Equity: MTV Tr3 Targets New York's Young Latinos

The only MTV Networks channel that has broadcast distribution will now be available on an over-the-air channel in New York. An Arkansas station group purchased two low-power stations in the Big Apple, and plans to offer programming from the year-old MTV Tr3, which targets young Latinos.

MTV Tr3 is carried in the New York DMA on cable, but not in Manhattan. So the network inked a deal with Equity Media Holdings to air it on its recently purchased low-power broadcast station WMBQ, which kicks off in October. (Still to be determined is whether the network will be offered 24 hours a day or only in specific dayparts.)

A representative for MTV Tr3 said the network has pursued carriage by broadcast stations--it's available on more than 30, including a full-power station in L.A.--because it's the optimal way to reach its target audience, bilingual Latinos in the 12-24 demo. Programming is in both English and Spanish. DirecTV also offers it, as do telco TV providers Verizon and AT&T. The network says it's in 28 million homes.

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The channel dovetails with Equity Media's focus on the Spanish-language market; it's the second-largest Univision affiliate group. (Univision owns 8% of the company.) Equity plans to offer MTV Tr3 on two low-power New York City stations in some fashion to extend reach.

MTV Tr3 bills itself as a lifestyle network, with a programming mix ranging from video countdowns to a show about Latino car culture to a documentary series that covers issues such as immigration and the Iraq War. Also, MTV hits "Pimp My Ride" and "My Super Sweet Sixteen" are aired in altered forms for MTV Tr3.

The channel's signature show is "Mi TRL," hosted by VJ Carlos Santos from the MTV studios in Times Square.

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