In an era when local television is under pressure from streaming giants and shrinking ad budgets, Hemisphere Media Group and Entravision are making a confident—and highly targeted—broadcast play. The two media companies have launched WAPA Orlando, a new full-power television station designed specifically for Central Florida’s Latino audience, with a sharp focus on the region’s rapidly growing Puerto Rican community.

WAPA Orlando officially began broadcasting on February 2, 2026, airing on Entravision-owned WOTF-TV (Channel 26) and reaching viewers across the Orlando–Daytona Beach–Melbourne DMA. The station carries programming from WAPA-TV, Puerto Rico’s top-rated television network for 16 consecutive years, while layering in locally produced news and digital-first distribution strategies.

The move reflects a broader recalibration in Spanish-language and Latino-focused media: go deeper locally, serve specific communities better, and blend legacy broadcast strength with modern digital execution.

A Local Station Built for a Distinct Latino Audience

Unlike many Spanish-language stations that aim for a broad pan-Latino appeal, WAPA Orlando is deliberately narrow in its focus. The station is tailored to Central Florida’s Puerto Rican population, which has surged over the past decade and now represents the second-largest Puerto Rican community in the continental United States.

Orlando is often referred to as Puerto Rico’s “79th municipality,” a cultural shorthand that underscores how deeply intertwined the island and Central Florida have become. That demographic reality creates an opportunity for programming that feels culturally specific rather than generically Hispanic.

WAPA Orlando is positioned as the first broadcast television station dedicated specifically to Orlando’s Puerto Rican community, combining island-produced content with local reporting that reflects the lived experiences of Puerto Rican families in Florida.

Leveraging WAPA’s Content Engine

At the heart of the new station is WAPA-TV’s production infrastructure, one of the most prolific news and entertainment operations in Puerto Rico. WAPA currently produces more than 80 hours per week of original programming, spanning news, entertainment, and cultural content.

That content pipeline gives WAPA Orlando an immediate advantage: a deep bench of proven programming without the startup friction that typically plagues new stations. Viewers will see familiar formats, trusted anchors, and established franchises—elements that matter in communities where media trust is earned over time.

For Hemisphere Media, this expansion extends WAPA’s brand beyond Puerto Rico in a meaningful way, transforming it from a dominant island network into a cross-market platform serving Puerto Rican audiences on the mainland.

Local News, Built with Entravision’s Infrastructure

While WAPA supplies the content muscle, Entravision brings the local-market expertise. The station’s local newscasts will be produced by Entravision and branded as NotiCentro Orlando, drawing on Entravision’s award-winning news organization.

At launch, WAPA Orlando will air two daily locally produced newscasts, in the morning and midday. Evening and late-night editions are planned as the station scales.

More importantly, the partnership establishes a collaborative national news framework, led by Entravision, that taps into reporting resources from 24 U.S. markets. That structure allows WAPA Orlando to cover local Central Florida stories while also contextualizing national issues affecting Latino and Puerto Rican communities across the country.

In practical terms, this means broader editorial reach without sacrificing local relevance—a balance many local stations struggle to achieve.

Why This Launch Matters Now

The timing of WAPA Orlando’s launch is notable. Local broadcast television has faced years of disruption, but it remains uniquely powerful in specific demographic niches—especially when paired with culturally relevant content.

At the same time, Puerto Rican audiences in the U.S. mainland have often been underserved by media that fully reflects their identity, language, and political concerns. WAPA Orlando steps into that gap with a clear value proposition: trusted Puerto Rican journalism, localized for Central Florida.

“This is a completely unique local service custom made for the Orlando Hispanic community,” said Alan J. Sokol, President and CEO of Hemisphere Media Group, emphasizing the blend of WAPA’s journalism with Entravision’s market expertise.

For advertisers, the appeal is equally clear. A focused, engaged audience with strong cultural ties is often more valuable than a larger but less defined viewership—particularly in categories like retail, healthcare, financial services, and political advertising.

Digital Strategy as a Core Pillar, Not an Add-On

Unlike traditional station launches of the past, WAPA Orlando is not treating digital as secondary. Entravision will develop and manage the station’s full digital strategy, including a dedicated website and standalone digital platform aimed at Orlando’s Latino audience.

Entravision will also handle all sales operations, supported by a dedicated local sales and production team. Beyond traditional TV spots, advertisers will have access to creative services, talent-driven integrations, turnkey video production, and combined commercial and digital buys.

This integrated approach reflects a growing industry reality: local TV stations increasingly function as multi-platform media hubs, not just linear broadcasters.

A Strategic Expansion for Both Companies

For Hemisphere Media Group, WAPA Orlando extends its footprint in the continental U.S. while reinforcing its leadership in Puerto Rican-focused media. The company already operates a wide portfolio that includes broadcast, radio, cable networks, FAST channels, and digital platforms targeting Hispanic and Latin American audiences.

For Entravision, the partnership strengthens its position in a key Florida market while aligning with a premium content brand that already commands loyalty. The collaboration also underscores Entravision’s continued investment in community-focused media, even as many broadcasters consolidate or pull back from local news.

Jeffery Liberman, President and COO of Entravision, described the launch as a way to better serve audiences, distributors, and advertisers by combining trusted brands with complementary strengths.

The Bigger Picture: Local Media, Reimagined

WAPA Orlando is more than a new channel—it’s a case study in how local broadcast media can evolve. By anchoring itself in a specific cultural community, leveraging high-volume content production, and integrating digital from day one, the station challenges the notion that broadcast TV is in irreversible decline.

Instead, it suggests a more nuanced future: fewer generic stations, more targeted ones—and partnerships that marry scale with specificity.

For Central Florida’s Puerto Rican community, WAPA Orlando promises something rare in today’s media landscape: coverage that feels both local and familiar, informed by a shared cultural lens.

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