Telemundo & HSF expand El Poder de Saber

Telemundo Communications Group, a leading producer of high-quality content for Hispanics in the U.S. and audiences around the world, today announced that the Hispanic Business Salute (HBS), a signature annual event of Telemundo Stations in San Francisco/San Jose, is expanding to multiple new markets in celebration of the event’s 16th anniversary in 2011.

“Hispanic Business Salute is the only local Hispanic initiative that recognizes Hispanic entrepreneurship and the critical importance of investing in the education of our youth–our future business leaders,” said Ronald Gordon, President, Telemundo Stations. “It is an innovative partnership between local Hispanic business associations and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and reflects Telemundo’s ongoing commitment to making a difference in every one of our communities.”

Telemundo will build upon the proven model of San Francisco/San Jose’s Hispanic Business Salute to expand the program in key markets where Telemundo is a trusted advisor in the community, including Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Washington, D.C. This annual event pays tribute to local Hispanic business leaders of today and encourages future leaders by providing scholarships to deserving students through a partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

“At the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, we are committed to advancing our nation’s future by making sure future generations of Latinos have the education they need to succeed,” added Frank Alvarez, President and CEO, Hispanic Scholarship Fund. “Our goal is to make sure every Latino household has at least one college graduate, and we are very proud to team up with Telemundo on this effort.”

The campaign culminates in each market with a Recognition Event that includes attendance by all Hispanic business honorees and scholarship recipients. Each Hispanic business honoree is recognized with a trophy/plaque, and each scholarship recipient is recognized by HBS sponsors and presented with a check. Telemundo Station personalities and representatives host and serve as each event’s Master of Ceremonies.

Telemundo is partnering with national and local chapters of the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and other civic organizations. Hispanic Scholarship Fund administers the application, notification, and award distribution process, and HBS provides the basis for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to continue to support a successful path for Latinos to attain a college degree.

At the signature events in Los Angeles, Houston and Washington DC, Telemundo will present the El Poder de Saber (The Power of Knowing) scholarship to a top senior graduate as part of its annual multiplatform educational campaign focused on promoting the educational advancement of young Latinos, with a focus on secondary education.  In the coming weeks, Telemundo will kick off the 8th edition of El Poder de Saber its long-standing campaign to create awareness of the educational issues and provide research, scholarships and interactive tools to help students, parents and teachers counter the alarming dropout rate among young Latinos.

Scholarship recipients will be selected from the pool of over 70,000 applicants who completed the Hispanic Scholarship Fund general application in the fall of 2010. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic achievement, financial need, personal strengths, and leadership. Scholars will be honored and recognized at a recognition event in their local market and presented with their award in person.

Telemundo is elevating HBS with a 360º multi platform campaign. Once all Hispanic business honorees and scholarship recipients have been determined, on-air promotion of HBS will begin. HBS promotional spots will introduce the campaign, while custom co-branded vignettes will profile each business honoree and each student, individually, recognizing their achievements. Reports that exemplify the spirit of HBS will appear as local news segments in each participating market. “Acceso Total” (Total Access), Telemundo Stations’ entertainment magazine show, will feature a HBS sponsor representative discussing their organization’s involvement in the program. This comprehensive on-air content will drive viewers online to learn more about the Hispanic business honorees and scholarship recipients.

Online, Telemundo.com will host a microsite dedicated to HBS. Each participating station’s website will have banners that link to the microsite. The HBS microsite will include in-depth profiles about the local Hispanic business honorees and scholarship recipients, as well as information about the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and additional opportunities available to families. Custom HBS sections including related information will also live on each Telemundo Station mobile WAP site.