TORONTO – San Juan, Puerto Rico will be the next "City-fied" big city.
CHUM International today announced the signing of a licensing agreement with Fuego Entertainment for a Citytv format in Puerto Rico.
The station, located in San Juan, will soft launch April 15th, replacing the existing local station WRUA (channel 34). Citytv will broadcast in Spanish and be seen terrestrially and via cable by the entire Puerto Rican viewership of four million people.
Based on CHUM’s Citytv format, Citytv Puerto Rico will deliver a strong local voice, with locally-focused programming, celebrating and reflecting the diversity of the community, said the press release.
CHUM International will consult on the creation of the program grid, marketing and promotion of the station and a daily local newscast based on the successful Citytv news format will be launched in the coming months. In addition, the station will carry a selection of flagship CHUM-produced programs including FT-FashionTelevision, MT-MovieTelevision, Sextv and Star! at the Movies.
Fuego Entertainment is owned by industry veterans Hugo Cancio and Juan Pablos Santos. Cancio has previously worked in film production, as a producer of live entertainment shows, and has a long history in the Latin music industry as owner the Ciocan Music record label. Santos is the owner of ROC Entertainment in Miami and has an extensive background both in launching satellite channels and the development of terrestrial signals.
“We look forward to working with the talented team at Fuego Entertainment to bring the unique Citytv format that has resonated with urban audiences around the world to viewers in Puerto Rico” said Kevin Byles, vice-president and general manager, CHUM International, in a release. “The emphasis of Citytv Puerto Rico will be on local production, programming and personalities that represent and embody the vibrancy of Puerto Rican life.”
"Puerto Rico is an ideal market to acknowledge Citytv’s successful format and we are counting on a wide audience that is looking for innovating entertainment options. Also, by producing local programming created and produced by Puerto Ricans we are not only delivering quality television to the island, but impacting a weakened local production industry," added Cancio, president and CEO of Fuego Entertainment.
CHUM’s successful Citytv format is seen throughout Canada in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, and has been adapted in the UK, Barcelona and Bogota.
