WashingtonPost: DC's ChevyChase bank courting Latinos

"The Bethesda bank, the largest with local headquarters, is courting the region's Latino community, having opened 26 Latino banking centers since September."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/25/AR2008052501880.html

FortLauderdaleSunSentinel: S. Florida not just for right wing Cubans anymore

"Increasingly, non-Cuban Hispanics, young voters and independents dominate a region that was once a Cuban-American Republican stronghold."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flrndhispanicvote0529sbmay29,0,2754070.story

Hollywood Reporter reviews Univision's Joe Uva's refreshing management style

"There is a new, more open dynamic at work at Hispanic powerhouse Univision -- and the change can in large part be attributed to the tone set by CEO Joe Uva.

While no one would ever describe Uva as an over-the-top personality, his hands-on approach and openness with his employees, the media and Wall Street are the opposite of the bunker mentality imposed by his predecessor, Jerry Perenchio."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i92f29f82847baa415c2dfcd5d16b0e06

My comments: I might want to work there now. LOL.

DallasNews' Wayne Slater reviews McCain's chances with Latinos

"With Barack Obama his likely opponent in the fall, John McCain sees an opportunity to make inroads among Hispanic voters by touting himself as a different kind of Republican."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/national/stories/DN-mccain_27pol.ART.State.Edition2.4636204.html

My comments: McCain's more pro-immigrant that Hilliary's campaign manager Terry McAuliffe.

CNN: Colombia to award new TV license

The Colombian TV regulator said on its Web site Tuesday it will award a new TV channel license in May 2009 based on an auction process that begins this summer.

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200805211110DOWJONESDJONLINE000647_FORTUNE5.htm

RadioInk: Joachim de Posada offers Hispanic marketing insights

Holding up a Hispanic magazine that featured an English-language ad, Ens recited a quote from Nelson Mandela to make his point: "If you speak to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head; if you speak to him in his language, it goes to his heart."

My comments: My problem with this thinking is the racist assumption that Spanish is "our" language. In our history, the Spanish forced their language on us in many of the same ways English-speakers force it on Spanish speakers today.

AFP: Benicio del Toro wins for depicting "Che"

Del Toro, original name Benicio Monserrate Rafael Del Toro Sanchez, also played five years earlier in the blockbuster "The Usual Suspects", where he was the mumbling gangster Fenster.

My Comments: Why do non-Latinos obsessed about the multiple names used by Latinos. For one, it allows us to carry our mother's name and for two it allows us to distinguish ourselves. The Spanish gave us such crummy common names.

Judge: DEMS did not discriminate against Latinos

Associated Press: "A federal judge has sided with the Texas Democratic Party in a lawsuit filed by Latino voter advocates who claimed the party's methods for apportioning presidential delegates is discriminatory."

http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=8369983&nav=0s3dPoJ1

Univision launches video on demand, but Televisa says without its content.

"Although Televisa was not explicitly mentioned, much of Univision's entertainment content – around 15 hours of primetime every week – is made up of acquired Televisa programming under a long-existing deal between the two players."

http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=41955

HispanicBusiness; Univision net loss due to interest expenses

"Last week, Univision's quarterly results were released, revealing that while revenues were up 5.8 percent from Q1 2007, the company's net loss more than doubled from $67 million first quarter last year, to $166.2 million this quarter. A key contributing factor was a more than ten-fold increase in interest expenses from $17.9 million in first quarter 2007 to $181.8 million in the first quarter of this year."

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2008/5/22/at_univision_the_signals_still_a.htm

San Diego Business Journal brings up every cliche in write-up on Latino marketing

"Call it poor business judgment on the part of an industry destined to go the way of the buggy whip, yet several of the nation’s largest companies still waver on marketing to the country’s Spanish-speaking population of some 44 million as of 2006, according to the U.S. Census Bureau."

http://www.sdbj.com/industry_article.asp?aID=67034659.557552.1629966.7659847.61140602.694&aID2=125373

My comments: Major Problems with story
• The writer equates all Hispanics with Spanish-speakers. Wrong.
• Refers to non-Hispanic as the primary source. Give me a break. Can't you find any Latinos to talk about Hispanic marketing.
• Refers to unsubstantiated reference to web metrics. Hey, it's my business; I should know.

