Univision Communications

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) is an American media company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. Since its founding in the early 1960s as Spanish International Network (SIN), the nation’s first Spanish language television network, the company has catered to Hispanic and Latino Americans. Today it is a multimedia company with 16 broadcast, cable and digital networks; 61 television stations; and online and mobile apps, products and content creation facilities in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami.

History
Univision Communications Inc. was founded in 1962 as Spanish International Network. Rene Anselmo, an American-Mexican TV executive of Cuban-Italian-American descent, Emilio Nicolas, Sr., owner of KUAL-TV (now KWEX-TV) in San Antonio, and Mexican radio-TV magnate Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, head of Telesistemas Mexicanos (now Televisa). They consolidated the operations of some independent Latino stations into a network. In 1987, Nicholas sold his part of the company to Hallmark Cards, and the name was changed to Univision.

From September 1996 to April 2007, Univision Communications Inc. traded in the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UVN.

In 2001, Univision Communications Inc. acquired USA Broadcasting, the station group of USA Networks, which included 13 full-power television stations. Most of these stations became part of a new network called TeleFutura, which it launched in 2002, now UniMás. Others joined Univision. In 2003, Univision completed the acquisition of Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation to form Univision Radio.

Prior to 2007, the headquarters was in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles.

In March 2007, Univision Communications Inc. was sold to Broadcasting Media Partners, Inc. which includes Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, Providence Equity Partners Inc., TPG Capital, L.P., Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., and Saban Capital Group Inc.

In May 2008, Univision Music Group was sold to Universal Music Group and combined with its Latin label to become Universal Music Latin Entertainment.

In 2009, Univision Interactive Media was formed to house Univision.com, Univision Móvil, and an array of digital offerings. Univision On Demand also debuted in 2009, through distribution partners. That same year Univision also created Univision Studios, a new production arm focused on producing and co-producing content for the company’s platforms.

Since June 2011, Randy Falco has been president and CEO of UCI, and since then has increased UCI’s earnings. Falco’s contract was recently renewed until January 2018. In the fall of 2012, Univision celebrated its 50th anniversary by unveiling a new brand logo and a new tagline identifying Univision as the “Hispanic Heartbeat of America.”

The company owns and operates two broadcast networks, Univision Network the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network, available in approximately 93% of U.S. Hispanic television households. It is one of the top five networks in the country and 91% of Univision’s audience consumes content live vs. 70 percent for English-language networks. UniMás is among the leading Spanish-language broadcast television networks. More recently, UCI has grown its offerings with the launch of cable networks Univision Deportes, Univision tlnovelas and, additional cable, digital and multiplatform offerings.

In 2013, UCI announced a strategic partnership which launched El Rey, a new English-language network geared towards young-adult audiences led by Robert Rodriguez. That year Univision also rebranded its TeleFutura network into UniMás, which targets males ages 18 to 35, and broadcasts dramatic series, soccer events, reruns of classic shows and feature films. In addition, in 2013 Univision formed its joint venture with ABC/Disney to launch "Fusion", a 24-hour, English-language cable news network.

In November 2013, Univision launched its social impact brand Univision Contigo (Univision With You), an expansion of the company's community empowerment efforts focused on education, health, civic engagement and financial prosperity. Univision Contigo's campaigns have been done in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Clinton Foundation, Common Sense Media, the California Endowment, among others.

In 2014, UCI launched Univision Mobile, La Fabrica and TheFlama.com and also continued to increase the reach of Univision Deportes, Fusion and El Rey. Also in 2014, UCI expanded its partnership with Hulu, building on its launch as the first Spanish-language offering on Hulu in 2012.

In 2015, UCI signed a deal with Sling TV that grants Sling TV innovative Over-the-top programming and multi-stream rights for live and video-on-demand content from Univision Network, UniMás, UDN, Galavisión, El Rey Network, Bandamax, De Película, De Película Clásico, Telehit, tlNovelas, FOROtv, as well as Univision and UniMás broadcast stations nationwide.

