Miss Universe Returns To Telemundo After 5-Year Absence

Nov 3, 2019, 03:12pm

Veronica Villafañe

Catriona Gray of the Philippines is crowned the new Miss Universe 2018 by Miss Universe 2017 ... [+]AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Miss Universe returns to Telemundo five-years after rival Univision wrestled the rights to the beauty pageant, taking the U.S. Spanish-language broadcast of the event into a colorful journey.

Univision never aired the international competition, pulling out of the $13.5 million five-year licensing deal that included rights to broadcast the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and the Miss Universe pageants, and severing its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, then partly owned Donald J. Trump after he made what the company considered highly offensive and “insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants” during a speech declaring his candidacy for president. At the time, by NBCUniversal, Telemundo’s parent company, was also part owner of the Miss Universe Organization.

In response, Trump filed a $500 million-dollar breach of contract lawsuit against Univision. That led to months of legal wrangling that culminated in an out-of-court settlement.

Ownership of the event has since changed hands. Miss Universe is now a production of Endeavor Content’s non-scripted group.

After Univision canceled the deal, the contest’s Spanish-language broadcast was in limbo until the low-rated Azteca América, which was struggling to gain traction, picked up the rights. Miss Universe aired on the network from 2015 to 2018.


Prior to Univision nabbing the rights to Miss Universe, Telemundo had aired the pageant for 12 years. Telemundo’s broadcast of Miss Universe 2014 was the network’s highest rated telecast of the event in its history, reaching 4.7 million total viewers and almost 2.5 million adults 18-45, according to Nielsen.

The 68th edition of Miss Universe will air on Sunday, December 8th from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta at 7 p.m PT/ET. The live simulcast of the annual event will feature delegates representing more than 90 countries and territories from around the world and mark the end of Catriona Gray's reign as Miss Universe.

As the exclusive Spanish-language home of Miss Universe in the U.S., Telemundo will also feature coverage of all the preliminary events preceding the competition on Un Nuevo Día, Noticias Mediodía, Suelta La Sopa, Al Rojo Vivo, Titulares y Más, local Acceso Total entertainment shows and newscasts.

The network will place special emphasis on coverage of the Latin American delegates via Telemundo digital platforms, including Telemundo.com/missuniverso, and the network’s official social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter via @Telemundo.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/veronicavillafane/2019/11/03/miss-universe-returns-to-telemundo-after-5-year-absence/#37b88f44b11c