L-r: Jennifer Lopez, CEO of NUVOtv Michael Schwimmer
and Mario Lopez
It’s too bad Jennifer Lopez can’t find anything to occupy her time. Apparently being an award-winning TV personality on American Idol, a movie actress, entertainer, music artist, film and TV producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur, humanitarian and mom doesn’t fill her day. Worldwide box office of more than $1.4 billion isn’t enough: now she’s been appointed Chief Creative Office of NUVOtv, the first and only English-language cable network for U.S. Latinos.
The news was announced at NUCOtv’s upfront, and Lopez is excited. “Latinos are a force in this country. We are an engine for growth–we have huge economic power and unprecedented political and cultural influence and it’s time for television to reflect who the modern Latino actually is–not who we are believed to be-not who we may have been-but who we are now.”
The first-round programming is clearly a ‘starter set,’ heavy on reality programming and Lopez-centric concepts. But Lopez has shown her ability as a producer already; her new “blended family” drama The Fosters is about to premiere on ABC Family, and clearly she’s more than able to know what people–Latinos and the world at large–really want to see. The real transformative power of NUVOtv remains to be seen, but at the moment, the new programming includes:
The Jennifer Lopez Biography Special. This exclusive 90-minute marquee event will offer “unprecedented intimate access into the personal life and career of this inspiring artist and powerhouse entrepreneur.” Not surprisingly, Lopez is acting as Executive Producer.
Gotta Dance is “a never seen before behind-the-scenes look at the lives of professional back-up dancers on world tour with global icon and entertainer, Jennifer Lopez.” We’ll tag along with eight professional dancers performing nightly clear across the continents, “giving it their all, falling in love, dealing with injury, as they pursue their ultimate passion for dance.”
Joy Enriquez
Rodney’s Joy is another docu-series, this one about Grammy award-winning producer, Rodney “Dark Child” Jerkins, producer for some of today’s hottest stars, including Lady Gaga, Rhianna, and–inecitably–Jennifer Lopez. He’s also married to Joy Enriquez, a Mexican American former pop-star who put her promising career on hold to raise a family. “Now,” the release tells us, “Rodney is tasked with the challenge of reigniting his wife’s music career as he balances life with Joy’s extended family, all living under one roof.”
Oribe is a docu-series showcasing the life and times of controversial Cuban-American celebrity hairstylist Oribe Canales, whose clients include Naomi Campbell, Gianni Versace, Heidi Klum, Karl Lagerfeld, and, yes, Jennifer Lopez.
Anjelah Johnson
Other plans include a one-hour comedy special feature YouTube sensation Anjelah Johnson of Bon Qui Qui and Nail Salon, a stand-up comedy showcase called Stand Up and Deliver, hosted by Julissa Bermudez and Jose Sarduy, and the continuation of NOVUtv’s stand-out talk show, Mario Lopez: One-on-One.
Craig Geller, Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales, says “NUVOtv is poised for another year of substantial growth. Our appeal to advertisers has never been stronger with a growing and influential audience, richer programming and, of course, the obvious benefits associated with having Jennifer Lopez as our creative and marketing partner.” There’s a new logo and a new tag line as well. You can see it all in a bran new web site, www.mynuvotv.com, scheduled to premiere on July 1.
NUVOtv is currently available in more than 32 million homes nationwide with major distribution partners: AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Cox, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FIOS. The network is widely available in the top 15 Hispanic markets and most other major US markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and New York.
