PBS looked around, saw the nation’s fastest-growing population segment and decided to jump in.
V-me (pronounced “vehmeh,” Spanish for “See me”) debuts Monday as a Spanish-language version of the public-TV outlet. For the time being, it will be available only to households with digital receivers.
PBS’s pairing with V-me Media Inc., a Spanish-language network, is the first such noncommercial outlet. Denver already has eight radio and four commercial television stations aimed at Spanish speakers. V-me/PBS partnerships include New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, San Antonio, Albuquerque/Santa Fe, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, Denver, Tucson and Orlando.
PBS’s entry into the market follows a tradition in radio and television – go where the money is. There are an estimated 42.7 million Latinos in the U.S. with a spending power of $863 billion. How big is the market? Univision, one of two major Spanish-language networks in the country, reaches 90 million households and expects to bill $850 million in advertising this year.
“All across the country, Latinos want more from media – more visibility, more quality and more choices,” Carmen DiRienzo, president of V-me, said in announcing the new service. “V-me provides intelligent entertainment that explores interests and issues Hispanics share with all Americans.” He’s right. Why shouldn’t Latinos be bored by talking heads and Lawrence Welk re-runs, too?
V-me generally will follow current PBS programming, including “Plaza Sésamo” (“Sesame Street”), but all in Spanish. There also will be new shows on food, travel, design, home and self-improvement, parenting and health.
KRMA-Channel 6, part of Rocky Mountain PBS, also will air “Los Niños en Su Casa,” aimed at Latino parents and their children, at 6:30 Saturday mornings.
Around the dial
Overnight ratings on the 79th annual Academy Awards Monday night on ABC show the industry lovefest had a 42 share (the percentage of TV sets on tuned in to the show) in 55 big cities measured. Viewership was up 2 percent over last year … A hit with viewers, “Pay It Forward” has become a regular feature on KCNC-Channel 4’s newscasts. Viewers get $1,000 each to help others … Network executives, journalists, Wall Street analysts and bloggers argue the future of news on “Frontline” (9 tonight, KRMA-Channel 6) … KEZW 1430-AM’s 13-part wartime speakers series continues tonight with a discussion of POW/MIAs, starting at 6 p.m. at Regis University, West 50th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard. It’s free … Quotable: “All television is educational television. The question is, what is it teaching?” Nicholas Johnson.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-954-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
