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Credit markets freeze. Financial institutions implode. Economic benchmarks plummet. Consumer spending plunges. Unemployment skyrockets. Bail out plans are unveiled. Global markets fall like dominoes and consumers tighten their hold on wallets. What are a retailer and manufacturer to do? Read on for strategies on how to manage the economic downturn.

As I listened to last Fall’s Big Three congressional hearings, which revived talk about a possible GM-Chrysler merger, call me crazy but I wondered whether we should also be talking about a merger between Univision and Telemundo.

There certainly would be some who would fret about a merger, on the grounds that it might imply that the Hispanic market is shrinking (when we know it’s actually booming), but I think the entire marketplace–viewers and advertisers–would actually benefit. There would certainly be cases of redundancy, requiring some elimination of positions, but in the end I think we’d see a much more robust, more potent Hispanic media empire that would be better poised to confront a rapidly evolving market. For I honestly believe that when we eventually come out of this economic nightmare, we will see that certain CHANGED consumer behaviors have become PERMANENT. We ALL need to be prepared for that.

Published by Manny Gonzalez. To view El Blog CLICK above.

While men may claim to be the masters of technology, it is the women who are embracing the new age of media and integrating their computers and the Internet into their television viewing.

According to industry insiders, Burger King after a rigorous ‘BBQ’ of Hispanic and mainstream agencies interested in the $35 Million media and creative assignements has assigned the creative responsibilities for the Hispanic portion of the business to Austin based LatinWorks. Hispanic media planning and buying responsibilities have been assigned to Chicago based Tapestry.

The agencies that pitched the media account and the creative assignments were some of the Who’s Who in our Industry and were just left to ‘Broil with no Buns’.

As Americans buy products, seek information, plan their social lives, and make personal and business decisions, the lines between media channels in the 21st century have become increasingly blurred, according to the third annual U.S. Media Myths & Realities survey.

This melding of media means the content deliverables that were once owned by a specific medium are now found on nearly all platforms – a shift that has helped create an increasingly participatory and fragmented media landscape.

HispanicAd.com spent some quality time with Fernando Rodriguez – CEO of Terra USA and asked about the new re-launch.

I think that we, Hispanics, Latinos, or whatever label we are assigned, those of us with roots in Latin America, are strengthening our sense of common identity in the United States. A sense of identity based on pride. What we have in common appears to be overshadowing what makes us different. Our heritage from Latin America has a common cultural influence from Spain, the native peoples of the American continent and Africa, a common language, and beliefs in the supernatural that shape how we look at the world. Now, in the United States our heritage is being further shaped by the “American” experience. Being of Latin American origin in the United States promotes a unique way of looking at the world.

According to Arbitron in this week’s investor call, they admitted that the legal fees to overcome the problems with the PPM in Q4 2008 cost between $4 to $6 million dollars to resolve the legal challenges to the PPM system by the NY Attorney General (AG) and the NJ Attorney General (AG). This does not include the minuscule amount of about $400K being paid to cover the legal fees of interested parties defending the minority broadcasters and agency interest. By Gene Bryan. To view El Blog CLICK on link above.

For many, the question is when they will start using digital.

Small businesses in the US will not cut spending on most forms of online advertising in 2009, judging by a survey conducted in December 2008 by Ad-ology Research. A higher percentage of respondents said they planned to spend “about the same” in 2009 than planned to change their spending.

The Gay Men’s Health Crisis has issued their 2008 annual report .

Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS.