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There is a new channel out there aimed at Latino's who prefer English called "Si TV", translated it means, Yes TV. I guess I would be one of their target audiences.

Source: SuperOnda.com
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Jeff Valdez enters the room of celebrities and media knowing that no matter what happens with his new cable outlet, he is already making history.

As he prepared to speak in front of a curious audience, Valdez was about to announce the summer and fall programs that he hopes will lure a much-neglected demographic: English- speaking Latinos.

"When I first got to Hollywood people were like 'You're Jeff Valdez. You should go work at Univision,'" Valdez said. "I don't even speak Spanish. Why should I go work there?"

Valdez, a one-time stand-up comic who saw past the stage and became a TV producer, came up with the idea of launching a channel for Latinos who didn't really identify with Mexican soap operas and other offerings on Univision or Telemundo. It was the beginning of a long, often frustrating, journey that led to Si TV.

Now Valdez is leading Si TV, which since February has been beaming talk shows, reality programming, dramas and music into more than 7 million homes nationwide through the DISH Network.

A prolific producer who is probably best known for co-creating and producing Nickelodeon's "The Brothers Garcia," Valdez has a penchant for making people laugh. But he also approaches business with a sharp, but no-nonsense approach as he makes major decisions about the future of his company.

"One of the biggest challenges is educating people that Hispanics are people," said Valdez of his meetings with potential investors. "We're people who like to be entertained like anyone else."

On a recent cloudy morning at an oceanfront Santa Monica hotel, Valdez and his colleagues gave their first official "upfront" presentation, a news conference that introduces new shows for the fall. Summer programs were also announced.

Several dozen members of the media were introduced to Si TV as Valdez hosted with a microphone and large video screen behind him, showing clips of his channel's programs with well-wishes from comics such as Roseanne Barr. Actors Esai Morales and Ruth Livier were among the guests.

"It's about time that something like Si TV came along," Livier said moments after Valdez' presentation. "It's a matter of time before the major networks start recognizing our growth and market demands."

Morales, who echoed Livier's thoughts, was also present to support the new venture with most of the cast of the now-canceled Showtime drama "Resurrection Blvd.," which Si TV is picking up and showing in reruns. The channel combines acquired and original programming.

Although Si TV is focusing on Latinos and purposely showcases multicultural programs that go beyond Latino-specific themes, it's not the only venture catering to English-dominant Hispanics.

LATV, another upstart 24-hour cable channel, also is seeking to find the young Hispanics who surf past telenovelas on the Spanish-language channels.

Frank Cruz, vice chairman for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, sees opportunities in TV growing tremendously as every station in the country moves from analog to digital broadcast by 2006 as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The act would increase the amount of channels significantly, leaving TV executives with time to fill.

"Asians, Latinos or blacks can go to any station, whether commercial or public, and ask them to devote channels to them," Cruz said. "Pretty soon there will be thousands of extra channels, and why not devote one to Latinos, minorities or whatever those numerous populace might be?"

For Si TV, the vision now is recognizing the evolving marketplace in which Hispanics currently number 40 million, with a purchasing power of more than $60 billion a year.

"Latinos were the niche," said Leo Perez, Si TV's chief operating officer. "Now we're the general market. That's why it was important to find the right partners."

Some of those investors include Time Warner and Echostar Communications. Advertisers include Wal-Mart, Sears, General Motors, EarthLink and Sony Music. Although there are major corporations tapping into Si TV, it wasn't the case at first.

"Unfortunately we got a lot of happy talk," Perez said. "We got the classic Hollywood smile. 'Sounds terrific. We really believe in this,' they'd say. And then nothing would happen."

Even with the booming Hispanic population, Perez said, corporate America didn't really start trying to understand Latinos until recently.

Those behind Si TV believe there's a two-fold mission: to serve Latinos who speak English, but also to introduce the culture to those who may not be familiar with it. "We want them to see we're American like their friends and co-workers, but happen to be from a different cultural background," Perez said.

Any media venture is risky, but Valdez believes that counter-programming that focuses on diversity and emphasizes Latinos will get people to watch his channel. His shows reflect a young group of people, programs such as "The Drop" about urban music and culture; "The Rub" with female and male hosts talking about sex; and "Urban Jungle," a reality show that places nine "suburban preppies" in East Los Angeles, chronicling their extended stay as they try to survive the rigors of daily life in the barrio.

"There were doubts in the first six years," Valdez concedes. "Just as we were crossing the finish line people kept moving it, but eventually people came around. "

It's not that I don't like the Spanish language, it's part of my culture, it's a part of who I am, I can't hate that. My comprehension of English far exceeds that of my Spanish skills. I understand Spanish, read it just fine, and speak it ok, but when it comes to conversing and watching it on tv, it's different. I can relate to things being spoken in English better because English was the primary language spoken in my household, something that is happening more now in Latino households across the U.S.

CJ at 9/03/2004

Comments:

By CJ, at: 3:32 PM

Yeah sis, I understand why they did that, and I do appreciate it. Our parents still spoke Spanish to each other and to us, Spanish was no stranger in our household, but I would have to say when conversing with our parents the majority of the time it was always in English. I really don't mind that things turned out that way, how else would I have developed such mad writing skillz? Hehehe..I'm just keeding!! There are some parents who refuse to speak ANY Spanish to their kids for the same reason, discrimination, I think that is just crazy.

By The Mrs., at: 3:46 PM

I grew up with my Mexican mom and Irish dad...and spoke spanish with mom's side of the family (with the older one's, that was the only way you could talk to them) and english with dad's side of the family. Truth be known, my Spanish probably isn't any better than it would have been if I had just taken Spanish in high school. And I can't roll my r's very well either. :)

This channel sounds like so much fun. Sometimes, I watch univision just cuz it's so out there (sabado gigante - that's all I have to say) but I would much rather watch this Si TV station. Dish network - sign me up!!

By Daily Texican, at: 4:05 PM

I can roll my r's but I still sound like I'm from the barrio.

I know people wonder "are you sure you went to college?" Pero Me Vale.

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