López partners with Latino network

The creative, production and marketing partnership gives López an equity stake in nuvoTV, an independent network that currently reaches more than 30 million homes.

As a partner with the network, López and her production company, Nuyorican Productions, will collaborate closely on all creative elements, including programming strategy, production and marketing. López will also promote the network and work with nuvoTV to develop new content targeting the Latino audience. She will work closely with nuvoTV’s distribution and advertising partners to help grow nuvoTV’s overall business.

“As an artist, businesswoman, producer and Latina, I’m passionate about seeing multicultural America on TV,” López said. “My partnership with nuvoTV reflects our mutual goal of creating top-quality entertainment and exciting stories that embrace the richness and beauty of Latin culture in America today.”

López is the world’s most powerful celebrity this year, according to Forbes magazine in a rankings based on a combination of earnings, press coverage and Internet presence. Forbes also pegged the 43-year old Bronx-born boricua grabbed as the 38^th most powerful woman in the world.

López made both lists for her business acumen as well as stage talent, Forbes said.

“Numerous celebrities are leveraging their fame to make early-stage investments or launch startups themselves,” Forbes said.

The best example was J. Lo, whose acting and singing career appeared to have tanked a few years ago.

Her success as a judge on American Idol, a resurgence in marketing her music, and an attention-grabbing divorce from Marc Anthony, followed by lucrative product endorsement deals, have sent her financial star shooting. The Jennifer López brand has achieved historic and record-breaking proportions and her fragrances have become the most successful celebrity line in the world with sales exceeding $2 billion.

“While she hasn’t stormed Silicon Valley just yet, Jennifer López is a state-of-the-art celebrity success story,” Forbes said. “With $52 million in earnings over the last 12 months and a massive amount of fame, López lands at number one on our Celebrity 100 list for the first time.”

The new deal with nuvoTV is sure to bolster López’s already formidable bottom line.

López will act as a creative collaborator with nuvoTV, working to build and refine the original programming lineup, contributing new series and shows through Nuyorican Productions, and helping to drive viewership to the network. She will also act as executive producer on nuvoTV projects together with her long-time production partners, Simon Fields and Benny Medina. The first Nuyorican produced project for nuvoTV will be a music special based on López’s current Dance Again World Tour.

“Jennifer Lopez is a creative powerhouse and the perfect partner for our network and we are absolutely thrilled to have her on board with us,” said nuvoTV CEO Michael Schwimmer. “Jennifer’s unique combination of talent, imagination and determination, combined with her passion for great entertainment, gives nuvoTV a wonderful opportunity to redefine television tailored for English-speaking Latinos.”

Schwimmer also noted plans to strengthen nuvoTV’s leadership team to drive the aggressive execution of an enhanced network brand and programming strategy, with deeper support and investment at the content and marketing levels.

Created more than eight years ago, nuvoTV creates programming for today’s U.S. Latinos, the fastest growing and increasingly influential demographic in America.

nuvoTV is available nationwide on DISH Network, most major U.S. markets (Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco/Bay Area, among others), as well as all of the top 15 Hispanic DMAs. Major distribution partners include AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Cox, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS.