Everyone is feeling the US economic woes, including some of favorite Latino TV talents and shows. We begin with a shuffle of power at Telemundo. In the executive level, many rumors are circulating with contract buyouts rather than firings. On the production side here are some information HL has gathered:
-Novela superstar Osvaldo Rios has been release from the Telemundo roster pool, with a year left in his current contract. According to TV y Novelas magazine, its reporting that Rios was let go for being "Complicated". Something similar happened about a year or so ago with Mario Cimarro.
-The morning show Levántate, which debuted in August and had its home in San Juan, will be moving to Telemundo's Miami studios as our source tells us "will be cheaper to produce in Miami". The show has had lower ratings than the prior morning show Cada Dia with Maria Antonieta Colins. Meanwhile Colins just released a new book, and is commenting on a various issues on morning radio show Zona Cero on 106.7 FM in Miami. For years Telemundo hasn't found the correct formula for morning and late night shows. It's a shame since Telemundo has access to all the resources of NBC Universal.
-Many talents have been let go. Those include Poncho de Anda, who might return to his other career in radio, Monica Noguera is also out. Candela Ferro, since her weekend edition of Al Rojo Vivo has been cancelled, might remain in Mexico until the network decides what to do with her since she's still under contract.
-Telefutura has cancelled game show "Que Dicen La Gente", produced by Hollywood production company Fremantle. We actually liked this show. This show should make a move to Telemundo.
OUR COMMENTARY: Telemundo needs a whole new restructuring of its producers and productions. The shows are not funded correctly and its resources with NBC Universal appear not to be used at full extent. Telemundo should not try to compete with Univision, but rather become the station of fun and sex. It's novelas with no name talent, but with beautiful faces could be money making ventures for the network. We like that idea! Great stories a la Desperate Housewives and The Hills full of sexual attitude.
We like the idea of more public interaction shows, like game shows ( SHOULD GET COMO DICEN LA GENTE) and a show from the past that we enjoyed very much afternoon game showLA FERIA DE LA ALEGRIA. Giveaway cash and gifts, fill shows with music and hot bodies. Especially now when people need fast entertainment and what better than to give the public what they want MONEY and GIFTS!!!! We love 12 Corazones!
NBC UNIVERSAL: Use Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando for TV programs and filming of novelas. Use other resouces at the network, such as The Today Show (Great for Levantate), and with some of the networks other properties: Bravo, USA, and Mun2.
Although a great idea at first to get the traffic of its association with Yahoo, its time for Telemundo to launch its own portal, with its own staff and company. Online is the future, and there is no reason why the network can't do its own online outlet. The new Telemundo.com could have everything from past novelas and classic shows like A la Cama Con Porcel, and Los Beltrans. The new portal should have online polls, commentary, and interact all the networks shows with the web.
We believe Telemundo should also bring more political shows town hall meetings and round tables. Let the public release the pressure of life to comment on all sorts of issues. Have people call in and vent, have public go online and take part in forums, blogs and polls.
Promote talent. Telemundo must make its talents a network star. Telemundo should spin of some its talents in books, calendars, and public appearances.
Saturday Nights: Full concerts with stars like Vicente Fernandez, Daddy Yankee, Shakira followed by late night live boxing (possibly associate with Oscar de la Hoya's company).
Sunday nights: a show like "Siempre en Domingo" would be ideal.
Telemundo Sports: is perfect as it is. The Olympics in spanish were great, plenty of soccer and boxing, especially its recently association with Televisa to transmit Mexican soccer.
