Mexico Leadership

Human Right Campaign
NAMIC
The Work Culture

1940s
1946

Raoul A. Cortez launches KCOR 1350 AM in San Antonio, Texas. It is the nation’s first Hispanic owned-and-operated Spanish-language radio station.

1950s
1955

Cortez launches KCOR-TV, Channel 41, the nation’s first full-time Spanish-language TV station.

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1960s
1961

A group led by Cortez’s son-in-law, Emilio Nicolas, Sr., purchases KCOR-TV for $200,000 which leads to the launch of two new companies that eventually become Univision.

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1962

The group launches its second station, KMEX-TV, Channel 34, in Los Angeles.

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1968

The company enters the New York City market with the launch of its third TV station, WXTV-TV, Channel 41, in Paterson, N.J.

1970s
1971

The company expands into Miami, Fresno, Albuquerque, Chicago, and Houston over the next several years.

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1974

The OTI Festival becomes the company's first of many live musical events.

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1976

Ahead of its competitors, Spanish International becomes the first to connect affiliated stations via satellite, allowing for simultaneous broadcasts.

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1978

Spanish International becomes the first TV network to broadcast the FIFA World Cup in the United States.

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1979

Galavision launches as the nation's first Spanish-language cable network. Initially a premium channel, it becomes a basic cable network by the 1980s.

1980s
1980

The company’s "Destino 80" campaign promotes participation in the 1980 U.S. Census.

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1980

The company's NY antenna is denied a spot on the World Trade Center, prompting a hunger strike from President Rene Anselmo.

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1981

SIN launches a new national nightly news program, "Noticiero Nacional SIN," replacing the nightly newscast being aired from Televisa in Mexico.

1986

The network first airs “Sábado Gigante,” a fun weekly variety show which sets the Guinness World Record for longest-running variety TV show.

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1987

Hallmark Cards and partner investors acquire SICC and later, SIN.

1987

The company—TV stations and network alike—is renamed Univision.

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1988

Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas become co-anchors of the national newscast, "Noticiero Univision." They will be the longest-running nightly news pairing in U.S. broadcast history.

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1989

The network debuts daytime talk show "El Show de Cristina" (The Cristina Show), which will run on Univision for 21 years.

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1989

"Premio Lo Nuestro" (Our Awards), recognizing the hottest Latin music, begins its three-decades-and-counting run on Univision Network.

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1990s
1991

The network's news operation, Noticias Univision, relocates to the company's new facility in the Miami area.

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1992

In collaboration with Univision and Telemundo, Nielsen develops a separate sample to measure Hispanic viewing across networks.

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1992

Hallmark Cards sells Univision to investors led by media veteran A. Jerrold Perenchio, with Grupo Televisa and Venevision as minority owners.

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1994

News magazine show "Primer Impacto" launches. The show is also home to the astrology segments of the legendary Walter Mercado.

1994

California voters approve Proposition 187 which prohibited undocumented immigrants from using many public services, spurring activism in the Latino community.

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1996

Univision becomes a publicly-traded company, under the symbol UVN, on the New York Stock Exchange.

1997

"Despierta América" (Wake Up America) debuts. The morning show's format is a lively, jam-packed mix of news and entertainment.

1997

Univision Network stages its first Upfront presentation for major advertisers, ad agencies, and media.

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1998

Univision Network launches "El Gordo y La Flaca" (The Fat Man and the Skinny Woman), a weekday entertainment news show hosted by Raul De Molina and Lili Estefan.

1999

The network broadcasts an unprecedented 24-hour live spectacular, "Feliz Milenio!," celebrating the countdown to 2000 in every time zone around the world.

2000s
2000

The 2000 U.S. Census, which Univision promotes heavily on-air and throughout its communities, reveals Hispanics to be the country's largest minority group.

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2000

The company launches Univision.com, the Internet destination for U.S. Hispanics.

2001

Univision acquires stations that become broadcast network TeleFutura, creating a duopoly in seven of the nation's largest Hispanic markets.

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2001

Univision is one of two NYC stations that remain on air during 9/11, broadcasting critical information to residents in English and Spanish.

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2001

Univision Music Group launches, establishing the company's first record label. In 2008, Univision sells the music group to Universal.

2002

Copa Univision, the company's amateur local soccer tournament launches in San Diego, expanding to 14 markets nationwide within a few years.

2002

Univision enters the Puerto Rico market through agreements to operate WLII-TV, WSUR-TV, and WSTE-TV. Univision will later purchase all three stations.

2003

Univision acquires Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation and renames it Univision Radio, bringing the original KCOR station back into the fold.

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2004

Music award show "Premios Juventud" (Youth Awards), debuts, catering to Univision's younger audience.

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2005

"Selena VIVE!" (Selena Lives!), becomes the most-watched Spanish-language TV special in U.S. history.

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2005

The Latin Grammy Awards broadcast moves to Univision Network from CBS. In 2018, Univision and the Latin Recording Academy sign a new 10-year agreement.

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2005

Univision Network is added to the Nielsen Television Index alongside the major English-language broadcast networks.

2006

Massive immigration marches mobilize millions across the country for nearly three months and are catalysts for sweeping civic engagement among Hispanics.

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2007

Nielsen eliminates the separate Hispanic TV sample which enables side-by-side audience comparisons based on the Total U.S. sample, regardless of language.

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2007

Reality beauty pageant "Nuestra Belleza Latina" (Our Latin Beauty, or NBL) debuts, with contestants each season vying for a Univision presenting contract.

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2007

Univision is acquired by Broadcasting Media Partners Inc. for $12.3 billion. Haim Saban becomes the chairman and Univision is once again privately held.

