April 4, 2005

No Sophomore Slump for NY1 Noticias

By Simon Applebaum

Looks like Time Warner Cable has a true cable-only hit on its hands. Its Spanish-language local news channel NY1 Noticias, available to digital subscribers in the New York metropolitan area, has reached the breakeven mark in its second year. So much for the test market. A rollout may be on the way.

Not only is Time Warner Cable considering launching more Spanish-language news channels in its markets with large Latino populations, it's suggesting that other MSOs do the same. Steve Paulus, SVP and general manager of NY1 Noticias, personally will be making the case to operators that they should launch their own Spanish-language news channels.

"Comcast, with the markets it has, would naturally have an interest," says Paulus. "However, you have to do it where it makes the most financial sense, [where there's] a big Latino audience."

The success of Spanish-language local news channel NY1 Noticias has prompted Time Warner Cable to consider taking the idea to other markets--and to other cable operators.

NY1 Noticias originates from sister channel NY1's production facility, enabling it to limit operating expenses. With ad sales exceeding expectations, the staff has doubled.

"I'm surprised how quickly we've progressed," says NY1 Noticias executive editor Maritza Puello. "We had NY1 as a model, but Spanish-language coverage of this nature had never been attempted before. To pull off the kind of coverage we've done consistently is a big accomplishment."

Three NY1 Noticias anchorpeople—Adhemar Montagne, Adriana Hauser and Philip Klint—rotate in 30-minute segments throughout the day, with live updates inserted when necessary. Three reporters file stories just for NY1 Noticias, up from one when the channel launched. Separately, NY1 News correspondents covering stories that feature Latinos prepare both English and Spanish versions, with the Spanish versions running on Noticias.

The channel also has introduced more recurring feature segments spotlighting Latino culture.