NuvoTV

NuvoTV is an American cable television network based in Glendale, California. The network's origins date back to 1997, when American entrepreneurs Jeff Valdez and Bruce Barshop established Sí TV as a production company to develop, produce and distribute original English-language, Latino entertainment. Their production, Nickelodeon's The Brothers García, made television history as the first English-language sitcom with an all-Latino cast and creative team of writers, directors and producers.

NuvoTV, as Sí TV, was launched as a cable television network in February 2004. It became the first cable channel that catered to the Latino community with exclusively English-language programming. In 2012, nuvoTV went into a premier partnership with American entertainer Jennifer Lopez. She will work on the creative side of the network, managing marketing and program production with her production company, Nuyorican Productions, as well as periodically appearing in network programming. Lopez was named the chief creative officer of the network in May 2013.

As of August 2013, approximately 32,735,000 American households (28.66% of households with television) receive nuvoTV.^[1]

History

previous logo; 2011-2012

Beginnings as a production company (1997–2003)

Founded by American entrepreneurs Jeff Valdez and Bruce Barshop, Sí TV was established in 1997 as a production company to develop, produce and distribute original English-language, Latino entertainment.^[2] In 1998, the company produced two half-hour bilingual shows—the talk show Cafe Ole with Giselle Fernandez and the comedy series Funny Is Funny—for the Spanish-language cable channel Galavisión. The shows, which dealt primarily with Latino culture in the United States, helped boost Galavisión's weekend share of the Latino audience in the 18–34 demographic 83%. When Sí TV and Galavisión parted ways in August that same year, Valdez took the shows into national syndication in 52 markets, drawing solid ratings in New York, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio.^[3]

On March 10, 1999, Sí TV announced plans launch the first English-language cable network aimed at young Latinos. Valdez expressed interest in debuting the channel during the first quarter of 2000. George A. Greenberg of Newberger Greenberg & Associates, a media advisory firm that helped the Sci-Fi Channel get started, said the network was expected to initially be available to approximately six million homes across the United States. Greenberg estimated that it would cost about $30 million to get Sí TV "up and running" and another $70 million to get the network through its first three years. According to Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, although Latinos make up 11% of the population of the United States, and "their numbers are growing six times faster than the population at large", there have been few attempts to develop programming of "relevance to the acculturated segment of that community".^[3] Esther Renteria, chairwoman of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, stated that: "I think there's a need for Sí TV, but whether it's too soon or not, I don't know".^[3]

Their production of Nickelodeon's The Brothers García (2000–04), made television history as the first English-language sitcom with an all-Latino cast and creative team of writers, directors and producers.^[2] In January 2003, it was announced that Sí TV would be launched nationally on the Dish Network satellite TV service in the beginning of the summer. Valdez stated that: "For years, people have ignored the young demographic that doesn't speak Spanish but needs a voice and wants a place to call home".^[4]

Launch as a cable television network (2004–10)

Sí TV logo (2004–08)

Sí TV was launched as a cable television network in February 2004.^[5] It became the first cable channel that catered to the Latino community with exclusively English-language programming. It became a bicultural alternative to networks such as Univision and Telemundo.^[6] According to Sean O'Neal of The A.V. Club, the channel is marketed toward audiences who "enjoy a Spanish flavor without all the actual Spanish".^[6] Sí TV's targeted demographic of viewers aged 18–34 are "presumably those who have long since assimilated into American convention", and who "don't necessarily have any particular fealty to the sort of programming that goes to great lengths to remind them of their heritage—unlike their first-generation parents or grandparents".^[6] Within three months of its launch, Sí TV had seven million subscribers nationwide.^[5]

In April 2004, Sí TV announced that it has secured more than $60 million in financing from a large group that includes "major pay" television distributors and several private equity investors, including Time Warner Inc., EchoStar Communications and DND Equity Partners.^[5] In August, Sí TV hired Rori Peters as vice president of affiliate relations. In this role, she was responsible for developing the department and increasing the network's subscriber base. Peters, who began her career in commercial banking, was previously a vice president at Comedy Central, worked for Court TV and served as a 2002 national chairperson for Women in Cable.^[7] In August 2005, Michael Schwimmer was appointed as chief executive office of Sí TV. Schwimmer was a former top lieutenant at EchoStar Communications. In April 2006, Valdez stepped down as head of programming of Sí TV. Edward R. Leon, the network's senior vice president of production, assumed the additional role of acting head of programming.^[8]

