Univision pulling the plug on Don Francisco's Sábado Gigante

Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP

So September 19, 2015 will be the final broadcast of Sábado Gigante on Univision. Doesn't that suck! After 53 years of musical performances, crazy game shows and special guests, we have to say goodbye to Don Francisco (Mario Kreutzberger).

According to the press release, "Don Francisco will continue contributing to the Univision Network with new projects and by hosting entertainment specials and campaigns such as “TeletónUSA,” which is held every year on behalf of disabled children. He will also take part in Univision’s ongoing efforts to look for and develop new on-air talent and professionals." This is good right? The show was highly rated after all.

The LA Times also reported that, "though the show is beloved by generations of Latinos, however, ratings have dropped sharply in recent years among the young adults prized by advertisers." The show, owned by Don Francisco, would have to have cut a deal and I don't think that would go over well.

There are many memories of Sábado Gigante. It was a staple to the Latino community just like the Price is Right is to Americans. El Chacal will be missed!

International Star Kate Del Castillo signed my tweet

Just a few weeks ago I came across a promoted Tweet from @KateDelCastillo (internationally acclaimed film & television actor) who has some of us may know starred in Telemundo's hit novela, "La Reina del Sur." I thought to myself, well this is a nifty #SignMyTweet campaign brought to you by Xfinity Latino.

The Hispanic Choice Awards honors PA, NJ and Delaware Latino professionals

Although Hispanic Heritage Month runs year round, in Philadelphia, there's no better way to close out the month with an awards show.

The Hispanic Choice Awards (HCA) honors Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware’s Latino professionals, organizations and businesses across all sectors via a three-part event: a red carpet entrance via media row, the televised awards ceremony featuring live performances from today’s top Latin music performers and appearances by local & national leaders and a VIP After Party. I've had the opportunity to attend a few of these award ceremonies and it's great to see local leaders honored.

This year's HCA's will take place on Sunday, October 11 at the Merriam Theater. Click here to purchase your tickets.

In 2013, Eddie Palmieri was honored with the Living Legend Award which is presented to a Latino icon who has touched, moved and inspired the world through an unrelenting commitment to their passions and dreams.

NCLR ALMA Awards want you to #ShowOffYourALMA

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@mayorgadc is ready for #ALMA14! #ShowOffYourALMA

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Since 1995, the NCLR ALMA Awards (American Latino Media Arts) has honored outstanding Latino artistic achievements in television, film, and music. The show is an integral part of NCLR’s mission to create greater opportunities for Hispanic families in the United States. As a national prime-time television special with a cause, the NCLR ALMA Awards demonstrates how inclusion strengthens the entertainment industry and diversity strengthens our country by promoting fair, accurate, and representative portrayals of Latinos. Past ALMA awardees have included Robert Rodriguez, Rosario Dawson, Antonio Banderas, George Lopez, and other astounding Latinos in media.

This is taking Latinos in media in a strong direction but at the same time why should we create our own awards ceremony? The United People for Latinos in Film & Theater Facebook page always produces thought provoking post on this very topic. But I digress.

Netflix announces Spanish-language programming

Netflix. You're on the right track! The world’s leading Internet television network, announced today its first Spanish-language original series, a comedy from director Gaz Alazraki that reunites the team that made Nosotros los Nobles, one of the most successful Mexican box office hits of all time.

According to the press release, the 13-episode series from Alazraki Entertainment is set to premiere in 2015 and centers on a family feud among heirs of a soccer club after the owner’s death. Shooting entirely in Mexico and featuring a cast from all over Latin America, including Nobles star Luis Gerardo Mendez, the series offers a satirical, highly entertaining look into the world of professional futbol.

Let's see. Soccer and Mexicanos. That is probably going to draw a lot of attention within the U.S. Just think about Telemundo and Univision's programming strategy. Mexicans make up 33 million of the U.S. Hispanic population with Puerto Ricans coming in second at approximately 5 million.

Watch a preview to Nosotros los Nobles after the jump:

Univision 65 partners with 6ABC in Philadelphia

In an age where television stations are attempting to reach more "eyeballs," these stations are now creating more and more partnerships among each other. Just a few days ago, WPVI-TV will team up with Spanish-language station WUVP-TV  to start an 11 p.m. newscast on Thursday, December 26.

“Our partnership with 6 ABC in Philadelphia is a local progression of our national partnership with ABC,” said Ramon Pineda, senior vice president at WUVP-TV Univision 65. “The addition of Philadelphia to the roster of existing partnerships reaffirms our commitment to informing, educating, and empowering the Hispanic community in the region.”

So will this threaten the newly launched Telemundo62 newscast via Comcast Universal and NBC10? Time will tell.

