Univision Infantiles
On April 11, 1987, after the network was rebranded as "Univision" on last three months, Univision was the first foray into children's programming, called "Univision Infantiles", ahead of a mix of acquired programming from various provides with the Japanese-based animation studio Nippon Animation (Future Boy Conan) and Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Nobody's Boy: Remi). The block was featured Spanish-language dubs of the Japanese anime shows in every Saturday morning including The Adventures of the Little Prince, Princess Knight and Treasure Island. In October 1988, Univision entered into a programming agreement with the based on popular St. Louis-produced studio, World Events Productions, was the first network was the Spanish-dubbed version of the original English and Japanese series such as Voltron: Defender of the Universe. The sub-block was changed the scheduled programming was offer date at 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. right after the Univision's second children's block Univision y Los Niños. Less than a month later on August 3, 1991, the block was discontinued, Univision carried World Events Productions' cartoon series over to the block premiered following few years in 1996, as part of the La Piñata Loca block such as Denver, the Last Dinosaur.
Univision y Los Niños
In 1989, DIC Entertainment entered into an agreement with Univision, to carry the first DIC's programming as part of a morning children's program block launched on Monday to Friday and Saturday morning block as Univision y Los Niños ("Univision and the Kids" and/or "Univision and the Children"). The block was the first Hispanic network of the Spanish-dubbed version of the DIC-produced series over the head in 30-minutes episodes with the Infomercials, and it was per week nearly doubled with the inclusion of a 2-hours block. Univision y Los Niños, featured second-run cartoons dubbed in Spanish, archived content from the programming library cartoons and segments including Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, Sylvanian Families, The Get Along Gang, Kidd Video, Rainbow Brite and The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin.
Platavision
On September 17, 1990, after Univision y Los Niños was discontinued on September 15, 1990, Univision launched a weekday morning block as Platavision, and it was carried with some DIC-produced shows. The following of the program block show including the live-action and animated series with the produced by DIC Animation City such as Beverly Hills Teens (also known as the Spanish-dubbed version titled, "Las Aventuras en Plata Hills") and C.O.P.S., as well as the sitcom, Pepe Plata. Featuring the 16-year-old Simon Maldonado as fictional pop star "Pepe Plata" and Dyana Ortelli (the 1987 film La Bamba and "Uno Nunca Sabe", which is originally exclusive producer by the arch-rival Hispanic U.S. network, Telemundo). Additional educational content was included in the form of the interstitial segment and the children's block geared toward the 5-million-plus Latino children ages 2 to 11 in the U.S. market. "Pepe Plata" was also featuring facts of relevance to historical events, and a series of public service announcements and marketed as a recording star, with an original song performed by Maldonado, as well as the managers of the musical group, "New Kids on the Block".[1]
Chispavision
The following week, Platavision was discontinued on August 4, 1991, the new block launched as Chispavision on Monday to Friday and weekend morning block. Univision was already caring over some of the DIC-produced shows to the block premiered following debut such as Captain N: The Game Master as well as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, The New Archies and Inspector Gadget.[2] One such notable program was El Show de Xuxa ("The Xuxa Show"), a variety-based series starring the Southern Brazilian entertainer, which became a hit in the United States when it premiered on the network in 1992 (Xuxa would subsequently star in an American syndicated version of the program that aired for one season from 1993 to 1994).[3][4][5]
Univision children's programming block hiatus
In January 1993, when Univision discontinued its animation block on Saturday and Sunday mornings to DIC-produced shows as some of the block such as "Chispavision", the block was pulled in the three-years hiatus, as expiry of Univision's program supply deal with DIC Entertainment, L.P., and making it the network not to air DIC animated cartoon series within its children's programming block. However, Univision adding regularly scheduled cartoons and a 30-minutes flagship show that included feature and combines segments, starring Mario Moreno Reyes "Cantinflas", the popular and educational series program of the Hanna-Barbera Productions and Spanish-dubbed version as Cantinflas y Sus Amigos, briefly premiered on November 6, 1993.
