History of Univision in Timeline
Univision is the largest Spanish-language television network in the United States, owned by TelevisaUnivision. It provides a wide array of content targeted towards the Latino community, including telenovelas, dramas, sports, sitcoms, reality shows, news, and Spanish-language films. Headquartered in New York City, with major production facilities in Doral, Florida, Univision is a key provider of Spanish-language media in the US.
1955: KCOR-TV Founded
In 1955, Raoul A. Cortez established KCOR-TV in San Antonio, Texas, the first Spanish-only TV station in the U.S.
1961: KCOR-TV sold to Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta's group
In 1961, Raoul Cortez sold KCOR-TV, which was later renamed KWEX-TV, to a group led by Mexican entertainment mogul Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, who owned Telesistema Mexicano.
September 29, 1962: KMEX-TV Launch
On September 29, 1962, Emilio Azcárraga and partners launched KMEX-TV, a second Spanish-language station, in Los Angeles.
1962: Children's Programming Started
From 1962 until 2004, the bulk of SIN/Univision's children's programming was derived of mainly live-action and animated programming from Televisa and other content partners.
1962: KMEX's Hollywood Studio
In 1962, KMEX started using a studio in Hollywood, which served as its base of operations until March 1993 when it was replaced by a new studio in Westchester.
1963: SIN Managed by Rene Anselmo
From 1963, the Spanish International Network (SIN) was managed by Rene Anselmo from New York.
1965: WXTV Licensed in Paterson, New Jersey
In 1965, WXTV was licensed in Paterson, New Jersey, as part of SIN's expansion.
1968: WXTV Launched in Paterson, New Jersey
In 1968, WXTV was launched in Paterson, New Jersey, as part of SIN's expansion.
1969: KFTV Licensed in Fresno, California
In 1969, KFTV was licensed in Fresno, California, as part of SIN's expansion.
1970: FIFA World Cup Spanish language broadcast rights held by Univision
From 1970 until 2014, Univision held the Spanish language broadcast rights to the FIFA World Cup.
1971: WLTV acquired in Miami
In 1971, SIN acquired WLTV in Miami as part of its expansion.
1972: KFTV Launched in Fresno, California
In 1972, KFTV was launched in Fresno, California, as part of SIN's expansion.
1972: Ownership Transferred to Emilio Azcárraga Milmo
In 1972, ownership of SIN and SICC transferred from Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta to his son, Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, after his death.
1974: SIN Participates in OTI Festival
From 1974 until 2000, SIN, and later Univision, participated in the annual Ibero-American OTI Festival, representing the United States.
1975: Eduardo Quezada's KMEX Tenure
In 1975, Eduardo Quezada began his tenure at KMEX as a news anchor, remaining with the station until 2003.
July 4, 1976: SIN National Feed via Satellite
On July 4, 1976, SIN began distributing its national feed via satellite, initially as a superstation-type feed of KWEX-TV.
1978: Origin of Teletón in Chile
In 1978, the Teletón benefit, created by Don Francisco, originated in Chile and was modeled after telethons benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
1978: National Competition to Select OTI Festival Entry
Starting in 1978, SIN organized a televised national competition to select its entry to the international OTI Festival.
April 2, 1979: Launch of Galavisión
On April 2, 1979, Galavisión launched as a premium channel featuring Spanish-language films and Spanish-dubbed American films.
1982: First reference to Univision name in song
In 1982, the first reference to the name Univision appeared in the song "América, esta es tu canción" by Lucerito, from her album "Te prometo".
October 1983: SIN Hosts OTI Festival in Washington, D.C.
In October 1983, SIN staged the 12th edition of the OTI Festival at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
1983: U.S. Broadcast Rights to Premios TVyNovelas
Since 1983, Univision has held the U.S. broadcast rights to Premios TVyNovelas, a co-production of Televisa and TVyNovelas that honors Mexican television programs.
1984: Galavisión Becomes General Entertainment Channel
In 1984, Galavisión converted into a general entertainment basic cable channel, offering programming from Televisa and SIN.
July 1985: SIN moves programming to WSNS-TV in Chicago
In July 1985, SIN relocated its programming in Chicago from WCIU-TV to the new full-time affiliate WSNS-TV.
April 12, 1986: Sabado Gigante Premieres on Univision
On April 12, 1986, the variety show Sabado Gigante, hosted by Don Francisco, premiered on Univision.
1986: Pivotal year for SIN and its station group
1986 was a pivotal year for the Spanish International Network (SIN) and its owned-and-operated station group.
