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Green Jobs: Opportunity for Latinos

November 2009
By Raúl Arce-Contreras

Investment in clean energy has clear benefits. Clean energy technologies reduce pollution, help the U.S. become more energy independent, and provide sustainable fuel sources. But there is an important and often overlooked benefit to investing in clean energy for low-income workers in general, and Hispanics in particular: the clean-energy sector could create millions of good jobs at all skill levels.

Hispanics have been hit especially hard by the recession. As of September 2009, 12.7 percent of Hispanic workers were unemployed. Moreover, Hispanics comprise a high proportion of workers in the construction and manufacturing industries, which has seen steep declines.

When the booming housing market went bust, millions of construction workers lost their jobs. Manufacturing jobs, which have been in decline for years, lost further ground as disposable incomes waned. Other sectors of the economy have not fared much better, but one notable exception is the clean-energy sector, which has seen modest job growth in the past decade and has created more jobs and attracted more investments than other sectors despite the recession. Between 1998 and 2007, jobs in the clean-energy sector grew by 9.1 percent, compared to 3.7 percent of overall job growth.

There is a huge potential for job growth from clean and renewable energy investments. A report commissioned by the Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts found that programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) could spur $150 billion a year in public and private sector investments in clean energy over the next 10 years, which could net 1.7 million jobs a year, even after taking into account the job losses incurred from shifting investments away from polluting industries. Further, investing in clean energy would create more jobs than similar investments in fossil fuels. Adding 1.7 million jobs a year would amount to a 1 percentage-point drop in the unemployment rate and a 2 percent raise in earnings for low-income workers, according to a companion report commissioned by Green for All.

The Green for All report notes that up to 870,000 of the 1.7 million new green jobs could be available to workers with a high school degree or less. But investments in a green economy would generate a demand for workers at all skill levels, from roofers and solar panel installers in Southern California to electrical and chemical engineers developing new smart grid technology and next-generation biofuels. Most clean energy jobs at all skill levels would come with greater career advancement opportunities than would be available in the fossil fuel industry.

If the right investments are made, Hispanic workers could greatly. Former warehouse machinists could be employed making wind turbines and solar panels. Former home builders could retrofit old buildings into environmentally-friendly buildings. Even the location of these new jobs would benefit Hispanics.

All states stand to benefit, but states with a high percentage of Hispanic residents like Texas, California, and Colorado would stand to benefit most. Texas, where 36 percent of the population is Hispanic, created 55,000 clean-energy jobs in 2007 alone. Colorado, which is 20 percent Hispanic, could see $2.6 billion in investments and 28,000 jobs created. And California, where Hispanics make up 36 percent of the population, would attract $18.5 billion in investments and create a whopping 175,000 jobs per year. Nationally, the clean-energy industries created 8.5 million jobs in 2006.

The U.S. needs a smart and sustainable approach to regaining economic growth and strengthening the country’s middle class, which includes a growing Hispanic community. Hispanic workers must transfer their construction and manufacturing skills, and the skills gained in many other occupations, into skills necessary in the clean and renewable energy sectors. And they need accessible training and education to compete for green-collar jobs and contribute to the greening of our economy and our planet.

Source: Poder360

The Driving Force Behind a Latin GRAMMY Nomination

2009 November 2
Source: El Bloguero

The path to a Latin GRAMMY nomination can be a long and harsh one for many artists but that has not been the case for a talented musician from Huehuetenango, Guatemala. His name is Alan Villatoro. Alan Villatoro

Residing in Houston, Texas since 2002, this gifted artist received the news that many can hardly achieve after multiple attempts. The news came straight from the Latin Recording Academy. Villatoro achieved a 2009 Latin GRAMMY nomination in the “Cristiano” (Gospel) category with the release of his second album in the U.S., “Tuyo Soy” (I am Yours). But even though this may sound like a remarkable achievement, the inspiration behind the album was anything but a fairy tale.

