For Estrella TV, emphasizing live viewers

By the editors of Media Life

This article is part of an ongoing Media Life series entitled “Catching the next big wave: Hispanic media.” You can read previous stories by clicking here. 

This is part 7 of our focus on the 2016 Spanish-language upfront. Read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, part 5 here and part 6 here.

At a time of increasing fragmentation in broadcast, when DVRs allow people to schedule programming on their own time rather than when a network wants them to watch, there’s a great deal of value in a network that can deliver viewers to advertisers in a timely fashion.

And Estrella TV can do it.

That’s the argument the network is making to media buyers in private meetings in advance of upfront negotiations, which are expected to get underway for the Hispanic market in late May or early June.

Like many Spanish-language networks, Estrella has a large live audience. A small percentage of its programming is time-shifted, compared to its English-language rivals.

That, Estrella vice president of marketing Sherry Pitkofsky argues, means that the network is “DVR-proof.”

“Your commercials are viewed live,” she tells Media Life. “To reach Hispanics, you have to buy Hispanics where they watch in a culturally relevant environment.”

Here’s a look at where Estrella stands now and what to expect at its upfront, based on conversations with the network and media people.

Upfront date

Estrella is not holding a traditional upfront presentation. Instead it’s meeting with advertisers and agencies across the country individually.

Target demographic

Adults 18-49

Season-to-date ratings

Estrella is averaging a 0.1 18-49 rating in primetime, even to last year at this time, according to Nielsen.

In total viewers, it’s averaging 150,000, down from 160,000 last year.

Notable shows

“Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento,” “Alarma TV,” “Rica Famosa Latina,” “Noches con Platanito”

Notable news shows                                                     

“Noticiero Estrella TV” (early news), “Noticiero Cierre Edición” (late news)

Key sports programming

Boxing and Liga MX

New programming

Last year at its upfront, Estrella introduced Fenomeno Studios, a multichannel network featuring music, sports, entertainment and lifestyle programming. This year it will expand Fenomeno onto television with a weekly “best of” show.

The network is also developing a new weekday morning show that will air at 8 a.m.

Sales strategy

Estrella is emphasizing the large number of viewers who watch its programming live, an advantage it feels it has over the English-language networks.

It’s also pushing more cross-platform sales, as most of the Spanish-language networks are doing this year.

One thing Estrella wishes media buyers and planners understood about Spanish-language TV

“The U.S. Hispanic audience is the fastest growing demographic with 54 million people and spending over $1.3 trillion. The best way to reach this audience is to talk to them in their language and where they watch content: Spanish-language networks like EstrellaTV,” Pitkofsky says.

Tags: catching the next big wave: hispanic media, estrella, estrella tv, hispanic media, hispanic upfront, hispanic upfront series, spanish-language tv