AustinAmericanStatesman: Lulac sues Dems for discrimination

In a May 9 lawsuit, LULAC and others representing Latino voters charge the Democratic Party with violating Latino voting rights by tying the number of delegates sent to the party’s national convention from each state senatorial district to turnout in gubernatorial elections within the districts; that method results in more delegates from cities such as Houston, Dallas and Austin and fewer delegates from South Texas, where turnout tends to surge in March primaries and drop off in November when there are not many contested races.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2008/05/19/judge_cancels_hearing_of_lulac.html

HispanicBusiness: MySpace Latino leader interviewed

"MySpace Latino, released in a trial version one year ago, was officially unveiled on April 11, 2008 in a new format. HispanicBusiness.com talked about the new offering with Manny Miravete, vice-president for News Corporation's Fox Interactive Media and the man in charge of building MySpace Latino's audience and corporate relationships. Mr. Miravete, born in Mexico and raised in the United States, came to Fox from previous work on AOL Latino and StarMedia Network. At AOL, he managed corporate partnerships, including media sponsorships, advertising integration, and cross-platform solutions within AOL brands. Here, Mr. Miravete discusses his vision for the MySpace Latino."

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?idx=99735&cat1=news

My comments: I spoke to a Fox exec more that two years ago that they had the data and the audience to pull this off. Too bad they hired someone with experience with hype machine Starmedia.

El Financiero: Mex election regulators begin process to sancion Televisa for spots

"El Instituto Federal Electoral (IFE) inició un proceso para sancionar a la empresa Televisa por haberse negado a trasmitir espots partidistas durante el periodo de precampañas en Nayarit, como lo establece la ley."
http://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/ElFinanciero/Portal/cfpages/contentmgr.cfm?docId=121566&docTipo=1&orderby=docid&sortby=ASC

My comments: It takes a lot of huevos to challenge such a massively powerful near monopoly of a company like Televisa, the world's largest Spanish-language media company.

Variety: Univision's online traffic up

"Univision Online saw unique visits increase by 16% vs. the year-earlier quarter."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985995.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Reuters: Televisa ok'd to buy Mexican cable company

"Mexico's competition agency has approved Televisa's purchase of a 49 percent stake in cable firm Cablemas, a key move to strengthen the broadcaster's position in the pay-per-view, Internet and phone markets."

http://in.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idINN1350855320080514

HollywoodReport: Univision new season as rebroadcaster of Televisa content

"Six weeks before Univision Communications is set to face Mexican media giant Televisa in court, the top-rated Spanish-language broadcaster in the U.S. announced a 2008-09 lineup dominated by Televisa product."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ibb27093a4c288ae264a5cf51d15f3550

My comments: If Televisa breaks free of Univision, Univision may die on the vine.

AZCentral: QuePasa flees Phoenix for Palm Beach

"But Quepasa never made money with its idea of becoming an Internet portal for the booming Hispanic market. It lost $13.3 million on revenue of $219,466 last year, bringing its accumulated deficit to $141.4 million."

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/05/12/20080512sr-quepasa0513-ON.html

WashPost: LA's best TV news is "en español"

Jay Mathews: "On most nights here, the most timely, serious and civic-minded local news is not available on the Internet, the radio or any of the half-dozen English-language stations that broadcast nightly shows that purport to be newscasts. At 11 p.m. each night here, the best newscasts in the market appear on two Spanish-language channels, Univision's flagship KMEX and Telemundo affiliate KVEA."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050902540.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Reuters: Telemundo to bring back "El Clon" - Brazilian show to be remade in Spanish

"El Clon," one of the most successful telenovelas of all time, is set for a reincarnation under a deal set to be announced Monday (May 12) at Telemundo's "upfront" presentation to advertisers in New York.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1256382420080512

Televisa hires Israeli company to produce shows, social media

VARIETY - The Tel Aviv-based company will deliver at least one, 150-hour novela between 2009 and 2013, says DMG prexy and CEO Nadav Palti. DMG produces most of its products, like womanizer comedy "Lalola," in Buenos Aires.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985397.html?categoryId=2523&cs=1

INFORMADOR (MEXICO)- La productora argentino-israelí Dori Media Group firmó un acuerdo de distribución con Televisa para el próximo lanzamiento de una comunidad virtual dedicada al mundo de las telenovelas por internet.
http://www.informador.com.mx/economia/2008/10184/6/televisa-ofrecera-telenovelas-via-web.htm

