By Bill Keveney
USA TODAY

Major broadcast networks may lack Latino performers, but they know where they can be found: the Spanish-language networks.

At least two large media companies, NBC and CBS parent Viacom, are interested in those performers and the Latino audience they attract. Both have reportedly discussed buying Telemundo, theNo. 2 Spanish-language network behind Univision.

A purchase would connect a network with millions of Spanish-language viewers. Slightly more than half of the nation's 9 million Hispanic-American households are Spanish-dominant, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Univision reaches as many Latino viewers during prime time as all six major English-language networks combined, according to a study by Initiative Media. Telemundo, while smaller, still scored a higher rating for prime-time drama last season with that audience than any of the big six networks.

Luring talent from Spanish-language TV might seem like another logical move. But Telemundo executive Manuel Martinez says many performers don't speak English.

Some Spanish-language stars have no desire to switch.

Univision's Don Francisco, whose 39-year-old Sabado Gigante variety show has earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, says he turned down an offer to do his show in English.

''You have to entertain in your mother language,'' says the native of Chile, who now lives in Miami.

Still, some crossovers have already occurred. Cristian de la Fuente and Chayanne, who starred in Telemundo telenovelas, appeared last season in Family Law and Ally McBeal, respectively.

In July, Univision talk-show host Cristina Saralegui and Emiliano Diez of Telemundo's Los Beltran crossed over to NBC as guest stars on the soap Passions. Saralegui says it was a way to ''cross-pollinate'' fan bases. (CBS broadcasts a Spanish second-audio program for The Bold and the Beautiful.)

Newscasters have crossed in both directions. Jose Diaz-Balart went from CBS to Telemundo; former Univision anchor Jackie Nespral is at the Miami NBC station.

Teresa Rodriguez, host of Univision's newsmagazine Aqui y Ahora, worked for PBS and CBS but prefers Univision. She says it covers more domestic and international news of interest to Hispanics.

''No one, at this point, is doing what we're doing. I'm very happy here,'' says Rodriguez, who has turned down English-language news offers.

The quality of coverage has improved substantially over the years, she says. ''When I started, maybe some people were using Spanish TV to start off and then go to English (TV). Today, (young journalists) feel the future is in Spanish, not just in English.''

Her network colleague, Noticiero Univision co-anchor Jorge Ramos, has appeared on Nightline and other English-language shows but says his accent would make a transition difficult.

Regardless, he's not interested. ''Many Latino viewers find it very difficult to identify with English-language programming. We are presenting them with a true alternative.''

Ramos says he's not surprised English-language networks would take a greater interest in the growing Latino market. The Hispanic population, which grew 58% since 1990, is changing the USA, including the media power balance in some markets -- a situation he writes about in The Other Face of America, a book about how immigrants are influencing the country. An English-language update of his original Spanish version will be available soon.

In recent years, Ramos says he has seen increased advertiser interest -- from Liz Claiborne to McDonald's -- in the Latino audience, which should lead to more courting by English-language networks.