Planeta U

Planeta U (English: "Planet U"), usually referenced as Tu Planeta U ("Your Planet U") is an American children's programming block that airs on the Spanish language television network Univision, which debuted on April 5, 2008. The three-hour block – which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time and Pacific Time – features animated series aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 8.

Planeta U
NetworkUnivision
LaunchedApril 5, 2008 (2008-04-05)[1]
Country of originUnited States
OwnerUnivision Communications
(some content is sourced by Disney Channels Worldwide)
FormatSaturday morning and Sunday morning E/I block
Running time3 hours[1]
Original language(s)Spanish
Official websiteOfficial website

Programs featured on the block consist almost entirely of Spanish-dubbed versions of series that were originally produced and broadcast in English (with the exception of Pocoyo, which was produced in Spain), and are designed to meet federally mandated educational programming guidelines defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) via the Children's Television Act.

History

The block's origins stem from a settlement that preceded the FCC's approval of network parent Univision Communications' $12.3 billion acquisition by Broadcasting Media Partners Inc. (a consortium of investment firms led by the Haim Saban-owned Saban Capital Group, TPG Capital, L.P., Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners and Thomas H. Lee Partners).[2][3] As part of a consent decree in the deal that included the payment of a $24 million fine – the largest single fine levied against any corporation by the FCC at the time – that was issued against Univision in February 2007, following an investigation stemming from complaints filed in 2005 by the United Church of Christ and the National Hispanic Media Coalition during pending license renewal proceedings for two of its owned-and-operated stations (WQHS-TV in Cleveland and KDTV in San Francisco) that uncovered violations of Children's Television Act (CTA) guidelines, which require over-the-air television broadcasters to air a minimum of three hours of compliant educational programming each week, by the network's 24 O&Os. The violations regarded youth-oriented telenovelas from Televisa and Venevision aired by the network (the Televisa-produced Cómplices Al Rescate ("Friends to the Rescue"), ¡Vivan Los Niños! ("Long Live the Children!") and Amy, La Nina De La Mochila Azul ("Amy, the Girl with the Blue Schoolbag"), which were cited due to their questionable educational value and the former's incorporation of occasional adult-themed plotlines and complex subplots that were unsuitable for younger children) that were claimed by the stations as core educational programs in 116 weekly CTA compliance reports filed between 2004 and early 2006.[4][5][6][7][8]

On April 3, 2008, Univision announced that it would launch a new Saturday morning block featuring live-action and animated series aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 16. Unlike other children's program blocks in existence at the time (and since), the network opted to fully program the block with shows acquired from various programming distributors. "Planeta U", debuted on April 5, 2008, marking the first time that Univision carried an exclusively animated children's program block for younger audiences, having previously carried live action variety-based series alongside half-hour cartoons prior to the shift towards filling its weekend morning schedule with youth-targeted novelas in 2003. The block's initial lineup consisted mainly of Spanish-dubbed versions of American and Canadian children's programs, with Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Pinky Dinky Doo, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, Inspector Gadget's Field Trip , Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? and Beakman's World as part of its inaugural lineup.[1]

Additional educational content was included in the form of the interstitial segment Hoy en la Historia ("Today in History"), featuring facts of relevance to historical events, and a series of public service announcements featuring popular Hispanic celebrities (including Juanes, Fanny Lu and Jenni Rivera) sharing focused on ethical and personal safety messages, and environmental conservation tips.[1][9] "Planeta U" originally aired as a single three-hour, Saturday-only block until September 2008, when the network began airing an hour-long extension on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Eastern and Pacific Time. The Sunday lineup was discontinued in September 2013, with the remaining Saturday block reverting to three hours.

On May 31, 2014, Univision launched a sub-block within the "Planeta U" lineup, "Disney Junior en Univision", featuring dubbed versions of original series from Disney Junior during the first two hours of the block; Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny (the latter's dub incorporated basic instruction of English words and phrases instead of those in Spanish, as the English version features) were the first series to air as part of the sub-block.[10][11][12]

On August 1, 2015, Univision added its first original children's program as part of the block, Sesame Amigos, a half-hour Spanish language version of Sesame Street produced by Sesame Workshop for the network, featuring learning games and educational intersitials similar to those featured on and select characters from the PBS/HBO series, with Univision talent and other Hispanic and Latino celebrities making guest appearances during some segments (the network previously aired the Televisa adaptation of its parent series, Plaza Sésamo, from 1995 to 2002, before it was moved to sister network TeleFutura, now UniMás).[13][14][15]

Programming

Current programming
Title Premiere date
Planeta De Niños January 6, 2018
Naturaleza Humana June 2, 2018
Atención Atención October 6, 2018

Former programming
Title Premiere date End date Source(s)
Dora the Explorer April 5, 2008 May 24, 2014
Go, Diego, Go! [1]
Pinky Dinky Doo September 3, 2011
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks August 7, 2010 [1]
Inspector Gadget's Field Trip May 29, 2010 [1]
Beakman's World May 29, 2010 [1]
Dive, Olly, Dive! March 28, 2009 June 25, 2011
Pocoyo November 7, 2009 December 30, 2017
Zigby August 14, 2010 August 17, 2013
The Backyardigans July 2, 2011 July 25, 2015
Maya & Miguel September 10, 2011 August 17, 2013
The Jungle Book August 24, 2013 July 25, 2015
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse May 31, 2014 May 26, 2018 [10]
Handy Manny [10]
Sesame Amigos August 1, 2015 October 7, 2017 [13]
Calimero October 14, 2017 September 29, 2018
gollark: I think 3D is relatively new in mainline plethora though.
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References
  1. Elizabeth SanjenÌs (April 3, 2008). "Univision Launches New Children's Programming Block "Planeta U"". Univision PR (Press release). Univision Communications. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  2. "Broadcasting Media Partners Completes Acquisition of Univision". Saban Capital Group (Press release). March 29, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
  3. Rosemary Mercedes (March 29, 2007). "Broadcasting Media Partners Completes Acquisition of Univision". Univision Communications (Press release). Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  4. "Report: FCC to fine Univision a record $24 million over children's programming". USA Today. Gannett Company. Associated Press. February 24, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  5. Frank Ahrens (February 25, 2007). "FCC Expected To Impose Record $24 Million Fine Against Univision". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  6. "FCC to Fine Univision $24 Million for Lacking Children's Programming". Fox News. Fox News Network, LLC. Associated Press. February 24, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  7. Stephen Labaton (February 24, 2007). "Record Fine Expected for Univision". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  8. "FCC APPROVES $12B SALE OF UNIVISION STATIONS". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheck Media. March 27, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  9. "Univision hopes to block further problems". Radio-Television Business Report. Streamline-RBR, Inc. April 3, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  10. Will Hagle (June 3, 2014). "Univision Adds Two Disney Jr. Series To "Planeta U" Block". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  11. Adam Jacobson (June 17, 2014). "Univision, Disney Junior Play With Saturday-Morning Block". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  12. "Univision adds Disney Junior –"Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and "Handy Manny" to morning children's block". Hispanic Ad Weekly. Hispanic Media Sales, Inc. June 4, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  13. Nardine Saad (July 29, 2015). "Elmo, Cookie Monster get new casa: Univision launches Spanish-language 'Sesame Amigos'". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  14. Veronica Villafañe (July 31, 2015). "Sesame Street returns to Univision". Media Moves. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  15. Reece Ristau (July 31, 2015). "'Sesame Street' Spanish-Language Show Launched by Univision". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
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