Univision to Launch Online On-Demand Network Oct. 15

Univision Communications on Monday plans to introduce its new bilingual online network UVideos, which will provide on demand programming and a social TV experience on a variety of devices.

The site switches from Spanish to English, depending on the users preference. When English is chosen, headings and meta data appear in English and content appears with subtitles, enabling English speakers to consume novellas and other content from the Univision broadcast network as well as cable channels Galavision and Telefutura.

UVideos is free to the consumer and ad-supported, with top TV spender Procter & Gamble among the charter sponsors.

The site also supports TV Everywhere. Users who sign in and authenticate that they are a subscriber to a multi-channel distributor can get additional content. Dish Network is signed on at launch, with Cablevision Systems, AT&T, Verizon and Xbox on board, according to Univision.

Univision will begin a major consumer marketing push for UVideos on Oct. 29. By then Univision expects to roll out apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. An Xbox app is expected in late November.

The platform will have about 1,500 hours of long-form programming available and about 100 shortform clips a day. Live programming will not be available on the digital platform at launch.

Read more at B&C at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/489841-Univision_to_Launch_Onli....

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.