Hispanic PR Wire Relaunches Website

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 31, 2005

Manny Ruiz, president Hispanic PR Wire

Miami, FL–(Hispanic PR Wire)–October 5, 2005–In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Hispanic PR Wire relaunched its bilingual news Website with a new look and powerful features for journalists, marketers and consumers. Highlights of the new website include: Three new news channels including HPRW’s 15th news category Human Interest, a dedicated channel for Multimedia-related press releases and a link for broadcast TV and radio advisories; an improved internal search engine in Spanish and English that archives stories published on Hispanic PR Wire; in-depth, dedicated job listings for Hispanic journalists, Hispanic advertising and public relations professionals; an updated listing of Hispanic and multicultural related conferences and conventions; a feature that allows visitors to email Hispanic PR Wire stories to their colleagues and friends; a listing of Hispanic market facts and another link with statistics about Hispanic media; a list of Latino culture links; a listing of Hispanic PR Wire’s online guaranteed placements; a link to the latest issues of The Hispanic PR Monitor, a Hispanic PR Wire national monthly trade newsletter.

“Our new Website features a host of useful changes that journalists and marketers told us they wanted but also retains the popular, intuitive navigation style that makes it one of the most visited Hispanic news Websites in the nation,” said Hispanic PR Wire President Manny Ruiz.

Website headlines are linked to Hispanic news partner websites throughout the country including Yahoo! en Español, HispanicBusiness.com and El Latino de San Diego.  A dynamically generated newsfeed of Hispanic PR Wire wire news releases and photos is available to media and non-profit organizations.  

Miami-based and Latino-owned Hispanic PR Wire (HPRW) is a leading press release newswire service for Hispanic and Puerto Rico journalists and marketers. Through scores of news partnerships with many Hispanic newspapers, magazines and Internet portals, HPRW offers clients more than 70 online media placements with any geographic press release distribution.

Hispanic PR Wire sends corporate, government and non-profit press releases and media advisories daily to thousands of journalists subscribed to receive its free email and fax newsfeeds. Media subscribers can register for HPRW’s news by accessing HPRW’s media registration form online. The online form enables journalists to select which news they want to subscribe to from among HPRW’s 15 news categories varying from Entertainment and Business/Finance to Government and Immigration.

Hispanic PR Wire is a sister company of editorial features service ConTexto Latino, Hispanic monitoring service LatinClips, Hispanic Web marketing firm Hispanic Digital Network and African American wire service Black PR Wire. HPRW is also the exclusive Hispanic wire partner of leading corporate wire distributor Business Wire and public affairs news distribution leader US Newswire.

Cristina Saralegui Elected to Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 27, 2005

Cristina Saralegui, host of "The Cristina Show"

Miami, FL (October, 2005).  Cristina Saralegui, host of Univision’s top-rated The Cristina Show, was unanimously elected into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, which each year honors those who have made significant contributions to the electronic arts.  Cristina joins luminaries in the Hall of Fame Roster such as Johnny Carson, Tom Brokaw, Ted Koppel, Dan Rather, Dick Clark and Jackie Gleason.
 
“The Reed Television Group is extremely proud to recognize Cristina’s accomplishments in more than 16 years as host of ‘The Cristina Show’,” said Charlie Koones, president of the Reed Television Group.  “Through the medium of television, Cristina has educated, enlightened and entertained millions of people.  Her induction into the Hall of Fame is well-deserved.”
 
“It is one of the greatest honors of my life to be inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame,” said Cristina.  “Throughout my television career, I have tried to entertain my people and sometimes perhaps slip in a little information they can use.  I thank the Reed Television Group for this great recognition.”

The Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame was established 15 years ago to honor professionals in all reaches of Radio, Television, Cable and Satellite who have been the pioneers, innovators and stars of the media.  The 15th annual Hall of Fame dinner will take place on Monday evening, October 24 in New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  Proceeds from the formal dinner will benefit The Broadcasters’ Foundation and Cable Positive.

Other 2005 inductees are: Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Universal Sports and Olympics; Tom Joyner, host of Tom Joyner Morning Show and chairman of BEACH Media, Inc.; Ken Lowe, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company; Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television; Dick Parsons, chairman and CEO of Time Warner, Inc.; William Shatner, actor, director, producer and writer; Dennis Swanson, executive vice president and COO of Viacom Television Stations Group; Anne Sweeney, co-Chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney-ABC Television Group and Michael Willner, president and CEO of Insight Communications.