According to Alan Villatoro, “Tuyo Soy” is a dedication to life, from a very personal experience. He adds that the creation of his album, “…was a very close experience with low self esteem and suicide that lead me to a place of surrender and understanding. Surrender all that I was and let Him (God) take over; and understanding my place in his story.” His message -through the songs and album- is one of happiness and joy. According to Alan, “This album reaches out to those that live or have lived this harsh reality letting them know that the way out is life and not death.”

Beyond his personal experience, Alan finds more inspiration within his family and his spiritual connection with God. He targets a relatively young Spanish speaking audience; those in the 20 to 35 year old range. The songs of the album combine different styles such as bossa nova and pop and for the most part they are dynamic and full of adrenaline, as Alan explained in an interview after releasing his album. But the main song (Tuyo Soy) take a softer approach, perhaps because of the more special meaning that it has for Alan.

To deliver such a top quality album, Alan also received the support of other local musicians such as Javier Solis, Michael Zuñiga, Héctor Gallegos, and Sean Gaskin. Other musicians include veteran guitarist Ramón Stagnaro and the acclaimed drummer Lee Levin who has worked with celebrities such as Shakira, Barbra Streisand, Alejandro Sanz, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, and Christina Aguilera, among others.

Alan is certainly a Houston star that is rapidly achieving national recognition in a very competitive industry. He has the merits, the talent to achieve the award.

The Latin GRAMMY Awards will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be aired live on Univision (Channel 45 – Houston) this Thursday, November 5.

Can Latino celebrities change the face of NFL team ownership?

November 2009
By Jeff Zbar

Stephen Ross had a vision. What if the new owner of the Miami Dolphins football team brought on limited partners—celebrities turned successful executives—who reflected the complexion of the South Florida community? In turn, they would energize the fan base, become part of a festival atmosphere, and raise game attendance and viewership for the team, its sponsors and the TV networks alike?

In short, what if he pulled off an event like that which occurred the night of Monday, October 12?

That Monday Night Football game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets ostensibly was just another football game. Yet by the time team investor Marc Anthony had finished the National Anthem and fellow team owner Gloria Estefan had sung her Spanish rendition of Are You Ready for Some Football with Hank Williams Jr., the Hispanic touch was undeniable. President Barack Obama rounded out the pre-game show with a videotaped proclamation in Spanish, “We are all Americans.”

It was Fútbol Americano—Miami style.

The primetime showcasing of the Dolphins’ star-laden ownership is the first big step in the culmination of Ross’ vision. It’s how Ross—who grew up in Miami Beach and became a successful developer—intends to change the team’s moxie and turn it into a popular (and winning) franchise.

To some, Ross is among the vanguard of new NFL owners. There is no doubt he’s as much a part of a very exclusive fraternity of deep-pocketed, white, majority owners like Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys or Daniel Snyder of the Washington Redskins. But Ross’ warm embrace of minorities among his limited partners is changing the make-up of the league’s ownership ranks—and, he hopes, its fan base and viewership. “I’m not looking to be where everybody else is,” Ross tells USA Today of his NFL counterparts. “I want to write my own script.”

Within months of spending $1.5 billion to acquire the Miami Dolphins, the stadium and surrounding property from H. Wayne Huizenga late last year, Ross brought on as investors Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, along with Palm Beach County residents Venus and Serena Williams. As limited partners and high-profile celebrities, they could literally change the face of the team. Ross also signed Jimmy Buffett’s Land Shark Lager beer for the team’s stadium naming rights (Buffett’s casino holdings prevent him from taking an ownership stake in an NFL team). Fergie, the singer from the Black Eyed Peas, was reportedly approved by the NFL owners as another celebrity part-owner of the Dolphins, although no deal had been announced as of press time.

