Univision Communications


Univision Communications Inc. is an American media company headquartered in Miami. Since its founding in the early 1960s as Spanish International Network, the nation’s first Spanish language television network, the company has catered to Hispanic and Latino Americans. Today it is a multimedia company with broadcast cable, digital and audio networks, including 65 television stations, online and mobile apps and products.

History

Univision Communications Inc. was founded in, as Spanish International Communications Corporation by Rene Anselmo, an American-Mexican TV executive of Cuban-Italian-American descent, Emilio Nicolas, Sr., owner of KUAL-TV in San Antonio, and Mexican radio-TV magnate Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, head of Telesistemas Mexicanos. 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 its current.
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 Audio Network.
Prior to 2007, the headquarters was in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles.
In March 2007, Univision Communications was sold to Broadcasting Media Partners, a group which included Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners., TPG Capital, L.P., Thomas H. Lee Partners, and Saban Capital Group.
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.
Randy Falco became Univision's CEO in 2011. Under Falco, the company began to expand its platforms, including launching new cable networks such as Univision Deportes Network and Univision Tlnovelas, as well as English-language properties targeting Hispanic audiences such as Flama, and Fusion, a news channel operated as a joint venture with Disney–ABC Television Group.
In January 2013, TeleFutura rebranded as UniMás. In May 2013, Univision announced an investment in Robert Rodriguez's new English-language cable channel El Rey Network.
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.
On August 16, 2016, Univision Communications purchased Gawker Media for $135 million. The sale included six Gawker blogs – Kotaku, Jalopnik, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, 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.
On May 30, 2018, Vincent Sadusky, formerly of Telemundo and the local station groups LIN Media and Media General, was appointed the new CEO of Univision, replacing the outgoing Randy Falco. Under Sadusky, the company began to backpedal on its attempts to diversify into English-speaking markets, electing to focus more on its core Spanish-language properties targeting Hispanics. As part of this effort, Gizmodo Media Group was divested to private equity firm Great Hill Partners in April 2019.
In July 2019, Univision rebranded its Univision Deportes Network cable channel as TUDN, as part of a collaboration with its content partner Televisa.
On February 25, 2020, Wade Davis investment arm ForgeLight and Searchlight Capital, had acquired Univision from the investment group, while Televisa will continue to had a 36% stake in the company, the new owners will held a 64% of the company.The deal will also make Davis the CEO of Univision.

Properties

Univision’s portfolio of properties consists of broadcast cable and digital networks, including 123 local TV and Radio stations. Univision’s properties also include consumer products and brand licensing.

Television

Notes:
City of license / MarketStationChannel TV Owned SinceAffiliation
KTVW-DT **33 1992Univision
KFPH-DT13 2001UniMás
KUVE-DT
46 2003Univision
KFTU-DT3 2001UniMás
KABE-CD39 2002Univision
KTFB-CA42002UniMás
KBTF-CA **
311992UniMás
KUVI-DT45 1997Justice Network
KFTV-DT **21 1992Univision
KTFF-DT61 2003UniMás
KMEX-DT **34 1992Univision
KFTR-DT ++46 2001UniMás
KUVS-DT19 1997Univision
KTFK-DT64 2004UniMás
KDTV-DT **14 1992Univision
KFSF-DT66 2002UniMás
KCEC 114 2003Univision
WFDC-DT 114 2001Univision
WLTV-DT **23 1992Univision
WAMI-DT ++69 2001UniMás
WVEN-TV ++ 143 2001Univision
WRCF-CD29 2017Cheddar
WVEA-TV ++ 150 2001Univision
WUVG-DT ++34 2001Univision
UniMás
WGBO-DT66 1995Univision
WXFT-DT ++60 2001UniMás
WUNI ++ 166 2001Univision
WWJE-DT50 2017Justice Network
KLUZ-TV 114 2003Univision
WXTV-DT **41 1992Univision
WFUT-DT ++68 2001UniMás
WFTY-DT ++
67 2001Justice Network
WUVC-DT40 2003Univision
WTNC-LD26 2003UniMás
WQHS-DT ++ 261 2001Univision
UniMás
WUVP-DT ++65 2001Univision
WFPA-CA **281992UniMás
WMGM-TV40 2017Justice Network
KAKW-DT62 2002Univision
KTFO-CD **31 1992UniMás
KXLK-CD29 2018Justice Network
KUVN-DT **23 1992Univision
KSTR-DT ++49 2001UniMás
KXLN-DT45 1994Univision
KFTH-DT ++67 2001UniMás
KWEX-DT **41 1992Univision
KNIC-DT 617 2006UniMás
KUTH-DT 532 2004Univision
WLII-DT11 20023Univision
WSTE-DT2
720024Independent
WSUR-DT
920023Univision
WSTE-DT1
7 20024Independent
WOLE-DT
122018Univision

Footnotes:
Univision 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 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 and Outstanding Documentary for “Identidad sin fronteras” part of Panorámica, a Univision/Pivot co-production. The Radio & Television News Association of Southern California 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.
Univision’s former president and CEO, Randy Falco, has been recognized by National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with Board of Trustees’ Award and by Kids in Need of Defense, with a Champion Award. Univision 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.
Univision’s sports network, Univision Deportes 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 ; 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
Board of directors