Including Chayanne, Alberto "Caballo" Rojas, Enrique Iglesias, Victor Manuelle,
Laura Pausini and Romulo Gallegos, Among Others
December 16, 2003, New York – Rainbow Media Holdings LLC today announced the availability of a new Spanish language subscriber video-on-demand service that provides programming in Spanish directly from the country of origin to local cable subscribers. Additionally, it was announced that five new, dedicated Latino channels carrying programming direct from Argentina, the Dominican Republic and Mexico are also now available. The services, called World Picks, provide a unique link for New York area Latino residents to reconnect with their former homelands. The new Spanish language video-on-demand service and networks are currently available on Cablevision's iO digital cable service in select areas of Brooklyn, Bronx, Newark and Hudson County, NJ.
World Picks Latino On Demand provides 20 hours of Spanish language programming a month including movies, dramas, musical performances, children's shows and documentaries. The five Spanish-language networks feature the area's most widely varied in-language offerings from film to cultural programming to food preparation/wine appreciation to profiles of avant garde artists.
World Picks Latino On Demand
World Picks Latino On Demand utilizes digital technology to allow viewers to have complete control of the programming. Just like using a DVD or VHS player, customers can pause, stop, play, fast-forward and rewind on-demand programming at any time of the day or night. The World Picks Latino On Demand service includes programming such as:
Telenovelas: Popular novelas like Pobre Negro and Estefania, offered for the first time on demand.
Latino Culture: U.S. premieres of documentaries of artists such as Frida Kahlo and Porfirio Rubirosa.
Top Latino Stars: Music and interviews with stars like Ricky Martin, Luis Miguel, Gloria Estefan, the Iglesias family and more.
December programming highlights include the U.S. premiere of a two-part variety special showcasing the
Best of Latin Stars featuring concert footage, interviews and music videos from Ketama, Enrique Iglesias, Laura Pausini and Alejandro Fernandez, among others. Film highlights include Ramón "Diplo" Revero in Una Gallega en La Habana, and "El lobo plateado" Mauricio Garcés in Chasing Isabel. The 17-part telenovela Ciclo de Oro, based upon the work of Venezuelan writer Romulo Gallegos premieres in December as well.
New Spanish Language Networks (all available 24 hours a day):
Maria+Vision: Mexico
Maria Vision features a wide variety of programs for viewers interested in cultural, artistic, moral and educational issues related to Catholicism. Maria Vision has family programs, shows for women, children's programs and religious programs. Commercial free.
MomentumTV: Mexico
Momentum, from Mexico, features programs on history, the arts, science and musical performances.
Commercial free.
Super Canal Carribe: Dominican Republic
Supercanal is a general entertainment channel designed especially for Dominican and Puerto Rican audiences. Programming includes game shows, soaps, movies, reality shows, music and news. Limited commercial interruption.
elgourmet.com: Argentina
El Gourmet brings viewers "la buena vida," or the good life. Programs explore such topics as preparing fine foods, selecting the best wines and cigars and the history and culture of exotic places. Limited commercial interruption.
Canal (a): Argentina
Canal (a) is the Spanish language channel devoted to the world of art — visual arts, literature, opera, theatre, movies, music and dance. Canal (a) covers art from the classic to the avant garde, from aspiring artists to legends of the art world. Commercial free.
"World Picks empowers Latino families and communities with the ability to connect to their countries of origin," said Cynthia Burnell, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media at Rainbow Media. "The varied World Picks programming, from Ciclo de Oro to Victor Manuelle, allows families and friends for the first time to experience the best in entertainment and informational television direct from their homelands." She added, "More than 45 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at their home, and the Latino population is expanding at a remarkably fast rate. We recognize the Latino community's ever-growing desire to bridge both their new and old homelands, and World Picks is entirely dedicated to making popular quality programming available to this important community."
World Picks Latino On Demand is available for no additional charge to subscribers of iO en espanol, a digital cable service from Cablevision. iO en espanol includes 30 Spanish-language channels plus World Picks Latino on Demand. Current Cablevision subscribers may choose to upgrade to iO en espanol for $14.95 per month, or new customers can subscribe for $29.95 per month. New and existing subscribers interested in World Picks and iO en espanol can contact Cablevision at (800) 232-1428.
About World Picks
World Picks is World Picks On Demand, a collection of subscription video-on-demand services; and World Picks Networks, an array of international television networks. Each of the World Picks products offers a wide variety of language-specific programming including films, dramas, documentaries, telenovelas, performing arts, spiritual and children's programming, and language instruction. World Picks On Demand programming is acquired specifically for these services and is exclusive to the World Picks service. World Picks is owned and operated by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Rainbow Media owns and manages national networks: AMC, Fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; as well as the on-demand services: Mag Rack, Uncensored On Demand, World Picks On Demand and World Picks Networks. Rainbow Media's other businesses include its regional programming services – MetroChannels, News 12 Networks and Rainbow Sports Networks – in addition to the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. Rainbow Media is also a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net.