Television Crossing Over

Ever think of Hispanic Television and think: Telenovela? How about Spanish soap opera, like Rebelde (Rebellious), pictured above? For most Americans of anything other than Latino decent, that’s probably the first thing that comes to mind. Fortunately, there are other things available to watch on the local TV in Puerto Rico.

While there aren’t as many channels as there are on cable TV in the U.S., and they definitely don’t have channels in HD, Puerto Rican television is fun-spirited and vivid. The main genres consist of comedy, children's programs, news, talk and variety shows, sports games, some American movies and series, and of course, novelas.

There are two major Spanish networks, Telemundo and Univision, which branch off into smaller networks. Telemundo PR is the channel aired on the island, and there are only a few shows native to Puerto Rico that air on the channel. Most shows that air on the island are actually originally from other countries, primarily Mexico and Venezuela, but have been widely accepted by Puerto Rican natives as if they were created by their own. Shows like, Sabado Gigante, the longest running variety show in the world, and originally from Chile, made its way onto Puerto Rico’s Saturday night lineup and has been a household favorite for almost thirty years. Check out a clip of the show with artist Shakira here. Talk shows, like “The Cristina Show”, hosted by Mexican Cristina Saralegui, who has been the “Oprah” for Hispanic women for over twenty years, are very popular on the island as well.
Other shows have been influenced by some of the most successful shows in the United States. These include morning talk shows, like Despierta America (Wake Up America), inspired by “Good Morning America”, Betty La Fea (Ugly Betty), El Gordo y La Flaca (The Fat Man and the Skinny Woman), inspired by “Regis and Kelly”, and even a Hispanic version of “Judge Judy”.

Some of my favorite shows to watch in Puerto Rico are news shows, like Noticiero Telemundo, because of the graphic images that can be seen due to the lack of censorship. Puerto Rico is an island with a very alarming, and rising crime rate, and the news is used to make sure everyone on the island is aware of it. Many Americans might disagree with the sometimes grotesque and always vivid scenes captured by the news reporters, but it is done so islanders can begin to take real action against crime and bring back the enchantment that struggles to remain in Puerto Rico.

For entertainment, I love to watch the comedies, especially, talk shows that include comedic puppets and drag queen commentators on celebrity life.
The characters on these shows usually air at the same time each weekday and attempt to talk seriously about social issues and events, providing a lot of amusement.

The music channels have recently taken over Puerto Rico and the United States with the budding popularity of Reggaeton music and videos. This has inspired channels like MTV to create Hispanic versions like MTV Tres, a bilingual channel where Puerto Ricans and Americans get the opportunity to see Latino artists in interviews and, naturally, perform.

With the expansion of American society reaching Puerto Rico through television, islanders are learning more about the “mainland’s” way of life every day. Children are now able to watch classic American cartoons, so they can recognize them when they come to visit the United States. The growing media society has also sparked some entertaining debates between Americans and Hispanics over “who came out with what first” and which version of a show is better.