Real-Time access for Us Hispanics on Presidential Candidate Dialogues.

MySpace and MTV teamed up with ImpreMedia as their Hispanic media partner for the 2007 series of Presidential Candidate Dialogues. ImpreMedia’s online channel, LaVibra.com will host the Spanish translated dialogues in streaming video.

The first Presidential Candidate Dialogue, featuring former Senator John Edwards, took place on Thursday, September 27 at 12 pm ET at the University of New Hampshire campus. The event was moderated by MTV News Correspondents Gideon Yago and SuChin Pak as well as WashingtonPost.com political reporter, Chris Cillizza.

“The dialogues are especially important and empowering to U.S. Latino voters as they allow Hispanics to have a more meaningful voice in the election process,” said John Paton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ImpreMedia.

Over the past decade, the number of Latino registered voters has grown by nearly 50%, increasing total Latino voter registration in the U.S. by one-third, in comparison to 1996. Under the prospective early primary schedule, Latinos are said to play an integral role in deciding the fate of Presidential hopefuls, according to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Research Brief, April 25, 2007.

“MySpace’s political efforts are focused on creating a more open and accessible democracy for all,” said Jeff Berman, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at MySpace.com. “If you want to watch, listen, and participate in Spanish, then we want you to have that choice.”

“As a result of this partnership, LaVibra.com will be the only place online where voters can see and hear these presidential candidates live in Spanish and English and be able to interact with the candidates,” said Arturo Duran, CEO of ImpreMedia Digital. “As well, we will be archiving these important dialogues on LaVibra.com so they can be accessed at any time,” Duran said.

The MySpace/MTV Presidential Candidate Dialogues also mark the first time in history where at home viewers will be able to submit questions in real-time to the candidates. As the world’s fastest growing instant messaging client, MySpaceIM will provide the platform for users to submit questions throughout the duration of the event on both MTV.com and MySpace.

“We’re proud to join with MySpace and ImpreMedia to offer young Latinos unique means to learn more about where the leading candidates stand on key issues – and a powerful way to help decide who our next President will be,” said Ian Rowe, VP of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, MTV.

The interactive Presidential Candidate Dialogue events, each an hour in length, feature one leading Presidential candidate and America’s youth in one-on-one candid discussions about the concerns of the nation leading up to the 2008 election. Held on college campuses nationwide, the Presidential Candidate Dialogues will include all the major Republican and Democratic Presidential candidates. All the dialogues will webcast live on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/election2008>, MTV.com, and in Spanish translation on Lavibra.com. Events will broadcast later in the day on MTV and mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network in English. Viewers can also watch archives in Spanish on LaVibra.com.

Additional candidates confirmed to participate in the MySpace/ MTV Presidential Candidate Dialogue series include:
— Sen. Sam Brownback http://www.myspace.com/sambrownback>
— Sen. Hillary Clinton http://www.myspace.com/HillaryClinton>
— Sen. Chris Dodd http://www.myspace.com/senatordodd>
— Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani http://www.myspace.com/joinrudy2008>
— Rep. Duncan Hunter http://www.myspace.com/duncanhunter>
— Sen. John McCain http://www.myspace.com/johnmccain>
— Sen. Barack Obama http://www.myspace.com/barackobama>
— Rep. Ron Paul http://www.myspace.com/ronpaul2008>
— Gov. Bill Richardson (http://www.myspace.com/richardsonforpresident>
— Former Gov. Mitt Romney http://www.myspace.com/mittromney>