Dish Adds DishMexico Package
Satellite TV Firm’s 50-Channel Offering Includes CBeebies, Bandamax as Exclusives
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 11/19/2008 8:49:00 AM
Dish Network Wednesday debuted DishMexico, a programming package targeted at Mexican viewers, launching Bandamax and a new BBC-created preschooler channel as exclusives in the mix.
DishMexico has more than 50 channels and features popular Mexican networks such as Univision, Azteca America, Galavision, Teleformula, Telefutura, Telehit, De Película, and De Película Clásico, plus six Latino music channels, including Viva Mariachi, Fiesta Mexicana and La Frontera.
The new package also includes the launch of two channels exclusively on Dish Network: CBeebies, a Spanish-language channel from BBC Worldwide Channels that delivers educational and entertainment content for preschoolers, and music channel Bandamax, dedicated to the most popular Mexican and other Latino categories.
CBeebies (on channel 848) is the first Spanish-language channel launched by BBC Worldwide Channels in the United States.
Dish, with about 13.8 million subscribers, will carry the live feed of the Latin American version of CBeebies, which launched in Mexico this past August.
Bandamax, a regional Mexican music network, is a venture of TuTV and Univision Communications.
With the new deal between TuTv and Dish Network, TuTv has a total of four networks on DishMexico and DishLatino properties: Bandamax, Telehit, De Película and De Película Clásico.
Dish Network plans to launch additional exclusive content in the next few weeks.
“Dish Network continues to be a pioneer in Latino programming and now is the exclusive provider of a Mexican-oriented channel package,” Eric Sahl, Dish Network’s senior vice president of programming, said in a release. “Nowhere in America will you find the number of high quality channels DishMexico offers for an introductory price of just $9.99 per month, including local channels.”
To promote the new package, Dish Network is rolling out a series of TV spots and print advertisements featuring popular Mexican television star Andrea Legarreta, who has appeared in many telenovelas and movies, and currently hosts popular talk show Hoy on Televisa.
DishMexico, which includes local channels, is $9.99 a month for the first six months of service. Once the promotion period ends, the price rises to $19.99 a month.