1986: SIN Wins OTI Festival
In 1986, SIN won the OTI Festival with the song "Todos", written by Vilma Planas and performed by Dámaris Carbaugh, Miguel Ángel Guerra, and Eduardo Fabián.
1987: SIN managed from offices in New York until 1987
From 1963 until 1987, SIN was managed from offices in New York by Rene Anselmo.
1987: Hallmark and Televisa acquire SIN
In 1987, Nicolas sold his stake in SIN to a partnership between Hallmark Cards and Televisa, who formed Univision Holdings Inc. to manage the network and its stations.
1987: Univision Initial Logo
In 1987, The initial logo under the Univision name Spanish International Network was used and resembled Televisa's station logo.
1987: Liga MX Soccer Matches Aired
Since 1987, Univision aired soccer matches from Liga MX.
1988: Increased American-based programming
In 1988, Univision significantly increased its production of American-based programs and reduced the share of programming imported from Latin America.
1988: Programming moves back to WCIU-TV
In 1988, after WSNS-TV was acquired by Telemundo, Univision moved its programming back to WCIU-TV, which agreed to air Univision programming on weekday evenings and weekends.
June 1989: Univision y Los Niños Launched
In June 1989, Univision launched a weekday and Saturday morning block, Univision y Los Niños, in partnership with DIC Entertainment.
November 1989: Univision Hosts OTI Festival in Miami
In November 1989, Univision staged the 18th edition of the OTI Festival at the James L. Knight Center in Miami.
1989: Premio Lo Nuestro Broadcast
Since 1989, Univision has served as the broadcaster of Premio Lo Nuestro, an awards show honoring top artists in Latin music.
1989: Univision Initial Logo
The initial logo under the Univision name Spanish International Network was used from 1987 to 1989 and resembled Televisa's station logo.
February 1, 1990: Univision Misses Interest Payment
On February 1, 1990, Univision Holdings disclosed that it had failed to make an interest payment of approximately $10 million, due to insufficient cash flow, as part of its efforts to restructure its debt.
September 15, 1990: Univision y Los Niños Discontinued
On September 15, 1990, the Univision y Los Niños block was discontinued and replaced with Platavision.
December 1990: Univision Hosts OTI Festival in Las Vegas
In December 1990, Univision staged the 19th edition of the OTI Festival at the Circus Maximus of the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
1991: Chispavision Introduced
In 1991, Univision introduced "Chispavision", featuring the notable program El Show de Xuxa ("The Xuxa Show").
April 8, 1992: Hallmark sells Univision to Perenchio, Azcárraga, and Cisneros
On April 8, 1992, Hallmark sold Univision to a group including A. Jerrold Perenchio, Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, and Ricardo and Gustavo Cisneros for $550 million.
May 1992: Joaquin Blaya Resigns
In May 1992, Joaquin Blaya resigned from his role as Univision's president, concerned about the reduction of domestic national programming following the Perenchio-Televisa-Venevision purchase.
September 30, 1992: FCC Approves Sale of Univision
On September 30, 1992, the FCC approved the purchase of Univision by the consortium of Perenchio, Televisa, and Venevision, stating that they were "unconvinced" that it would dilute American programming.
1992: El Show de Xuxa Became a Hit
In 1992, El Show de Xuxa became a hit in the U.S. when it debuted on Univision.
1992: Univision Debuted Noticias y Más
In 1992, Univision debuted Noticias y Más ("News and More"), anchored by Nespral, Ambrosio Hernandez and Raúl Peimbert. Myrka Dellanos joined the program after Nespral's departure later that year.
January 1993: Univision Cancels U.S.-Produced Programs
In January 1993, Univision canceled three U.S.-produced programs: Portada, Al Mediodía, and Charytin International, resulting in layoffs of 70 production staffers.
March 1993: Studio Relocation and Equipment Upgrade
In March 1993, KMEX relocated from its Hollywood studio, which had been in use since 1962, to a new studio in Westchester. During this time, the news sets, production equipment, master control equipment, and antenna were upgraded.
1993: KMEX and Televisa Form "Media Hub Center Alliance"
In 1993, KMEX and Televisa created the "Media Hub Center Alliance" to share resources and enhance market presence. The alliance, signed by Miguel Banojian of KMEX, Alejandro Burillo Azcarraga, and Félix Cortés Camarillo of Televisa, included shared news bureaus and leased transponders on Intelsat 601.
1993: The children's block was hiatus
In 1993, Univision's children block was on hiatus.
1993: American Syndicated Version of El Show de Xuxa
In 1993, Xuxa starred in an American syndicated version of El Show de Xuxa that aired for one season.