2007

Univision stages the first-ever U.S. Presidential debates broadcast in Spanish with simultaneous translation of questions and candidates' answers.

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2007

"Al Punto" (To the Point) launches, hosted by Jorge Ramos. The Sunday morning political talk show's first guests are Sen. Mel Martinez and Sen. Bob Menendez.

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2007

The series finale of telenovela "Destilando Amor" (Distilling Love) attracts close to 9 million viewers (a still-standing record for a telenovela episode on Univision).

2008

Univision announces it will for the first time seek compensation from cable and satellite providers for rights to deliver the company's channels.

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2008

KMEX in L.A. becomes the No. 1 most-watched broadcast station in the country, regardless of language, among adults ages 18-49.

2008

Univision launches the campaign "Una Nueva Era: Television Digital" (A New Era: Digital Television) to prepare viewers for the swap from analog to digital TV.

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2009

The company launches Univision Studios, based in Miami, devoted to producing programming for the many Univision platforms and diversifying the networks' content.

2010s
2010

Univision Network premieres “Mira Quien Baila” (Look Who’s Dancing), a Spanish-language dance competition pairing celebrities with professional dancers

2010

Univision Network transmits World Cup matches originating from South Africa in High Definition, representing the company’s inaugural HD productions.

2010

“Soy Tu Dueña” (Woman of Steel) becomes Univision’s most-watched telenovela, averaging 5.4 million viewers each episode and 7.3 million for the finale.

2012

Univision launches tlnovelas, a digital cable and satellite network devoted to telenovelas, and FOROtv, a 24-hour cable news channel originating from Mexico.

2012

Univision Deportes Network (UDN) debuts and becomes the leading Spanish-language sports network and a formidable competitor to mainstream English-language sports nets.

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2012

Univision debuts TeletónUSA, a 32-hour live event benefiting Children’s Rehabilitation Institute of TeletónUSA (CRIT USA) which treats neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.

2013

UniMás is introduced as the new name of TeleFutura, and the broadcast network begins to target millennial viewers with a format heavy on sports, action, and drama programs.

2013

Univision wins its first ratings sweeps victory, ranking No. 1 among all broadcast networks, regardless of language, in the 18-49 and 18-34 demographics.

2013

Fusion, a cable network aimed at English-speaking Hispanic viewers, is launched by Univision and ABC News. Univision will acquire ABC’s stake in 2016.

2013

Univision partners with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez to launch El Rey, an English-language cable network specializing in grind-house style content.

2014

Univision Network and UDN break Spanish-language viewership records—which still stand today—of the FIFA World Cup on U.S. television.

2014

“Premios Univision Deportes” premieres, an annual award show honoring athletes, teams, and heroes off the field who use sports as a vehicle for social change.

2015

Univision NOW, an over-the-top (OTT) digital streaming service, debuts, giving subscribers access to live programming, local-station feeds, and on-demand content.

2015

Univision ends its business partnership with the Trump Organization following anti-immigrant comments made by Mr. Trump during his presidential bid announcement.

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2016

A deal with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), makes Univision Deportes the Spanish-language home of European national team soccer in the U.S.

2016

Univision and Colombian producer Patricio Wills launch W Studios, a joint venture developing edgy, action-packed primetime series like “La Piloto” and “Amar a Muerte.”

2016

Univision and Netflix enter a programming partnership, and “Narcos” becomes the first Netflix series to air on U.S. broadcast TV. The two companies then co-produce “El Chapo.”

2016

Soccer tournament Copa America Centenario helps UDN become the first Spanish-language sports network to rank No. 1 ahead of ESPN and all other competitors.

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2016

Univision acquires Gawker Media’s digital assets and rebrands them as Gizmodo Media Group (GMG).

2017

“La Fuerza de Creer” (The Power of Believing), a social-impact miniseries, launches. The show underscores the importance of young children’s early brain development.

2017

The company unveils its “Centro Nacional Ventana Al Tiempo” (National Weather Center) facility in Houston, a state-of-the-art resource for weather and environmental news.

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2017

Univision publicly defends the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program upon hearing the Trump Administration’s intention to end it.

2017

Ilia Calderón makes history as the first Afro-Latina anchor of a U.S. broadcast evening newscast, reflecting the vast diversity within the U.S. Hispanic community.

2018

Univision launches “Se Habla USA,” a campaign promoting the value of diversity, inclusion, Hispanic culture, and Spanish-language in America.

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2018

Univision signs on to an Amicus Brief in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

2018

Via the “Vota Conmigo” (Vote with Me) campaign, Univision supports GOTV efforts for the midterm elections, which saw a 96% turnout increase among Hispanics from 2014.

2019

Univision integrates its radio stations, numerous digital audio platforms, and live-music series under a single brand, the Uforia Audio Network.

2019

Univision sells Gizmodo Media Group (GMG) and The Onion to private equity firm Great Hill Partners.

2019

Univision announces the relaunch of its multi-platform sports media brand as TUDN.

2020s
2020

The 2020 edition of "Premios Juventud" is the industry's first live awards show during the COVID-19 pandemic, airing to a virtual audience.

2020

Univision finished No. 1 among adults 18 - 34 in primetime for 12 consecutive weeks, marking the longest winning streak of any network since the 2010/2011 season.

2020

Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight acquire majority stake in Univision, joining longtime strategic partner Televisa; Wade Davis assumes role as CEO.

Photos courtesy of: The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Univision Communications Inc., Univision Network, Maria Alvarez, and Elizabeth Spagnoli.
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