When Verizon Communications announced earlier this month
that its FiOS TV had become the leading U.S. provider of Spanish-language
channels, it was due to the 10 high-definition networks the telco had added via
independent distributor Olympusat.
And the West Palm Beach, Fla.-based distributor isn't done
with rollouts, CEO Tom Mohler said. The company plans to end 2012 by offering
50 Hispanic-targeted channels - up from its current 26 - a mix of
owned-and-operated and Olympusat-managed networks.
The nine newest Spanish-language nets - movie network Ultra
Cine; music network Ultra Fiesta; kids-targeted channel Ultra Kidz; Mexican
film-based Ultra Mex; female-targeted Ultra Luna; male-skewing Ultra Macho;
Spanish-dubbed contemporary film channel Ultra Film; documentary-based Ultra
Docu; and Mexican and Latin America classic-film service Ultra Clasico, - were
launched under the ULTRA HDPlex banner. They offer a mix of programming
including fiction series, movies, documentaries, children's fare, sports and
music programming.
Mohler said the new channels were put together in record
time by assembling what he called "the best content from Latin America."
"We are producing and assembling channels here in the United
States for U.S. Latinos," he said.
Olympusat's nine new channels are now part of FiOS TV's La
Conexión and Spanish-language packages. La Conexion is a bundled package that
includes Verizon's phone and FiOS Internet services and is available for $89.99
per month in the bundled package.
While the company currently has an exclusive deal with
Verizon, Mohler says it is in negotiations to secure carriage on other MSOs.
Olympusat is also expected to soon announce its own plan to
offer "TV Everywhere" content to its affiliates, Mohler said.
While he declined to offer specifics, Mohler said the
service would be similar to HBO's "HBO Go" over-the-top product.
"Our TV Everywhere
platform will be fully operational by fourth quarter, and will be available for
all our channels," he said.