Few would argue against Ross’ maxim that the celebrity factor helps boost attention—especially for a team that suffered a 9 percent drop in attendance before last season’s 11-5 turn-around. Yet the Dolphins are committed to putting a winning team on the field, and to that end, Ross made sure to massage Dolphin’s General Manager Bill Parcells, who is largely credited with the Dolphins historic turnaround last season, and who in the past has shown disdain for meddling owners.

All the while, Ross reached out to the local community in Miami-Dade County, where more than half the population is Latino. Some believe his performances are game-changers. The marketing implications for the Dolphins in the Latino community are “enormous,” says Dr. Richard E. Lapchick, Chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at the University of Central Florida. Lapchick, also an ESPN.com commentator on diversity in sports, authored 100 Campeones: Latino Groundbreakers Who Paved the Way in Sport. Aside from Arturo Moreno (owner of the Anaheim Angels) and Linda Alvarado (part owner of the Colorado Rockies), Lapchick says this is the first significant Latino ownership group in U.S. sporting franchises; the Estefans are the first Cuban-Americans to hold an ownership stake in the NFL.

The South Florida spotlight is carrying the images far beyond the local community, he says (the Monday night game was televised nationally and USA Today ran a story on the team on its back cover page for Hispanic Heritage Month). “Even though this is minority ownership, it has such star power that it’s getting public attention,” he says. “The implications for the NFL are that it is helping to move their image as a sport that is dealing in a serious way with diversity issues.”

It didn’t hurt that high-profile Latinos were on the field, too. Mexican-American quarterback Mark Sanchez was the first-round draft pick for the New York Jets and Greg Camarillo is a wide receiver for the Dolphins. In all, the league has close to two dozen Hispanic players, including such stars as Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo.

But unlike Dallas’ and San Diego’s role models, Miami’s new stars are owners with talents parallel to, if not distant from, the gridiron. The appeal is different, and the inspiration as well. “Here we’re talking about something much more important,” says Miami-based developer and Dolphins Vice Chairman Jorge Pérez, who facilitated the connection with the Estefans. “Here we’re talking about ownership. Events like this make a whole community feel that there is a huge pride in having one of theirs achieving something that hasn’t been achieved before.”

And while many sports columnists and business impresarios still challenge Ross’ notion that glitter and glamour, albeit Latino, can fill seats (one need only look at the empty stands at a Florida Marlins baseball game), on this Monday night in October, Marc Anthony—a native of East Harlem whose godfather is long-time New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel—literally became a launching pad for the team, and the National Football League. ESPN Deportes, the sports network’s Spanish-language channel, earned a 1.44 coverage rating, its highest pull ever for a game of Fútbol Americano, and well over its average 1.1 rating.

“As the changing demographic continues to take place, it’s important to found on developing that fan base,” says Lino Garcia, General Manager of ESPN Deportes.

To be fair, the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers played to a packed house at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca two years ago, and last year’s Hispanic Heritage Month Monday night game, where the Cowboys hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, was the highest watched MNF game on ESPN Deportes until the Dolphins-Jets game. But such a successful showing in a region known as the “Gateway to the Americas” can only help the NFL spread its influence throughout South America, says Jose Cancela, a long-time Hispanic media executive and principal with the Coral Gables-based Hispanic USA, which is working with the Dolphins to gauge their efforts. “The Dolphins sit at the epicenter of reaping the benefits of that crossroads,” he says. “Their mindset is to be very aggressive locally and to think southward as well.”

The success of the outreach is being felt by both the team and the league, Cancela says. Cancela likened the marketing strategy to an automotive campaign: The NFL handles the national branding, and the Miami Dolphins organization is the local dealer trying to steer people into seats. And since few before Ross tried to tap the Latino market in any significant way—except for the Dallas Cowboys, which are viewed as the most aggressive effort—the upside potential is enormous. “That’s where Stephen Ross saw the opportunity and addressed it,” Cancela says. “The team’s efforts at this stage have surpassed [the Cowboys].”

