For the first time, the Spanish-language Univision network will have a larger audience than its English counterparts for a full month in the youthful demographic that television advertisers are most eager to reach.
Univision’s average of 1.81 million viewers aged 18-to-49 so far in July tops Fox, NBC and CBS, who are all clustered just under 1.5 million, the Nielsen company said on Tuesday. ABC has 1.15 million. Nielsen’s calendar is different than the real one; its July ratings period ends Wednesday.
Univision has been quick to tout the accomplishment, buying a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on Monday saying that “Numero Uno is the new Number One.”
“It’s a milestone for Univision and for Hispanic media in general,” said Cesar Conde, president of Univision Networks. “More importantly, it speaks to the growing influence of the Hispanic community here in the United States. It’s a great day for our team.”
Univision outrated NBC in the young demographic in February, but that was depicted more as a sign of NBC’s weakness than Univision’s strength. This month, Univision has continued to air all original programming while more reruns dot the schedules of English broadcasters.
The youth awards show, “Premios Juventud,” had a duet between Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull at its opening and reached nearly 5 million viewers. Univision also benefited from some popular soccer matches and its 9 p.m. EDT telenovela, “Amores Verdaderos.”
While the industry looks at the inroads that cable networks are making against English-language broadcasters, Univision has gradually improved its standing, said Brad Adgate, an analyst for Horizon Media.
“It wouldn’t surprise me in a few years if Univision isn’t the top 18-to-49-year-old network during a season,” Adgate said.
The demographic plays to Univision’s strength. The median age of the network’s viewer is 37 while CBS, NBC and ABC’s median ages are clustered in the mid-50s. Figuring in viewers of all ages in July, CBS leads with a 5.3 million average in prime-time and Univision is fourth with 3.6 million viewers, Nielsen said.
Among all viewers in prime-time last week, CBS led with an average of 5.5 million viewers. NBC had 4.6 million, Fox had 4.3 million, Univision had 3.71 million, ABC had 3.67 million, Telemundo had 1.43 million, ION Television had 1.38 million and the CW had 1.1 million.
The Disney Channel had bragging rights with the success of its “Teen Beach Movie.” The 8.4 million viewers who watched the movie’s debut on Friday made it the top-rated television movie of the year. Among kids aged 2 to 14, it was the second most-watched TV event of the year behind the Super Bowl.
It was a welcome development — and the birth of a potential franchise along the likes of “High School Musical” — for Disney, which has slumped slightly with its movies over the past couple of years.
The movie made The Disney Channel the most popular cable network of the week, averaging 3.2 million viewers in prime time. USA had 2.6 million, TNT had 2.3 million, History had 2 million and TBS had 1.9 million.
NBC’s “Nightly News” topped the evening newscasts with an average of 7.7 million viewers. ABC’s “World News” was second with 7 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 6 million viewers.
For the week of July 15-21, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), NBC, 11.18 million; “Under the Dome,” CBS, 11.13 million; Baseball: All-Star Game, Fox, 10.96 million; “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 10.06 million; “NCIS,” CBS, 8.76 million; Movie: “Teen Beach Movie,” Disney, 8.39 million; “60 Minutes,” CBS, 7.79 million; “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday, 8 p.m.), NBC, 7.65 million; “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 7.23 million; “Big Brother 15” (Sunday), CBS, 6.91 million.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More