1993: Copa América Aired
Since 1993, Univision started airing Copa América tournament matches.
February 1994: Primer Impacto Debuted
In February 1994, Univision revamped its format for the newsmagazine series, hired María Celeste Arrarás, and renamed it Primer Impacto ("First Impact").
1994: Billboard Involvement in Premio Lo Nuestro
In 1994, Billboard created its own Latin Awards ceremony, and the nominees and winners for Premio Lo Nuestro were selected by a poll conducted among program directors of Spanish-language radio stations, with results tabulated by Arthur Andersen.
1994: End of American Syndicated Version of El Show de Xuxa
In 1994, the American syndicated version of El Show de Xuxa only aired for one season.
December 31, 1994: WGBO-TV becomes an Univision-owned station
On December 31, 1994, WGBO-TV officially became an Univision-owned station, after being purchased by the network.
April 1995: Plaza Sésamo Test Marketed
In April 1995, Univision test-marketed Plaza Sésamo ("Sesame Plaza"), Televisa and Children's Television Workshop's Spanish-language adaptation of Sesame Street.
March 30, 1996: La Piñata Loca Debuted
On March 30, 1996, Univision debuted La Piñata Loca with George Ortuzar as the host and entered into an agreement with Hanna-Barbera.
1996: John Lippman Became Senior Vice President
In 1996, John Lippman became Senior Vice President for News and Operations at Univision Television.
1996: Univision Holdings Goes Public and Programming Changes
In 1996, Univision Holdings went public for the first time. Mario Rodriguez was appointed president of programming, increasing domestic programming to 52% of the schedule. Univision also adopted the Latin American model of programming prime-time telenovelas for different target audiences.
April 1997: Children's Programming Relegated to Saturday Mornings
In April 1997, Univision relegated its children's programming exclusively to Saturday mornings to make room for its new morning news/talk/lifestyle program ¡Despierta América!.
September 1998: Univision Adds New Afternoon Shows
In September 1998, Univision added 'El Bla-Blazo' and 'El Gordo y La Flaca' to its afternoon lineup. 'El Gordo y La Flaca,' hosted by Raul De Molina and Lili Estefan, became a long-term success as an entertainment news program.
April 1999: República Deportiva Debuted
In April 1999, Univision's República Deportiva, a Sunday daytime program, debuted.
1999: FIFA Women's World Cup Spanish language broadcast rights held by Univision
From 1999 until 2011, Univision held the Spanish language broadcast rights to the FIFA Women's World Cup.
February 27, 2000: La Piñata Loca Discontinued
On February 27, 2000, La Piñata Loca was discontinued and George Ortuzar left Univision.
October 7, 2000: ¡De Cabeza! Debuted
On October 7, 2000, Univision debuted "¡De Cabeza!", which featured a mix of acquired programming from various providers.
2000: Henry Cisneros Resigns as President and CEO
In 2000, Henry Cisneros resigned from his position as president and CEO of Univision to head American CityVista.
2000: Rights Assumed for CONCACAF Gold Cup
In 2000, Univision assumed the rights to tournament matches from the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2000: Univision Wins OTI Festival
In 2000, Univision won the OTI Festival with the song "Hierba mala", written by Angie Chirino, Olga María Chirino, and Emilio Estefan, and performed by Hermanas Chirino.
June 2001: Univision Enters LMA in Puerto Rico and Expands Affiliates
In June 2001, Univision entered into a local marketing agreement with Raycom Media to operate WLII in Caguas and WSUR in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Univision also converted several acquired television stations into network affiliates in cities such as Raleigh, Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.
2001: Cancellation of Latin Grammy Awards on CBS
In 2001, the Latin Recording Academy chose to end its four-year relationship with CBS after the network canceled the broadcast of the Latin Grammy Awards following the September 11 attacks and rebuffed efforts to retool the show for a Hispanic audience.
January 14, 2002: Launch of TeleFutura
On January 14, 2002, Univision Communications launched TeleFutura, a Spanish-language broadcast television network.
June 2002: Univision Acquires Hispanic Broadcasting Corp.
In June 2002, Univision acquired Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. (HBC), owner of Spanish-language radio stations, in a $3.5 billion transaction, later renamed Univision Radio.
2002: Contacto Deportivo Debuted on Telefutura
In 2002, Contacto Deportivo ("Contact Sports") debuted on what was then Telefutura.
2002: Noticiero Univision Ultima Hora was launched
In 2002, Noticiero Univision launched an in-depth, investigative focused program Noticiero Univision Ultima Hora ("Noticiero Univision: Last Hour") under anchor Enrique Gratas.
