Miss Universe 2015 Moves To Univision As Telemundo Loses Rights To Air Beauty Pageant

The Miss Universe 2014 pageant just crowned Paulina Vega from Colombia and is the new beauty queen. The competition was simulcasted on NBC and NBC-owned Telemundo, but for the next pageant, the peacock has dropped their bastard child and opted to go with No. 1 Spanish-language network Univision. “The Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants consistently rank as the most watched, most-coveted properties and entertainment programs around the world,” said Donald J. Trump. "Adding Univision as one of our leading media partners in addition to NBC could not be more exciting." Dropping Telemundo in favor of Univision seems like a low-blow as NBCUniversal owns the pageant, but in the game of ratings the organizers have to go with what will bring them the most money.

"Our new partnership will bring the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants, among the most watched forms of television entertainment in the world to Univision, the number one media brand for U.S. Hispanics," says Paula M. Shugart. "Our collaboration will bring unmatched entertainment to the most passionate, loyal audience that Univision offers to one of the fastest growing and important demographic communities in the U.S." This year, the Telemundo version was hosted by Rashel Diaz and Raúl Gonzalez, who coincidentally were also going to be host to "Miss Universo Latina." The show was inexplicably canceled a week before the premiere date. Maybe Univision had tapped Miss Universe organizers to buy the rights to the franchise and made an offer they couldn't resist?

Univision airs "Nuestra Belleza Latina," a beauty pageant reality show that follows girls from across the U.S. in their quest of becoming a beauty queen. Maybe now they can tie the reality show with the Miss Universe pageant in someway as the Telemundo reality was supposed to do. The possibilities of what this new alliance are endless. This year's Miss Universe pageant was one of the highest-rated in recent time and that only included numbers for NBC. With the next edition of the competition airing on Univision, NBC might be cannibalizing their audience as the Spanish-language network already gives them a run for their money in the ratings arena. Alberto Ciurana, president of Programming and Content, Univision Communications Inc. added, "We look forward to working with our partners to extend these iconic brands to Univision's dynamic and engaged audiences across all platforms."