Univision will launch a global Spanish-language streaming service in 2022

Univision's grander streaming plans are taking shape. Deadline reports that the Spanish-language media giant will launch an all-encompassing, worldwide streaming service in the US and Latin America sometime in 2022. The service will include a free, ad-supported tier (based on Univision's existing PrendeTV), while paying subscribers will also get the "best" from the likes of Univision Now and Vix.

The network also took a not-so-subtle jab at Netflix, a soon-to-be rival well-known for its Spanish-language shows (including some co-produced with Univision). The upcoming offering will have more Spanish-based original productions than "any other streaming service," Univision said, including over 30 new originals in the first year. Appropriately, Univision just hired Netflix content VP Rodrigo Mazon as its executive VP for on-demand streaming — it wants the recipe that made Netflix so popular with the Latinx community.

This represents a significant expansion for Univision. The company was founded in Miami and is focused heavily on Spanish-speaking Americans. If the unified service is successful, Univision will have much more influence on the international stage. The challenge, of course, is changing perceptions. Netflix was already catering to this audience years ago, and it may be difficult to convince people that it's worth switching to (or paying extra for) a relative newcomer.