Carlos Slim to launch TV channel ‘by Mexicans, for Mexicans’ in US

Move by billionaire comes as Trump fleshes out plans that may hurt Hispanic neighbourAnnouncement of Carlos Slim's TV channel Nuestra Visión comes as Donald Trump vows to enact protectionist policies that could plunge Mexico into economic turmoil © ReutersTwitterFacebookLinkedIn9 SaveYESTERDAY by: Jude Webber in Mexico CityIn the week president-elect Donald Trump is sworn in, Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim has announced he is launching a new television channel “made by Mexicans, for Mexicans” in the US this year.Sample the FT’s top stories for a weekYou select the topic, we deliver the news.Select topicEnter email addressInvalid emailSign up By signing up you confirm that you have read and agree to the terms and conditions, cookie policy and privacy policy.The channel, called Nuestra Visión, or Our Vision, will feature programming “tailored specifically to the Mexican audience with 100 per cent Mexican content,” said Publicidad y Contenido Editorial, which is launching the station.Publicidad y Contenido Editorial is a unit of Mr Slim’s flagship company, América Móvil, Latin America’s largest telecoms company.The announcement of the channel comes as Mr Trump prepares to take office on Friday and fleshes out protectionist trade and immigration policies that could plunge Mexico into economic turmoil.Mr Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Pending any decision on how to proceed, he has been pressing companies such as carmakers Ford and General Motors not to shift production and jobs to Mexico. He has also vowed to make Mexico pay, probably through a tax, for the border wall he insists he will build.Mr Slim, Mexico’s richest man, met Mr Trump in his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for a cordial dinner just before Christmas, at which the two men appeared to bury the hatchet. Mr Slim had warned during the election campaign that a Trump presidency could be disastrous for the US.CompaniesMexico faces battle over auto industryPlay videoNuestra Visión will show movies, news and sports highlights from Uno TV and Claro sports, with anchors and reporters offering daily newscasts direct from Mexico.“The Mexican population represents the most significant segment of Hispanic minorities in the United States,” said Victor Herrera, Nuestra Visión’s president. He saw the new channel having a wide audience “reaching every age group”.The company gave no further details on when it would be launched.Read moreMexican stand-off looms between Trump and carmakers south of borderGolden years of Nafta set to end if president-elect carries out his promises Televisa, Mexico’s leading television station, earlier announced an expanded alliance with US broadcaster Univisión to unify content development and production. “Both companies will benefit from a single, integrated focus on the Hispanic audience in the United States,” Televisa said.“The new structure will enhance Televisa’s and Univisión’s ability to serve a combined audience of approximately 175m viewers in the United States and Mexico, with an aggregate purchasing power of close to $2tn dollars.“This announcement reflects both companies’ continued commitment to serve the growing US Latino community,” it added.

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