
Televisa is a Mexican media conglomerate that has been a dominant force in the country's media landscape for decades. Founded in 1950 by Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, it has grown into a massive media powerhouse with a wide range of assets.
Televisa's history dates back to the 1950s, when it began broadcasting television signals in Mexico. The company's early success was fueled by its innovative approach to television programming, which included live broadcasts of sports events and entertainment shows.
Today, Televisa is one of the largest media companies in the world, with a presence in over 80 countries. Its portfolio includes television networks, radio stations, and digital media platforms, making it a major player in the global media industry.
History of Televisa
Televisa was founded in 1952 by Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, who was a pioneer in Mexican television. He started the company with a single television station, XEW-TV.
Televisa's early success can be attributed to its innovative approach to television programming, which included a mix of entertainment, news, and educational content. This format helped the company gain a large audience and establish itself as a leading media outlet in Mexico.
The company's growth was also fueled by its expansion into other areas, including film production and radio broadcasting.
2nd Logo (1977-2001)
The 2nd Televisa logo, used from 1977 to 2001, is a simple yet iconic design. The logo is just the Televisa logo from the time superimposed in the beginning or end of the show.
Some shows, like Los Ricos Tambien Lloran and Rosa Salvaje, feature a white-colored logo, while others, like La Carabina de Ambrosio and El Derecho de Nacer, stick to the original orange color.
In some episodes, the logo takes on a life of its own, like in the Halloween episode of ¡¡Cachún Cachún Ra Ra!!, where it's colored dark red. In Agujetas del Color de Rosa, the logo zooms and changes colors in a glassy effect.
Other shows, like Muchachitas, feature a more elaborate logo reveal, with bars appearing off-screen to form the logo, which shines with a silver look. In Confidente de Secundaria, the logo flies out of the scene in a 3D version.
In Locura de Amor, the logo zooms out on a black background, leaving a trail behind it.
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3rd Logo (1981-1987)
The 3rd Logo of Televisa was used from 1981 to 1987. This logo was exclusively seen on 1981-1987 episodes of ¡¡Cachún Cachún Ra Ra!!, except for the Halloween episode.
On a black background, an orange segmented oval spins rapidly and zooms in, followed by a yellow circle. They come together to form the Televisa logo, which zooms out to the top-left corner while spinning.
This logo was only seen on soap-operas produced by Televisa during the 1980s.
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Leadership
Emilio Azcárraga Jean was a young executive when he took over as president of Televisa in April 1997, at just 29 years old.
He was one of the youngest executives in Mexico at that time, a testament to his leadership potential.
Expansion and Partnerships
Televisa has a long-standing relationship with Univision, dating back to the 1960s when Univision's predecessor, the Spanish International Network (SIN), was owned by Telesistema Mexicano, Televisa's predecessor.
This partnership has led to Televisa taking a 5% stake in Univision in October 2010, with a new program license agreement that includes Internet and mobile rights and covers key Mexican football rights.
Streaming Expansion

Streaming Expansion has been a significant area of growth for the company. They've increased their streaming capacity by 50% to meet the rising demand for online content.
This expansion has allowed them to offer more channels and on-demand content to their subscribers. The company now offers over 200 channels, including popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
Their streaming expansion has also enabled them to partner with more content creators, resulting in a 25% increase in original content production. This has given viewers more options and helped to establish the company as a major player in the streaming industry.
The company's streaming platform is now available on more devices than ever before, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. This has made it easier for viewers to access their favorite content from anywhere.
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Television Network Partnerships
TelevisaUnivision is a media powerhouse, providing programming to a vast audience. It operates four networks in Mexico, including Las Estrellas, Foro, Canal 5, and Nu9ve, and Univision and UniMás in the US.

TelevisaUnivision has a significant presence in Mexico, with 253 local television stations airing its programming, accounting for 54.8% of the total commercial stations.
The company's subsidiary, Televisa Networks, is responsible for distributing Televisa programmes by satellite. This allows for a wider reach and more efficient distribution of content.
In the US, TelevisaUnivision has a long-standing relationship with Univision, dating back to the 1960s. This partnership has been expanded and strengthened over time.
In 2010, Televisa took a 5% stake in Univision, solidifying their partnership and securing key Mexican football rights.
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Telemundo
Telemundo was involved in a significant partnership with Televisa and NBCUniversal in 2008. They announced a 10-year multiplatform agreement that would allow 1,000 hours of Telemundo programming to be broadcast on various channels.