Click here to watch the promo announcement.

Daytime Emmy Awards announce new categories recognizing Spanish-language media

How about that, after many years of Hispanic television, the Daytime Emmy's have finally decided to add Spanish-language categories. Now Univision, Telemundo, MundoFox and others have the opportunity to celebrate the hard work in television broadcasting.

“The growth of Spanish-language media over the last 50 years has been very closely followed by our organization,” NATAS chairman Malachy Wienges said. “American television is changing at a rapid pace, driven by the growth of multicultural audiences who often speak more than one language. The Spanish-language media continues to grow exponentially each year, and NATAS believes it is long-overdue that we recognize its excellence in our industry.”

We are all very aware that unlike mainstream media, Spanish-language news and primetime programming have been growing at a rapid rate. It also outshines in ratings. According to the press release, the Univision Network won the July sweeps, beating ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX as measured by Nielsen, becoming the #1 network for Adults 18-49, the most coveted demographic for US advertisers. And all this regardless of language!

The nine new categories are as followed:

• Daytime Emmy® Awards Outstanding Morning Program in Spanish (For a Series) 
• Outstanding Entertainment Program in Spanish (For a Series) 
• Outstanding Daytime Talent in a Spanish-Language Program (For a Series)
  
• Sports Emmy® Awards Outstanding Live Sports Coverage in Spanish 
• Outstanding Studio Show in Spanish 
• Outstanding On-Air Sports Talent in Spanish
  
• News & Documentary Emmy® Awards Outstanding Newscast or News Magazine In Spanish 
• Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in Spanish
• Outstanding Investigative Journalism in Spanish

The question now is will these awards be televised? You know what usually happens. 

Ramon Zayas and Christian Cazares join Telemundo Philadelphia

As you know Telemundo Philadelphia has been going through tremendous (and great) changes. They recently announced hiring 15 new positions; but now three have been taken. According to MediaBistro.com, "Telemundo Philadelphia has made two key hires ahead of the launch of local newscasts next year: Claribel Collazo joins the station as assistant news director and Ramon Zayas (pictured) has been named 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor." Zayas is no stranger to Telemundo; he comes from Miami, where he has been the anchor of “Un Nuevo Dia” since 2011. A familiar face will definitely help with the first months of ratings.

And just recently announced, reporter Christian Cazares is leaving KVVU-TV in Las Vegas, NV to join Telemundo Philadelphia. Although he won't be an anchor, he'll be one of many new reporters for the local owned-and-operated station.  The moves come months after the Telemundo Station Group completed the acquisition of its Philadelphia affiliate, WWSI-TV, from ZGS Communications.

Telemundo Philadelphia growing with 15 new positions

As we all know the local Telemundo affiliate in Philadelphia (WWSI) was purchased by the Telemundo Network making it an owned and operated station. This means more money will be put not the station and the creation of a local news program.

Just announced less than a month ago, the station is planning on hiring 15 people in preparation for the launch of local newscasts next year. The station is hiring 15 people in a variety of roles, including reporter, producer, anchor and photographer. WWSI will launch high definition Spanish language newscasts at 6 and 11 p.m. beginning in January. 

“We’re looking for talented Spanish-speaking journalists who are passionate about delivering the Hispanic community the local news and information that is important and relevant in their lives,” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager of Telemundo Philadelphia and NBC10 Philadelphia. “This is a unique opportunity to play a role in the launch of a first-time newscast working for a company that is dedicated to serving our communities with quality journalism.”

Previously working at Telemundo Philadelphia I will say it was an amazing experience. TV is not easy. It's fast-paced and you have to be ready when things are changing over and over. It was fun. Also very demanding, I'm sure being part of the network will have,ore demands. Philadelphia's growing Latino population will surely benefit from Telemundo's growing station.

The new employees will be part of NBCUniversal, a leading global media and entertainment company, and will enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.  More information about the positions and the application process is available at www.nbcunicareers.com.

Celebrating the Hispanic Choice Awards' 10th Anniversary

Ah yes Philadelphia's Hispanic Choice Awards (HCA) are right around the corner! The HCA honors Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware's Latino professionals, organizations and businesses across all sectors in a three-part event: a red carpet entrance, a televised awards ceremony featuring live performances from today's top Latin artists and a VIP After Party. This year's event will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the Merriam Theater.

Similar to last year, there will be seven winners will be announced including Creative Artist of the Year, Education Champion of the Year and the Corporate Partner of the Year. Past winners have included Joanna Otero-Cruz, Concilio; Afredo Calderon, Aspira; Peco; Lili Daliessio and Diego Castellanos. Nominations are taken throughout the entire summer and finally cut down to the top three candidates. All winners are announced live during the HCAs. And no I've never been nominated haha.