A winner of 11 EMMY® awards, Cristina Saralegui made her television debut in 1989, as host and executive producer of “The Cristina Show" on Univision, the nation’s leading Spanish-language television network.  Her talk show attracted millions of viewers and after 16 years on the air and more than 3,000 shows, “The Cristina Show” remains the number one U.S.-produced talk show on Spanish-language television in America.  It is also seen throughout Latin America, in many European countries and enjoys an estimated audience of 100 million viewers worldwide.  In the U.S.,“The Cristina Show” airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. (EST) on the Univision Network.

Cristina was recently named one of the “25 Most Influential Hispanics” in the U.S. by Time magazine.  Cristina and her husband and manager Marcos Avila recently inaugurated Blue Dolphin Studios in Miami, the home of “The Cristina Show.” It is also the headquarters for her monthly magazine Cristina la Revista and Cristina’s bilingual website, www.cristinaonline.com.

Romantic Comedy “Meet Me in Miami” to Premiere

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 25, 2005

Carlos Ponce as Luis and Tara Leniston as Julia in "Meet Me in Miami"

 Los Angeles – Palm Tree Productions in association with Servant Productions announced the premiere of "Meet Me in Miami"  starring Carlos Ponce, Eduardo Verastegui and Tara Leniston at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival on Saturday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Tickets can be purchased at www.latinofilm.org or at the Egyptian Box Office during the festival.

"Meet Me in Miami" is a romantic comedy about true love and its ability to last, even through years of separation.  It stars Carlos Ponce as Luis, a young and handsome heir to a hotel fortune who is about to inherit the family business but decides to risk everything to pursue his first love, Julia (Tara Leniston).  Ten years earlier, at a wishing well in Miami, young Julia promised a young Luis that someday she would come back, but she never did.

Eduardo (Eduardo Verástegui), Luis’ best friend and self- proclaimed expert on matters of the heart, thinks Luis is crazy, but he still agrees to join Luis on a trip halfway around to world to help his best friend try to find true love.  Luis and Eduardo find themselves on a wild and often comedic journey of the heart and an adventure that takes them across the world looking for Julia. 

"Meet Me in Miami" stars Carlos Ponce as Luis; Eduardo Verástegui as Eduardo; Tara Leniston as Julia; Stevie Roberts as Young Luis; Brooke Abbott as Young Julia; Luiji Campa as Young Eduardo; Castulo Guerra as Miguel, Luis’ grandfather and Richard Yniguez as Julio, Luis’ father.  Jenny Gago stars as Luis’ mother, Josephina.

"Meet Me in Miami" was produced by Lisa Abbott, and directed by Eric Hannah and Iren Koster. The original music for "Meet Me in Miami" was written by award-winning composer Misha Segal, who wrote the film’s title song, as well as an additional featured song performed by Carlos Ponce. "Meet Me in Miami" will have a limited theatrical engagement in Los Angeles and Miami in February 2006.  For more information, log on to www.palmtreefilms.com and www.meetmeinmiamithemovie.com.

Nortec Collective Member Panoptica Launches Solo Remix Album “Ahora Yo a Ti”

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 24, 2005

"Ahora Yo a Ti” album cover

Solo album features remixes of Nortec tracks, Indie favorites like Calexico, Her Space Holiday, and David J (Love & Rockets, Bauhaus)

Having already sold hundreds of thousands of albums worldwide as a founding member of Nortec Collective, Roberto Mendoza a.k.a. Panoptica steps forward with a new solo effort after various releases on European indie labels.  “Ahora Yo a Ti” (Nacional Records – Nov. 15th) is a collection of remixes Panoptica has done for several members of Nortec Collective, as well as Calexico, Her Space Holiday, David J (Love & Rockets, Bauhaus), and Latinsizer.  Panoptica creates and performs a style of music called Nortec, a fusion of Norteno and Techno, describing the collision between the style and the culture of Electronic music and traditional Mexican music.  Panoptica also delves into minimalist techno and dub influences on the new album.

 The movie “Traffic” was shot in Roberto Mendoza’s hometown of Tijuana, Mexico. Even so, the violence of the international drug smuggling trade isn’t immediately apparent in the soothing melodic electronica he puts out under the guise of Panoptica. Instead, the antithesis of its dictionary definition, as Panoptica, Roberto takes things from outside and incorporates them back into his music. The result is a hybrid of European-influenced electronica and techno fused with Mexican "urban blues," the sounds he’s heard since childhood.  The two cities of Tijuana and San Diego merge into one.  Each day, hordes of American marines and underage kids cross into Mexico to party on tequila. Even the radio antennas for San Diego transmit from here. In his childhood, Mendoza was raised as much on a diet of New Wave as the local sound of Nortena and Banda.

