HOUSTON, TX. (Top40 Charts/ By Lara Migliassi/ Univision) - The Latin Recording Academy President Gabriel Abaroa, Univision Network news anchor
Barbara Bermudo, and
Houston Mayor Bill White today announced that the 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live from the Toyota Center in
Houston on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008. This marks the first time
Houston will host the premier international showcase of Latin music. The Latin GRAMMY Awards ceremony previously has been held in Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas. This important event - which recognizes and celebrates excellence in Latin music - will feature performances from the hottest and most prestigious names in the genre. Additional attendees at this morning's announcement included The Recording Academy President Neil Portnow, Greater
Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau Chairman
Thomas Jones, Mayor Pro Tem Adrian Garcia, Toyota Center CEO Tad Brown, Lopez-Negrete Communications CEO Alex Lopez-Negrete, Blue Door Marketing CEO
Daniel Barretto,
Music World Entertainment CEO Mathew Knowles, and other members of the
Houston business and arts communities and VIPs of the state of Texas. Nominations for this year's Latin GRAMMYs will be announced Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008.
"As the Latin GRAMMY Awards has become a successful, dynamic, world-class entertainment show, we continue to take steps toward promoting the growth of Latin music and our telecast nationally and internationally by engaging partners whose goals are closely aligned with ours," said Abaroa. "We are thrilled to be working with the City of Houston and the Toyota Center, and we look forward to embracing its vibrant and ever-evolving Latin community. And we thank our great friends at Univision who will help to ensure that the 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards is once again a fantastic experience for millions of music lovers around the world."
"Houston has always held a very special place in our hearts thanks to continued support of our many loyal viewers there," said Alina Falcon, Executive Vice President and Operating Manager of the Univision Television Network. "We are extremely excited to be bringing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to one of our most important markets and offering the people of Houston a unique opportunity to be part of one of Univision's most highly regarded mega-events."
"Houston, one of the world's great international cities, is very excited by the opportunity to host the Latin GRAMMY Awards," said Mayor Bill White. "Houstonians share the passionate love of great music and appreciation for excellence that the Latin GRAMMYs were created to recognize."
Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States (trailing New York, Los Angeles and Chicago), is a thriving arts nexus and is rich in diversity. Home to world-class museums, acclaimed galleries and internationally renowned performing arts, the city boasts first-rate shopping, top-notch restaurants and a sophisticated but very eclectic nightlife. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, Houston ranks among the nation's top 10 cities visited by Hispanic-Americans, making it an ideal location for the Latin GRAMMYs.
Airing for the first time on Univision - and entirely in Spanish - in 2005, the Latin GRAMMY Awards was an unqualified ratings success. Last year's telecast, broadcast live from Las Vegas, reached 12.0 million viewers and was the No. 1 program in its time period in a number of major markets among key demos including all adults (not just Hispanics) 18-34, 18-49, and teens 12-17.
The 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will air live on the Univision Television Network on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. Additionally, the telecast will be seen globally in more than 100 countries.
About The Latin Recording Academy
The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
About Univision
Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 99% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 89% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavision, the country's leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 64 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa Records, La Calle Records and Mexico-based Disa Records as well as Fonomusic and America Musical Publishing companies; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa's pay television channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.univision.net.
Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GHCVB)
Houston is a cultural melting pot - home to a vibrant arts scene, thriving ethnic neighborhoods and NASA's Johnson Space Center. Houston is one of a handful of American cities to house professional theater companies for each of the major arts disciplines. Sports fans can rally behind Houston's professional teams in nearly every major sport. Houston is also home to the world's largest concentration of medical professionals, world's largest rodeo and nationally acclaimed restaurants and shopping. With 56,405 acres of total park space, Houston rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of park land. For more information on Houston, log on to www.visithoustontexas.com or call 1.800.4HOUSTON.
About Toyota Center
Toyota Center is home to the NBA's Houston Rockets and the IHL's Aeros, and is the newest premier sports and entertainment facility located in the heart of downtown Houston. The state-of-the-art facility can accommodate up to 19,000 guests in the arena and contains more than 60,000 square feet of private event spaces. Host to many of the world's leading events such as the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, U2, The Rolling Stones, Hannah Montana, Ultimate Fighting Championship and many more, Toyota Center is truly the CENTER of it all.
