NBC Universal's Telemundo this week is expected to make TV
history as the first Spanish-language network to broadcast nationally in high-definition.
For the occasion, the network has picked the highly rated Billboard Latin Music Awards, now in its
20th year. Ceremonies will air live from Miami's
Bank United
Center on April 23 at 7 p.m. (ET).
Later this year, Telemundo is also expected to become the
first Spanish-language network to broadcast an entire full-length telenovela in
HD with the premiere of Más sabe el
Diablo.
Also available on HD will be Doña Bárbara (currently on the air) and other primetime
programming. However, not all of Telemundo affiliates are expected to join the
HD push right away.
According to Telemundo, nine of the network's owned-and-operated
stations will deliver its HD signal. High-definition content will initially be
available in Los Angeles, Miami,
Las Vegas, Chicago,
New York, Dallas,
San Francisco, Houston
and Puerto Rico.
The remaining O&Os will launch HD programming over the
next 12 months.
News
of Telemundo's HD plans was followed by Univision's announcement that it will
air its entire slate of 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer games from South
Africa in HDTV across the Univision
network and broadcast brethren TeleFutura, as well as the Univision and
TeleFutura station groups.
