Posted by Elena del Valle on December 30, 2005
Danny Crowe, president LATV
Popular English/Spanish-Language youth network makes impressive on-demand debut, with tens of thousands of hits in November 2005
Los Angeles, CA – In the first month of its existence, LATV On Demand has become one of the Top 10 most popular video on demand programs on Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles. The bilingual youth network’s new on-demand program received tens of thousands of hits in November, far exceeding initial expectations of the network and Time Warner Cable.
“Time Warner’s VOD is a great alternative to Tivo and DVRs, and provides LATV viewers with the freedom to watch programs on their schedule,” said Danny Crowe, LATV president. “We look forward to expanding this nationally with Time Warner Cable.”
LATV On Demand allows Time Warner customers free, unlimited access to many of LATV’s most popular programs, at the touch of a button. With its mix of English and Spanish-language music and lifestyle programming, LATV solidified itself as a leading network among bicultural Latinos in Los Angeles, America’s top Hispanic market. LATV’s content is predominantly in English, targeting bilingual Latino youth.
Using Time Warner Cable’s on demand technology, viewers can watch all or part of LATV’s programming at their convenience, using a remote control to pause, fast-forward and rewind. Some of the LATV shows available as part of LATV On Demand are “Mex 2 The Max,” “LATV Live,” “LATV Shadows,” “Request at LATV” and “LATV Late Night.” LATV On Demand is available to all Time Warner Digital Cable customers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties on Channel 1096.
Time Warner Cable’s Los Angeles Division serves more than 350,000 subscribers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties with digital cable, digital phone, high definition television, video on demand, Premiums On Demand, Road Runner High-Speed Online and Wireless Road Runner.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 29, 2005
Los Angeles – Sí TV, an English-language Latino cable network, launched SiTV in the Comcast Detroit system on December 15, 2005. The launch in Detroit further signifies that Si TV’s appeal and reach goes beyond traditional Hispanic markets.
Affiliates now recognize the importance of reaching the driving force in the New Mainstream in America, the English-speaking Latino market that drives 59 percent of the total Hispanic purchasing power according to a HispanIntelligence December 2004 report. More importantly for Si TV’s affiliates, the market segment demonstrates strong demand for current and future video and broadband services, such as video on demand (VOD), high speed internet and digital video recorders (DVRs).
“We are very pleased that Sí TV will be carried by Comcast in the Detroit area,” said Rori Peters, Sí TV senior vice president of affiliate relations . “They recognize their growing Latino population in Detroit, and they also understand the impact and appeal of the Latino culture to a broader multicultural market.”
“By adding SiTV to our lineup in the city of Detroit, Comcast is continuing its commitment to connect our customers in Michigan to what’s important in their lives,” said Steve Thomas, vice president and general manager, Comcast Detroit. “We have a long-standing commitment to providing diverse programming that reflects the rich diversity of the communities that we serve.”
Sí TV is an English-language, Latino network featuring hip and irreverent, culturally-relevant programming targeting the growing young Latino and multi-cultural TV audience. Voted by Multichannel News as one of the Top 10 Next Networks, Sí TV is available nationwide. Most recently, Sí TV was recognized by Ad Age as one of their picks for Top 50 Marketers. The network forged affiliation agreements with Comcast Cable, Adelphia, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Grande Communications, while EchoStar’s DISH Network features Sí TV as part of its America’s Top 120 package. Investors in the network include EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), SYNCOM Funds, Columbia Capital, Rho Ventures, DND Capital Partners, Llano Partners and company co-founder Barshop Ventures. More information on SiTV is available at SiTV
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 28, 2005
John Paton, ImpreMedia chairman and CEO
ImpreMedia, LLC, a leading publisher of Spanish language newspapers, acquired El Mensajero, a top San Francisco Bay area Spanish language newspaper. The acquisition was made with proceeds of an $82.5 million credit facility with Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, L.P.
"We are pleased to add El Mensajero to our company," said John Paton, chairman and CEO of ImpreMedia. "By adding the San Francisco Bay market we can now provide advertisers with a footprint in four of the top 10 markets, representing over 35 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population, or almost 15.5 million Hispanics. We also open the door to greater cooperation between El Mensajero, which is distributed weekly in Northern California, and La Opinión, the nation’s largest Spanish language daily newspaper, which serves Southern California."
