Univision And Televisa Close $4.8B Spanish-Language Media Merger

Salma Hayek Pinault just cemented a huge partnership with TelevisaUnivision. The actress and producer’s company, called Ventanarosa Productions, struck a two-year first-look pact with the TV giant, in which Ventanarosa will make Spanish speaking films for TelevisaUnivision’s ViX Plus, their soon to be released streaming platform. There’s already a project lined up for production.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorLooking to widen its podcast biz beyond English-language audiences, iHeartMedia inked a deal to use Veritone’s synthetic-voice technology to translate and produce podcasts in other languages.Initially, iHeart plans to use Veritone’s artificial-intelligence system to translate its most popular podcasts into Spanish across the iHeartPodcast Network; the company didn’t identify which shows will be first in the hopper.Overall, Veritone offers stock voices in 119 languages and customized voices in 13: Chinese (Mandarin, simplified), French (Canada and France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish (Mexico and Spain). Its verified synthetic voices also provide different dialects and accents.

BODEGA have shared nine versions of their new single ‘Statuette On The Console’, each in a different language.Clocking in at just over two minutes, the ultra-catchy bubblegum-punk cut arrives in English, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Ukrainian.“‘Statuette on the Console’ is a celebration of shedding other people’s ideology. When writing the song I was trying to understand myself by exploring my values, but I could only come up against what I was not,” the band’s Nikki Belfiglio says.“The ability to believe and the comfort of ideology or isms is not one I have within me although as the song says, I myself live by my own inherited platitudes.”In addition to singing lead vocals on ‘Statuette’, Belfiglio also directed a video for the English version.

Video: Thousands of Spanish farmers march to demand action (Reuters)Hungry for love? Lemurs get Valentine treatHong Kong rules out citywide lockdownTrudeau invokes emergency powers to quell protestsExpect market volatility for next 'month or two' -investorGermany ready to discuss European security with RussiaSaudi Arabia turns to saxaul tree for climate defenseInvestigate entourage is 'bare minimum': advocateParis police kill man who attacked themNew Zealand protesters refuse to disperseHundreds evacuate as fire rages in ChileBengals fans celebrate first touchdown in Super BowlOSCE's U. S.

Salma Hayek has signed a first-look deal with Univision for its recently announced streaming platform, ViX. Under the 2-year deal, Hayek, through her production company Ventana Rosa, will produce exclusive Spanish-language feature films.

Emiliano De Pablos Spanish media giant Atresmedia is joining forces with Portocabo, the production outfit behind Movistar Plus hit series “Hierro,” for a remake of Showtime drama “Your Honor,” starring Bryan Cranston.The Spanish redo is currently at the script stage and initiating casting.With an undisclosed number of episodes, the project production is scheduled to kick off this year.The TV series release date is still unknown. But it would be logical for it to launch on platform Atresplayer Premium before airing on Atresmedia’s free-to-air channel Antena 3 primetime, a windowing strategy usually followed by the group with its new fiction releases since Atresplayer Premium bowed in 2019.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFremantle has sold out most major territories worldwide on the Martin Freeman-led BBC One smash hit “The Responder,” consolidating the acclaimed crime drama’s contention, even at this early stage, to become one of Europe’s top series of 2022. Banner deals take in France (Canal Plus), Italy (Disney Plus), Germany’s (Magenta TV). Spain (Movistar Plus) and Russia & CIS (Viasat), all leading pay/SVOD operators.

Salma Hayek couldn't be prouder of her best friend, Penelope Cruz.MORE: Salma Hayek's swimsuit diet and fitness secrets revealedOn Tuesday, the Mexican star took to Instagram to celebrate the news that both Penelope and her husband, Javier Bardem, have been nominated for the 2022 Oscars.WATCH: Salma Hayek reveals beauty secret behind youthful appearancePenelope, 47, has received a Best Actress nod for her role in Parallel Mothers – the story of two mothers who give birth on the same day. Javier, meanwhile, has been lauded for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being The Ricardos.READ: Salma Hayek shares rare glimpse into daughter Valentina's personal lifeMORE: Salma Hayek turns heads in wetsuit in gorgeous new photosDelighted Salma, 55, soon took to Instagram to celebrate their achievements.

EXCLUSIVE: Bernd Schlotterer’s German outfit Palatin Media is launching world sales on Richard Armitage thriller The Man From Rome. Moonstone Entertainment’s Etchie Stroh is serving as a sales consultant.

Spotify and FC Barcelona are reportedly close to agreeing a sponsorship deal, according to a radio station based in the Spanish city.The football club announced back in September that it has debts of more than £1billion, and they are said to now be in talks with the streaming service over a £237million deal.The purported three-year deal would see Spotify’s name appear on the shirts of both the men’s and women’s teams, and their training kits. It would also be prefixed to the football giant’s stadium name, which would then be known as the Spotify Nou Camp.As well as reports from the radio station RACI (via The Times), a Catalan journalist has also shared a photo online of executives from Spotify meeting with Juli Guiu, FC Barcelona’s vice president of marketing, at the stadium.If the deal is closed successfully, it could make for some positive news for the streaming platform, which has been embroiled in controversy recently surrounding its exclusive The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.Rogan was called out for spreading “misinformation” about the COVID-19 vaccine on the show, while clips later resurfaced online of him using racial slurs and making racist comments on the programme.

A historic library on Wilmslow Road is set to be redecorated this month.

Emiliano De Pablos International distribution house Pink Parrot Media has taken worldwide sales rights outside Spain and Portugal to 3D/2D animated musical film “Valentina,” the feature debut of Spanish producer-turned director Chelo Loureiro of Galicia’s Ábano Producións.Based out of Montreal and Madrid, Pink Parrot will introduce the toon feature to international buyers at Berlin’s European Film Market “Valentina” had its theatrical premiere in December on 160 screens in Spain, handled by Super8.Written, directed and produced by Loureiro and co-written by Lúa Testa, “Valentina” tells the story of a girl who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist but struggles to believe it is possible because she has Down’s syndrome.

Wyatte Grantham-Philips editorThe Spanish Film Academy announced on Friday that its first-ever International Goya Award will be received by Cate Blanchett.Currently presided by Mariano Barroso, the Spanish Film Academy created the award to “honor artists that have contributed to cinema as a medium that brings together different cultures and people.” In Friday’s announcement, Blanchett was recognized for her impactful work both on and off the screen worldwide — as an award-winning actor, producer, artistic director and humanitarian. She will receive the award at a gala ceremony on Feb.

Another round! Love Is Blind is finally coming back for season 2 with a whole new set of singles who are on the hunt for romance.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Televisa and Univision have closed their landmark transaction, a long-awaited merger deal that will now create a Spanish-language media and content powerhouse that will reach 100 million Spanish speakers across the U.S. and Mexico.

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Woody Harrelson (True Detective, Zombieland), Emmy nominee Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Hacks), Grammy nominee Cheech Marin (Born in East L.A, From Dusk Till Dawn) and Matt Cook (Man With a Plan, The Comeback) will lead Champions, a recently-wrapped film that Bobby Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary) directed for Focus Features and Gold Circle Entertainment.

Former Manchester United centre-back Gerard Pique has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo was close to joining Barcelona instead of Real Madrid at the time of his Old Trafford exit in June 2009.