In 1989 when he formed Artefakto with a couple of school friends, they were one of the first techno industrial bands in Mexico. Artefakto caused a big buzz in Mexico. In 1991, their first album reached number three in the charts, they came in first in many radio station polls, and in 1994 the German label Zoth Ommog put out their album ‘Des-construccion’.  Ten years later, Artefakto had changed their musical direction and name to Fussible.  Mendoza decided it was time to go it alone: "The other guys didn’t like German minimal techno as much as me," he said. So he left to become more experimental and bring a local Mexican flavor to his music.

Panoptica doesn’t stand alone. He’s one of the main movers and shakers of the Nortec Collective, which comprises five musicians (including his longtime collaborators Fussible and Bostich), several graphic artists, and one fashion designer. Together they’ve created a scene which is popular in the Tijuana underground clubs.  With support from the likes of the late John Peel (who had Panoptica on his influential BBC program back in 2001), Panoptica is reaching out to the rest of the world. 

"People will say, ok, I’ve heard this sort of music before, but if they listen deep into it, there’s something unique going on which isn’t in European music,” said Mendoza.   “It’s what makes the Mexican music scene different."  

“Ahora yo a ti…” is a collection of remixes by Panoptica including: 1. Autobanda (carrogrupo mix) Bostich; 2. Guero Canelo (nortec mix)Calexico; 3. Almada (desalmada mix) Clorofilal; 4. Ojos Bonitos (version panoptica) Mendoza; 5. Lydia (panoptica remix) Her Space Holiday; 6. El ya sabia (como madrearia el mix) Tre/molo; 7. Mexican drugstore (unreleased mix) David J; 8. Cuete dub (varias drogas mix) Panoptica; 9. Noches de verano (panoptica mix)Linga;10. Reloj (marca la hora ya mix) Trio Ternura; and 11. Low batt (panoptica charged mix) Plug;12. SEM (panoptica mix)Latinsizer. 

Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations Book Featured in Univision Magazine

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 21, 2005

An article titled "Para Profesionales primer libro sobre mercadeo y relaciones públicas dirigido al mercado hispano" on the Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations book was published in the October 2005 issue of Radio Vista Nuevo México.

First Annual World Salsa Championship to be Held in ‘Vegas

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 20, 2005

Salsa dancers

First Annual World Salsa Championships to be broadcast on ESPN International and ESPN Deportes

New York, NY–(Hispanic PR Wire)–October 12, 2005–Thousands of salsa dancers from more than100 nations will meet for the "1st Annual World Salsa Championships" in Las Vegas from December 14th-17th, a event to be broadcast in multiple languages and on several international TV stations including ESPN International and ESPN Deportes.

The four-day event will bring together dance partners and groups who have received awards at previous competitions held around the world. This event will take place in the Orleans Arena, a Las Vegas’ performance venue with seating for over 9,000 spectators.

Production of the "1st Annual World Salsa Championship" is led by the group Salsa Seven, whose organizers include12 time Emmy winner and renowned producer Rob Beiner and promoters Albert Torres, Leo Tizol, Willie Torres and Don Elbaum. Rob Beiner has produced or directed more than 2000 sports and entertainment telecasts on cable, network or Pay-Per-View television for major TV networks such as ABC Sports, CBS, NBC Sports, USA Network and ESPN. His production and direction career includes seven Olympic Games, Boxing Championship Fights like Mike Tyson versus Evander Holyfield, and NCAA Basketball and Football, Comedy Central, Kentucky Derby.

During this international competition, salsa dancers will put their artistic abilities to the test in various categories: group and individual (New York and LA style), and groups/cabaret. Prizes of up to approximately $20,000 will be awarded in each category.

Competitors and others will be invited to attend seminars, daily performances, and several other salsa events led by favorite artists including Victor Manuelle, Grammy winners Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Michael Stuart, Hollywood actress Sully Diaz, Brenda K Starr, etc. Tere will be a Reggaeton surprise. After the tournament, the enormous Arena dance floor will open featuring a different theme every night, from “Vive la Salsa” (Contemporary Salsa) to Mambo and Rumba nights evoking the genre’s golden age legends Tito Puente, La Lupe, Tito Rodriguez, Celia Cruz, Desi Arnaz, Hector Lavoe and others. The event also coincides with the 100-year anniversary celebration of Las Vegas and December 17, the grand finale night celebrating 100 years of Las Vegas and Rumba.

