Univision Communications will add more than 20 new programs to its 2010-11 schedule across its three television networks and on Univision Interactive, including six new novelas on Univision, four on TeleFutura and four new shows on cable network Galavision.
And in another move seemingly aimed at upstaging rival Hispanic broadcast network, the NBC Universal-owned Telemundo and its cable network mun2, Univision Interactive will offer an online novela produced by Univision Studios starring Mexican music star Jenni Rivera.
The new programming will be introduced at an upfronts presentation on Thursday.Rivera is producing a reality series for mun2 for next season that follows the lives of her daughter and her daughter's best friend. And last Sunday, Univision aired a special documentary-type show on Rivera.
In the Univision Interactive novela "No Me Hallo" ("Finding Myself"), a romantic comedy, Rivera plays Luz Maria, who floats from job to job and finds herself getting into assorted adventures.
While Univision has a long-term agreement with Mexican studio Televisa to supply novelas, Univision Studios, which was created last December, co-produced its first TV novela in collaboration with Venevision, "Eva Luna," which will air on Univision network next season. "Eva Luna" is a love story about Eva Gonzalez, who unknowingly falls in love with the man who murdered her father.
Univision Studios also produced a number of primetime entertainment shows, including some reality shows for Univision, and plans call for it to continue to grow the amount of programming it produces for all three networks.
"Univision Studios strengthens our ability to be a major producer in every genre," said Univision Networks president Cesar Conde.
Univision Studios co-produced two reality series for Univision based on similar series on English-language television in the U.S.
The first is "Mira Quien Baila" ("Look Who's Dancing"), a dance competition produced in conjunction with Endemol, and the other is "Desafio: La Gran Batalla" ("The Challenge: The Big Battle"), modeled on the CBS hit “Survivor” and produced in conjunction with BETV.
In addition to "Eva Luna,” other Univision novelas for next season include: "Soy tu Duena" ("You Belong to Me"), about a woman who is jilted at the altar; "Mar de Amor" ("Sea of Love"), about a women who has to overcome many obstacles to be with a wealthy landowner; "Zacatillo, Un Lugar en Tu Corazon" ("Zacatillo, A Place in Your Heart"), a lighthearted drama about a singer who survives a murder attempt although the killer thinks she's dead; and "Llena de Amor" ("Big on Love"), a modern-day ugly duckling story.
Univision is hoping that some of those will have the success of some of its primetime novelas this season.
Since its premiere on Jan. 18, current Univision novela "Hasta Que El Dinero Nos Separe" ("For Love or Money") is averaging 4.4 million total viewers, including 2.4 million among adults 18-49 and 1.7 million among adults 18-34. And Univision consistently wins Friday nights among the 18-34 demo.
For the fourth consecutive season, Univision has been the top in that demo on Friday's in primetime, beating all English-language networks.
