Overbuilder RCN this week added VeneMovies and Semillitas, two Spanish-language channels
produced by Somos TV, a Miami, Fla.-based producer partly owned by Venezuela's
Grupo Cisneros. Terms were not disclosed.
- Starting March 15, RCN
will make Semillitas, a 24-hour network aimed at children 5 and younger, is
available in Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadephia and Washington D.C. on its three Hispanic packages: El Paquetón, MiVisión
Lite and MiVisión Plus. The agreement
guarantees that for the next three months, Semillitas will not be available on
any other satellite or cable provider in RCN's footprint.
Semillitas, whose content
hails mainly from Latin America, is the result of consumer research showing that
Hispanic parents -- whether bilingual or not -- speak Spanish to their children
at these ages, recognizing they will later be assimilated into U.S. culture.
"Offering culturally relevant
content is very important for us," said SomosTV chief operating officer José
Antonio Espinal.
Also joining RCN is
VeneMovies, a commercial-free film channel that offers a selection of films
from Latin America. It will be available on channel 599
in Boston, Chicago,
Washington D.C.,
New York and Philadelphia
and on channel 793 in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
In
addition to VeneMovies and Semillitas, RCN this week announced the
launch of Media World channels Pasiones, Centroamerica TV and Television
Dominicana. The channels are included in all three of RCN's Hispanic packages:
MiVisión Plus, MiVisión Lite and El Paquetón.
