Complete Cable TV Upfronts 2009 Coverage from Multichannel News
On the heels of reporting historic ratings growth, Discovery en Español is using the
ongoing upfront season to provide advertisers with data revealing new insights
on Spanish-language audiences in the U.S.
"Our viewers want us to provide them with a view of the
world, not necessarily a Hispanic perspective of the world," said Discovery
Networks U.S. Hispanic Group vice president of advertising sales Victor Parada.
"Stories don't have to be all the time about Juan Pérez," said Parada, who this
month attended a panel at the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies to
talk about the power of cable versus broadcast television.
The new research, conducted for Discovery en Español by
Cheskin, confirmed what the network had known all along about pleasing
Spanish-language U.S. audiences: Whether it's a program about Alaska or Costa
Rica, what's really important is to provide in-language, quality content.
"Many advertisers got it and understood that, but didn't
have evidence," said Parada. "And now we do."
With such information in hand, Discovery this month will go
all out to celebrate Earth Day by launching a multiplatform campaign
encompassing on-air, online and grassroots components. Earlier this month
(April 17), Discovery en Español premiered the global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth for the first time
on Spanish-network TV. The film, shown with Spanish-language subtitles, will
re-air this Saturday (April 25) at 9 p.m. ET.
On
the advertising front, Discovery en Español is gearing up for the fall premiere
of En el Mar (At Sea), a three-part Spanish-language series it developed in
partnership with the U.S. Navy, pitching the Navy as a place offering professional
opportunities for U.S. Hispanics. Financial terms were not disclosed.
