Launch Pad

Discovery is getting a bit more Hispanic, launching 2 Spanish-language nets and a Spanish-language VOD service June 17 (the 20-yr anniversary of Discovery’s US launch). Discovery Kids en Espanol and Discovery Travel & Living join Discovery Espanol, which has about 9mln subs and carriage deals with all major distributors. Discovery will spend $25mln on original programming for the 2 nets, says Bill Goodwyn, pres, affil sales & marketing, Discovery Nets US. The nets will feature Latin American programming never seen in the US and "transcreated" programming, content that’s been seen here, but updated with new graphics, music, etc to appeal to a different audience. The company will establish a US Hispanic Network Group in Miami (personnel announcements soon), while Discovery Intl’s Latin America div will operate the nets. No distribution deals, but Goodwyn’s confident they’ll be in place by June. "Talking to operators, there is still a lack of high quality [Hispanic programming] that speaks to women, kids and families," he says.