Disney sells Amas (Housewives) to Azteca

TV Azteca, the second leading broadcaster in Mexico, has picked up Amas de Casas Desesperadas, Univision’s US Hispanic version of Desperate Housewives.

The broadcaster has inked a deal with Disney Latin America, which produces the show in association with Pol-Ka Productions and holds international rights to the series.

Azteca will air the show’s first season of 23 episodes as a daily primetime telenovela as opposed to Univision, which aired the show weekly starting in January 2008.

Televisa was reportedly offered first option on the show, but refused as a result of its ongoing programming battle with Unvision, which is set for its next showdown at the start of July.

This follows plans by Disney Latin America to further its push for local productions  with Columbian versions of medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters produced for RCN.