The San Antonio TV market now has a new Spanish-language station: KYVV (Channel 10), or Estrella TV.
MediaCo Holding Inc. quietly launched the new network this month, bringing EstrellaTV to full-power broadcast distribution in one of the nation’s largest Hispanic media markets. The move granted KYVV must-carry status, meaning cable and satellite providers are now required to include the station.
EstrellaTV promotes itself as the fastest-growing Spanish-language broadcast network among adults 18–49 in prime time this season. The network’s programming lineup is built to back that up: Liga MX soccer matches from FC Juárez and Tigres UANL, original entertainment franchises and daily news programming designed specifically for U.S. Hispanic audiences.
EstrellaTV posted a 46% increase in prime time viewing at the start of this year, which company officials called the largest percentage gain among all major Spanish-language broadcasters.
Over that same period, Telemundo grew 9%. Although Telemundo still leads as the most-watched Spanish-language network in prime time, year-to-date, EstrellaTV is growing fast from a smaller base, leaning on variety shows rather than telenovelas to differentiate itself from the competition.
San Antonio is considered the birthplace of Spanish-language television in the United States. What is now Univision San Antonio first signed on in 1955 as KCOR-TV, eventually becoming the foundation for the network itself.
That means EstrellaTV is entering a market with seven decades of institutional history in Spanish-language broadcasting, and one where the incumbents already have deep roots.
KYVV’s full-power upgrade is MediaCo’s way of ensuring its network isn’t treated as an afterthought in a city where the audience has been there since before the companies competing for it arrived, according to company officials.
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