Hispanic Television Network
Encyclopedia
Hispanic Television Network (HTVN) is a defunct family-oriented television network that was once the third-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, after Univision
and Telemundo
. It was the first network to specifically target Hispanic
s of Mexican
origin, the first Spanish-language network to take advantage of digital technology, and the first Spanish-language network to broadcast over the Internet
.
HTVN operated from 2000 through 2003 and at one time could be viewed over-the-air on nearly 70 television stations, on approximately 300 cable systems, and on the Internet. HTVN was owned by Hispanic Television Network, Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas
.
, it focused the majority of its attention on HTVN. The network's facilities were all-digital and state-of-the-art.
, Dallas
, Phoenix
, San Antonio
and Brownsville, Texas
.
By June 2000, HTVN had announced deals with Yahoo!
to broadcast network programming on the Internet http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/pr/release536.html, and with Mexinema and Excalibur Media Group http://www.excaliburmg.com to give HTVN the rights to over 500 Mexican-made, Spanish-language movies. It was now on nearly 60 television stations, including full-service flagship station KLDT in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Including cable coverage, HTVN reached over 20 million homes.
By the end of the year, HTVN had added full-service KJLA
in the Los Angeles market and had partnered with Mexican broadcasting giant MVS Television, providing the network access to MVS' state-of-the-art production facilities and talent base, allowing HTVN to produce programming in the United States, which was scarce at that time.
By 2002, HTVN had all but abandoned its over-the-air strategy and was turning its attention to mostly cable distribution. Still, the network was not bringing in sufficient revenue to cover its expenses, and despite its owners' attempts to acquire revenue from other sources, they filed for Chapter 11
reorganization in July 2002.
In early 2003, Hispanic Television Network, Inc. sold its cable agreements to Hispanic children's network, ¡Sorpresa! and on July 10, 2003, HTVN formally ceased operations http://www.secinfo.com/dVm4h.2j.htm.
In 2009 a new (and unrelated) effort toward a nationwide over-the-air spanish-language network launched, Estrella TV
.
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
and Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
. It was the first network to specifically target Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s of Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
origin, the first Spanish-language network to take advantage of digital technology, and the first Spanish-language network to broadcast over the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
HTVN operated from 2000 through 2003 and at one time could be viewed over-the-air on nearly 70 television stations, on approximately 300 cable systems, and on the Internet. HTVN was owned by Hispanic Television Network, Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
.
A New Network
HTVN was launched in early 2000 following the creation of Hispanic Television Network, Inc. from the merger of Hispano Television Ventures and American Independent Network, Inc., both of Fort Worth. While the new company owned both HTVN and English-language network American Independent NetworkAmerican Independent Network
The American Independent Network was one of the first major attempts at building a television network, consisting of low-powered television stations. Started by Don Shelton, Randy Moseley, and Lynn Synder, it was similar to the older Channel America , and was the foundation for Urban America TV...
, it focused the majority of its attention on HTVN. The network's facilities were all-digital and state-of-the-art.
Early Successes
The new network expanded rapidly, and by March 2000, appeared on 25 television stations, including those in top-10 Hispanic markets Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
.
By June 2000, HTVN had announced deals with Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
to broadcast network programming on the Internet http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/pr/release536.html, and with Mexinema and Excalibur Media Group http://www.excaliburmg.com to give HTVN the rights to over 500 Mexican-made, Spanish-language movies. It was now on nearly 60 television stations, including full-service flagship station KLDT in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Including cable coverage, HTVN reached over 20 million homes.
By the end of the year, HTVN had added full-service KJLA
KJLA
KJLA channel 49 is a digital-only multiplexed full power television station, licensed to Ventura, California, with studios based in West Los Angeles, California. It is a multilingual television station with programming in Spanish, English, Korean, Vietnamese, and Mandarin, and is the home of LATV...
in the Los Angeles market and had partnered with Mexican broadcasting giant MVS Television, providing the network access to MVS' state-of-the-art production facilities and talent base, allowing HTVN to produce programming in the United States, which was scarce at that time.
Back to Earth
The rapid growth proved to be costly, however, as HTVN's owners reported a 14,492% increase in expenses from first quarter 1999 to first quarter 2000, no doubt the bulk of it from launching the new network. Furthermore, the network did not produce nearly sufficient revenues to cover expenses and their owners announced a $38 million loss for 2000 against only $620,955 in revenue http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=3898.By 2002, HTVN had all but abandoned its over-the-air strategy and was turning its attention to mostly cable distribution. Still, the network was not bringing in sufficient revenue to cover its expenses, and despite its owners' attempts to acquire revenue from other sources, they filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
reorganization in July 2002.
In early 2003, Hispanic Television Network, Inc. sold its cable agreements to Hispanic children's network, ¡Sorpresa! and on July 10, 2003, HTVN formally ceased operations http://www.secinfo.com/dVm4h.2j.htm.
In 2009 a new (and unrelated) effort toward a nationwide over-the-air spanish-language network launched, Estrella TV
Estrella TV
Estrella TV is a Spanish-language television network owned by Liberman Broadcasting. The network launched September 14, 2009.-Affiliates:-Former Affiliates:-Controversy:...
.
Contributing factors to network's demise
Many factors contributed to HTVN's demise, but three major issues stand out:- Overly aggressive growth. HTVN's owners spent tremendous amounts of money to give HTVN maximum coverage and the very best facilities early on. It was a business strategy that was common in the late 1990s and early 2000s and it often proved disastrous, as revenues couldn't catch up with expenses fast enough to allow the company to continue operating.
- Too-narrow market focus. HTVN proudly announced that its focus would be on Mexican Hispanics, which are estimated to make up two-thirds of all Hispanics in the United States. However, that strategy reduced the potential market by up to 33% and omitted two of the top three Hispanic television markets in the United States, New York (whose main Hispanic demographic was Puerto RicanPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
) and MiamiMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
(predominately of CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n origin). - Slow economy. HTVN launched at a time when the nation's economy was stumbling and conditions were exacerbated with the September 11, 2001 attacks, which further sent the economy reeling, drying up revenue.
See also
- American Independent NetworkAmerican Independent NetworkThe American Independent Network was one of the first major attempts at building a television network, consisting of low-powered television stations. Started by Don Shelton, Randy Moseley, and Lynn Synder, it was similar to the older Channel America , and was the foundation for Urban America TV...
- HITNHispanic Information and Telecommunications NetworkThe Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, Inc. was established in 1983 as a private, non-profit organization to create a network of non-commercial telecommunications facilities to advance the educational, social, cultural, and economic circumstances of Hispanics.HITN-TV, established...
- Firestone CommunicationsFirestone CommunicationsFirestone Communications is a media and communications Company based in Fort Worth, Texas. The company provides satellite uplink services for television network and programming distribution, and production facilities and services for television and video production.Firestone also owns ¡Sorpresa!...