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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission levied a $24 million fine on Spanish-language network Univision for not meeting children's programming obligations.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said the largest-ever contribution was part of a consent decree announced Tuesday. The consent degree gave FCC approval for Broadcasting Media Partners Inc. to take the Univision radio and TV network private, the Radio & Record Web Site Wednesday. The $12.3 billion deal had been in the wind for more than a year.
Univision had been representing its Spanish-language novellas as children's programming until being challenged by the United Church of Christ and the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the report said.
Univision's attempt to pass off a Spanish-language soap opera as 'core' children's programming is wholly indefensible, said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. Given how little the FCC demands of its licensees these days when it comes to serving the public interest, those who fail to meet even our minimal standards deserve to be severely rebuked.
The group buying Univision includes investor Haim Saban, Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, T.P.G. and Thomas H. Lee Partners. Univision has 73 radio and 24 television stations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
