A decade after its stateside launch, Spanish-language pay TV network WAPA América is now Nielsen-rated.
The Hemisphere Media Group subsidiary in August reached an agreement with Nielsen, which results in WAPA América immediately being reported in the ratings agency’s national data. The first ratings results available to the public are set to arrive on Sept. 28.
“We’ve been analyzing preliminary Nielsen data for several months and we are very excited with the findings, which confirm that WAPA América has a large and loyal audience,” Hemisphere president Alan J. Sokol said.
Nick Valls, who oversees national ad sales for WAPA América, added: “We know WAPA América appeals to the 10 million Puerto Ricans and Caribbean Hispanics living the U.S., but now we’ll have the data to back it up. WAPA América offers a unique and highly-valuable proposition to national advertisers who want to get their messages in front of the second largest Hispanic community in the U.S. in content uniquely aligned to its culture and interests.”
WAPA América is seen in more than 5 million homes and is distributed via cable television, satellite TV and telco providers. Programming is focused on news and entertainment programming originating from WAPA’s Guaynabo, Puerto Rico studios, in addition to Puerto Rico-centric films, telenovelas and sports such as Puerto Rican league basketball.
Meanwhile, Hemisphere-owned Spanish-language pay TV movie channel Cinelatino is commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) with a slate of films ranging from highly anticipated blockbuster premieres to Dia de la Raza-themed movies set for Oct. 12.
Cinelatino will kick off the celebration on Sept. 15 with a two-day marathon of Mexican box office hits to coincide with Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16. The lineup of films includes Morelos, a historical drama about the final years of the leader of the Mexican independence; Suave Patria, a comedy about two unemployed actors who stage a fake kidnapping; La Cebra, featuring two friends who travel to northern Mexico to enlist in Obregon’s army on a zebra, mistaking it for an “American horse;” and Salvando al Soldado Pérez, a black comedy about Mexican organized crime.