"We are really excited by the opportunities that ImpreMedia provides for our readers, advertisers and employees," said Brad Westerhold, publisher of El Mensajero. "They share our commitment to the Bay Area Hispanic community and to locally produced, high quality, Spanish language journalism."
"California is home to more Hispanics today than any other state and the number of Hispanics living in California has increased by more than any other state. We are thrilled to have a partner like El Mensajero help us serve this large and rapidly growing market," stated Mónica Lozano, senior vice president of ImpreMedia and publisher and CEO of La Opinión. "The ability for newspaper advertisers to directly reach Hispanics in both Northern and Southern California through one Spanish language buy is an opportunity whose time is long overdue."
El Mensajero also joins ImpreMedia’s Domingo Network, one of the nation’s largest Hispanic residential print network. With the addition of El Mensajero’s audited weekly circulation of 111,564, ImpreMedia’s Domingo Network distributes 750,000 free publications each week in high density Hispanic neighborhoods. Between its Domingo Network and paid daily circulation in New York and Los Angeles, ImpreMedia has total weekly distribution of more than 1.8 million.
"ImpreMedia’s newspapers and customized sales programs offer national advertisers the ability to bring their message to millions of Hispanics with a reach and cost that is competitive with both English and other Spanish language media," said Erich Linker, senior ice president National Advertising.
In the Los Angeles market, for example, according to Scarborough Research, the average issue of La Opinión reaches more people than one prime time ad on the local Univision station, three times as many people as one prime time ad on the local Telemundo and Telefutura stations combined, and more people than one drive time ad on each of the top four Spanish language local radio stations combined.
"It is for reasons like these that ImpreMedia has grown its national and overall advertising revenues this year at a rate that is in line with Spanish language broadcast and several times faster than the general newspaper market," added Linker.
ImpreMedia is one of the leading publishers of Spanish language newspapers in the U.S. The company publishes El Diario La Prensa and El Diario Contigo in New York, El Mensajero in the San Francisco Bay Area, La Opinión and La Opinión Contigo in Los Angeles and La Raza in Chicago, top Spanish language newspapers in each of their respective markets.
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 27, 2005
Two song selections related to today’s Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations article on Spigga’s new album release are available in an audio format. They provide a sampling of the lastest in Hispanic market entertainment for those wishing to take advantage of entertainment venues for Hispanic marketing and public relations campaigns and programs.
To listen to them, visit www.HispanicMPR.com and scroll down until you see "Podcasts." Select the files with the Spigga in the title and click on the play button to listen to the songs online.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 27, 2005
Spigga album cover
Fronted By Popular LATV Host Giovanny Blanco, the bilingual duo has garnered national attention with the song “Papa Knows” in "The Shield" (FX Network) and the films "See Jane Run” and "First Snow." Spigga headlined at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco December 9, 2005 and at Little Pedro’s Blue Bongo December 16, 2005.
Spigga, led by Giovanny Blanco, members are gearing up for a series of West Coast dates in support of their just-released album ‘06105: The Mixtape’ (Supermercado23/Navarre Corp.) Spigga hopes to make music for "iPods that ache to be boomboxes." Giovanny Blanco is the host and producer of the popular “LATV Live” program and a former double-time doing frontman of Latin punk merrymakers Viva Malpache). The group is rounded out by Blanco’s collaborator Jaswho?, a house music master (Soulmine Records). Friends and musical collaborators since they met in Hartford Public High School in the late 1980s, California transplants Blanco and Jaswho? named the album ‘06105’ as a shout-out to their Connecticut hometown.
Spigga
Spigga’s latest waves were with the bilingual cover of “People of the Sun” for the new Rage Against the Machine tribute album ‘Tributo a Rage Against the Machine en Espanol’. The track was recently named a Prioridad Discografica by Radio & Records magazine. It was selected as the first single for the album, it also appears on Spigga’s own album. Spigga also created two off-the-wall videos for the single and commissioned seven remixes performed by Nova of NYC’s Pacha Massive and BradElectro from San Francisco.
Spigga are also indie favorites of a growing number of music supervisors, with the song “Papa Knows” landing on FX Networks’ The Shield, as well as the films "See Jane Run" and "First Snow." When asked to describe his group’s appeal, Blanco commented, “It’s quite simple, we’re a taco truck version of Hall and Oates. ghetto muzak.”