Sí TV logo (2008–11)

During the 2008 United States presidential election, Sí TV teamed up with voter registration organization, Voto Latino, to mount a "Crash the Parties" contest to pick two Latino "political junkies" to serve as reporters for the channel at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Video entries were judged by the public and a panel, including CNN anchorman Rick Sanchez, actress Rosario Dawson, Craiglist's Craig Newmark, former Texas congressman Henry Bonilla, YouTube's Steve Grove and Danny Vargas, chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.^[9] The contest awarded Sí TV national impact.^[6] Sí TV and Voto Latino also hosted a series of registration events in Chicago, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Jose and San Diego.^[9] According to SNL Kagan estimates, in 2009, the network took in more than $15 million in net ad sales revenue.^[10]

Re-launch as nuvoTV (2011–present)

On January 18, 2011, Telemundo ad sales veteran Craig Geller assumed the role of svp, advertising sales at Sí TV. Of his move, Geller stated that: "It's the right time in the right market and Sí TV is the right network. The marketplace is poised for explosive growth and the 2010 Census will validate the fact that bicultural Latinos are absolutely the fastest-growing demo in the U.S." He further stated that the job "was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up". He commented: "Having been a student of the marketplace for as many years as I have, I recognized that the network is ready to take a huge leap forward. At the same time, our audience is growing tremendously. The time has come for advertisers to embrace these consumers, in a culturally relevant way, and the place to do that is Sí TV".^[10]

Sí TV changed its name to nuvoTV effective July 4, 2011, in a "bid to better pursue bicultural Latino audiences".^[11] "nuvo" is formed by the fusion of "NUevo" and "VOice", reflecting "the dual cultural pillars of today's American Bi-Cultural Latinos".^[12] The name change was their latest effort to tackle the power of the United States' growing Latino population. Oller stated that: "Most everyone is focused on total U.S. Hispanics, but the real story is the bicultural Latino. Three out of four speak English well or very well. These bicultural Latinos self-identify as Latino and American and are looking for culturally relevant programming".^[11] In August 2012, nuvoTV announced that he has raised $40 million from current investors, Columbia Capital LLC and Rho Capital Partners Inc., and new investors, Veronis Suhler Stevenson LLC and Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC.^[13]

On September 11, nuvoTV announced its premier partnership with American entertainer Jennifer Lopez.^[14] The partnership will focus on appealing to a modern, Latino audience that is "growing rapidly and in need of new, high-quality content". Lopez will work on the creative side of the network, managing marketing and program production with her production company, Nuyorican Productions, as well as periodically appearing in network programming.^[15][16] According to The Huffington Post, with a growing Latino audience, "there is more demand for television programming around that audience. Until now, there have only been a few networks focused on this demographic, and really none focused on providing Latino cultural content in English".^[15] Lopez told USA Today that when she was growing up there was very little programming that appealed to her heritage. She stated that: "Growing up in the Bronx as a little Puerto Rican girl watching TV and not having a lot to identify with. West Side Story was really my favorite thing because it had Puerto Ricans in it".^[14] Lopez explained that her partnership with nuvoTV marked a natural step in her career. "I'm in this business and I do know this business on many different levels — in music, in television, in film production, and as an actress, and in so many different ways, even in fashion. It's kind of right up my alley," she said.^[16] Lopez was announced as the chief creative officer of the network on May 15, 2013.^[17]

Audience

nuvoTV's targeted demographic is between persons of age 18–49. The median age of viewers is 30, while there is an even amount of male and female viewers (50%/50%). 82% of Latino viewers are English dominant, while 6% share English and Spanish equally.^[12] In March 2011, the channel reached approximately 25 to 27 million households, according to Rafael Oller, the network's senior VP-marketing.^[11] The network expected to reach 30 million households by the end of 2011; a milestone that would make it eligible to be rated by Nielsen and would therefore be of more interest to advertisers.^[11] As of September 2012, NuvoTV is available in 30 million homes across the United States, primarily through major providers such as Dish Network, AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS, Comcast, Cox Cable, and Time Warner Cable.^[13]

References

External links

• Official website