TelevisaUnivision took to the stage for its Upfront presentation at Hall des Lumières in New York City on Tuesday where it unveiled new content additions that bolster the Spanish-language programmer’s ViX streaming service, including music, a slate of vertical video microdramas and new 24/7 formats.
StreamTV Insider caught up with Rafael Urbina, president of Streaming and Digital at TelevisaUnivision, to delve into the latest.
The ad-free version of TVU’s Spanish-language streamer ViX launched in 2022 and at last year’s Upfront announced the May 2024 launch date of a premium subscription tier with ads. Per Ubina, to-date ViX is delivering incremental audiences, reaching 28 million US video viewers and growing streaming hours per user by over 70% year-over-year. Last year ViX disclosed 50 million monthly active users globally.
Urbina told StreamTV Insider that the fastest-growing segment of the ViX audience is tuning into the Premium with Ads tier, which provides expanded content access with a limited ad load.
In terms of what’s fueling viewership momentum, he said “live sports events, like Copa America and UEFA Euro, have driven spikes in viewership, and we expect to see even more growth in that area this year as we continue to broaden our programming and deepen user engagement.”
Vertical video original microdramas
A key new content addition for users of the ViX mobile app is the expansion of short-form content with the launch of 40 original microdramas that will be integrated into the platform’s new “Shorts” experience on mobile.
The ViX microdramas are described as fast-paced, scripted series featuring one-minute episodes that are designed for mobile-first engagement. The 40 originals will debut in the second half of the year, with plans to expand the format into comedy, documentaries and more.
Urbina cited excitement for the microdramas, which he believes “will draw both consumer and advertiser interest,” noting that “they cater to young, mobile-native audiences who are driving a significant share of viewing hours.”
In addition to catering to mobile-first viewers, it’s also a way to pique interest by giving consumers a taste of content and drive viewers to additional, long-form content on ViX and TelevisaUnivision networks. The microdramas serve “as an entry point into our broader content ecosystem, guiding them toward our long-form programming,” Urbina said.
Additionally, it opens up “new creative opportunities for advertisers to show up in more native, meaningful ways.”
While TelevisaUnivision is still in the early stages of ‘Shorts’ on Vix, Urbina said early results “have been very encouraging, particularly in terms of our ability to drive conversion into long-form content through vertical video sampling.”
And of course, another key aim with microdramas is to deliver compelling and attention-grabbing original content, he added.
24/7 formats to drive continuous engagement
TelevisaUnivision is also expanding its reality slate with the debut of 24/7 formats, which Urbina said are “designed to drive continuous engagement across streaming, linear and social.”
The long-form unscripted series will feature multiple live streams and allow fans to tune in anytime, helping to drive real-time conversation and viewing hours.
The first program to launch – slated for early next year - is La Mansión 24/7. This is a new reality show that gives audiences 24/7 access to participants and their daily lives. Participants in the reality show will compete in challenges, with one winning a cash prize and named as the next face of the network.
“By building immersive, always-on environments, we’re creating new ways for audiences to connect with content and talent they already love, while also discovering the next generation of stars from across the creator universe,” Urbina told STV Insider about the new always-on formats. “It’s a major step forward in diversifying our programming and deepening cross-platform engagement on ViX that builds on our existing strong FAST offering of over 80 channels on ViX.”
ViX Música launches
Also joining ViX is a new dedicated streaming destination for all things music within the platform, called ViX Música.
The centralized location will feature new and original content from the Latin music world, spanning concerts, performances, exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes moments with artists.
New efforts within ViX Música include: A partnership with iHeartMedia to exclusively stream iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina live on ViX in October; a new series of immersive docu-specials, launching this summer that provide a look into the lives of Latin artists on and off stage; ViX Música: All Access, a new franchise that showcases backstage access and interviews with Latin stars with multiple series that span distinctive genres, from regional Mexican and urban to pop and adult contemporary.
As for the music expansions, Urbina told STV Insider that ViX’s music offering “continues to be a major growth engine for us,” adding that Latin music continues to shape global culture.
And it’s one that can extend across the TelevisaUnivision ecosystem, both for viewers and advertisers.
“With ViX Música, we’re delivering a streaming destination that feeds that appetite of our audience and partners alike. Our expanded music strategy enables us to extend that experience across streaming, linear, and digital, giving advertisers more ways to connect with audiences across the full ecosystem,” Urbina said. “It's not just about reach—it's about resonance and creating moments that matter.
TelevisaUnivision will also air YA Fest – a new music festival taking place live from three major cities in September 2026, available across the company’s platforms.
New in-show ad formats with TripleLift
Also announced at Upfronts, TelevisaUnivision is introducing new immersive in-show ads for ViX with partner TripleLift to more seamlessly integrate brands within content itself.
Urbina said TelevisaUnivision is excited about creating ways for brands to be more naturally embedded within content and that the collaboration with TripleLift allows brands to reach viewers with ad experiences that are both seamless and high attention.
“It’s about bringing advertisers into the IP journey in a way that feels additive to the storytelling, not disruptive,” he commented.
Those new formats will be rolling out soon and Vix is “already seeing strong interest from partners who want to engage audiences in more meaningful, integrated ways,” Urbina noted.
New ad formats have been a hot topic in general around NewFronts and Upfronts and he said the company is seeing strong interest from advertisers that want “more innovative, contextually relevant ways to connect with audiences.” That includes not only in-show integrations, but also interactive CTV and shoppable formats, where “demand is growing for solutions that go beyond the traditional ad break,” he explained.
And he sees TelevisaUnivision as particularly well positioned to deliver.
“Because we control our entire production pipeline, we have the flexibility to build brand moments directly into content—whether through organic placement, storyline alignment, or custom creative,” Urbina said. “That level of control allows us to offer advertisers a more seamless, premium experience that matches the expectations of today’s viewers.”
As TelevisaUnivision makes its annual pitch to brands and ad buyers, Urbina said amid the current economy, advertisers want platforms that deliver on scale and efficiency, while not missing out on cultural relevance – which is where he sees the Spanish-language media company as standing apart from others.
“We offer a 360-degree connection to U.S. Hispanics—across linear, streaming, digital, and social—with the content, talent, and insights that move this audience,” he said, adding that ViX is a key part of that ecosystem as it extends reach and engagement through premium streaming. “Together, our portfolio gives brands the ability to show up across every screen in authentic, impactful ways—making every investment go further.”