HBCsi Launches.

Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (HBC) and Katz Hispanic Media announced the formation of HBC Sales Integration, Inc. (HBCSi). This new effort integrates national and network sales and the Company’s other marketing platforms, such as event marketing and on-line business, under one entity.

Mr. Gary Stone, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of HBC, explained the reason behind the new formation. “HBCSi is designed to integrate the Company’s marketing platforms, thus better serving our clients wanting to reach the Hispanic market. After careful planning with our national representation firm, Katz Hispanic Media, we believe that the HBCSi business model will offer advertisers a superior combination of stations, people, events and on-line opportunities to communicate each client’s advertising messages to U.S. Hispanics.”

Mr. Stu Olds, Chief Executive Officer of the Katz Media Group, one of the largest national representation companies in the United States, added, “We are gratified to work even more closely with our longtime partner over the last twenty years. HBCSi combines the strength of HBC with the expertise and experience of the Katz Hispanic sales organization. This is a critical moment in Hispanic marketing history. Currently, total advertising revenue accounts for $244 billion annually, but the amount spent on the Hispanic population is less than 1% of that amount. That disparity will narrow as more advertisers realize an Hispanic-targeted marketing plan is essential to the future growth of their businesses.”

Mr. Stone and Mr. Olds announced three managerial appointments within the constructs of HBCSi: Mr. Carl Butrum as Executive Vice President and Director of Sales, Mr. Mitch Kline as Executive Vice President and Marketing Manager and Mr. Jack Hobbs as Senior Vice President and Director of New Business Development and Network Sales. Ms. Laura Hagan will continue as President of Katz Hispanic Media, which will also be conducting business under the name HBCSi.
Mr. Butrum will oversee the HBCSi effort. He has 29 years of experience in the broadcasting industry, which began in 1972 at Eastman Radio in Detroit, Michigan, rising to president in 1988. Most recently, Mr. Butrum was Executive Vice President of Katz Radio Group. When asked how he views the new company, Mr. Butrum commented, “I am excited to be at the forefront of creating a new, integrated, multi-platform business model designed to meet the needs of present and future clients. We now have on staff some of the best talent in the radio industry to lead this effort in Mitch Kline, Jack Hobbs and Laura Hagan. I am delighted to be part of the largest Spanish-language radio broadcaster in the country.”