This agreement included the Galavision channel, SKY Channel, and Cablevision cable system, starting in April 2008. The partnership also planned to launch a Telemundo pay TV channel later that year.
1981–1990

The early 80s brought some significant changes to the brand.
The wordmark was dropped in 1981.
This decision marked a shift towards a more iconic representation of the brand.
The circle representing the sun was colored yellow.
This new logo was versatile enough to be used in various contexts, including idents and promos.
It remained a secondary variation until 2001.
Uncompleted Acquisition of Nextel Mexico Stake
In January 2010, Televisa announced an offer to acquire a 30% stake in Nextel Mexico from NII Holdings for US$1.44 billion. Televisa's attempt to expand its reach in the Mexican market was significant.
However, the deal ultimately fell through as Televisa terminated the agreement. This was a notable setback for the company's expansion plans.
The acquisition would have given Televisa a substantial foothold in the Mexican wireless market. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.
Criticisms and Controversies
Televisa has been accused of airing misleading information about individuals or organizations in which may exist a conflict of interest.
Many remember the famous phrase from the former owner of Televisa Emilio Azcarraga Milmo referring to himself as a "soldado del Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI)".
The network has been accused of showing bias against certain individuals or organizations, including Margarita Zavala, who was portrayed in a telenovela that some speculate was created to favor her in the 2018 elections.
In 2016, Televisa news reporter Karla Minaya was caught on live television saying "hay que tratar de que el gobernador... entre lo menos posible", which was perceived to show clear signs of political bias from the network.
Jaime "El Bronco" Rodríguez Calderón, a potential 2018 presidential candidate, claimed that Televisa mentioned him the least possible, or with biased news coverage of unfair criticisms and defamation.
Televisa was heavily criticized for sharing fake news about a 12-year-old girl named Frida Sofia who was supposedly trapped in the Enrique C. Rébsamen school after the 2017 earthquake, distracting rescue teams from saving real people trapped in the debris.
The Mexican Navy initially corroborated the story, but later officials claimed that they were "sure that the existence of the minor was not a reality".
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Timeline
Televisa's story began in 1948 when Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta founded the company, which was initially known as Telesistema Mexicano.
The company's early years were marked by a focus on radio broadcasting, with the first radio station, XEW, launching in 1930. By 1948, Telesistema Mexicano had already expanded to include television broadcasting, with the first TV channel, XEW-TV, debuting in 1950.
In 1973, the company was renamed Televisa after a merger with another television network, Televisión Independiente de México (TIM). This merger marked a significant turning point for the company, which would go on to become one of Mexico's largest media conglomerates.
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1990-1998
In 1990, the wordmark was added to the 1981 logo. This marked a significant change in the visual identity of the brand.
The 1990s were a time of evolution for the brand's logo.
1998–2000
In 1998, the logo was given a three dimensional look, and the lines through the "sun" took off. It was used only on Televisa Deportes and Noticieros Televisa as a blue logo.
This change marked a significant shift in the visual identity of the brand.
2001–Present

In the year 2001, Televisa launched a new logo that marked a significant change in the company's branding.
The logo reduced the scanlines to eight, giving it a cleaner and more modern look.
The circle in the logo is now a 3D sphere, representing an eye, which adds a creative and symbolic touch.
The wordmark is set in Helvetica Black, a font that's known for its bold and professional look.
This new logo has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 2001, and it's still an important part of Televisa's visual identity today.
Uncompleted Acquisition
Televisa's track record of uncompleted deals is a notable aspect of its history.
In January 2010, the company announced an offer to acquire a 30% stake in Nextel Mexico from NII Holdings for US$1.44 billion.
This deal would have marked a significant expansion for Televisa, but it ultimately fell through.
The agreement was terminated, and the details of the termination are not specified in the records.
Film and Media
Televisa has been featured in a Mexican black-comedy film called The Perfect Dictatorship, directed and written by Luis Estrada. The film is a direct critique of both the PRI and Televisa, and it explores the concept of "cortinas de humo" or "smoke screens" used by Televisa to manipulate the media landscape.
The film takes place in a Mexico with a tightly controlled media landscape, where a corrupt politician makes a deal with TV MX (a stand-in for Televisa) to save his political career. This plot is based on the perceived media manipulation in Mexico.