For the first time in HCA history, this year the awards show will be taped in front of a live audience for broadcast on CBS3 on a later date. Tickets for the Hispanic Choice Awards range from $18 to $55. HCA Experience Passes include VIP access to the Red Carpet, the Award Show and the official After Party. More information is available on the official website at www.hcaphilly.com. All tickets available via the Kimmel Center Box Office at 215-893-1999.

PBS Invites you to share your Latino story

I probably should have mentioned I took the summer off from writing but we're back! I won't bore you with my summer travels but ever since I started my Fall 2013 semester at Saint Joseph's University Writing Studies Program, I've been meaning to write more. And what better way than to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month...or as others call it Latino Heritage Month.

I recently came across NYC's flagship PBS station "13" and what they're doing to promote Hispanic Heritage Month. While others tend to highlight the usual suspects,  the local PBS stations is asking for our stories.

• More than four million Latino Americans call the New York and New Jersey region home. Alongside the landmark PBS series "Latino Americans" premiering September 17, 2013, we are collecting the stories of Latino Americans of New York and New Jersey for a 30-minute program, "Latino Americans of NY & NJ," to air on WNET stations Thirteen, WLIW21, and NJTV between September 17 and October 11, 2013. 

Some of the stories are heartwarming, inspirational, dedicated but above all, they are our stories.

• Carmen Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, says, "In poor Latino families, the most common way to express generosity, neighborliness, love, gratitude and warmth is the sharing of food."
•  Amy Ramirez Rodriguez, Dominican Republic, says, "My family migrated to NYC on Christmas Eve in 1965. Since then, my family has gone to great lengths to re-enforce the bonds between those of us here in NYC and those of us in Santo Domingo, en 'La Capital.'"
•  Pedro Martinez, Cuba, says, "  I used to play a lot of religious ceremonies in Cuba that are still practiced in Cuba and here too (called “Santería” in Cuba and “Yoruba” in Africa)."

These are just a few of the hundred stories the station has collected. To share your story and possibly be featured, visit thirteen.org. 

Video: The Voice adds Shakira and Usher

NBC's The Voice has just added some big players to their coaches cast. Shakira and Usher replace Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. Notice that they replaced both minorities with other minorities? Just a fact. Regardless, I think the addition of Usher and Shakira will make a huge impact on the show. Both are huge in the music industry and currently are either in "peak" mode.

Will you keep watching?

MTV's newest addition "Washington Heights"

As some networks continue to fail in media diversity, other cable channels are doing their best to portray what America is really like. Launching on January 9, MTV's newest docu-series Washington Heights will follow the lives of nine friends trying to make it in New York City. These friends include men and women looking to find their way into various industries including fashion, baseball, music and so on.

Could this be a smart move on MTV's part? With the Jersey Shore coming to an end, Washington Heights is a bold move. Some may find this a misinterpretation of the actual neighborhood. Then again isn't all reality television a misinterpretation of a group of individuals? My perception of Washington Heights is that it's mostly Latino...specifically Dominican. My only other concern is that not everyone who lives in city neighborhoods wants to be a fashionista, musician, etc. Some people want to do other things in like like social services, journalism, teaching, etc. There's no reason why MTV didn't choose more of these characters (only one wants to become an English professor).

Watch the world premiere Wednesday, January 9 at 10 p.m.

Telemundo's new brand launches with a splash

Last Saturday, December 8, Telemundo stations across the entire United States switched over to the new logo/brand. The new "T" conveys the duality of Latinos living in the U.S. This past May Telemundo announced new programming, specials and content. The press release stated, "With that concept in mind, it announced a 40% increase in original programming, adding six new original primetime novelas and the addition of unscripted reality series to its lineup." I must say after seeing the new logo in print (above), it looks amazing. The new concept allows the media company to use it to its capacity. Talk about making a bold move :).

In the video below, Emilio Romano, Telemundo Media president, discusses the unveiling of the company's new logo.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Disney announces their Latina princess

Now I'm not one to add people to "boxes" but sometimes I have to ask myself and others, "What exactly does a Latino(a) look like?" In fact, what defines us as people living in the United States. Remember, a Colombian in Colombia will never call them-self a Latino. An Argentine living in Argentina will never call them-self a Latino and so on. Some people may say our language, food, music is what makes us Latino. Just because some don't speak Spanish does not define who we are. But now, Disney has decided to announce their first Latina princess and some people aren't liking it.

