Great American Media has deepened its collaboration with Minivela, the Latino media entertainment and production company co-founded by media entrepreneur Manny Ruiz and actor-producer Carlos Ponce, to spearhead the creation and production of Pure Flix Familia, a new streaming destination designed specifically for Latino families. The announcement, made on September 21, 2026, positions the service as a key component of Great American Media's broader strategy to expand its faith-and-family entertainment ecosystem and reach new audiences with programming families can enjoy together.
The significance of this move lies in its recognition of the rapidly growing U.S. Latino population and the demand for culturally authentic, faith-based entertainment. By bringing Minivela on board as the programming, content and creative partner, Great American Media is securing expertise from within the community it aims to serve. Ruiz and Ponce bring decades of experience in Hispanic media, entertainment, cultural marketing and storytelling, with deep grassroots connections to Latino audiences, creators and communities. Their involvement ensures that Pure Flix Familia will not be a translated afterthought but a platform built from the ground up with Latino families in mind.
Bill Abbott, President and CEO of Great American Media, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership. "Pure Flix Familia represents an important expansion of Great American Media's mission to serve families with trusted entertainment grounded in faith and shared values," Abbott said. "Manny, Carlos and the Minivela team bring a strong creative instinct and a deep understanding of Latino audiences and a commitment to faith and family entertainment. They know this community because they are part of it."
Under the expanded relationship, Minivela will help develop original movies, series and mobile-first microdramas; identify potential content and acquisition opportunities; cultivate emerging and established Latino talent; and advise on programming, social media, community partnerships and audience-growth initiatives. Ponce will also play a key creative and audience-facing role, supporting the development of Pure Flix Familia's creative identity and is expected to appear as on-screen talent in future projects. "Authenticity begins by ensuring that the people and communities we hope to serve have a meaningful voice in the creative process," Ponce said. "We will work directly with writers, actors, filmmakers and producers who know these families because they come from these families."
The service, slated to launch in early October, will initially offer Spanish-language entertainment and expand over time to include bilingual and English-language programming. It will target Spanish-dominant, bilingual and English-dominant Latino audiences, a nuanced approach that acknowledges the diversity within the Latino community. Great American Media will retain responsibility for business operations and final approval over brand, budget, programming, acquisitions and distribution, while Minivela leads creative and cultural strategy.
This partnership builds on a previously announced development, distribution and marketing relationship that initially focused only on producing mobile-first microdramas for U.S. Hispanic and Latin American audiences. The expansion gives Minivela a broader leadership role and signals Great American Media's confidence in the Latino market's potential. As the faith-and-family streaming space grows increasingly competitive, Pure Flix Familia's success could hinge on its ability to deliver authentic stories that resonate across generations. For more information, visit Pure Flix Familia.
