Mexico’s Televisa Sues Univision About Online Rights; Major U.S. Expansion Planned

Grupo Televisa, the world’s largest Spanish-language broadcaster, who recently lost out on buying U.S. Hispanic broadcaster Univision (it still own 11 percent), is suing UV about online rights. A provision under a broad and long-term programming deal they share bars both from airing Televisa shows online in the U.S.
But the provision expires on Dec. 19…this is its way of muscling into the U.S. market, despite having lost on buying UV to media mogul Haim Saban, who edged it out with a $12.3 billion bid for Univision.
AP: In a court filing in LA, Televisa asked a judge to affirm its rights to begin distributing its programming over the Internet starting Dec. 20. Under an agreement between the two companies, as long as Televisa owns a certain amount of Univision stock, it is obliged to offer Univision the opportunity of first refusal to participate with Televisa in certain business ventures in the United States. Should Televisa cease to own the required Univision shares, however, its obligation to offer Univision entry into new ventures ends, Televisa claims in the lawsuit.
Alfonso de Angoitia, executive VP at Televisa, had said during a Tuesday analyst call that the company would use its “expertise, content and capital” to become “the leader in entertainment and information in the U.S. Hispanic market.”
DJ Newswires: Another lawsuit currently pending in which Televisa is claiming a breach of contract by Univision of the program license agreement, not related to this new lawsuit. Televisa provides much of Univision’s content.
Related:
Televisa Will have US Online Rights; Univision’s Contends It
Upfronts: Univision’s Online Rights Dispute With Televisa Hurts Prospects

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