Anglo blogger unwittingly uncovers why English-language media don't get Latinos

"Sometimes I wish I’d paid more attention in Spanish class in high school. Sure, I’m fine ordering beers or finding a bathroom. I can ask if Susana is home and whether she’s in the kitchen easily enough, and if you tell me, “no, she’s in the living room,” I’ll likely comprehend it. Thirty years after the fact I still never forgot “Ay caramba, cuando arreglan mi cuarto, no encuentro nada!” (Oh darn! Whenever they clean my room I can’t find anything!). "

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/05/08/univision-its-a-big-deal-when-it-comes-to-ratings/3681

My comments: Blogger Robert Seidman reveals his only interaction with US Latinos is with US Latinos who are working as his servers and servants. Corporate America, the marketing industry and the investment community view US Latinos through this ridiculous lens. They don't see us as people; they see as an amorphorous group of low-paid foreigner servants who only speak Spanish. Every misstep, mistake and disastrous investment into reaching US Latinos can be blamed on that lens. Mainstream organizations hire and promote the wrong people. Basically what they need to do is fire the white guys and hire a mix of US born and foreign-born Latinos. And they should hire more of the former than the latter; competing against Univision for foreign-born Latinos is like competing against Microsoft in operating systems. It might be doable, but will cost so much there won't be any ROI.

Telemundo cans Peruvian show

"Laura Bozzo, a Peruvian talk show host that has caused controversy and had several run-ins with the law, had her show Laura en Accion taken off the air in the United States."

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/6321

LA Times: Televisa invests in LA-based ad firm

"Los Angeles advertising firm Spot Runner Inc. said Tuesday that it had received $51 million in financing from Grupo Televisa and a slew of other international media companies, evidence that even global advertisers are interested in local ads."

http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/la-fi-spotrunner7-2008may07,0,5044207.story

BizJournals: Universal buys Univision Music

"The finalization, which follows the recent clearance of the deal in the U.S. by the Federal Trade Commission, creates the largest Latin music company in North America."

http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2008/05/05/daily8.html

SF Gate: Latinos more likely to use advanced mobile phones

"Recent surveys and research indicate that Latinos depend on their cell phones for more services than other ethnic groups, turning to it for messaging, downloading music, surfing the Web and e-mailing.

It is a relationship created out of culture, social preferences and necessity, observers and users say."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/03/BULL10CIL1.DTL

PressRelease: Microsoft releases new data on Latinos online

"The report also found that while 78 percent of “English-dominant” Latinos and 76 percent of bilingual Latinos logged on to the internet, just 32 percent of “Spanish-dominant” Hispanics did.

Lower internet usage is correlated with lower income, another category in which Hispanics were overrepresented, the report added. Indeed Marquez points to a digital divide within the Latino community “between those making $50,000 and above and others earning less than $40,000, who [cannot] afford monthly internet access fees.”

Moreover, with 29 percent of Hispanic adults logging on to the internet via a home broadband connection, compared to 43 percent of white adults, the report suggests a more subtle, finer-grained digital divide, with broadband access emerging as a wedge between creative online activities and using the internet solely for basic tasks. "

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=64567

Multichannel: SiTV hires PR guys from DC

"Sí TV, which targets young English-speaking Latinos, has retained the Washington D.C. government relations and public affairs firm Mickey Ibarra & Associates to support outreach to Latino community leaders across the country."

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA6556812&industryid=47199

WSJ: births not immigrant cause of US Hispanic surge

In the 1990s, a flood of Hispanic immigrants explained most of the group's population rise. That has changed in recent years. Between 2006 and 2007, about 62% of the increase in Hispanics came from births.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB120959501599257567-lMyQjAxMDI4MDA5MTUwOTE1Wj.html

Reuters; Mexican regulators hold up Televisa purchase of cable firm

"Televisa , the biggest producer of Spanish-language content in the world, has an option to buy a 49 percent stake in Cablemas, one of the country's biggest cable companies.

But in order to win regulators' approval, the broadcaster has already had to meet a number of requirements, including sharing its content with smaller regional competitors, to guarantee a level playing field for all cable operators ."

http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSN2933548920080429