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Maybe I’m not a Millennial

By in Culture 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Maybe I'm not a Millennial

Until this past Monday I was convinced I was a Millennial.  And I had the factual data to prove it!  Now, after the premiere of Fusion, I’m not so sure anymore.

No.  That’s not a direct attack on the new cable network.  Only that after all the hype of how the network was created for Millennials, all about Millennials, based on precisely what Millennials like and want to see… I kind of found myself second-guessing whether my barely-within-the-age-group 34 years of life were even a good single measure of what it means to be a Millennial.

What the hell does “being a Millennial” even mean? I found myself asking.

That’s pretty typical of me though.  I am always overanalyzing everything.  Especially stuff like this.  There wasn’t really anything wrong with the little of Fusion I did get to watch per se.  We don’t have cable at home on purpose, and I certainly wasn’t going to go out and purchase a subscription just to get this new channel.  Sorry Univision and ABC, this Mexican is too cheap for that.  ¡Sorri for you! 

But since Monday was their first day on air, the new news network for Latino Millennials did make their first morning show episode available online. I couldn’t resist.  I had to watch.  The truth is it was funny, it was quirky, it was kind of appealing… but then it was also kind of, off-putting.  After about 10 minutes of the programming telling me what it means to be a Latino in the US, and how different Millennials see themselves as Latino Millennials, and some other stuff about Millennials, and Millennials, and Millennials… I kind of stopped paying attention.

I made myself focus once again, and managed to tune in for another 40 minutes.  That’s when I decided that hey, you know what… maybe I am not a Millennial after all?  I mean I wasn’t as excited about this Millennial channel for Latinos as much as I thought I should have been, and that kind of made me feel guilty.  It’s great that we are becoming such an integral part of mainstream America!

But am I the only one still wondering why it doesn’t feel like we are really an integral part of mainstream American culture?  Especially mainstream pop culture (the entertainment industry)?  There still hasn’t been that show that I could stop and point at and say “hey, that’s me!, or that was me at one point in my life!”).

In all fairness, I should also say those roughly 60 minutes have been the only 60 minutes worth of programming on Fusion that I have seen so far.  Again, no cable.  Not going to get it anytime soon.  I’m probably not even the right demographic for this new network anyway.  I’m right at the cutoff age remember.  And I should also know better than to criticize a new network (or an established one for that matter too) by this stage in my blogging career, if I don’t expect to suffer any consequences.

I have all but been blacklisted by a couple of them already for sharing my humble little opinion about their programming.

Oh well.  ¡Así son estas cosas! 

Then as I was telling my story to Anjelica about how maybe I am not a Millennial, Edgar chimed in: “You sure do look like one!”

Well.. we all laughed… maybe I do!

ABC & Univision pulling out all the stops to welcome their new Fusion network

By in Entertainment 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ABC Univision pulling out all the stops for the launch of Fusion

If you haven’t noticed it yet, don’t worry.  As Monday, October 28th gets closer, we’ll all inevitably be inundated with English, Spanish and Spanglish television, radio and out of home advertisements telling us… that FUSION is coming!  Yes, Fusion, the love child of major US networks Univision and ABC – the one they are concocting to lure the highly coveted English-speaking Latino viewer – will launch precisely next Monday.

Although the elephant in the room is still: (shhhhhhh…) will anyone be watching?

I won’t go into that today.  Suffice it to say as consumers of entertainment who happen to be Latino and who sometimes prefer to consume our entertainment in English (notice I said sometimes), we are already inundated with less than stellar programming in both English and Spanish.  As one of my friend’s put it so eloquently hace unos días.  We have more choices than ever before.  We like culturally-relevant content.  But it has to be authentic.  We’re also quick to call your bluff.  And we can do it in two languages!

How you like them apples?

Alright, alright… so some of the promo material I’ve seen so far is compiled below for you.  My personal favorite, and something I really am looking forward to seeing myself, is the fusion (ba-dum-dum) of Good Morning America and Despierta América next Monday.  I never would have expected to see this level of immersion of our cultura in mainstream media, and vice versa.  Honestly, I’m excited about it!

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There’s also this English-language news and entertainment show featuring veteran Univision reporter Jorge Ramos.  I’ll have to watch this one to make an educated opinion… but I am sort of intrigued.