2002: Plaza Sésamo Moved to TeleFutura
In 2002, Plaza Sésamo moved to Univision's newly created sister network TeleFutura as part of its "Mi Tele" block.
April 2003: Eduardo Quezada Leaves KMEX
In April 2003, news anchor Eduardo Quezada left KMEX for KVEA.
September 8, 2003: Telemundo Carried English Subtitles
From September 8, 2003, competing network Telemundo carried English subtitles during its entire weeknight prime time schedule.
2003: Eduardo Quezada's KMEX Tenure
In 2003, Eduardo Quezada ended his tenure at KMEX after a lengthy career, which started in 1975, as a news anchor.
2003: Reduction of Children's Programming
In 2003, Univision reduced the amount of children's programming on its schedule, reserving weekend morning and Saturday early afternoon timeslots for youth-oriented telenovelas.
2004: Circumvention of Educational Programming Guidelines
Between 2004 and early 2006, Univision circumvented federal guidelines requiring broadcast television stations and networks to air at least three hours of educational programming aimed at children by claiming novelas (with the Televisa-produced Cómplices Al Rescate specifically cited as one example) as compliant educational programs in Children's Television Act filings for 116 weeks.
2004: Children's Programming Ended
From 1962 until 2004, the bulk of SIN/Univision's children's programming was derived of mainly live-action and animated programming from Televisa and other content partners.
2004: Launch of Premios Juventud
In 2004, Univision launched Premios Juventud, a viewer-decided awards show honoring Hispanics and Latinos in film, music, sports, fashion, and pop culture.
2004: Univision Published List of Edited Words
In 2004, Univision published a list of words it edited from programs broadcast by the network to comply with broadcast decency standards set by the Federal Communications Commission.
2004: Feud Between Perenchio and Azcárraga Jean Begins
In 2004, a feud started between Jerry Perenchio and Emilio Azcárraga Jean of Televisa over Univision's editing of Televisa programming and failure to pay for broadcast rights.
April 7, 2005: Univision Airs Selena ¡VIVE!
On April 7, 2005, Univision aired Selena ¡VIVE!, a tribute concert to Selena, earning a 35.9 Nielsen household rating and becoming the most-watched Spanish-language program in American television history.
June 2005: Televisa Sues Univision
In June 2005, Grupo Televisa filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Univision, accusing the network of unauthorized editing of Televisa programming. The feud began in 2004.
June 2005: Grupo Televisa Filed Lawsuit Against Univision
In June 2005, Grupo Televisa filed a lawsuit against Univision in a U.S. federal court, accusing the network of "unauthorized editing" of Televisa programming.
August 24, 2005: Univision Acquires Rights to Latin Grammy Awards
On August 24, 2005, Univision acquired the rights to broadcast the Latin Grammy Awards, which first aired on the network in Spanish on November 3 of that year.
2005: Univision Purchases WLII and WSUR
In 2005, Univision Communications outright purchased WLII and WSUR in Puerto Rico, expanding its ownership of television stations.
2005: Univision Owned Stations in Puerto Rico
In 2005, Univision owned WLII-DT in Caguas-San Juan and satellite stations WSUR-DT in Ponce and WOLE-DT in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico.
2005: Agency Investigation of Univision
In 2005, an agency investigation was conducted following complaints by the United Church of Christ and the National Hispanic Media Coalition during license renewal proceedings for a Univision-owned television station.
February 9, 2006: Univision Communications Announces Itself Up for Sale
On February 9, 2006, Univision Communications announced that it was putting itself up for sale, attracting interest from various companies including News Corporation, Grupo Televisa, Time Warner, and others.
June 27, 2006: Univision Communications Acquired by Broadcasting Media Partners Inc.
On June 27, 2006, Univision Communications was acquired by Broadcasting Media Partners Inc., a consortium of investment firms led by Saban Capital Group, TPG Capital, L.P., Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners and Thomas H. Lee Partners, for $12.3 billion, plus the assumption of $1.4 billion in debt.
September 2006: Univision Overtakes UPN and The WB in Viewership
By September 2006, Univision overtook UPN and The WB (which then shut down and were replaced by The CW) as the fifth highest-rated network in total viewership.
2006: Circumvention of Educational Programming Guidelines
Between 2004 and early 2006, Univision circumvented federal guidelines requiring broadcast television stations and networks to air at least three hours of educational programming aimed at children by claiming novelas (with the Televisa-produced Cómplices Al Rescate specifically cited as one example) as compliant educational programs in Children's Television Act filings for 116 weeks.
2006: Eduardo Quezada Retires
In 2006, Eduardo Quezada retired after three years working as a news anchor at KVEA.
