Upfronts 2013: Jennifer Lopez Named NuvoTV Chief Creative Officer

English-language network targeting Hispanics seeks to bring awareness to brand

By Lindsay Rubino -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/16/2013 9:44:54 AM

Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2013

The first order of business for NuvoTV, the English-language network targeting Hispanics, is to bring awareness to its brand and to do that, it has appointed Jennifer Lopez as its chief creative officer, the network announced at its upfront presentation on Wednesday in New York.

Lopez, who signed on as a creative partner in Sept. 2012, will also be the subject of a 90-minute biography special to air exclusively on the network. Lopez's production company Nuyorican Productions will produce, with Lopez as executive producer.

Among NuvoTV's other new series are three docuseries in Gotta Dance, which follows the lives of backup dancers on the road with Lopez; Rodney's Joy, about music producer Rodney Jerkins and wife and former pop star Joy Enriquez; and Oribe, following the Cuban-American celebrity hairstylist.

Television personality Mario Lopez-who works with other Hispanic networks such as MundoFox -- will return for his interview series Mario Lopez: One on One.

The network has also partnered with LEG Productions to produce 30 hours of comedy over the next year.   

"This upfront marks just the beginning of our aggressive plan to take NuvoTV's programming and marketing to the next level," NuvoTV CEO Michael Schwimmer said. "Our partnership with Jennifer Lopez, combined with greater network awareness and programming investments, boosts our leadership in this critical category of Latino entertainment and provides advertisers with a more modern, innovative approach to the U.S. Latino audience."