Comcast Brings In Spanish Programs From Central, South America For U.S. Viewers

February 26, 2009 9:32 a.m. EST

Philadelphia, PA (AHN) - Comcast Corporation will bring in 50 popular Spanish networks from Central and South America for American viewers. The Hispanic language programs from nations like Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Venezuela include news programs, dramas and sports reports.

The new programs will be available to Comcast subscribers in Boston and Chicago who will pay an extra $14.95 a month on top of the $10 basic cable fee or the $60 expanded cable fee.

Comcast, the largest cable operator in the U.S. with a subscriber base of 24 million, has 20 local access and airs Spanish-language channels from Univision, TeleFutura, Telemundo, Azteca America and Cuencavision networks.

National Cable & Telecommunications Association adviser Steve Effros said other cable providers may follow Comcast's lead. Effros said, quoted by the Chicago Tribune, "The industry has always had a couple of channels for lots of different groups... But the Hispanic population is so large and so important that it's getting the attention it deserves."

Aside from Comcast, cable operator RCN Corporation has a Spanish-language package for Boston subscribers with 30 international channels for $19.95 a month. RCN senior programming manager Aleisha Bozin said the cable firm plans to hike their lineup to 50 channels this year.

Meanwhile, Comcast announced on Tuesday it partnered with rock band U2 to release exclusively the band's HD collection of music performances on demand and will make it available to Comcast customers. U2 is set to release on March 3 its twelfth album "No Line On The Horizon".