The 2004 MTV Video Music Awards Latin America Ranked #1 In LatAM.

The third annual “MTV Video Music Awards Latin America” rocked households on Thursday, October 21st, 2004 ranking # 1 among the 12-34, 12-24 and 12-17 cable demos in Spanish-speaking Latin America even beating all broadcast channels in Mexico. This year’s telecast surpassed 2003’s ratings in Latin America by 28% while the live transmission via MTV2 in the United States garnered a ratings increase of 51% reaching over 1.2 million viewers. According to data provided by IBOPE, this year’s VMALA show was the most watched cable telecast for the 10:00 PM-12:00 AM time slot in Mexico, Argentina and Chile and outperformed its closest pan regional cable competitor by 325%.

In Mexico, the VMALAs performance among MTV’s three key audiences beat all broadcast channels including Televisa’s Channel 2, 4 and 5, and TV Azteca’s channels 7 and 13, among others. The show posted a 2.36 rating among the 12-34 year-old demo, a 3.00 among the 12-24s and a 2.98 for 12-17 year-olds. The show also ranked number one in Chile, earning a 3.70 rating among 12-34s, a 5.20 for 12-24s, and an amazing 7.06 rating for the 12-17 demo in which it out ranked all broadcast channels such as Universidad Catolica, Chilevision, Television Nacional Canal 7, and La Mega Canal 9. In Argentina, the telecast achieved a 2.20 rating among 12-34s out ranking broadcast channel Canal 9; a 2.55 among 12-24s out delivering America 2 and Canal 9 and a 2.63 for the 12-17 demo outranking broadcast channel America 2.

“Our objective when producing an event of this magnitude is always to ensure we’re providing the best quality programming for our audience,” said Charlie Singer, Executive Vice President of Programming and Production, MTV Networks Latin America. “The ratings increase of this year’s VMALAs attest to MTV’s connection with Latin American youth and to get such clear feedback and confirmation that they like what they see in the channel is very rewarding.”

Hip Hop and Latin American music fused MTV style at the 2004 VMALAs, Mexican Julieta Venegas dominated, collecting three awards including “Artist of the Year”. Mexico’s Café Tacvba and Maroon 5 garnered two ‘tongue topped’ awards each; with one of Café Tacvba’s win being for “Video of the Year”. Black Eyed Peas walked away with the show’s newest and first ever “Best International Hip Hop/R&B Award”. Latin superstar Paulina Rubio hosted the event and set the show’s over-the-top tone throughout the night.

**Source; IBOPE, October 21st, 2004, 10pm-12 midnight, Spanish speaking, Multi-Country Database.