Savvy executives with other teams will use the Dolphins’ example as a blueprint for similar outreach, says Peter O’Reilly, NFL Vice President of fan strategy and marketing. That’s not to say Miami is unique. The Pittsburgh Steelers—who along with Seattle and Indianapolis broadcast games in Spanish—have one of the strongest U.S. Hispanic and Mexican fan bases among the league’s 32 teams, he says. “This is not a one-game, one-weekend approach for the league,” he says. “It’s really growing and coming to life in all our NFL markets.”

With the glitz and glamour of Miami and nearby South Beach, some liken this setting to a Los Angeles Lakers game. In L.A., fans like Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon can be found in courtside seats. But Miami is different. The celebrities are owners—whose involvement goes beyond merely watching the game and creates energy akin to a festival rather than a football game.

The Estefan’s Bongo’s restaurant—already a mainstay in the American Airlines Arena where the Miami Heat play basketball—serves up pork sandwiches during games. The Dolphins have also created Calle Dolphins—a mini-replica of the annual Calle Ocho music festival in Little Havanna. “We’re creating a little Calle Ocho Dolphins-style,” says George Torres, the Dolphins Senior Director of Marketing and Communications.

Off the field and away from most of the cameras, the partners also participate in Dolphins community events. Emilio Estefan works with area high school bands to perform fight songs at tailgating and pregame events. He’s also working with the Dolphins Voices singing group. Marc Anthony attends meetings with Amigos for Kids, a program that helps abused children.

“None of this is a requirement,” Torres says. “It’s just them being active participants, and understanding what the challenges and objectives are.” For the record, Marc Anthony and Ross commented at the time of the announcement this summer that this is very much a business deal. “This is a business transaction where Marc is writing a check to be an owner,” Ross said at the time, “and there isn’t any barter where he is getting paid to perform.”

For cynics who believe bringing on Marc Anthony, the Estefans and the Williams sisters was little more than lip service to diversity, Lipchick scoffs. He, too, questioned the potential depth of their involvement when the deals were first announced, but he has since hopped on board. “When I first saw the celebrities’ involvement, I questioned if it was an attempt to simply say, ‘We have minority ownership in a league that never has,’” he says. “I now believe this has been a very positive development and it is being treated with open arms in the national press.”

The equation seems simple enough for other teams to follow; combine celebrities with sport, and put it on display. Garcia says other team managers are closely watching the “connection between the team, the city and the entertainment.” But the nexus of the three might be hard to duplicate. “This is a unique market,” he says. “Miami has a unique flair, an energy to it.”

For his part, Marc Anthony believes reality has changed in the eyes of Hispanic youth. While at an Amigos For Kids meeting, a child who had just learned that Anthony was an owner of the Miami Dolphins commented, “So I can own a team too?”
“All of a sudden that’s not an issue anymore,” he told PODER. “Yes, you can be President. Yes, you can own an NFL team. Yes, you can be a Supreme Court justice.”

Adds Emilio Estefan: “It’s making history for a lot of Latinos. That’s what it’s all about. It’s definitely making a new era for Latinos in the United States.”

Source: Poder360

Ad Spend in Spanish-Language Media Falls by 6.3%, Nielsen Says

October 29, 2009
By Laurel Wentz

Ad spending in Spanish-language media monitored by Nielsen fell by 6.3% during the 12-month period through June 2009 to $5.5 billion, according to the market-research firm.

The biggest drop was in print media, with local newspapers down by 20.3% to $88.6 million and ad spending on national magazines falling by 17.5% to $146.7 million.

Most Spanish-language media dollars go to network and cable TV, which experienced the smallest drop in ad revenue of just 2%, to $3.19 billion, Nielsen said. Spot TV dropped more sharply, by 13.2% to $1.52 billion, and ad spending on radio fell by 3% to $569 million from July 2008 through June 2009.

