Telemundo Vs Novelas+: Who Is Winning On DStv?

Since Novelas+ launched, DStv viewers now have more telenovela options. MultiChoice (which is part of Canal+) brought in this new channel, and it looks like a direct challenge to Telemundo.

It’s a good time to compare the two.

Telemundo is the English-dubbed channel from NBCUniversal. It mostly shows telenovelas from Latin America, Colombia and Mexico. Shows like For Love and Justice, The Scent of Passion, Under the Same Sky and Woman of Steel are the kind of content you find there. At night it often switches to more action-style series.

Novelas+ pulls content from more places — Turkey, Latin America and Brazil. Titles include Be My Sunshine, Sins & Roses, Torn Apart, Avenida Brasil, Domenica Montero and My Secret Truth. The Turkish dramas especially make it feel different from Telemundo.

Both channels overlap with Latin American soaps, but they still feel distinct. Telemundo has its late-night action block. Novelas+ has the Turkish stories.

One thing many readers keep mentioning about Telemundo is the repeats. The channel often relies on the same shows to fill the schedule, and some people get tired of it. On the other hand, the repeats make it easy to catch up if you missed an episode.

Novelas+ is not perfect either. Not everyone who likes the classic Latin American style will automatically enjoy the Turkish dramas. The cultures and storytelling feel different. Primetime currently looks stronger on Novelas+, while Telemundo still has a bigger overall library of the Latin American shows many people already know.

Telemundo still holds an advantage because of the wider selection and the comfort of familiar titles. Some viewers actually prefer the repeats over the newer lineup. But the limited primetime options remain a problem. When the schedule narrows to mainly one show, or pushes everything to late night, people start looking elsewhere — and Novelas+ is right there.

My take: Novelas+ has given DStv viewers real extra choice. Telemundo still has the stronger Latin American catalogue and the familiarity factor, but it needs a more consistent and expanded primetime lineup if it wants to keep people from switching.