A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled in favor of Univision in a lawsuit with Televisa over US rights to stream Televisa television program on the Internet. That issue had been separated from the settlement months ago of a lawsuit over TV broadcast rights, which retained Univision’s rights to Televisa programming through 2017. The parties had agreed to have the case decided by a judge acting without a jury.
Friday’s ruling by Judge Philip Gutierrez prohibits Televisa from broadcasting over the Internet in the United States programs it has licensed to Univision under their programming license agreement. It does not, however, give Univision the right to stream those programs over the Internet. It just means that no one else can without Univision’s permission.
“Univision is exploring its legal options in order to provide this content to its audience over the Internet in the US in the future,” the company said in a statement. That would require reaching a mutually acceptable deal with Televisa.
“We are very pleased with today’s ruling. As the home of the country’s leading Spanish-language media assets, including the #1 Spanish-language Internet destination, Univision will continue to provide its audience with the world’s best Spanish-language programming,” said Univision Communications CEO Joe Uva.
