Several celebrities and on-air personalities were on hand to help executives promote the programming slate of Fox Hispanic Media’s Spanish-language networks, including Mario Lopez, Oscar De La Hoya, Barbara Mori, Marlon Moreno, Lorena Garcia, Cesar Millán and show host Marco Antonio Regil.
FHM’s President, Hernán Lopez kicked off the upfront, held on Wednesday afternoon at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, which covered accomplishments and programming lineups for its 4 networks: FOX Deportes, Nat Geo Mundo, MundoFox and Utilísima, which is being re-branded as FOX Life later this year.
López took the opportunity to thank affiliates and advertisers for sticking with MundoFox, which he admited faced challenges: “Even though we haven’t yet accomplished what we wanted, we’re on our way.” MundoFox launched in August of 2012.
Emphasizing that FHM is creating “a real choice,” López said “in the long run, investing in choice is powerful.”
Vincent Cordero, GM of Fox Deportes boasted about his network’s ratings success thanks to popular shows like “La Última Palabra” and offering the “most hours of sports news.”
During his presentation, he announced the creation of Fox Deportes studios and the relaunching of Foxdeportes.com, making it more integrated with social media and video.
FOX Deportes will continue to own the exclusive Spanish-language rights of premium soccer tournaments, including UEFA Champions League, Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Beyond soccer, the network has reinvested in Major League Baseball, airing more live regular season games and continuing as the exclusive Spanish-language home of the All-Star Game, American League Championship Series and World Series; in addition to its exciting investment in Golden Boy Promotions Boxing, UFC and NASCAR in 2013.
MundoFox president Emiliano Saccone took the stage to offer advertisers a “value proposition” based on “more commitment, choice and breakthrough TV,” with expanded distribution in Houston, New York and Philadelphia, as well as an increase in original programming with more “Mexican flavor.”
The focus of the presentation was entertainment, with barely a mention of their national news.
Saccone introduced “Golden Boy” Oscar de la Hoya and actor/host Mario Lopez, who came on stage to talk about the boxing docu-drama “The Golden Boys,” which they’re co-producing for the network.
An interesting announcement was that MundoFox will also be airing the FX series “The Bridge” with Oscar-nominated actor Demián Bichir. The series, which is set to premiere on FX in July will also debut on MundoFox during the summer, but with Spanish subtitles.
In all, MundoFox is slated to air 10 new RCN original productions and two series produced in Mexico – “Amor con Angel” and “El Capitán” starring Humberto Zurita.
Here’s the MundoFox 2013-14 lineup starting in the fall:
“La Maldición del Paraíso” – A woman finds herself trapped in a love triangle between two brothers, not knowing that she is repeating her mother’s tragic destiny.
“Hilo de Sangre Azul” – the mysterious death of a well-known executive in an elite neighborhood reveals the most disturbing secrets of its residents.
“Alias el Mexicano” – Only one man in Colombia managed to generate more fear than Pablo Escobar. His name was Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, better known as “El Mexicano.”
“El Laberinto de Alicia” – the lives of a group of students and their parents are about to take a chilling turn as the school’s psychologist suspects that the kids could be in danger of falling prey to a pedophile.
“El Estilista” – A man held captive by the Colombian guerrilla devises a clever plan to gain the trust of the camp commanders – become their hair stylist in order to survive.
“Comando Élite” – What makes men brave enough to follow their calling when it means hunting down and capturing the most powerful and dangerous criminals? This is their vision, this is their story.
“En la Boca del Lobo” – The incredible tale of an insider who naively signs on for what expects will be a brief role to help eliminate Pablo Escobar, and upon finding himself trapped on the job, ends up bringing down the Cali Cartel in Colombia.
“Dr. Mata” – series about respected lawyer who is a serial killer.
“El Capo 3” – Filmed on location in New York, Los Angeles, México, Colombia and Europe, El Capo returns with his most ambitious mission yet…to vanish the worldwide drug empire that he himself helped create.
“Café con Aroma de Mujer” – From the man who reinvented the novela genre and created “Betty La Fea” (Ugly Betty), Fernando Gaitán, comes the remake of the first international hit that put Colombian television on the map.
“Amor Con Angel” (Angel of Love), a feel-good romantic comedy produced by Sony. The story of Lupe, a young woman who finds comfort in old videos of Cantinflas films when her parents pass away.
“El Capitan,” an adventure series that tells the story of Mexican-born Carlos Camacho Espíritu, founder of African Safari—Mexico’s national Wildlife Park. Produced by FoxTelecolombia, starring Humberto Zurita.
MundoFox weekends prime time:
“The Bridge” – Demián Bichir and Diane Kruger star in this highly anticipated FX series, centered on two detectives working together to hunt down a serial killer who travels between the U.S. and Mexican border.
“Cumbia Ninja” – This original series is set in a Latin American slum controlled by narcos, where young idealist Hache and his buddies cannot take it any longer and come up with a very particular way to clean up the streets where they live, with the help of Xiang Wu, an old Chinese ninja master.
“Paramedicos”– Based on real-life events, this series touches upon experiences and anecdotes that are part of the history of the Mexican Red Cross.
“Luna”– Bárbara Mori returns to television in this provocative series about a woman who is a psychologist by day and DJ with a cult by night – unaware of her multiple personality disorder caused by the tragic loss of her twin sister.
“Historias de Corrido” – Real life stories told through songs, known as Mexican Corridos, now come to life on the television screen in these original made-for-TV movies. Starring the popular members of the bands that perform the songs.
“Familia en Venta” – Romantic comedy about a couple that, due to economic challenges, is forced to continue to live together although they are divorced. Starring Roselyn Sánchez and Carlos Espejel.
“Los Golden Boys” – boxing docudrama featuring current world champions and other up-and-coming fighters. Executive-produced by Mario Lopez and Oscar de la Hoya.