“She is Latina,” Entertainment Weekly reported executive producer Jamie Mitchell as saying. “It’s sort of a matter-of-fact situation rather than an overt thing.” In a mashable.com story, "Disney had announced the movie and subsequent of 2013 TV series back in December 2011, and made no mention of the characters’ ethnic backgrounds." I hear both arguments.There's the, "The complexion of a person does not make you Latino(a)." However, Disney could have probably given her a little more spunk to give the viewers the illusion that she is indeed Latina. If children are watching this, they will have LOTS of questions about identity. And we don't need that.

I wonder if a little change in complexion would make things different. Or how about an accent? Maybe some lines in Spanish? What would you change? Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess airs Sunday, November 18 at 7 p.m. on the Disney Channel. 

Sesame Street's Latino population rises

New English-language media outlets popping up. Sports teams hosting Latino themed nights. And now Sesame Street wants to add a new Latino character. That's what I'm talking about. A Huffington Post article stated, "The producers of 'Sesame Street' told The Associated Press that they are holding an open casting call on Monday, August 20 at Manhattan's Roseland Ballroom for a recurring character to join the "`Sesame Street' family.'"

Although Sesame Street is already home to Rosita, Luis and Maria, the new addition will once again prove that power of our community in the United States. The new character (or the person playing the character) should have a sense of humor, be able to sing and can interchange between English and Spanish. What should the new character's name be? Male or female?

Yo me llamo seeks your auditions!

Telemundo has taken a different approach for next year's programming. With the success of so many reality and singing competitions,  Telemundo is seeking your talent for "Yo Me Llamo”. A talent competition show that goes beyond the traditional formats by asking contestants not only to show exceptional musical talent, Yo Me Llamo also demonstrates a contestant's ability to convey the personalities, style and even the charisma of their most admired artists. The international success of “Yo Me Llamo” across 47 countries has established the show as one of the most successful international reality shows.

I can imagine this competition being real intense. True fans will know the little facts when impersonating Lady Gaga, Shakira, Marc Anthony or any other singer. In fact, it will be freaky if you get the real Jennifer Lopez standing next to the impersonator. Yo Me Llamo auditions will take place in 5 cities from July 7-23. Auditions's will take place in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. Candidates who cannot attend the auditions can complete an online application and submit a 1-3 minute video at www.yomellamocasting.com.

Pablo Escobar premiers on Telemundo

What's one of the first things that come to mind when you hear Colombia? Unfortunately it may be Pablo Escobar and the drug cartel. “Pablo Escobar, el Patrón del Mal” (Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lordl), a Spanish-language television production about the life of one of the most-wanted drug lords in history, premieres on Telemundo Monday, July 9 at 10 pm/9c. This series, told from the point of view of victims, will recount Escobar’s humble origins and early delinquent days through his world-wide recognition as one of the most hunted men in cartel history.

Will this hurt Colombia's image? Well for those that don't know anything about the country's history it just might. But for those that know the love and hate history with Escobar, they will appreciate the truth. Escobar was known for killing judges, journalists, magistrates, ministers and presidential candidates,  and also made four presidents’ terms a living nightmare, infiltrated authorities and defied the world. Talk about making an impact not only in their country, but the world. Will you be watching?

EAST WILLYB hitting the web soon

Imagine a Latino-based hipster invasion gentrification comedy. Can't think of what it is? Well you get EAST WILLYB, an original, mult-iplatform Latino web series. The web series intends to be a mainstay in its viewers’ daily schedule. Providing multiple episodes a week, and delivered via a dedicated website with interactive content, EAST WILLYB is the web series that you can count on to be there. In a nutshell, a group of aspiring Latinos couldn't stand to see how Latinos were portrayed on TV, so they made these web series. And of course, there was no support from the "suits" so they produced it on their own. The series is centered around Willy Jr.’s Sports Bar where gentrification hits. Willy Jr. and his best friend and bartender, Ceci Rivera, hit the streets and everyone in between in order to keep the bar alive...and away from hipsters.

Although they have already reached their fundraising goal via Twitter, it doesn't mean you still can't help support. What’s the release date? The release dates are TBD but you can possibly expect to see the first episode September 2012, but that all depends on what happens next. Remember, any little help will support this wonderful independent web series.

To watch the first 6 pilot episodes, visit eastwillyb.com.

Telemundo adds three more programs

Telemundo Media recently announced their 2012-2013 program lineup which included reality TV shows (first time ever), La Reina del Sur Parte 2 and more. However, with the claim of the fastest growing broadcast network in primetime among adults 18-49, three new programs have been added to next year's lineup. Reality competitions "La Boda De Tus Sueños," "La Voz: Niños," and entertainment special "Todos Somos Heroes" have been added to the slate. Telemundo – the #1 provider of Spanish-language primetime content – announced it will increase its original production by more than 50 percent at its Miami-based Telemundo Studios, further solidifying its position as the leading media company producing original content by and for U.S. Hispanics.