Media

Pioneering cutting-edge Spanish-language Radio Formats, MEC Network has announced a new format for 98.9 FM, San Diego. 98.9 MORE FM will launch “Spanish Rhythmic” on March 1, 2004.

Interactive ads yield better than average results in getting consumers closer to the point of purchase Interactive ads outperform non-interactive ads in making audiences more aware of the brand and more likely to purchase and/or use the brand, according to Dynamic Logic’s MarketNorms.

Last week Renan Coello ‘El Cucuy’ afternoon on-air personality at Univision Radio’s 101.9 FM in Los Angeles took to the airwaves during his show to tell his audience about how he felt that the management of Univision Radio and Univision Communications was not respecting him and other on-air talent at the stations. He was pulled off the air and according to Radio Notas a very intense session with Univision Radio management began. The session were loud and serious. Renan Coello did not return on-air and pre-recorded programs are being used in his absence.

Si TV has upped its carriage deal on DISH Network from the top-tier programming package to the more broadly penetrated, mid-level “America’s Top 120” programming package. An additional vote of confidence for the channel came when DISH Network’s Senior Vice President of Programming Michael Schwimmer announced that Si TV will be positioned on channel 159 next to MTV.

Scarborough Research released a study which found that Hispanics spend more on their monthly household cellular phone service than the national average. According to the study, the average monthly household cellular bill for Hispanics is $67, which is more than 10 percent higher than the national average of $60. Nationally, 64 percent of Hispanics live in a household with a cellular phone subscription. This is virtually equal to the national cell phone penetration rate of 66 percent.

With few Latino writers on network television shows today and even fewer producing hit plays at the same time, award-winning writer and Latin comedy pioneer Rick Najera is in a class all his own. Najera, along with his fellow writing partners on Fox’s Mad TV, have been nominated for the prestigious 56th Annual Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievement in writing in a comedy/variety. The event will take place on February 21, 2004 at the Century Plaza Hotel.

MTV Latin America announced the taping of an MTV Unplugged with Argentine icon Diego Torres. The 18th acoustic concert to be taped on Thursday, March 4th, in Buenos Aires, Argentina marks the first time MTV Latin America produces an Unplugged show in the region.

In recognition of his extraordinary accomplishments in the music industry, recording superstar Ricky Martin has been selected to be the recipient of Premio Lo Nuestro’s 2004 “Premio a la Excelencia” (Excellence Award). In addition to receiving the prestigious special award, Martin will also thrill viewers with a spectacular performance during the LIVE telecast of the “Premio Lo Nuestro a la Música Latina” awards ceremony on the Univision Network on Thursday, February 26, 8-11 pm ET/PT (7-10 pm Central/Mountain).