Networks Have an Ear for Spanish

In "Go, Diego, Go!," a Nickelodeon cartoon that premiered last week, the hero is a brown-skinned bilingual boy who lives in a rain forest and teaches viewers to say "cuidado" (be careful) and "al rescate" (to the rescue).

And to lend authenticity to UPN's upcoming prime-time soap, "South Beach," some scenes are being shot entirely en espanol. Subtitles will be sprinkled throughout the midseason offering, which Jennifer Lopez's production company is shooting on location in Miami.

Not so long ago, the only Spanish that most people heard on television came during reruns of "I Love Lucy," when Ricky Ricardo went on a tear.

But as Latinos become the largest minority group in the U.S., representing an estimated $700 billion a year in buying power, media companies and advertisers are scrambling to figure out how to appeal to them.

"There's a huge change in the economics of television," said Bruce Helford, a creator and executive producer of "Freddie" and the 3-year-old sitcom "George Lopez" on ABC. "Now, there is an honest push to have shows reflect the culture and complexion of the audience who's watching."

Just last month, TV ratings giant Nielsen Media Research increased its estimate of the number of Latino homes with televisions in the U.S. to 11.2 million. That means Nielsen will be recruiting more Latinos for its audience surveys, which could boost ratings for programs popular among Latinos and allow networks to charge more to run ads during those shows.

"The Hispanic market is growing in affluence, and it's growing in influence," said Felipe Herrera, director of diversity sales and marketing for General Motors, one of the nation's largest buyers of TV advertising. "We recognize that this is an incredible opportunity."

Spanish-language networks such as Univision Communications Inc. have a track record not just of reaching this audience but often owning it.

But now, with shows such as "Freddie," some executives at the major networks are experimenting with a mix of English and Spanish to win over what some say is becoming one of the most attractive groups of all: young bilingual Latinos.