“Everyone has witnessed the rebirth of ballroom dancing on British and Spanish international Reality TV shows as well as in the United States with programs like ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and, more recently, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, which broke ratings records. The main difference between these types of Reality TV shows and the "1st Annual World Salsa Championships" is that these are professional dancers. What’s more, our event is on a global scale, not a regional one, and [through it] we want to show the world who the greatest salsa dancers on the planet are,” explained Albert Torres, promoter of the WSC and over twenty Salsa Congresses worldwide..

Event producers have put together “all inclusive” travel packages starting at $349 including hotel accommodations at the Orleans Hotel and tickets for all competition nights with live music on the Arena dance floor. Aditional information is available at http://www.worldsalsachampionships.com

PRSA, Hispanic PR Wire Host Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations Book Signing

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 19, 2005

The Census revealed Hispanics are the largest minority in the U.S.   In Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations (Poyeen Publishing, $49.95), the first book to address marketing and public relations as a means to reach Latino audiences, 19 Hispanic market experts tell you what to do about it. Several of those experts will attend the PRSA 2005 International Conference, October 22-25 at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach. Book editor and contributing author Elena del Valle and Heidi Eusebio, David Henry and Federico Subervi, Ph.D., also contributing authors, will be presenters at the Multicultural Communications Section Master Class Session “Changing the Face of Public Relations: Latino Media Issues including Electronic Publicity and Media Training” Monday October 24 at 8:30 a.m.   

They will also participate in a book signing hosted by PRSA and Hispanic PR Wire from 5:30 to 6:30 pm during the Exhibit Hall Reception Sunday, October 23, 2005. Book copies will be available for purchase at the PRSA bookstore near the registration booth for the duration of the conference. Book authors will gather at the Hispanic PR Wire booth for the book signing. Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations benefits the Hispanic Marketing & Communication Association, a national 100 percent volunteer driven professional association.   

Confirmed authors 

Elena del Valle, editor, project director and contributing author

Principal, LNA World Communications

Heidi Eusebio, contributing co-author

Vice president Diversity Solutions, Edelman

David Henry, contributing author

President and founder, TeleNoticias

Federico Subervi, Ph.D., contributing co-author

Professor School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Texas State University-San Marcos

Christine Clavijo-Kish, contributing co-author

CEO LatinClips

Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations provides 435 pages of information, case studies, graphics, market data and opinions based on the experiences of nineteen U.S. Hispanic market experts and benefits HMCA.  Information on the book, including a list of authors and newsletter sign up instructions, is available at  www.hispanicmpr.com  .

Seventeen practitioners and two university academics, contributed fifteen chapters to the book. Cover design was by Cris Ascunce of CAT Grafix, Inc. Topics include a U.S. Hispanic market outline, acculturation issues, reaching Hispanics online, reaching Hispanics in-language, demographic projections, perceptions, public relations, Hispanic media, electronic publicity and media training, special events and qualitative and quantitative research considerations.  Authors include a veritable who’s who of U.S. Hispanic marketing.  Research guru Carlos Santiago, president of the California based Santiago Solutions Group, wrote the foreword.

Spanish-language weekly to mark 100,000 pan-regional circulation

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 19, 2005

Event to Feature Keynote Address from Florida FTAA President Jorge L.Arrizurieta

Miami, FL — Oct. 14, 2005 — The Spanish-language weekly newspaper, Tiempos del Mundo, will mark its milestone 100,000 pan-regional circulation, recently audited by BPA Worldwide, with a 100 Grand Breakfast to be held at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, which is located at  1435 Brickell Avenue. Florida Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) President Jorge L. Arrizurieta will discuss Florida’s efforts to promote free trade following approval of DR-CAFTA.

Frank Grow, associate publisher of Tiempos del Mundo and Carlos Verdecia, editor-in-chief, will welcome Rich Murphy, senior vice president of media auditing organization BPA WorldWide, and Laura Latshaw, Global Account Management senior director of Gfk Custom Research Worldwide, for a discussion about recent developments in U.S. Hispanic and Latin American media markets. Reservations at (305) 477-8991 or frontdesk_miami@tdm.com.

Book Contributing Author Attending SRI Conference

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 17, 2005

Michele Valdovinos, contributing author Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations

Michele Valdovinos, co-author of the chapter titled "A Snapshot of the U.S. Hispanic Market" in Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, is attending the SRI 12th Annual Ethni & Multicultural Marketing Summit taking place in the Wyndham Northwest Chicago in Itasca, Illinois this week, October 17-19. Book readers and anyone interested in learning more about the project and her chapter are invited to contact Michele during the Conference events or by leaving a comment on their bio pages on this website.

Texas State University Mass Comm Week to Include Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations Book

Posted by Elena del Valle on October 17, 2005