New Network Re-Launches on Sun., Feb. 1, 2015
Los Angeles, CA — NBCUniversal announced today that their Latino cable network mun2 will re re-branded to become NBC Universo beginning Sunday, February 1, 2015 which will also be the date it becomes the home of the exclusive Soanish-language Telecast of Super Bowl XLIX in the U.S.
mun2 launched in 2001 as companion cable channel to NBCUniversal’s Spanish-language network Telemundo and was initial an English-language network targeting a young U.S. Latinos who spoke predominately in English with programming consisting of music, sports, original programming.
At the height of its run mun2 was awarded a Peabody Awards, one in 2006 (For My Country? Latinos in the Military) had the highest season average for original programming for the third and final season of I Love Jenni starring the late performer Jenni Rivera. I Love Jenny was watched by 5.5 million people across all of its telecasts furing its third season of an 18-week period.
In the past few years, muns programming had gone almost completely into Spanish, however they Mun2 does not exclusively air programming in Spanish, airing some programs presented in English and programs presented interchangeably in both languages.
As part of its new branding, the network will incorporate the NBC iconic peacock, a widely recognized media brand. NBC Universo will showcase top sports action from around the world, as well as entertainment, music, series and storytelling that they feel connects with U.S. Latinos.
“Our prominent new name and logo reflect to the world that we are NBCUniversal’s modern general entertainment cable channel for Latinos,” said Rubén Mendiola, President, mun2. “
“mun2’s transformation into a high-demand cable network is one of our top company priorities,” said Joe Uva, Chairman, Hispanic Enterprises and Content, NBCUniversal. “Today’s announcement marks another important step in this transformation and, with the support of NBCUniversal, mun2 is now clearly well positioned to better serve its stakeholders across all its platforms. Our commitment to the U.S. Hispanic market is stronger than ever and the relaunch of mun2 as NBC UNIVERSO is a direct reflection of that pledge.”
During the past several months, mun2 had begun the transformation. In September it began airing matches of the 2014/15 season of the Barclays Premier League (BPL), as well as the first of five NFL games to air on the network this season. Plans to further expand its sports programming lineup to the FIFA World Cup events in 2015: Men’s FIFA U-20 World Cup; FIFA Women’s World Cup™; Men’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosted by Portugal ; and FIFA U-17 World Cup played in Chile. NBC Universo will also exclusively showcase The Rio 2016 Olympic Games, The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series and WWE programming hits WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown in Spanish.
On the entertainment front, building on the popularity of A Toda Gloria – a signature series into the life of international Latin music icon Gloria Trevi, both on- and off-the-stage – as well as Larrymania and Fugitivos de la Ley.
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