On August 16, 2016, Univision Communications purchased Gawker Media for $135 million. The sale included six Gawker blogs – Kotaku, Jalopnik, Lifehacker, Gizmodo (and its sub-site io9), Deadspin and Jezebel – but not the flagship Gawker site, which would be shut down in late August. On September 21, 2016, the Gawker Media assets acquisition was completed and said assets were moved to Gizmodo Media Group.

Properties
UCI’s portfolio of properties consists of 16 broadcast cable and digital networks, including El Rey and Fusion, and 128 local TV and Radio stations. UCI’s properties also include consumer products and brand licensing.

Spanish-language television

 * Univision Network
 * UniMás Network
 * Univision Deportes Network (UDN) (Sports)
 * Univision Noticias (News)
 * Univision Tlnovelas (Telenovelas)
 * Univision Television Group (61 local TV stations)
 * Galavision Network
 * Additional suite of cable offerings – De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson and Telehit.
 * FOROtv
 * TuTV (100% owner, formerly 50% with Televisa)

Radio

 * Univision Radio
 * Univision America
 * Uforia (67 local radio stations)

Digital properties

 * UVideos.com and UVideos app
 * Univision.com and Univision app
 * Uforiamusica.com and Uforia Musica app
 * UnivisionDeportes.com and Univision Deportes app
 * Univisionnoticias.com and Noticias Univision app
 * TheFlama.com
 * La Fabrica UCI (Digital content house)

Fusion Media Group

 * El Rey Network
 * Fusion TV
 * Flama
 * The Root
 * Univision Digital
 * Univision Music
 * Earther
 * The Onion—40% stake in company
 * The A.V. Club
 * Clickhole
 * Starwipe
 * The Takeout

Gizmodo Media Group

 * Deadspin
 * Gizmodo/io9
 * Jalopnik
 * Jezebel
 * Kotaku
 * Lifehacker
 * Splinter

Consumer brands, products, and other services

 * Univision Contigo, Univision's social impact / community empowerment brand
 * Univision Mobile
 * Univision Farmacia
 * Univision MasterCard Prepaid Card™
 * Univision Tarjeta Prepagada
 * AutoAmigo
 * El Chavo™
 * Chapulin™
 * Hablando sola™
 * Simplemente Delicioso™
 * Celia Cruz
 * Pedro Infante
 * Gaby Borges
 * Claudia Molina
 * Telenovelas
 * Univision Deportes™
 * Despierta America
 * Nuestra Belleza Latina
 * Antahkarana™
 * Chef Oropeza™
 * Univision Interactive Media
 * Vote for Your America
 * Univision Music Group (2001–2008)

Other properties

 * Entravision Communications (10%)

Univision-owned television stations
Notes:
 * (**) – Indicates a station owned by Univision prior to the formation of Univision Communications in 1992.
 * (++) – Indicates a station owned by USA Broadcasting prior to its acquisition by Univision in 2001.

Footnotes:
 * 1 These stations are owned by Univision, but are operated by Entravision Communications under local marketing agreements.
 * 2 WQHS is the only network-owned station bordering Canada. It is also one of only two stations near the Canada–US border. The other station, KUNS-TV in Seattle, Washington, is third-party owned. However, neither the network nor either of the two stations are available on cable or satellite in Canada due to foreign broadcast restrictions established by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
 * 3 WLII and WSUR were taken over by Univision in 2002, but this was under a local marketing agreement with Raycom Media until Univision bought the stations outright in 2005.
 * 4 WSTE was taken over by Univision in 2002, but this was via WLII's local marketing agreement with Siete Grande Television (and in turn Univision's LMA with Raycom until 2005). Univision bought WSTE outright in 2007.
 * 5 KUTH is owned by Univision, but was operated by Equity Media Holdings under a local marketing agreement until Univision took full control of the station in 2009.
 * 6 KNIC is the only station to be built and signed-on by Univision Communications.

Awards
UCI and its executives have been recognized for their news, entertainment, humanitarian efforts and sports.

