The channel, launched in 2009, broadcasts internationally recognized children’s animation in a safe, educational environment free of violence and commercials, while also promoting the traditions and values of the Latin family.
Semillitas, the children’s animation pay-TV channel owned by SomosTV, a company chaired by Luis Villanueva and part of SOMOS Group, celebrates this December its 16th anniversary since going on air.
The channel, launched in 2009, broadcasts internationally recognized children’s animation in a safe, educational environment free of violence and commercials, while also promoting the traditions and values of the Latin family.
Semillitas reaches audiences in the United States, The Caribbean, Panama, and Central America, competing with highly prestigious brands among the leading cable and satellite companies in the region.
Semillitas features renowned animation such as Mini Heroes of the Forest, Musipaches, Maya the Bee, Angelina Ballerina, Strawberry Shortcake, Bob the Builder, Little People, Caillou, and Fireman Sam. All of its content is in High Definition and includes Closed Captioning and Video Description, which earned it the prestigious Outstanding Achievement: Spanish Media Award granted by the American Council of the Blind. The channel also maintains an active presence on social media, as well as an attractive website.
Children’s entertainment is one of the most complex areas of the industry today. The explosion of free online content, with few barriers and protections, has alarmed many experts and families. It is common to find both access to inappropriate content for young children and commercial messages that distort the purpose of leisure time for this audience segment. Semillitas, focused on children ages 2 to 6, provides parents with the peace of mind needed to attend to other household tasks, as well as the opportunity to interact with the content in an active and educational experience with their children. The programming, in neutral Spanish, is packaged with culturally relevant interstitials, highlighting values such as the special role of family and elders within the Latin community.
Luis Villanueva, President and CEO of SOMOS Group, celebrated this milestone in the channel’s history: “We are very happy and proud to have reached this moment in Semillitas’ history, a channel we create with so much care and affection. We are very aware of the responsibility this entails, both in the selection of content and in the production of the signal. We conceive of Semillitas not just as a channel in itself, but as an ally of parents in the education and development of the future generation, mindful of the problems that unrestricted access to technology generates. The feedback we receive from audiences, both from our clients and on social media, shows that Semillitas and its messages go beyond its distribution, being attractive to all Spanish-speaking countries.”