January 8, 2007: Qubo Channel Launched
On January 8, 2007, the now-defunct Qubo Channel launched and featured Spanish subtitles on the CC3 track in addition to the primary CC1 English captions.
February 2007: FCC Levies $24 Million Fine Against Univision
In February 2007, the FCC fined Univision $24 million, the largest single FCC fine to that point, for circumventing federal guidelines by claiming Televisa-produced novelas like Cómplices Al Rescate as compliant educational programs between 2004 and early 2006. The fine was part of a settlement preceding the FCC's approval of Univision's acquisition by Broadcasting Media Partners Inc.
June 25, 2007: Univision Leads U.S. Broadcast Networks with La Fea Más Bella Finale
On June 25, 2007, Univision led all U.S. broadcast networks with the finale of "La Fea Más Bella" (based on the Colombian series Yo Soy Betty, la Fea), achieving a 3.0 rating and a 9 share, making it the second most-watched network television program that week.
October 23, 2007: TLN en Español Launched
On October 23, 2007, Telelatino launched TLN en Español, a Spanish-language channel that carried select programs broadcast by Univision through separate programming agreements.
2007: Debut of Nuestra Belleza Latina
In 2007, reality programming became a focal point of Univision's Sunday primetime schedule with the debut of the beauty pageant competition series Nuestra Belleza Latina ("Our Latin Beauty").
2007: Consortium sells Univision for $13.7 billion
In 2007, the consortium that included Perenchio, Azcárraga, and the Cisneroses sold Univision for $13.7 billion.
2007: Primer Impacto Aired Seven Days a Week
Until 2007, Primer Impacto aired as a seven-day-a-week broadcast. After this, it produced a condensed half-hour edition, Primer Impacto Extra.
March 3, 2008: Launch of Planeta U Children's Block
On March 3, 2008, Univision launched Planeta U, a Saturday morning children's programming block featuring Spanish-dubbed versions of American children's programs such as Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Pinky Dinky Doo, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, Inspector Gadget's Field Trip and Beakman's World.
May 2008: Univision Music Group Sold to Universal Music Group
In May 2008, Univision Music Group was sold to Universal Music Group and combined with the latter's Latin music label to become Universal Music Latin Entertainment.
October 14, 2008: Telemundo Discontinued English Subtitles
On October 14, 2008, Telemundo discontinued English subtitles during its entire weeknight prime time schedule.
2008: Noticiero Univision Ultima Hora was discontinued
In 2008, the in-depth, investigative focused program Noticiero Univision Ultima Hora ("Noticiero Univision: Last Hour") reverted to the format of its early evening edition.
2008: Certain Children's Programs Aired in Reruns
Prior to 2008, certain children's programs aired as part of the Planeta U block produced continue to be presented in their native 4:3 standard definition format in October 2015.
2008: Reduced Presence of Sitcoms
Since 2008, Univision has obtained rights to only two comedies produced by Televisa: Durmiendo con mi Jefe and Todo en Incluido. However, Univision continues to air older comedies such as La Familia P. Luche, La Hora Pico, Desmadruga2 and Estrella2.
March 30, 2009: Telemundo Reintroduced English Subtitles
Since March 30, 2009, Telemundo has again carried English subtitles during its entire weeknight prime time schedule.
September 2009: Univision ceded the 10:00 PM slot to telenovelas
In September 2009, Univision began to cede the 10:00 PM (Eastern and Pacific Time) hour on Monday through Fridays to telenovelas.
2009: John Lippman Leaves Univision
In 2009, John Lippman left the position of Senior Vice President for News and Operations at Univision Television.
2009: Univision Sponsors Digital TV Transition Countdown in Times Square
In 2009, Univision sponsored a countdown in Times Square to mark the shutdown of full-power analog television signals, culminating in the message "BIENVENIDOS A LA ERA DIGITAL". Also in 2009, Univision announced the launch of Univision Studios.
January 1, 2010: Univision Launches HD Simulcast
On January 1, 2010, Univision launched its high-definition simulcast feed at 12:02 a.m. Eastern and Pacific Time on its East and West Coast flagship stations in New York City and Los Angeles, WXTV-DT and KMEX-DT. The first Univision program to be televised in high definition was that day's broadcast of the Tournament of Roses Parade.
January 18, 2010: Univision Debuts First HD Telenovela
On January 18, 2010, Univision debuted the first telenovela to be broadcast in HD on the network, Hasta que el Dinero nos Separe ("Until Money Do Us Part"); the telenovelas Un Gancho Al Corazón ("A Hook to the Heart") and Sortilegio ("Love Spell") also began airing in high definition on that date.
