Univision preps global streamer

US Hispanic broadcaster Univision has unveiled plans to roll out its own global streaming platform following its merger with Mexican media giant Televisa, starting in Latin America and the US in 2022.

Pierluigi Gazzolo

Both ad-supported and subscription options will be available on the platform, which is yet to be named. Univision promised the platform will offer more Spanish-language originals than any other VoD service.

Univision currently operates free streaming platform PrendeTV, which will anchor the AVoD side of the new service, while Televisa – which it acquired earlier this year for US$4.8bn – runs subscription-based Blim TV.

The platform’s free offering will feature 100 linear channels and 40,000 hours of content, while the SVoD service will offer 6,000 hours.

Univision has hired Rodrigo Mazo from Netflix to look after the SVoD side of the new platform, including content strategy and talent relations, as executive VP and general manager of SVoD. The ad-supported service will be led by Rafael Urbina, general manager of AVoD streaming.

In total, the new platform will launch more than 30 original series in 2022.

Univision has made content deals with several authors, including Maria Dueñas, who has agreed to develop her first ever TV series for the SVoD service as well as signing a first-look agreement for all her future work.

Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa’s book Travesuras de la niña mala (The Bad Girl) will be adapted into a television series to be executive produced by Patricio Wills from Televisa’s W Studios. The novel is an epic love story set in the 1960s in various European cities.

Mexican director Santiago Limon is directing Pinches Momias, an action, horror and comedy series in which the mummies of Mexican city Guanajuato come back to life and a group of teenagers are the only ones who can save the day.

Mujer del Diablo (Devil Woman), an original series created by Venezuelan author Leonardo Padron, is also being developed for the platform.

Finally, No Llegaron Solos (They Didn’t Come Alone) is being produced for Univision by Colombia’s Caracol Television, Miami’s 360 Powwow and Spanish prodco Isla Audiovisual.

The show tells the story of the Spanish conquest of the Americas and the three women who settled alongside Spanish men, including Catalina de Arauso, who disguised herself as a man and rose through the ranks in the colonial army.

“Today’s announcement is a quantum leap in Univision’s transformation as we aggressively scale and expand our streaming capabilities to bring thousands of hours of premium, original content to the nearly 600 million Spanish speakers around the world,” said Univision president Pierluigi Gazzolo.

“We are excited to announce our new SVoD service as a powerful cornerstone of this strategy, providing us the opportunity to reach global audiences with high-quality, original programming from distinguished producers and top talent not available anywhere else. With PrendeTV, and now with our SVoD offering, Univision is uniquely positioned to satisfy the global demand for premium Spanish-language content, the last truly meaningful open lane in global video streaming.”