Univision Inks Multiplatform Deal With AT&T

Univision Communications has concluded a multiyear, multiplatform agreement with AT&T that will give the telco access to Univision content across all of  AT&T's platforms, including U-verse TV, online, smartphones and tablets.

The agreement includes Univision Network, TeleFutura, Galavisión and a suite of five TV channels -- De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson and Telehit-as well as provisions for the launch of Univision's new networks -- Univision Deportes, Univision tlnovelas and FOROtv.

Univision Deportes and Univision TLnovelas will launch in the upcoming weeks while FOROtv will launch later this year.

Notably, the deal will provide access to live feeds of Univision networks in and outside of the home. Many TV Everywhere deals have allowed only on demand access to content online and on mobile devices and only a few programmers, such as Turner, have agreed to offer live feeds of their services.

"Our agreement with AT&T speaks to the importance of the booming Hispanic consumer demographic and the opportunity to deliver subscriber growth through Univision's platforms," said Chris Fager, senior VP of distribution sales and marketing, Univision Communications Inc. in a statement. "We are excited to expand our deal with AT&T as they maintain an ongoing commitment to the ever growing Hispanic community. This agreement allows both companies to continue to offer robust content options across all AT&T platforms to U.S. Hispanics."

The deal is also important because a growing body of research indicates that Hispanics tend to have higher usage of online and mobile video than the general population. As a result, making more content available on these platforms could offer both AT&T and Univision a competitive advantage.