There were many news last week at the NewFronts, the weeklong series of presentations from digital content powerhouses in New York City. The focus on Spanish-speaking consumers was particularly, and somewhat surprisingly, strong. Below a roundup.
- CNET to introduce Spanish-language version
CBS Interactive (CBSi) plans to introduce a version of CNET for Spanish-speaking consumers in the fall. Jim Lanzone, president of CBSi, said he wants to offer unique digital content for a Spanish-speaking audience of 50 million in the U.S., with more in Latin America and across the globe. The Spanish-language version of CNET “will not just be a machine translating our English content into Spanish,” Lanzone said, “[it] will be its own distinct site.” CBSi is also working on a Spanish-language version of GameSpot.
- Hulu Latino
Hulu announced “East Los High” , the first English-language drama series produced by Hulu that specifically targets Hispanic audiences. “East Los High”will join the ten other Hulu Original Series and Hulu Exclusive Series that will be premiering as part of Hulu’s Summer Slate 2013,According to Hulu, “Dance, sex, romance and mystery are at the heart of this inner city school in East L.A. where two teenage cousins, Jessie, a 16-year-old virgin, and Maya, a troubled runaway with a violent past, fall in love with Jacob, a popular football player. With this forbidden love triangle, Maya, Jessie and Jacob, along with their close friends, must face true-to-life decisions throughout a turbulent year that will mark their lives forever. A Hulu Exclusive Series, “East Los High” features an all Latino cast, director, writers and creators—many hailing from East L.A. More than 15 leading public health organizations such as Advocates for Youth, Voto Latino, California Family Health Council and Legacy LA, among others, advised on the scripts and content to address teen issues related to relationships and sexuality in a meaningful way.
- NBC Universal Telemundo
NBCUniversal’s Telemundo announced a partnership with The Weather Company to tailor weather coverage to a Hispanic audience. Telemundo hopes to increase interaction between its broadcasts and social media by partnering with Zeebox, a second-screen viewing app for tablets and smartphones.
- Mundial Sports Network
The Mundial Sports Network, a digital network catering to the U.S. Hispanic sports fans announced expanded digital video and branded content offerings at its New York City NewFront presentation. The network is offering branded audio content to advertisers through digital radio.
- Univision
Univision Communications on Wednesday unveiled plans to launch several web-only series; a new online destination for Hispanic millennials, and announced the addition of five new channels to its UVideos platform.Among the new initiatives, Univision introduced Flama, a digital destination that promises “culturally relevant content” targeting Hispanic millennials. “This is the place for fun, irreverent content,” said Camila Jimenez, VP, Strategy at Univision, at the presentation. Series concepts include Salseras, and Back Home, a docu-series that “takes young Hispanics on a journey back to their ancestral homelands with a small budget and a list of challenges.” Flama is slated to launch in the fall.[ctahcb]