ABC Univision pulling out all the stops for the launch of Fusion

De más, Fusion continues to be touted as “A new world.  A new network.  Not everybody gets it.”

Should we check in with Mundo Fox, Nuvo TV or Jennifer Lopez to see how things are going in this brave new world?

What’s your take?

Will Fusion by ABC & Univision Flourish or Flop?

By in Cositas Latinas, Entertainment, News/Politics 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

fusion network abc univision juanofwords

Will ABC & Univision find success in Fusion?

So it’s official.  There’s now an estimated date for when Univision and ABC’s new joint venture – the Fusion network (they have a name for it too now) – will be on the air.  According to the two major US networks by the end of this summer is when we should expect to see Fusion on air.  Pero before then look for Fusion to hit the web and probably all of social media in the months leading up to it’s grand inauguration.  The question now, very appropriately raised by the New York Times this week, is will this network actually have an audience?

Will Fusion be successful?

If you’ll recall, this new network is being billed as a 24 hour news and entertainment channel for English speaking Latinos in the United States.  En efecto it will be one more channel in the pool of hundreds of other selections already out there that will attempt to pull in US Latinos by offering more Hispanic-infused content in English rather than Spanish.  It’s the first such venture for both ABC and Univision, pero as some experts are already pointing out in order for it to be successful Fusion will need to pull in more than only a US Latino audience.

“This audience identifies as Americans first,” said Larry Lubin, co-founder and president of Lubin Lawrence Inc., a brand consultancy that advised both companies, to the New York Times.  He also stressed that the venture needed to broaden its appeal.  “The brand will be a failure if it only appeals to Latinos.”

As far as what type of content we should expect from Fusion here’s what Isaac Lee, president of Univision News, told the Times:

Fusion will broadcast unscripted series and specials, all with a Latino slant. Mr. Lee pointed to series like National Geographic’s “Locked Up Abroad” about tourists who end up in foreign prisons, as the type of documentary series he hoped the channel would do. Extensive news coverage in collaboration with ABC News will revolve around the interests of Latinos. Coverage of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, for instance, would focus on potential Latin American candidates to succeed him, Mr. Lee said.

It still sounds like a gamble to me, but I am honestly intrigued by this new venture.  What about you?  Will you give Fusion a chance?  Do you have any suggestions for the new network?  Share them with Fusion here.

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Forbes Explores ‘The Next Media Jackpot’: US Latinos

By in Cositas Latinas, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, News/Politics 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Forbes The Next Media Jackpot

Who will conquer the Next Media Jackpot?

We’ve been writing about it for a while, and now, it looks like the stage is finally set for a battle royal between all of the major players seeking to take the biggest bite out of the reported $1 trillion US Hispanic market.  There’s ABC and Univision, Telemundo, Comcast, MundoFox, and even Sofia Vergara, the highest paid television actress at the moment, and they’re all featured in Forbes latest issue – ‘The Next Media Jackpot: The Fight For The $1 Trillion Hispanic Market.’

It’s really quite the interesting article, which ultimately, for me, makes it perfectly clear that none of these major players know for certain that their latest efforts will be fruitful… or even successful.  Hagan de cuenta that they’re all digging for gold and at this point it could be anyone’s game.  Times are definitely a changing folks!

Here are a couple of the most insightful quotes from the article:

“There’s a misconception that this is an easy-to-reach segment because they have fewer and more contained options to them… You almost need to think of it as the opposite. The reality is that Hispanic Americans have more options than any other consumer. They have options that make any consumer’s head spin, and what happens at that point is good TV just becomes good TV.” - Monica Gadsby, CEO of SMG Multicultural, part of the Starcom MediaVest Group advertising and marketing agency

“I have five children, and even though they’re bilingual, there’s nothing on TV that represents who they are and what they can be inspired by.” – Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez

“I don’t think you can talk about the ‘Big Four’ networks anymore when we (Univision) beat NBC 195 nights out of the year last year in prime time.” – Univision CEO Randy Falco

“The Hispanic ­market is no longer being viewed as a niche, minority market for a lot of companies… It’s becoming a fairly major part of the mainstream, and it’s helping to reshape the overall ­universe of consumers in a way that’s a bit surprising to people.” - Alex Ruelas, cofounder of the Austin-based ­marketing agency LatinWorks

Read the article in it’s entirety at Forbes.com.

