EchoStar Launches TeleFórmula

[Grasshopper]

10/11/2007

TeleFormula, a Mexican-based Spanish-language news network, has launched on EchoStar Communications’ Dish Latino package, official said Thursday.

The launch represents one of a few new launches on Dish Latino this year and puts TeleFórmula in front of Latinos across the United States. TeleFórmula is also carried by Comcast Cable in both Albuquerque and Chicago. Dish Latino is the exclusive national provider of TeleFórmula.

TeleFormula consistently ranks as one of the highest-rated satellite channels in Mexico, while Dish Latino is the largest distributed Spanish-language package in the United States.

To promote the launch, TeleFórmula initiated a $500,000 tune in/ awareness campaign across its more than 45 U.S. radio affiliates. This in-house media plan will be supplemented by a national media campaign promoting the launch of TeleFórmula on Dish Latino.

TeleFórmula features 100% original Spanish-language programming, covering topics such as breaking news, economics, finances, sports and women’s issues. The network currently serves more than 3 million viewers in Mexico, and consistently ranks as one of the top rated satellite-delivered channels in Mexico.

Network talent includes Maxine Woodside of Todo Para la Mujer, Eduardo Ruiz Healy of Negocios y Finanzas, Jose Cárdenas of Jose Cárdenas Informa, and Ricardo Rocha of Fórmula Detrás de la Noticia. Sports talent include José Ramón Fernández and Enrique Bermudez.

EchoStar’s Dish Latino is not only the largest distributed U.S. Spanish-language tier in the US, it is also the fastest growing since 2005. This growth has helped the Spanish-language tier market grow to more than 3.4 million households nationwide – almost 50% of all the Hispanic pay TV subscribers and 30% of all U.S. Hispanic TV homes.

TeleFórmula is owned by GrupoFormula, a Mexican based company with more than 75 years of experience in telecommunications. GrupoFormula also owns Radioformula, the largest radio group in Mexico with three of the largest radio networks in Mexico, including Cadena Radio Formula, Cadena Radio Uno and Cadena Nacional; the monthly general interest magazine, Formula and a comprehensive online news site, Formula Online. TeleFórmula launched in Mexico in 2003 and today reaches more than 90 percent of the Mexico’s pay TV subscribers.