Nielsen monitors ad spending on Spanish-language TV networks Univision, Telefutura, Telemundo, TV Azteca and MTV Tr3s, six cable networks and 53 local TV stations. Nielsen also monitors 74 Spanish-language radio stations, eight local newspapers and 20 national magazines.

For the 12-month period monitored, automotive was the biggest-spending category despite a 40% drop in ad spending on Spanish-language media to $381.7 million. The next two categories grew, with spending on wireless phone services rising by 4.8% to $334.8 million, and fast-food restaurant advertising up by 10.2% to $322.8 million, Nielsen reported.

The drop in total ad spending was even bigger in the African-American market, where Nielsen reported that advertisers cut back their spending by 9.6% to $1.8 billion for the 12-month period through June 2009.

Source: AdAge

Viewpoint: Being Latino in America

November 1, 2009
By MARIA ELENA SALINAS

I finally saw myself on television. And no, I wasn’t delivering the news in Spanish. I actually saw myself portrayed on CNN’s “Latino in America,” along with dozens of other Latinos who, like me, are part of the largest minority in this country, 50 million strong and growing.
Soledad O’Brien’s documentary that aired Oct. 21-22 has gotten mixed reviews. I happen to be on the side of those who think she and her producers did a magnificent job. Yes, it’s possible that there could have been a better balance between the stories of success and the ones that portrayed the serious challenges Latino youth face, such as teenage pregnancy and suicide. But for the first time that I could remember, we were able to see on English-language television a broader picture of who Latinos are, our trials and tribulations, the challenges we face, the tremendous contribution that we are making to society and the diversity within our own community.

The question is: Are four hours of programming in two days enough to change the negative perceptions of Hispanics that exist among a portion of the U.S.? What happens after the reruns stop airing? Will the only images of Latinos on CNN be the ones portrayed by Lou Dobbs, who for years has been obsessed with blaming all of the ills of this country on immigrants from south of the border, depicting them as criminals and invaders who spread disease?

One of the things I found most interesting in the days prior to the broadcast were the findings of a CNN poll that reflect the lack of knowledge among many non-Hispanic Americans of who Latinos are. Fifty percent of those polled said they assume that Latinos they have never met are immigrants. One in five believes that all Latinos are undocumented immigrants. Of course they do. How could they possibly know that six out of 10 Latinos are actually U.S.-born, and millions more are naturalized citizens, when the images they see in their news are those of Latinos being rounded up in immigration raids and tattooed gang members handcuffed on the floor?

Hollywood and the media also are perpetuating the misconceptions of who Latinos are, casting Hispanic actors in television shows and films mostly in the stereotypical roles of maids and hoodlums. (By the way, it was great to see actress Lupe Ontiveros on the CNN documentary explaining how she is actually not a maid but an educated woman who speaks four languages.)

People need to know that among Hispanics there are so many professionals, entrepreneurs, talented artists, thousands of elected officials and a very wise Latina in the Supreme Court. We come in all colors, and some of us have accents just like regular Americans do. And if most of us speak Spanish, it’s because language is the one trait that unites us all as Latinos.

The Latino community has not only grown in numbers but has spread out to all 50 states, bringing diversity to communities all over the country. Our buying power has surpassed a trillion dollars, and our political power is changing the way campaigns are run in this country.

We are a community proud of our cultural heritage, and we pass our traditions on to our children. We are a young community. The median age among Latinos is 27. The Hispanic school-age population is expected to increase 166 percent by 2050. This means that the future of this country will be in the hands of our Latino youth.

“Latino in America” could be perceived as just another television special, or it could be a turning point. This is a perfect time for people in this country to start getting to know their neighbors. After all, we are Americans, too, and one day we’ll be the majority, not just the largest minority.

Source: ivpressonline.com

Branded Program 'De Moda' Retooled With Latin Topics, Celebs

November 02, 2009
By Laurel Wentz

The first episode of Spanish-language online branded entertainment show "De Moda" focuses on celebrities who wear amazingly inexpensive clothes on the red carpet. That was the most popular topic last year on "The Thread," which like "De Moda" is produced for Procter & Gamble Co. by Starcom MediaVest Group units and Yahoo.