10 Latinos ABC Should Consider for ‘Dancing With The Stars’

By in Cositas Latinas, Entertainment, News/Politics 18 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not that ABC is asking or anything, but you know how I like to meter mi cuchara in everything.  Well, since William Levy was such a huge hit on Dancing With The Stars this season – bringing in a whole new audience and engaging so many millions of viewers all the way up to the grand finale – you know the major English network is probably going to be looking for another Spanish-language star who can rake in similar or even better numbers next season.  Por eso I’ve put together the following list of Latino stars who I think we could all enjoy watching shimmy across the dance floor.

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Aaron Diaz

Aaron Diaz:  He’s already following in William Levy’s footsteps.  You know, participating in tons of photo shoots that… uhm, leave very little to the imagination, shall we say… as well as releasing his own calendar of self portraits for every month of the year.  And even though he’s no longer an item with Kate Del Castillo, he’s still managed to grow legions of fans from his telenovelas.

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Adamari Lopez

Adamari Lopez:  She’s already got one dancing competition championship under her belt.  On Univision’s Mira Quién Baila - pretty much the Spanish-language network’s version of #DWTS – Adamari was a fan favorite from the beginning.  The little bombshell is also really quite the great dancer.  En serio, she’s like a natural or something!

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Ana Barbara

Ana Barbara:  Just because I think she would be entertaining to watch.  Hardly a stranger to controversy, Ana always has something dramatic going on in her life, and she hardly ever minces words when letting people know how she really feels.  Think of her as one of the Kardashians, only in Spanish and with an actual talent besides just being famous.  She’s a pretty descent singer and she’s from San Luis Potosi, Mexico like me!!

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Aracely Arambula - "La Chule"

La Chule:  I’ll just be honest.  I’ve got kind of a huge crush on Aracely Arambula, ever since I saw her on Corazón Salvaje, and I would probably tune in regularly just to watch her on the dance floor!  How good of a dancer she might be, who knows?  What I do know is that she’s got a ton of male fans just like me who’d be more than happy to see her cha cha and samba on he show.

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Blanca Soto

Blanca Soto:  Well, she’s got about the same amount of acting chops as William Levy, which if you’ve ever watched him on Univision, is not really saying much… but she is beautiful.  You can’t deny that.  For that reason alone, she’d probably captivate quite the sizable fan base.  If I recall correctly, her English is a lot “better good looking” than William’s too.  I’m sorry, but there were times I couldn’t make out a single word the Cuban runner up was saying!

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Carmelita Salinas

Carmen Salinas:  Come on!  You know you want to see this ñora busting a move too!  If Nancy Grace can do it, so can Carmelita Salinas, jajaja!  Besides, she’s done everything else already in her decades long career!

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Eugenio Derbez

Eugenio Derbez:  His son was pretty popular on Mira Quién Baila.  Eugenio is becoming quite the regular in Hollywood también.  With hits like Under The Same Moon and Girl in Progress, this show could solidify the Mexican comedian as a household name in millions of new homes across the country.

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Ivan Sanchez

Ivan Sanchez:  What else is he up to these days anyway?  Alright, so he’s probably pretty busy after La Reina Del Sur, but he’s definitely not as hot as he once was when the telenovela La Reina was at its international peak.  Out of all the guys on this list, however, he’s probably the one who has the highest potential for bringing in a captive and very dedicated audience.  For a while it seemed like every women I knew was in love with him!

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Jenni Rivera

Jenni Rivera:  Another long shot and probably one to come in as the underdog to root for, Ms. Jenni Rivera would bring in a ginormous audience.  She’s like the tía, the mother, the sister, the daughter, the comadre, in every Mexican family… and well, it seems we just can’t get enough of Jenni Rivera!  ¿Se la imaginan, echandose un tango?  jajaja  That would be worth watching.

10 latinos abc should consider for dancing with the stars

Sebastian Rulli

Sebastian Rulli:  Personally, I don’t know much about the guy… other than that he was pretty good on Teresa and that he has legions of female fans lusting after him as well.  If none of the others will do it, Sebastian seems like a pretty safe bet.

So there you have it, ABC!  You can thank me after you send me my check.

Who else would you recommend for Dancing With The Stars?

Would you take anyone off this list?

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