A majority of Latinx TV viewers are accessing subscription video-on-demand services and are watching Spanish-language TV content at least occasionally, according to a new Horowitz Research study. 

The FOCUS Latinx Volume 1: Subscriptions survey of 643 Latinx TV content viewers over 18 conducted in January and February reported that 76% of respondents subscribe to at least one SVOD service, compared to 67% among consumers overall. That number shoots to more than 80% when considering password-sharing and promotional bundles from popular services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Peacock and HBO Max, according to the survey.

Also, 76% of Latinx TV viewers watch free streaming services compared to just 14% in 2019. FAST services such as YouTube, Tubi, Pluto TV, Roku and Freevee account for a majority of free streaming service viewing, according to the survey.

Spanish-language content remains a major viewing choice for Latinx TV viewers, with 72% watching Spanish-language content at least occasionally, and 6 in 10 viewers watching international content, according to the survey. In addition, 6 in 10 viewers surveyed said Spanish-language TV content along with content geared toward Hispanic audiences is important for their household to have. 

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“There’s no question that Latinx audiences are among the best customers for streaming services and that Spanish-language and Latinx-themed content is in demand,” Horowitz Research chief revenue officer and insights and strategy lead Adriana Waterston said. “But services that stream exclusively in Spanish need to compete with the existential threat of an ever-increasing number of mainstream services beefing up their Spanish-language and international libraries as well as offering Spanish audio and/or subtitles for most of their content. Consumer marketing to keep Spanish-language services top-of-mind, combined with strategies to drive discovery tune-in will be critical for them to survive and thrive.” 

The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) is teaming with Disney, Amblin, Starz and the Motion Picture Association to launch Latino Lens: Producers Pipeline Incubator.

"With the Latinx community’s spending power growing towards $2 trillion and an audience reflecting nearly 20% of the box office and 58.9 million of the U.S. population, the industry must include Latinx in the conversation as it relates to the financial growth and future of this business," said NALIP.

The goal is to "mold and cultivate" the next generation of producers, and to make sure they reflect diverse voices.

Who gets to tell the story and control the distribution pipeline gets to help shape the culture, a power generally denied minorities because they were not the executives in the room making those decisions. The Rev. Jessie Jackson has labeled diverse access to media the civil rights issue of this century.

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The incubator program will train participants, up to a dozen in the first year, in TV and movie production and distribution, so that "fresh, inclusive" perspectives are promoted.

That will come via an eight-week pilot program, including curriculum and mentorship elements, those mentors and teachers being established producers with current industry deals. Four of the participants could get six-months paid fellowships at Disney and its production partners, Amblin, and STARZ, with those studios getting final say on who gets the fellowships and whether they will be offered at all following the eight-week program.

Among the topics to be covered in the incubator program are development deals, negotiating tactics, data analysis, story development, pitches, and financing.

WarnerMedia has made a deal with New Cadence Productions that will give it Latinx comedy for mainstream English language viewers.

The deal gives WarnerMedia first-look at projects and stand-up comedy specials. WarnerMedia has made a commitment to develop new series and will sponsor the new HA Comedy Festival in San Antonio

“The NCP team understands how to tap into a vibrant yet virtually untapped talent pool and showcase ideas, stories and characters that will resonate with this underserved audience and appeal more broadly,” said Kevin Reilly, chief content officer for HBO Max and president of TNT, TBS and truTV.

Related: Chang, Warren Named Heads of WarnerMedia Distribution

New Cadence is headed by former telco exec Sol Trujillo, producer Jeff Valdez and media executive and investor Vincent Cordero.

“This agreement between WarnerMedia Entertainment and NCP is illustrative of the fact that the WarnerMedia family really ‘gets it,’ they understand what I have been calling the New Mainstream economy, which is being driven by the U.S. Latino cohort that accounts for $2.1 trillion in GDP and almost one quarter of all people under 34 in the U.S.,” said Trujillo.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We will be creating content that successfully crosses over to all audiences,” said Valdez. “Our stories will be aspirational, humorous and create a sense of normalcy for US Latinos, as part of America’s New Mainstream. This new relationship between WarnerMedia Entertainment and NCP will give us a wide-reaching platform to bring premium content to the forefront.” 

Starz has renewed its original series Vida for a third season, the network announced Friday.

The series, produced by Tanya Saracho (How to Get Away With Murder, Looking, Girls), launched its second season on May 23. Vida follows the lives of two estranged sisters who come together after the death of their mother.

Vida has the highest Hispanic audience composition among premium scripted series in 2019 (Live+3), according to Starz.

“It is a rarity in television today to have a series earn this level of critical praise for two consecutive seasons and spark cultural conversation in the way that Vida has,” said Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch in a statement. “We are proud to continue to tell this story with Tanya and the incredible cast and crew she has assembled.” 

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