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Sling TV adds heaps of Hispanic programming with new Univision deal

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Sling TV, which was officially unveiled by satellite provider Dish Network at the 2015 International CES last month, has now added Univision to its growing list of partner channels, supplementing core channels like TNT, TBS, HGTV, Cartoon Network, and ESPN.

The agreement includes over-the-top (OTT) multi-stream rights for live and video-on-demand content for entertainment, news, and sports content from the Univision family, which includes the flagship Univision Network, UniMás, UDN (Univision Deportes Network), Galavisión, El Rey Network, Bandamax, De Película, De Película Clásico, Telehit, tlNovelas, FOROtv as well as Univision and UniMás broadcast stations nationwide.

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Roger Lynch, Sling TV’s CEO, noted that Hispanics are the demographic who is “most engaged” with mobile devices, making Univision a “natural match.” Sling TV is available from a variety of sources, including Android and iOS mobile devices, along with Macs, PCs, and streaming devices, the number of which is expected to grow at a rapid pace as the service rolls out.

Dish’s new Web TV experiment is still in an invite-only beta format right now, and already the service is moving deftly to acquire new content. While no word has been given about how the new Univision channels will be implemented, we expect live channels from the brand to arise in the form of a $5 add-on pack, joining other targeted channel packs like Sling TV’s kids and news add-ons. These additions to Sling TV’s core of 12 live networks are designed to allow viewers to choose their own live TV adventure, as it were, with additional packages such as an extended sports bundle expected to arrive soon.

Our initial experience with Sling TV has been a bit of a mixed bag. The picture quality doesn’t yet rival cable or satellite, and we miss features like time shifting, or the ability to watch a feed from more than one device. Still, the pioneering service is an enticing new supplement for cord-cutters who find that other OTT services like Netflix and Amazon aren’t quite meeting all of their needs, particularly when it comes to sports. And considering Sling TV comes with no contract, no cancellation fees, plus a free one-week trial, it’s definitely a revolutionary addition to the streaming landscape.

And with this new Univision deal, if getting access to your Hispanic shows was what was keeping your cable fully in tact, this may just convince even more Americans to cut the cord and shift fully into the OTT world.

Sling TV is expected to go live for all users soon, so stay tuned for more updates.

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Christine Persaud
Christine Persaud
Contributor
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
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