Feb. 11, 2013

ABC and Univision Introduce Fusion

News and Lifestyle Network for U.S. Hispanics
Launches in Second Half of 2013

Five Leading Cable Operators Already Onboard to Launch Fusion’s Unique Mix of Culturally Relevant Programming in English for Youngest and Fastest-Growing Demographic in the U.S.

February 11 – MIAMI, FL – ABC and Univision today announced their joint venture news and lifestyle network for U.S. Hispanics will be called Fusion.  The ground-breaking media service launches in the second half of 2013. 

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Univision to launch Fusion. Our collaboration will bring unmatched reporting capabilities and understanding of issues and entertainment that resonate with the Hispanic community, one of the fastest growing and important demographic communities in the U.S.,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group.

“The launch of Fusion will be a major milestone in Univision’s 50 year history of service to the Hispanic community,” added Cesar Conde, president, Univision Networks. “We’re delighted to partner with ABC News in this exciting new network that will extend Univision’s unequaled coverage of Hispanic issues and lifestyle to English-dominant audiences for the first time.”
“Fusion will be the indispensible meeting place for English-speaking Latinos,” said Ben Sherwood, president, ABC News. “Our goal is for this young, vibrant, and media hungry audience to come to Fusion to be informed, entertained and empowered. It will be fresh, fun and optimistic and of great interest to Latinos and non-Latinos alike.”

“Fusion will bring together diverse cultures, voices and viewpoints,” said Isaac Lee, president, Univision News. “We will explore the realities shaping the world, give Latinos a voice in the American conversation and deliver personally relevant local, national and global perspectives.”
Fusion will be available at launch in millions of households nationwide.  Five of the nation’s biggest cable distributors have already agreed to carry the network, including Cablevision, Charter, Cox, AT&T U-verse and Google Fiber.

Programming will focus on the issues most relevant for U.S. Hispanics, including the economy, entertainment, music, food, immigration, pop culture, education, politics, health and wellness and more.

Fusion will be based in Miami, Florida.  (Read here: http://abcn.ws/URrlyW)

Fusion capitalizes on Univision’s news leadership and expertise in reaching U.S. Hispanics and ABC’s global news leadership to serve over 50 million Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing demographic in the U.S. Currently, Hispanics represent 16 percent of the total population in the United States, a number that is projected to double to 30 percent by 2050.  Hispanics wield considerable spending power of over $1 trillion and have an increasing impact on social, economic and political trends.

About ABC News
ABC News delivers a big picture understanding of the world to empower and inspire viewers to make confident decisions for themselves and their families.  More people get their news from ABC News than from any other source. ABC News is responsible for all of the ABC Television Network’s news programming on a variety of platforms: television, radio, and the Internet.  With an average television and radio audience of 180 million people in a given month, ABC News surpasses the competition.  More than 2,400 affiliate stations broadcast ABC News Radio’s global news coverage.  In addition, ABC News NOW is a 24-hour news and information network currently available to 44 million users across cable, broadband, and mobile platforms. NewsOne, the affiliate news service of ABC News, provides live and packaged news, sports, and weather reports, as well as footage of news events, to 200 ABC affiliates and more than 30 domestic and international clients.

About Univision News
Univision’s award-winning News division is committed to informing the country’s fastest growing segment across all media platforms, including TV, Radio, and Interactive. Hispanics count on the latest and most relevant content that impacts the community through: “Noticiero Univision,” the Network’s evening, late evening and weekend national newscast; Sunday public affairs program “Al Punto” (To The Point); newsmagazine shows “Aquí y Ahora” (Here and Now) and “Primer Impacto” (First Impact); as well as morning news segments on “Despierta América” (Wake Up America). In the last year, Univision has strengthened its news team and expanded its news operations by adding Investigative and Documentary Units.

About Univision Communications Inc.
Univision Communications Inc., UCI is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. Its assets include Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language and the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country reaching 96% of U.S. Hispanic households; UniMás, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network reaching 89% of U.S. Hispanic households; Univision Cable Networks, including Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network, as well as Univision tlnovelas, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to novelas, Univision Deportes Network, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to sports, ForoTV, a 24-hour Spanish-language cable network dedicated to news, and an additional  suite of six cable offerings – De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson, Telehit and Distrito Comedia; UVideos, the first bilingual digital network serving Hispanic America; Univision Studios, which produces and co-produces reality shows, dramatic series and other programming formats for the Company’s platforms; Univision Television Group, which owns and/or operates 62 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Hispanic radio group which owns and/or operates 69 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Interactive, a network of products and offerings including Univision.com, which continues to be the No. 1 most-visited Spanish-language website among U.S. online Hispanics, Univision Móvil, a longstanding industry-leader with unique, relevant mobile products and services, and Univision Partner Group, a specialized advertising and publisher network. Headquartered in New York City, UCI has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit Univision.net