Acquisition Reinforces Universal Music's Presence in Genre Catering to the
Fastest Growing Segment of the Population And Provides Advertising Support
on Univision Television Network
Sale Supports Univision Communications' Plan to Divest Certain Non-Core
Assets
LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group
(UMG), the world's leading music company, and Univision Communications
Inc., the leading Spanish-language media company in the U.S., today
announced a definitive agreement under which UMG will acquire Univision
Music Group, including its music recording and publishing division.
Univision Music Group is the #1 Latin record company in the U.S. Financial
terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and the acquisition is subject
to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa
Records, Disa Records, Univision Music Mexico and Univision Music
Publishing, has helped define, expand and diversify Latin music in the last
three decades. Its artists and songwriters have been the recipients of many
prestigious honors and awards bringing worldwide recognition to them and to
the many styles of Latin music, including Regional Mexican, Tropical, Pop,
and Latin Rap/Hip Hop. The Group's artist roster includes such superstars
as Marco Antonio Solis, Los Tigres del Norte, Los Temerarios, Horoscopos de
Durango, K-Paz de la Sierra, Grupo Montes de Durango, Alacranes Musical,
Conjunto Primavera, Banda El Recodo, Jenni Rivera, Gloria Trevi, Graciela
Beltran, Xtreme, Olga Tanon, Tito Nieves, and Ivy Queen, among many others.
UMG will phase out the use of the Univision name and continue to use such
industry leading brands as Fonovisa and Disa. Since the inception of
Univision Music Group in 2001, UMG has been its distributor in the U.S.,
Puerto Rico and Mexico.
As part of this transaction, UMG will continue Univision Music's
long-established and successful relationship with Univision's broadcast
television networks under a long-term agreement that will allow UMG to
promote its Latin artists on the Univision Network, the most-watched
Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 99% of
U.S. Hispanic Households, and on leading Spanish-language network
TeleFutura.
"Univision Music Group's artists, labels and catalog are among the
finest in Latin music," said Zach Horowitz, president and chief operating
officer of UMG. "This acquisition expands UMG's presence in one of the most
dynamic and vital genres of music today. We are especially excited about
our important partnership with Univision's television networks, the
most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television networks in the U.S., as
we continue the major television advertising campaigns that have proven so
effective in promoting Univision Music's artists in the past. We'd also
like to thank Jose Behar, President and CEO and Founder of Univision Music
Group and his team for all their efforts in building the company into what
it is today."
"We're delighted with this transaction and pleased that our talented
artists will continue to flourish with UMG, the global leader in the music
industry," stated Joe Uva, Chief Executive Officer of Univision
Communications. "The sale of Univision Music Group is an important step in
the execution of our strategic plan to divest certain non-core assets in
order to focus exclusively on our television, radio and online businesses."
Doug Morris, chairman and chief executive officer of UMG, added, "The
acquisition of Univision Music Group highlights our ongoing commitment, and
that of our parent company Vivendi, to the music business in general and to
the Latin music business in particular. Univision Music Group's artists are
among the best in any genre of music."
Jesus Lopez, Chairman and CEO of Latin America and Iberian Peninsula,
UMG, said, "The Univision Music team has built an exciting and powerful
catalog of Latin music that complements UMG's already well-established
roster of Latin recording artists and songwriters in both the U.S. and
Mexico, with a great potential to expand them around the world. We are
delighted to welcome the Univision Music employees, artists and songwriters
to the UMG family."
Jose Behar, President and CEO and Founder of Univision Music Group,
said, "I would like to thank Mr. Perenchio for affording me the opportunity
to create the premier Latin Music Company in the world. I also want to
thank Univision's Management team, all of Univision Music's talented
artists and employees, and the Univision Networks, Univision Online and
Universal Music Group Distribution for their wonderful support throughout
the years. I am so proud of the portfolio we've built and I am confident
that Univision Music will continue to thrive under the guidance of the
talented team at UMG."
About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is the world's largest music company with wholly
owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also
include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global
music publishing operations. Its labels include Decca, Deutsche Grammophon,
Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway
Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records,
Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Republic
Group, Universal South Records and Verve Music Group, as well as a
multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company
subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most
extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two
distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal
Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes
eLabs, a new media and technologies division, Bravado, its merchandising
company, and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and
communications company.
About Univision Communications Inc.
Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media
company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the
most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S.
reaching 99% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a
general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was
launched in 2002 and now reaches 89% of U.S. Hispanic Households;
Galavision, the country's leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision
Television Group, which owns and operates 64 television stations in major
U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading
Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations
in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico;
Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa Records,
La Calle Records and Mexico-based Disa Records as well as Fonomusic and
America Musical Publishing companies; and Univision Online, the premier
Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at
http://www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest
in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television
channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network
operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in
major cities throughout the United States. Univision, which is
headquartered in New York, is wholly owned by an investor group including
Madison Dearborn Partners, Providence Equity Partners, Saban Capital Group,
Thomas H. Lee Partners and TPG.
For more information, please visit http://www.univision.net.
Contacts:
For Universal Music Group: For Univision:
Peter LoFrumento Investors:
Universal Music Group Andrew W. Hobson
212-331-2585 Univision Communications Inc
201-287-4306
Media:
Stephanie Pillersdorf / Brooke Morganstein /
Maggie Pisacane
Sard Verbinnen & Co
212-687-8080
SOURCE Universal Music Group
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Related links:
http://www.univision.com
http://www.univision.net
CONTACT:
Peter LoFrumento of Universal Music Group,
+1-212-331-2585; or investors, Andrew W. Hobson of Univision
Communications Inc, +1-201-287-4306; or media, Stephanie
Pillersdorf, Brooke Morganstein, or Maggie Pisacane, all of Sard
Verbinnen & Co, +1-212-687-8080, for Univision Communications Inc
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