Spigga, a full six piece band at its live shows, is an internationally-flavored act with members from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ireland, Mexico, Oakland, and New Jersey. Spigga was formed officially several years back after the response they received from their song "Papa Knows" (on the CD). The members of Spigga (Giovanny Blanco and Jaswho?) are high school friends and have been writing songs together since high school. They grew up in ethnic neighborhoods: Jaswho? in Hartford, Conneticut and Giovanny Hartford in Jersey City, New Jersey and the Dominican Republic. When they were growing up, Latin Music and street culture were a part of their lives. Spigga lyrics are in Spanglish, sometimes English, sometimes Spanish and sometimes mixed together. Spigga describes its style as "Maniacodepresivopsychosexual."
Spigga, unsatisfied with the taste of the current music scene, created their own flavor, "Un mundo with no boundaries (a world with no boundaries) where funk and rock collide, house and industrial reside with soul and garage goofiness; drum and bass become guitars, drum and bass, but el sancocho doesn’t stop there."
Listen to Spigga sample songs on the HispanicMPR.com website Podcast section.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 22, 2005
Photos: Elena del Valle, principal LNA World Communications and editor Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations; Manny Ruiz, president and CEO, Hispanic PR Wire; Ray Durazo, president, Durazo Communications; PRSA Fellow and chairman, Latin Business Association; Armando Azarloza, president, Axis, The Multicultural Agency and Brian Pittman, content director for Bulldog Reporter’s PR University.
Four Hispanic market experts will discuss “Tapping the Explosive Latino Media Market: Experts in Hispanic PR Reveal How to Reach Over 43.5 Million Americans” during an upcoming national audio conference presented by PR University on January 5, 2006. During the conference a panel of leading Hispanic public relations experts will discuss key DMAs, what journalists in these areas want, how they want it, and what steps practitioners should take to successfully add multicultural outreach to their public relations mix.
Conference attendees will have an opportunity to speak with Manny Ruiz, president and CEO, Hispanic PR Wire; Elena del Valle, president, Hispanic Marketing & Communication Association; principal, LNA World Communications; editor, Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations; Ray Durazo, president, Durazo Communications; PRSA Fellow; chairman, Latin Business Association and Armando Azarloza, president, Axis, The Multicultural Agency. Conference details and registration at infocomgroup.net/hispanicpr
Manny Ruiz is the CEO of Hispanic PR Wire, a leading Hispanic press release wire service and a major partner in several Hispanic marketing communications companies. In addition to his duties at HPRW, Manny is a managing partner of Hispanic Market Pro, Hispanic Digital Network, and ConTexto Latino. Manny also co-publishes one of the nation’s only monthly Hispanic public relations newsletters, The Hispanic PR Monitor. Prior to HPRW, Manny was a founder and media relations director of the national Hispanic market practice of Porter Novelli.
Elena del Valle is principal of LNA World Communications, a marketing and communications company, where she is responsible for media training, strategic planning and client relations.Elena is editor of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations, the first title published on this topic, and author of the first chapter on Hispanic media training. A 20-year marketing and public relations veteran, she has worked extensively in health care and with U.S. and international Hispanic markets.
Ray Durazo, a Public Relations Society of America fellow, is president of Durazo Communications and chairman of the Latin Business Association. Ray is a 25-year advertising and public relations veteran and a nationally-recognized authority on Hispanic marketing. Prior to forming his own firm, Ray spent three years as a partner in the public relations firm of Moya, Villanueva & Durazo. Before that, he headed the Los Angeles office of Ketchum Public Relations.
Armando Azarloza is president of the Axis Agency, Weber Shandwick’s multicultural marketing partner. Armando is responsible for all day-to-day operations of the agency as well as leading the teams to provide clients with the best insights into the U.S. multicultural markets. He has handled assignments for Azteca America, Univision, Nintendo, U.S. Treasury, Latin Grammy, Kohl’s, Absolut Vodka, Islands of the Bahamas, M&Ms, Dulce de Leche, Los Angeles Police Department and Philip Morris.
Brian Pittman is content director for Bulldog Reporter’s PR University and the weekly email newsletter Journalists Speak Out. Previously, Brian served as editorial director at Infocom Group, where he edited, reported for and launched titles such as Media Relations Insider, PR Agency Insider, Ad Agency Insider and Managing Partner. Prior to that, he served as editor of Utah Business magazine. He is a seasoned reporter with extensive experience interviewing such personalities as Steve Forbes, Bob Edwards and Margaret Thatcher.
