New Spanish-Language TV Station Enters Market

Southern California got its third Spanish-language television station Tuesday with the launch of KBEH-TV Channel 63, which replaces KADY-TV.

From its Los Angeles base, KBEH plans to set itself apart from KVEA and KMEX, the region’s dominant Spanish-language stations, by focusing on family-oriented topics, said Robert Behar, president and chief executive of Bela of Miami, the new owner.

Bela, which bought the formerly Camarillo-based station from Biltmore Broadcasting in March, has increased KBEH’s signal power to cover the Los Angeles media market. KBEH currently can be seen by 400,000 households and will be available on all Los Angeles cable systems by September, Behar said.

“All Latino cultures will be represented,” he said, “but Mexicans make up two-thirds of Hispanics in this country and we went out of our way to get four hours of original programming made in Guadalajara to cater to the Mexican-migrated population.

“But that said, a cooking show is a cooking show, and a talk show for women speaks to women of all Spanish-speaking cultures.”

KBEH is broadcasting eight hours of children’s programming on weekdays, Behar said, adding: “We want our kids to be entertained in their own language and exposed to stories that pertain to their culture.”