April 28, 2010: DirecTV Adds East Coast HD Feed
On April 28, 2010, DirecTV added the East Coast HD feed of Univision.
May 12, 2010: Dish Network Adds HD Feed
On May 12, 2010, Dish Network added the HD feed of Univision.
January 2011: Randy Falco becomes Executive VP and COO
In January 2011, Randy Falco was appointed as the Executive Vice President and COO of Univision.
April 2011: Joe Uva departs as President and CEO
In April 2011, Joe Uva stepped down from his position as President and CEO of Univision.
September 2011: Univision Achieves #1 Ranking Among American Broadcast Networks
During the first week of September 2011, Univision achieved its first #1 ranking in the ratings among all American broadcast television networks in the 18–49 age demographic, assisted by a prime time soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador and the season finale of Desafío: La Gran Batalla.
October 2011: Televisa Acquires Ownership Stake in Univision
In October 2011, Televisa reached an agreement to acquire a 5% ownership stake in Univision and signed a long-term extension to its program licensing agreement with Univision which expanded upon the previous agreement, which was set to expire in 2017, to give Univision rights to stream Televisa content via the internet and on mobile platforms and covers key rights to matches from Mexican soccer leagues.
2011: End of FIFA Women's World Cup Rights
In 2011, Univision lost the Spanish language broadcast rights to the FIFA Women's World Cup.
2011: End of Teen Telenovelas on Saturday Afternoons
In 2011, Univision stopped airing telenovelas aimed at teen or pre-teen audiences on early Saturday afternoons.
January 30, 2012: Univision Provided English Closed Captions
On January 30, 2012, Univision became the second Spanish language network in the United States to provide English closed captions transmitted over the CC3 caption channel.
March 1, 2012: Launch of Univision tlnovelas
On March 1, 2012, Univision launched Univision tlnovelas, a digital cable and satellite network featuring first-run and repeat broadcasts of telenovelas from Televisa.
May 8, 2012: Univision and ABC News Announce Joint Venture: Fusion
On May 8, 2012, Univision and ABC News announced the joint creation of an English-language digital cable and satellite news channel, Fusion, aimed at English-speaking Hispanic and Latino American audiences.
June 26, 2012: Latin Recording Academy Extends Agreement with Univision
On June 26, 2012, the Latin Recording Academy extended its agreement with Univision to televise the Latin Grammys for six years.
July 4, 2012: Univision America Launched
On July 4, 2012, Univision Communications launched Univision America, a Spanish-language talk radio network, with affiliations with nine AM radio stations.
October 1, 2012: Creation of Fundación Teletón USA
On October 1, 2012, Univision and Fundación Teletón announced the creation of Fundación Teletón USA, benefiting rehabilitation centers for children with disabilities, cancer, and autism in the U.S.
October 17, 2012: Univision Unveils Updated Corporate Logo
On October 17, 2012, Univision Communications unveiled an updated corporate logo which resembles a three-dimensional heart to represent its new slogan, "El latido del corazón hispano de Estados Unidos".
October 29, 2012: Launch of UVideos Streaming Service
On October 29, 2012, Univision launched UVideos, a multi-platform streaming service offering full-length episodes of Univision, UniMás, and Galavisión programs.
2012: Launch of Univision Deportes Network
In 2012, Univision and Televisa partnered to launch the Univision Deportes Network (UDN), which served as an overflow channel for sports rights.
January 7, 2013: TeleFutura Rebrands as UniMás
On January 7, 2013, TeleFutura adopted its current name, UniMás, featuring programming aimed at young males.
January 2013: Univision Adopts 164-Hour Network Programming Schedule
In January 2013, Univision adopted a 164-hour network programming schedule, featuring general entertainment programming and a children's programming block, "Planeta U".
2013: ¡Despierta América! Expanded to Four Hours
In 2013, ¡Despierta América! expanded to a four hour show. Telemundo retooled the show ¡Levantate! (now Un Nuevo Día) and copied the format.
2013: Univision Edited Telenovelas Due to Ratings
Since 2013, Univision has edited various telenovelas aired within its prime time schedule if a telenovela does not garner sufficient ratings.
January 28, 2014: Corus Entertainment Announces Relaunch of TLN en Español as Univision Canada
On January 28, 2014, Corus Entertainment announced that it would relaunch its cable and satellite specialty channel TLN en Español (a Spanish-language spinoff of Telelatino) as a Canadian version of Univision through a brand licensing agreement with Univision Communications.
