Saban Speaks about Univision with Henry Cisneros

This morning, during the sixth annual Wall Street convention of the New America Alliance, a conversation was organized between Haim Saban (Who leads the group of investors that won the recent bid for Univision) and the former secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Hispanic Community Leader Henry Cisneros, who has previously served as the company's President.

Saban began by clarifying that the FCC has not yet authorized the transaction and for that reason he does not have the “house keys” just yet.

Saban's participation was entertaining and focused on what things can be done for Univisión to have more pro-active impact on the community, such as educating low salary workers in the community about the tax deductions they are entitled to, but don’t know about or have no way to carry out.

Bill Clinton has a great relationship with Saban and announced that they’ve discussed his involvement in his foundation in order to make its campaigns available to the community.

“We have been doing business with Televisa for 20 years. Our relationship with them has always been friendly. The company’s (Univision) differences with them (Televisa) and theirs with the company have ended in legal issues” But he added: “I don’t see why a reasonable agreement can’t be reached. Televisa is an important partner and their leaders, Emilio, Alfonso are reasonable people with whom one can have a good time.”

Saban, who used to talk to his grandmother in Ladin – a Spanish-Jewish language –, exchanged a few words with Cisneros in Spanish saying Latinos are the heart and soul of this country.

On the topic of corporate government and the possibility of inclusiveness, Saban observed: “There will be Latinos on our board. We’re not foolish as to believe that a group of Americans can decide what the Hispanic community wants ...”