Three Network Simulcast Includes ABC, Univision & Newbie Fusion
by Luis Reyes
Miami, FL — Fusion, the English-language cable television network joint venture of ABC and Univision, launches Monday evening October 28th, 2013 at 6:57pm EST. With 16 to 30 year old Latino millennials and their BFF’s as their target, the latest cable network is hoping their mix of news, pop culture and satire Television shows will have what it takes to lure this coveted audience to their channel.
As a way to bring attention to the network’s launch, the two biggest morning shows in America join forces with Fusion for an unprecedented three-way simulcast in two languages. ABC’s Good Morning America and Univision’s Despierta America (Wake Up America) will “fuse” for a day to celebrate the launch of the new the new cable Network Fusion, beginning Monday at 7:00 a.m.
The morning mega event will see Karla Martinez and Raul Gonzalez of Despierta America joining the GMA team live in Time Square while ABC’s Lara Spencer and Sam Champion travel to Miami to be live from the Despierta America set. While on the set of Fusion’s Morning Show hosts Pedro Andrade, Mariana Atencio and Yannis Pappas will join the festivities at Despierta America to mark the first time the three morning show broadcast together in two languages (English/Spanish).
Fusion has previously announced five hours of evening programs highlighted by an English-language nightly newscast America with Jorge Ramos at 8p.m., hosted by Jorge Ramos, the award winning journalist and Univision veteran. The prime time schedule will also include a sports comedy talk show and a news satire developed by a former producer of The Daily Show.
Fusion is looking ahead to the second and third generation Latino who prefer their television programming in English. Nearly two thirds of the estimated 52 million Hispanics living in the U.S. are native born. Fusion’s intended target audience has expanded beyond the original scope of only English speaking Latinos. The newbie cable network is now programming “a news, information and lifestyle network for Latinos and Millennials,” suggesting that it wants to reach a young audience regardless of race or ethnicity with programming for the kind of young audience that eschews existing cable news shows.
As befits a project geared to a generation used to downloading the latest mobile updates, Fusion brought together a group of recent journalism school graduates to work on an English language Tumbler for Univision. The young journalist created original news, curated stories and produced shorts, documentaries to experiment with what worked and what didn’t.
“We believe our programs will resonate with Latinos and non Latinos alike,” said Beau Ferrari, the acting president of Fusion, in a news release. “Fusion is a completely new offering for the most exciting and fastest growing group of young people in the country.”
Fusion Primetime Schedule (All Times are Eastern, check for scheduled times in your area):
6:00 pm. D.N.A. with Derrick Armstrong – Interactive show on a wide variety of socially relevant issues.
7:00 pm. News anchor Alicia Menendez, with a fresh take on stories at the intersection of sex, money and politics
8:00 pm – America with Jorge Ramos– News
9:00 pm – Sports Bar sports talk, comedy sketches and audience interaction
9:30 pm – Untitled Satirical show
10:00 p.m. – Open Source with Leon Krauze talk show
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