May 5, 2014: Univision Canada Relaunched
On May 5, 2014, TLN en Español was relaunched as Univision Canada, a Canadian version of Univision, through a brand licensing agreement with Univision Communications.
June 28, 2014: Debut of Disney Junior en Univision
On June 28, 2014, the Disney Junior en Univision sub-block debuted within Planeta U, featuring dubbed versions of Disney Junior original series such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny, with the latter's dub incorporating basic instruction in English words and phrases.
2014: Gala TV Renamed
In 2014, Mexico-based Gala TV, formerly named the same as the U.S. channel Galavisión, changed its name.
2014: Univision Aired Televisa Comedies
In 2014, Univision began airing two comedies produced by Televisa: Durmiendo con mi Jefe ("Sleeping with My Boss") and Todo en Incluido ("All Inclusive").
2014: End of FIFA World Cup Rights
In 2014, Univision lost the Spanish language broadcast rights to the FIFA World Cup.
January 2015: República Deportiva Late-Night Edition Premiered
In January 2015, Univision's República Deportiva introduced a companion late-night edition.
March 2, 2015: Contacto Deportivo Moved to Univision
On March 2, 2015, Contacto Deportivo ("Contact Sports") moved to the main Univision network.
August 2015: Univision Debuted Sesame Amigos
In August 2015, Univision resumed its relationship with Sesame Workshop and debuted the U.S.-based Spanish language spin-off Sesame Amigos ("Sesame Friends").
September 2015: Sábado Gigante ends
In September 2015, the popular variety series Sábado Gigante ("Giant Saturday"), hosted by Don Francisco, was cancelled after airing on Univision for 29 years.
September 19, 2015: Sabado Gigante Airs its Final Episode
On September 19, 2015, Sabado Gigante, hosted by Don Francisco, aired its final episode after 29 years on Univision. The final episode was broadcast live in the U.S., Mexico, and Chile, where the program originated in 1962.
October 2015: Univision America Affiliate Count
As of October 2015, Univision America has ten affiliates, all owned by Univision Communications' radio division, Univision Radio. It is also distributed nationwide via iHeartRadio.
October 2015: Most of Network's Programming in HD
As of October 2015, most of Univision's programming, including telenovelas, sports programs, news programs (Noticiero Univision, Primer Impacto, ¡Despierta América!, El Gorda y La Flaca and Al Punto), variety series (Nuestra Belleza Latina, La Banda and Sabadazo) and select movies, is broadcast by the network in high definition.
October 17, 2015: Sabadazo Moves to Sabado Gigante's Former Time Slot
On October 17, 2015, Univision moved the Televisa-produced music and game show Sabadazo into part of Sabado Gigante's former time slot, before reverting to an afternoon slot.
November 18, 2015: Launch of Univision NOW Streaming Service
On November 18, 2015, Univision launched Univision NOW, an over-the-top subscription video on demand streaming service featuring content from Univision and UniMás.
2015: Univision Implemented Content Edits
In 2015, Univision implemented further content edits, removing scenes incorporating forms of physical violence or situations of a sexual nature or incorporating substance use involving minors on some of its telenovelas and anthology serials.
March 4, 2016: AT&T U-verse Drops Univision Channels
On March 4, 2016, AT&T U-verse dropped Univision, UniMás, Galavisión, Univision Deportes Network and Univision tlnovelas due to a carriage dispute.
March 24, 2016: Univision Channels Return to AT&T U-verse
On March 24, 2016, all of Univision's channels and cable networks were returned to the U-verse lineup.
July 2016: Univision Sues Charter Over Pay Carriage Rates
In July 2016, prior to the January 2017 dispute, Univision sued Charter over pay carriage rates at the New York Supreme Court.
November 2016: Univision NOW Originals Added
In November 2016, Univision NOW began adding exclusive content, branded as Univision NOW Originals. This content primarily consisted of telenovelas that had not been broadcast on Univision or UniMás channels, including titles like Sin rastro de ti, Corazón que miente, and Las amazonas.
January 27, 2017: Charter Spectrum Faces Dispute with Univision
On January 27, 2017, Charter Spectrum, along with Time Warner Cable and Bright House, faced a dispute with Univision, warning that Univision could be removed from Charter by January 31, 2017.
January 31, 2017: Charter Customers Lose Access to Univision Channels
On January 31, 2017, Charter customers lost access to all of Univision's channels, including UniMás, UDN, and Galavisión.
October 16, 2017: Verizon FiOS Pulls Univision Channels
On October 16, 2017, Verizon FiOS, without warning, pulled Univision, along with UniMás, UDN, and Galavisión, despite an extension of an agreement arranged by the two.
