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News Corp to launch Spanish language TV network

News Corporation has formed a partnership with RCN to launch a Spanish language television network, MundoFox, later this year.

MundoFox, which is due to launch in September or October 2012, hopes to target Hispanic audiences across the US in cities with large Hispanic populations including Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas and San Diego.

News Corp and Colombia-based RCN will be competing with market leaders Univision and Telemundo.

“Just think of Fox vs. ABC, CBS and NBC,” says Fox International Channels president Hernan Lopez.  “Much of the content that we will create will have the same effect on Spanish viewers.”

"There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers,” adds Lopez. “Fox saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50+ million Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television.”

Programming for MundoFox will be made up of telenovelas that can run up to 200 episodes, shorter series and two daily newscasts.

It will include content from a variety of sources including RCN, the creators of the telenovela Betty La Fea which is the original version of US series Ugly Betty.

David Hing, London