Telemundo gets ratings boost while veering from usual fare. (Media & Technology).

The next "American Idol" isn't coming out on Fox and it won't be in English.

Next month, the Telemundo network premieres "Protagonistas de la Musica," or "Music Stars" and much like "American Idol," this show follows a group of young singers as they compete for a recording contract.

Despite the popularity of reality programming in the general market, "Protagonistas" represents a departure from Spanish-language television's usual primetime fare -- namely "novelas," or soap operas. In doing so, Telemundo finally may have found a way to compete with L.A.-based powerhouse Univision.

Although Univision continues to dominate -- capturing more than 70 percent of the U.S. Hispanic viewing audience in primetime -- Telemundo has made some gains in recent months.

Locally, Univision's flagship station KMEX-TV (Channel 34) averaged a 4.8 rating in primetime from June through August, down from a 5.0 during the like year-earlier period. Meanwhile, Telemundo's flagship KVEA-TV (Channel 52) rose to a 1.4 rating, up from a 1.0. KMEX's decline is partially due to the introduction in January of a second Univision-owned network, TeleFutura. But those involved in the Latino ad-buying market say that more viewers are watching Telemundo.

Telemundo also has shown some growth among local news viewers. During July sweeps, ratings for KVEA's 6 p.m., long won by Univision's KMEX were up 54 percent among viewers 18 to 49 compared with the like year-earlier period. KMEX fell 22 percent in the time slot.

Telemundo and Univision executives did not respond to requests for comment.

"(Telemundo) is experimenting with stuff they hadn't tried before," said Hector Orci, cochairman of La Agencia de Orci & Asociados, a local ad agency specializing in the Latino market. "(Viewers) are sampling Telemundo and they're liking some of the stuff."

Although Telemundo will broadcast its share of novelas this season, the network is pushing the spin-off of last year's "Protagonistas de la Novela" (Soap Stars), in which contestants vied for starring roles in a network soap.

Other reality shows include "La Isla de la Tentacion," a take-off on "Temptation Island," and "El Conquistador del Fin del Mundo" (conqueror of the ends of the earth), a concept similar to the CBS network's "Amazing Race."

As much as Telemundo strays from the tried and true, Univision is sticking to its proven formula this season. The network's primetime line-up is filled with novelas, such as "Entre el Amor y el Odio" (Between Love and Hate) and "El Manantial" (The Spring).

The network seems to be generating more confidence among advertisers. While Univision got the lion's share of the money during the so-called "upfront" season, its advanced ad sales were up only about 10 percent. Telemundo's upfront sales grew by more than 20 percent.

Telemundo's risk-taking is almost a necessity. Univision Communications Inc. shut the network out of much of the novela market by signing long-term, exclusive agreements last year with Grupo Televisa of Mexico and Venevision of Venezuela. The two companies produce many of the top novelas in Latin America.

That deal came just weeks after General Electric Co.-owned NBC announced it would buy Telemundo Communications Group Inc. in a deal worth $2.7 billion. But since NBC took over, Telemundo appears to be stepping up efforts to try new things and differentiate itself from Univision.

Telemundo doesn't have much of a choice, according to Ingrid Iannotti Reyes, vice president and media director at Anita Santiago Advertising Inc. in Santa Monica.

Telemundo is flying some "very innovative things that you have not seen" in Spanish-language television, she said. "They have to because they don't have the same providers of programs."

Telemundo went after basketball, signing a three-year broadcasting agreement with the National Basketball Association last month. The Hialeah, Fla.-based network will air 15 NBA and 10 WNBA games during each of the next three seasons.

Through its connection to NBC, Telemundo will also broadcast the Golden Globe Awards, Olympic Games and other special events.

Telemundo still gets popular novelas through deals with program producers, such as Argos Television in Mexico and TV Globo in Brazil.