• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 29, 2013

NUVOtv, an English-language cable TV network targeting bicultural U.S. Hispanics, has signed a development deal with actor and TV host Mario Lopez, which includes new projects as well as renewals for existing series.

Under the terms of the development deal, NUVOtv will air a second season of "Mario Lopez One-on-One," in which Lopez interviews Hispanic stars. (The first season includes interviews with Eva Longoria, Edward James Olmos, Juanes, and Emilio and Gloria Estefan.) 

"Mario Lopez One-on-One"  is supported by advertisers including AT&T, Geico, and the U.S. Army. The NUVOtv deal is exclusive for Lopez with regard to English-language content targeting Hispanics, but leaves him free to pursue his other projects.

The network will also air a new dance competition show, "Salsa in the City," produced by Lopez and his collaborators from "One-on-One" in association with JAAM Productions.

"Salsa in the City" is set to premiere in the second quarter of 2014, and NUVOtv has already inked sponsorship deals with Mars Wrigley and Virgin Mobile for the show.

NUVOtv is part of a growing trend of TV networks and media companies targeting acculturated and native U.S. Hispanics with English-language content.

In October, ABC joined forces with Univision to launch a new cable and satellite TV network, Fusion, targeting millennial Hispanics with English-language content, including news, comedy, and sports. Univision also invested in El Rey, a new English-language cable TV network created by Comcast and director Robert Rodriguez set to launch in December 2013.

This media trend is in keeping with Hispanics’ shifting linguistic preferences.

Earlier this year, Pew Hispanic released survey results showing that the proportion of U.S. Hispanic adults who said they get at least some news in English increased from 78% in 2006 to 82% in 2012. The proportion who said they get their news exclusively in English jumped from 22% to 32% over the same period. The proportion who said they get at least some news in Spanish fell from 78% to 68%, and the proportion who said they get their news exclusively in Spanish fell from 22% to 18%.