Hispanic Online Leaders Planeta Networks & Batanga To Merge.

Planeta Networks (www.planetatv.com) and Batanga (www.batanga.com) announced a merger in an all-stock transaction effective immediately.

The merger will combine the Planeta Broadband video business with the Batanga Latin music and online radio network and add Latin sports and auto content channels by the end of 2005. Together, the companies will meet a wider set of customer needs, more than double their customer reach and be able to accelerate growth in new markets, such as the mobile and advanced television arena.

The new company will operate under the Hispanic Media, Inc. (HMI) name. Rafael Urbina, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Planeta Networks, will continue as CEO of HMI. Troy McConnell, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Batanga, will be President and Chief Operating Officer of HMI.

“We are passionate about the opportunity to provide unique and compelling online content to Hispanics,” said Mr. Urbina. “This is the fastest growing market demographic in the US and we believe we can deliver to these consumers an engaging online experience which will make HMI a part of their everyday life.”

“For our advertisers and their agencies,” continued Mr. McConnell, “we can now offer rich-media advertising formats across a broader content platform. This will provide marketers with more creative options to deliver their messages persuasively to a much larger Hispanic audience.”