December 2017: Maria Elena Salinas Retires
In December 2017, Maria Elena Salinas retired from Univision after 36 years of news service.
2017: Agreement with Televisa and Venevision ends
In January 1993, Univision canceled three U.S.-produced programs: Portada, Al Mediodía, and Charytin International, resulting in layoffs of 70 production staffers. In exchange, the two foreign partners get 14.7% of Univision's revenue also gave Univision access to a broad selection of programs from Televisa and Venevision and are locked up until 2017.
March 2018: Randy Falco announces retirement
In March 2018, Randy Falco announced his retirement, stepping down after serving seven years as the CEO of Univision.
May 2018: Vincent L. Sadusky appointed as CEO
In May 2018, Vincent L. Sadusky, formerly CEO of Media General Inc. and CFO/Treasurer of Telemundo Communications Inc., succeeded Randy Falco as the CEO of Univision.
June 2018: Univision's Reach and Affiliations
As of June 2018, Univision has 27 owned-and-operated stations and affiliation agreements with 37 additional stations, reaching an estimated 58.35% of U.S. households.
July 1, 2018: Univision Enters Dispute with Dish Network and Sling TV
On July 1, 2018, Univision entered into a dispute with Dish Network and Sling TV, resulting in Dish and Sling subscribers losing access to Univision and UniMás channels, affiliated stations, Galavision, Univision Deportes Network, ForoTV news channel and Univisíon tlnovelas channel.
October 1, 2018: Univision Fully Broadcasts in 16:9
On October 1, 2018, Univision and UniMás repositioned their on-screen graphics into a 16:9-orientation, allowing Univision to fully broadcast in a 16:9 presentation.
April 1, 2019: Agreement Reached Between Univision and Dish
On April 1, 2019, Univision Communications and Dish reached a new agreement, restoring the channels that had been removed from the lineup. This agreement did not affect Sling TV subscribers.
July 20, 2019: Univision Deportes Network Rebrands as TUDN
On July 20, 2019, Univision Deportes Network officially rebranded as TUDN, signifying a larger degree of collaboration between Univision and Televisa for sports programming and event rights.
February 2020: Searchlight Capital and ForgeLight acquire majority stake
In February 2020, Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight acquired a 64% majority stake in Univision, while Televisa retained a 36% minority stake.
February 2020: Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight LLC Acquire Majority Stake in Univision
In February 2020, Searchlight Capital Partners, LP and ForgeLight LLC acquired 64% ownership stake of Univision, with Televisa maintaining a 36% stake. Wade Davis was appointed as CEO.
December 2020: Wade Davis replaces Sadusky as CEO
In December 2020, Wade Davis, who was formerly the CFO of Viacom, took over as CEO of Univision, replacing Vincent Sadusky.
2020: Univision No Longer Owned Stations in Puerto Rico
By 2020, Univision no longer owned WLII-DT in Caguas-San Juan and satellite stations WSUR-DT in Ponce and WOLE-DT in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico.
April 2021: Televisa to Increase Ownership Stake and Merge with Univision
In April 2021, Televisa announced that its ownership stake in Univision would increase to 45% and would merge its media, content, and production assets with Univision, creating the new parent company TelevisaUnivision.
November 2021: Univision Reacquires Local Stations from Entravision
In November 2021, Univision reacquired local stations in Tampa, Florida, Orlando, Florida and Washington, D.C., from affiliate operator Entravision.
September 27, 2023: Univision Co-Hosts Republican Primary Debate
On September 27, 2023, Univision co-hosted the second Republican primary debate with Fox Business and Rumble from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Ilia Calderón served as a moderator.
November 7, 2023: TelevisaUnivision Executives Meet with Donald Trump, Leading to Controversy
On November 7, 2023, TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis and other executives met with Donald Trump, leading to the cancellation of President Joe Biden’s campaign ads and a scheduled response. The gracious tone of the Trump interview, along with perceived softball questions, sparked controversy and calls for a boycott.
August 2024: Univision Welcomes New Affiliates in Indiana
In August 2024, Univision welcomed two new affiliates, WHMB-TV in Indianapolis and WHME-TV in South Bend, both in Indiana.
December 2024: Jorge Ramos Retires
In December 2024, Jorge Ramos retired from Univision after 40 years of news service.
September 2025: TelevisaUnivision Channels Removed from YouTube TV Due to Contract Dispute
In September 2025, TelevisaUnivision's channels were removed from YouTube TV due to a contract dispute. TelevisaUnivision criticized Google, stating that removing the channels during Hispanic Heritage Month was "insensitive and offensive."
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