Televisa has several studios across Mexico, including Televisa Chapultepec, Televisa San Ángel, Televisa Santa Fe, Televisa Guadalajara, Televisa Monterrey, and Televisa Puebla.
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7th Logo (1992-1996, 2005)
The 7th logo of Televisa, used from 1992 to 1996 and again in 2005, is a 2D animation that's quite distinctive.
Some telenovelas might have the opening theme of the show, which is a nice touch. On Dos Mujeres, Un Camino, the telenovela's opening theme is heard with two truck horns over it, adding an extra layer of audio interest.
This logo can be seen in some episodes of Chespirito, as well as on several telenovelas produced by Televisa during the period.
A version without the voiceover could be seen on international dubbing prints of Televisa's shows, which is worth noting if you're watching reruns of Televisa series.
10th Logo (2006-2016)
The 10th logo of Televisa was used from 2006 to 2016. It featured a blue gradient background with an orange ball that shoots in from below and moves to the center, surrounded by white lines that orbit quickly through the ball.
The logo has some notable variations, such as a smoother version that can be seen on older shows, particularly those starring Chespirito. This version is often used on re-runs of old Televisa series.
On some episodes of La CQ, the ball is initially black and turns orange after zooming out. The logo also looks cheaper in this version, and the word "presenta" is lowercase.
Interestingly, the logo reads "Televisa PRESENTS" on English programming. This is a clear indication of the logo's international usage.
The logo has been preserved in various prints, including those on Canal De Las Estrellas, Univision, UniMas, and Galavision's international airings. This means that fans of Televisa series can still catch glimpses of the 10th logo on these channels.
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Here's a breakdown of the logo's variations:
- Smaller resolution: rougher animation, often seen on 16:9 screens.
- Zoomed-in version: smoother animation, often seen on older shows.
- La CQ version: black ball turns orange, cheaper look, and lowercase "presenta".
- English programming: "Televisa PRESENTS" instead of "PRESENTA".
- Persons Unknown: black background, blue-colored "Televisa".
- Devious Maids: missing "PRESENTA" text.
Film Depiction
The film industry has often reflected real-life politics and media manipulation. The Perfect Dictatorship, a 2014 Mexican black-comedy film, explores the concept of "cortinas de humo" or "smoke screens" created by Televisa to influence public opinion.
Directed and written by Luis Estrada, the film takes place in a Mexico with a tightly controlled media landscape. The plot centers around a corrupt politician from a political party, serving as a fictional stand-in for the PRI, who makes a deal with TV MX to manipulate news diffusion in his favor.
The film directly criticizes both the PRI and Televisa, highlighting their perceived political favoritism. This depiction is based on the perceived media manipulation in Mexico, as mentioned by the director.
The film's portrayal of a corrupt politician saving his career through media manipulation serves as a commentary on the real-life influence of media in politics.
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Studios
In Mexico, Televisa is a major player in the film and media industry, with several studios across the country. One of the most notable is Televisa Chapultepec, a hub for film and television production.
Televisa Chapultepec is just one of several studios owned by Televisa, which also includes Televisa San Ángel, Televisa Santa Fe, Televisa Guadalajara, Televisa Monterrey, and Televisa Puebla.
Here are some of the studios owned by Televisa:
- Televisa Chapultepec
- Televisa San Ángel
- Televisa Santa Fe
- Televisa Guadalajara
- Televisa Monterrey
- Televisa Puebla
Media Networks
TelevisaUnivision is the largest media conglomerate in Mexico, providing programming to a significant portion of the country through its four networks: Las Estrellas, Foro, Canal 5, and Nu9ve.
These networks reach a massive audience, with 253 Mexican local television stations airing their programming, which is roughly 54.8% of all commercial stations in the country.
The company also distributes its programming to the United States through Univision and UniMás, with local affiliates carrying its content.
In addition to its domestic reach, TelevisaUnivision has a significant presence abroad, with its programming available in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand through satellite distribution.
Televisa Networks, a subsidiary of TelevisaUnivision, is responsible for distributing the company's programs via satellite, making its content accessible to a global audience.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Televisa actors make?
Televisa actors earn between MX$11 and MX$24 per hour. Discover the full salary range and benefits for Televisa actors.
What is Mexican television called?
Mexican television is primarily owned and operated by three major companies: Televisa, TV Azteca, and Imagen Television. These networks broadcast to the entire nation, producing a significant amount of Spanish-language content worldwide.
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