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 21, 2005
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Hiram Enrique, product manager for Yahoo! en español news
Yahoo! en español hired Hiram Enriquez, a member of CNN en español’s founding team of journalists, as the company’s product manager for Noticias (News). In this position, Enriquez will spearhead the overall expansion of Yahoo! en español’s Noticias site.
“The English-language Yahoo! News site has been a perennial category leader and with Hiram’s extensive experience in media and technology we plan to continue that success on the Spanish-language side,” said Jose Rivera Font, general manager for Yahoo! North Latin America. “Hiram will broaden the scope of Yahoo! Noticias as we offer a greater variety of features and personalized content that is compelling and relevant to our users.”
Prior to his arrival at Yahoo! en español, Enriquez was host and producer of “Zona Digital,” a show he created for CNN en español which focuses on the Internet and personal technology. In addition, he served as producer and correspondent for the news network’s business and finance shows, “Economía y Finanzas” and “En Efectivo.”
“For years, I have reported on the convergence of varying forms of media and the impact of new communication technologies on our daily lives,” said Enriquez. “We are now at a very exciting stage in the development of this new medium, fulfilling some of the Internet’s old promises and opening new opportunities. I am thrilled to now be at Yahoo! to help put into practice some of these innovations.”
Enriquez’s achievements in the field of journalism include a recent interview with Bill Gates for “Zona Digital,” coverage of the war in Iraq and the space shuttle Columbia, the September 11 terrorist attacks, and NASA’s missions to Mars. A native of Cuba, Enriquez earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Havana and an M.A. in Mass Communication from Georgia State University. He also attended graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Yahoo! en español is one of the 25 worldwide properties of Yahoo! Inc. and is part of Yahoo!’s U.S. Hispanic network. The Yahoo! network is one of the most trafficked Internet destination for U.S. Hispanics,* boasting more than 11 million Hispanic monthly users in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Yahoo! seeks to provide online products and services essential to users’ lives, and offers a broad range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and Yahoo! en español is based in Coral Gables, Florida.
* comScore Media Metrics (November 2005)
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 20, 2005
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Lupita Colmenero, NAHP president
A change in the bylaws by the National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP), with respect to Spanish and bilingual publications who are not Hispanic-owned, creates an opportunity for these publications to join as active General Members. This organizational change will allow all publications serving the Hispanic community and meeting other good business standards to be admited as General Members on a par with Hispanic-owned publications.
"In a country where there is a free market economy, we cannot stop the creation of media companies who intend to enter the burgeoning Hispanic market, especially when they represent a source of employment for Hispanics, for those who have great editorial talent and for those with specialized drive in advertising or graphic design," said Lupita Colmenero, president of the NAHP.
According to NAHP, the admission of these publications as members is subject to Hispanic community sensitivities and industry good practices, such as having a majority of Hispanic employees and a Hispanic editor. The publication also must be audited. Publications that do not meet these requirements can become Associate members.
"The unanimous decision was taken in Dallas, Texas during an NAHP board of directors meeting. The NAHP is the leading media advocacy group of its kind in the United States with a mission to promote the excellence, recognition and use of Hispanic publications and provide access to professional development opportunities to better serve and empower Hispanic communities," said Colmenero.
"The core of the amendment will allow non-Hispanic owned publications to become active members. It was an on-going request and desire of these associate publications. Independent of the decision of the board of directors, the very act of putting this topic on the table for discussion was a major step forward for the organization. It was our historical responsibility," said Jose Luis B. Garza, vice president for membership of NAHP.
