Univision stations to join Dyle network for mobile DTV

Spanish-language content from Univision stations in Los Angeles and Miami will become available on the Dyle network on mobile DTV devices when it launches sometime in 2012.

Univision Television Group and the Mobile Content Venture (MCV) both said they will deploy the Hispanic service when Dyle launches — sometime in 2012 — initially at KMEX-TV, in Los Angeles, and WLTV-TV, in Miami.

Others participating in Dyle include MCV members Pearl Mobile DTV (Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television, Media General, Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations and Raycom Media), as well as NBC, Telemundo, Fox, Bahakel and Ion Television.

The announcement means that Hispanics, who are heavy mobile video users, will be able to view programming from KMEX and KLTV, two of the top-rated stations in two of the largest Hispanic markets in the U.S. Those stations are among Univision's top-rated outlets among adults in the 18-to-34 and 18-to-49 viewer demographics.

Dyle, the brand and logo for the upcoming MCV mobile video service, has no definite launch date. Univision will be implementing standards-based conditional access and will be fully compatible with the Dyle mobile applications. In 2011, MCA expects to offer more than 72 U.S. stations in 32 markets reaching 50 percent of U.S. markets.

"As the Dyle mobile TV footprint continues to expand, we are especially pleased to see the leading Spanish-language media networks support the Dyle consumer launch in 2012," said Salil Dalvi (NBC) and Erik Moreno (Fox), co-general managers of MCV, in a joint statement. "The addition of Univision ... ensures Dyle will reach a key Hispanic audience, who over-index in mobile content usage."

MCV is building the new national mobile digital TV service by utilizing existing broadcast spectrum to enable member companies to deliver content to mobile devices, including live and on-demand video, local and national news from print and electronic sources.

However, Moreno said in a recent media interview that Dyle likely will launch without a mobile carrier partnership in place.