Venezuelan television magnate Omar Gerardo Camero believes his network’s success in the South American nation will translate to Hispanic U.S. viewers and those in the rest of Latin America.
Olympusat is now distributing Televen America, featuring a selection of programming from Caracas-based broadcaster Televen, to multichannel video providers outside of Venezuela.
Billing itself as a family and variety entertainment broadcaster, Televen America will feature such domestic hits as Chataing, a daily late-night show featuring actor/comedian/presenter Luis Chataing; the daily talk show Se Ha Dicho; the daily entertainment-focused La Bomba; the astrology-themed Codigo Hermes; weekly news and issues chat show 100% Venezuela; and its newscast, El Noticiero.
Telenovelas, dramatic series and lifestyle programming will also fill Televen America’s broadcast slate.
"We are very pleased to bring Televen America, to our affiliates in the U.S., as well as our new distribution channels in Latin America,” Olympusat president Tom Mohler said. “Their commitment to high-quality original programming is destined to entertain and inform not only Venezuelan pay TV customers living in the U.S. but all Hispanics."
Camero, owner and executive vice president of Televen, added: "For our family, this is a very important step, and now we are able to reach Latin American immigrants in the U.S. and in other parts of the world. This has been a longtime dream for our network, and we now have the capacity to show the quality of our content to international audiences. This was our next challenge and we are very satisfied to do it with the knowledge and reach of Olympusat."
Televen debuted in February 1988 as an alternative to Gustavo Cisneros’ Venevisión and the now-defunct RCTV, which lost its broadcast license in 2007, after the government of the late President Hugo Chavez accused the network of inciting a failed 2002 coup against the regime.
Today, Televen is considered a ratings leader by total audience, often surpassing Venevisión. Televen has taken a neutral position on political coverage for nearly a decade, which has helped to fuel its ratings success.
In Venezuela, Televen is the home for such U.S. productions as Alcatraz; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CSI: Miami; Flashpoint; Rookie Blue; Supernatural; and The Ghost Whisperer.
