Spanish or English? The dilemma of the booming Hispanic TV market

Since the 1980s, Univision and Telemundo — based in Miami — have been the dominant players in U.S.-based Spanish-language broadcast, battling for the top positions (currently held by Univision.) And with the U.S. Hispanic population projected to double from 53.3 million in 2012 to 128.8 million in 2060, or one-in-three Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, advertising revenue is expected to far exceed the $6.3 billion currently spent on advertising to Hispanics.

The predicted burst has kicked up the stakes, pushing players like Time Warner and News Corp into the field with the introduction, respectively, of CNN Latino and MundoFox. Meanwhile, Univision and Telemundo have refocused their strategies to be sure they retain — and even grow — their market share. Both stalwart networks will continue to rely on telenovelas and live variety shows as programming staples. But the two networks are aiming at different targets in one key aspect: language.