanic markets across
the country are still being finalized.
About Fox International Channels
Fox International Channels (FIC) is News Corporations international
multi-media business. FIC develops, produces and distributes over 350
wholly-and majority-owned entertainment, factual, sports and lifestyle
channels across Latin America, U.S. Hispanic, Asia/Pacific, Europe and
Africa, in 35 languages. These networks and their related mobile,
non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.1 billion
cumulative households worldwide. We also operate a global online
advertising unit, .FOX (pronounced dot-fox) which specializes in
online video and display, and four TV production houses. [In operation
since: August 14, 1993.]
About RCN
RCN is a leading television network and production company with a long
track record of highly acclaimed series and telenovelas. The
company belongs to the Organización Ardila Lülle (OAL), one of the most
prominent industrial conglomerates in Latin America. RCN currently
licenses its content in over 120 countries worldwide, including some of
the biggest Spanish-language hits of recent years in the U.S., such as
productions of El Capo, Café Con Aroma de Mujer, Yo soy Betty la
Fea and Pura Sangre, and format rights for Destilando Amor, Mañana
Es Para Siempre, Hasta Que El Dinero Nos Separe and La Fea Mas
Bella. RCN also operates and programs three cable networks: TVColombia,
RCNs international signal; NTN 24, a twenty-four-hour global news
channel; and RCN Telenovelas, a channel programming the best of RCNs
novelas. RCN was advised by Sidley Austin LLC and PanAmerican Capital
Partners LLC. [In operation: since July 10, 1998.]