The National Association of Hispanic Publications is the largest organization representing Hispanic publications at the national level. NAHP Inc. works with more than 200 member and affiliated publications that share a combined circulation of more than 10 million. Its member publications reach more than 50 percent of Hispanic households in 55 U.S. markets every week. NAHP provides professional tools to assist Hispanic publications to more effectively reach their readership. More information at NAHP
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Posted by Elena del Valle on December 19, 2005
January
January 23 – "Best Practices Webinar Series-Diversity Councils," DiversityInc, 732-509-5211, www.diversityinc.com/webinars
January 26 – "1st Hablamos Espanol Conference," Salt Lake City, Latin-American Chamber of Commerce, 801-274-8814, www.hispanic-yellow-pages.com
January 29-31 – "12th Annual Marketing to U.S. Hispanics and Latin America, "Miami Beach, Florida, Strategic Research Institute, 212-967-0095 ext. 252, www.srinstitute.com/cm459
February
February 7 – "The U.S. Diversity Markets Report,"Miami, Synovate, 305-716-6776, www.synovate.com
February 14 – "The U.S. Diversity Markets Report," New York City, Synovate, 305-716-6776, www.synovate.com
February 16 – "The U.S. Diversity Markets Report," Los Angeles, Synovate, 305-716-6776, www.synovate.com
February 21 – "The U.S. Diversity Markets Report," Chicago, Synovate, 305-716-6776, www.synovate.com
February 22-24 – "The Multicultural Media Expo 2006," Los Angeles, Multicultural Holdings, LLC., 949-474-4373, www.mcmexpo.com
Posted by Elena del Valle on December 15, 2005
TV, TV-related Technology Preferred by Hispanics
— Entertainment Devices Preferred To PCs, DCs —
According to a recent GfK NOP Hispanic OmniTel™ Technology survey Hispanic Americans are "living large," as in large screen TV. When asked about which consumer electronics they currently own, Hispanic Americans were more likely than the population in general to claim ownership of big ticket items such as large screen (32 inches or larger) TVs. In contrast, Hispanic Americans are less likely to own PCs and DCs (digital cameras) than the general population.
Hispanics Prefer TV, Entertainment-Related Technology
Among those surveyed, almost half (42%) say they own a large screen TV, compared to only a third (33%) of the general population. Ownership levels of other TV-related items are also higher among Hispanic Americans than the general population, including HD or high definition TV sets (19% vs. 14%), Plasma TVs (12% vs. 4%) and digital video recorder (DVR) systems, such as TIVO (22% vs. 16%).
"These survey results are consistent with our earlier research which shows Hispanic Americans tend to rely more heavily on television as an information source than other Americans," notes Bruce Barr, vice president, Omnibus Services for GfK NOP. "Given the importance of television as a resource for information among Hispanics, it’s not surprising that ownership rates for items like big screen and high definition TVs are higher than for the population at large."
The survey also found that Hispanic Americans tend to adopt entertainment-related technology more quickly than consumers in the general population. Specifically, Hispanics are more likely than other Americans to own other entertainment-related hi-tech devices such as video gaming systems (48% vs. 43%), MP3 players such as iPods (18% vs. 16%) and even, to a lesser extent, satellite radios (9% vs. 6%).
Hispanic Americans Less Likely To Own PCs, DCs
In contrast, Hispanic Americans are slower to embrace computer-based technologies than their general market counterparts. For example, only two-fifths (43%) of Hispanic Americans claim to own a personal computer or laptop, as compared to three-fifths of the general population (59%). Consequently, Hispanics are "online" less than other Americans (41% vs. 58%) and tend to choose a dial up connection to access the Internet over a high-speed modem or DSL.
Among Americans in general, however, the Internet access tool of choice is split evenly between dial-up and high speed. Hispanic Americans are also less likely than the general population to own Digital Cameras (39% vs. 46%), DVD players (62% vs. 71%), Cell phones (59% vs. 63%) and even VCRs (64% vs. 74%).
"Potential growth markets can be measured by what items are cited for future purchase intent," notes Barr. "Key products in this segment among Hispanic Americans are those found to be below those levels reportedly owned by the general population. Specifically, digital cameras, cell phones and camcorders all show a trend towards higher purchase plans in the next 12 months relative to the general population. TV and TV-related products, such as large screen TVs, Plasma and HD TVs, DVRs, video game systems and Home Theatre Systems also show future purchase intent levels among Hispanics that outstrip the population as a whole. Marketers representing these product lines would be keen to leverage their Hispanic marketing efforts to gain a competitive edge."
GfK NOP World’s Hispanic OmniTel is a monthly survey of the Hispanic American market that represents Hispanic American adults nationwide. The survey offers a way to understand trends and issues relating to this rapidly-growing market. The Technology Study was conducted in October 2005 among 500 Hispanic Americans aged 18 and older nationwide via telephone. Respondents were given the choice of completing the survey in English and Spanish.
Headquartered in New York, with Omnibus Services managed out of the Princeton, New Jersey office, GfK NOP includes GfK Custom Research, North America, part of the GfK Group. With home offices in Nuremberg, Germany, the GfK Group is among the top market research organizations in the world. Its activities cover five business divisions: Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and Healthcare. In addition to 13 subsidiaries in Germany, the GfK Group has more than 130 subsidiaries and affiliates in 61 countries.