Univision News has been recognized with the Peabody, Walter Cronkite and Gracies awards for its special “Entre el abandono y el rechazo”; the King of Spain International (Digital) Journalism Award for “Niños de la Frontera” part of Univision Noticia’s La Huella Digital; and GLAAD Media Awards in the categories Outstanding Local TV Journalism for “Cobertura de Spirit Day” by Noticias 34 (KMEX-Univision 34) and Outstanding Documentary for “Identidad sin fronteras” part of Panorámica, a Univision/Pivot co-production. The Radio & Television News Association of Southern California (RTNA) also recognized Univision Noticias with eight Golden Mikes including the top honor, Broadcast Legend Award to Univision News anchor María Elena Salinas. Univision News anchor Jorge Ramos, described as “one of the most aggressive and influential newsmen in America” by Michael Scherer in his profile of Ramos published November 20, 2014, was named to the 2015 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

UCI’s president and CEO, Randy Falco, has been recognized by National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) with Board of Trustees’ Award and by Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), with a Champion Award. UCI is also the recipient of ReadyNation's 2015 Business Champion for Children Award. The company's social impact initiative Univision Contigo has been recognized with a variety of awards, including Cynopsis Social Good Awards for its 2016 Vote For Your America campaign and its ongoing early childhood development initiaitve, Pequeños y Valiosos.

UCI’s sports network, Univision Deportes (UDN) is recipient of two Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Sports Coverage in Spanish: 2014 FIFA World Cup and Outstanding Studio Show in Spanish: Fútbol Central by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS); additionally, UDNs’ President Juan Carlos Rodriguez has been bestowed the Sports Network Executive of the Year Navigator Award by Cynopsis, while UDN accepted awards in the categories ‘Tech Innovation’ and ‘Best Spot Over:30.’

Corporate governance
Executive officers
 * Randy Falco, president and chief executive officer
 * Roberto Llamas, executive vice president of human resources and community empowerment
 * Francisco Lopez-Balboa, executive vice president and chief financial officer
 * Tonia O’ Connor, president of content distribution and corporate business development
 * Alberto Ciurana, president of programming and content, Univision Communications Inc.
 * Jonathan Schwartz, general counsel and executive vice president of government relations
 * Mónica Talán, executive vice president of corporate communications and public relations
 * Kevin Conroy, chief strategy & data officer and president of enterprise development for UCI
 * Jose Valle, president of Univision Radio
 * John W. Eck, executive vice president of technology, operations and engineering
 * Keith Turner, president of sales & marketing
 * Isaac Lee, president of Univision News and Digital, UCI and CEO of Fusion
 * Kevin Cuddihy, president of local media, Univision Communications Inc.
 * Juan Carlos Rodriguez, president of Univision Deportes
 * Peter H. Lori, interim chief financial officer, executive vice president and chief accounting officer
 * Jessica Rodriguez, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Univision Communications, Inc.

Board of directors
 * Haim Saban, chairman and chief executive officer – Saban Capital Group, Inc.
 * Randy Falco, president and CEO – Univision
 * Kelvin L. Davis, partner – TPG Capital, L.P.
 * Zaid F. Alsikafi, director – Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC
 * Henry Cisneros, executive chairman – CityView
 * José Antonio Bastón Patino, president of television and contents – Grupo Televisa
 * Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega, executive vice president – Grupo Televisa
 * Emilio Azcarraga Jean, chairman of the board and CEO – Grupo Televisa
 * James N. Perry, managing director – Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC
 * Jonathan M. Nelson, chief executive officer – Providence Equity Partners
 * Michael P. Cole, director – Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC
 * Adam Chesnoff, president and chief operating officer – Saban Capital Group, Inc.
 * David Trujillo, partner – TPG Capital, L.P
 * Michael N. Gray, principal – Providence Equity Partners
 * Enrique F. Senior Hernandez, managing director – Allen & Company
 * David E. Goel, co-founder and managing member – Matrix Capital Management
 * Tony Vinciquerra, senior advisor – TPG Capital, L.P.