Marketers and their agencies can spend months deciding whether a successful English-language property will work as well in the U.S. Hispanic market, and if so, what besides language should change to appeal to a Latino audience. That's especially true in areas such as branded entertainment, where good Spanish-language content is still scarce.

In October Procter & Gamble debuted "De Moda," a U.S. Hispanic version of "The Thread," both designed to showcase about half a dozen P&G brands over 26 episodes for "De Moda" and more for "The Thread," which started a year earlier.

For the Spanish-language version, the first step was to be sure the premise -- celebrity fashion -- resonated with Hispanic women, said Marcy Greenberger, media director at Tapestry, one of Starcom Mediavest Group's multicultural units. Tapestry handles Hispanic buying and strategy, working with MediaVest and its branded-entertainment unit Connectivetissue, which handles production for both shows.

"Then we realized we didn't want to just translate it," Ms. Greenberger said. That's not just for cultural relevance, but also because Hispanics consume English-language media, too, and some viewers may be watching both versions of the program.

Latina stars
Right now about 50% to 75% of the content is the same on both shows, Ms. Greenberger said, but the idea is to use fewer Hollywood stars and more Latin American celebrities and telenovela actresses. For instance, the latest episode, about stylish Latina women of comedy, features Sofia Vergara, who appears in ABC's "Modern Family," America Ferrera from "Ugly Betty," and a novela star.

"One thing people struggle with is they feel they have to do something completely different with Hispanic," Ms. Greenberger said.

"De Moda" hired its own Spanish-speaking host, local newscaster Carleth Keys, and a Spanish-speaking producer. But they will share with "The Thread" stars like Sofia Vergara, who can be interviewed in both Spanish and English (some Hispanic celebrities may be pictured on "De Moda" without an interview; a clue that their Spanish isn't fluent). Piggybacking on production of "The Thread," "De Moda" cuts costs by sharing a set overlooking Times Square in Manhattan, and some of the same footage.

P&G's presence ranges from a simple sponsor's credit to full product integration every four episodes or so. In one upcoming video, "De Moda's" host and a model will go to a New York salon for a hair makeover involving Herbal Essences.

Both shows promote some of the same P&G brands, such as Herbal Essences, but "The Thread" brand portfolio has included Crest White Stripes, which aren't promoted in the Hispanic market, and "De Moda" works with Dawn with Olay Beauty dishwashing liquid, which may be highlighted with an upcoming episode on celebrity hands.

Yahoo partnership
New "De Moda" episodes will appear about every two weeks, and there are blog posts in between, drawing about 200,000 visitors in the first half of October. The top search terms in Spanish from Yahoo are also posted, giving the "De Moda" team insight into viewers' current interests.

"De Moda" is promoted across Yahoo en Español, including streaming banners that let viewers watch the videos from different parts of the site, said Adam Chandler, Yahoo's executive director for U.S. sales for partnerships and emerging markets.

Elsewhere on Yahoo, State Farm and OMD have added a Spanish-language version called "Mamas Famosas" to the "Goddess" blog about celebrity moms on Yahoo's popular OMG! site. It's a more limited program, with a Spanish-language introduction followed by Spanish subtitles over the English-language content.

"That's how the advertiser wanted to partner with us," Mr. Chandler said. "The next direction is the way we're headed with "De Moda.'"

Source: AdAge

Lopez Tonight will begin airing on TBS Nov. 9

November 2, 2009
Press Release

TBS's LOPEZ TONIGHT is ready to get the party started as George Lopez welcomes premiere-night guests Ellen DeGeneres, Eva Longoria-Parker of Desperate Housewives and NBA great Kobe Bryant. The high-energy, late-night series premieres on TBS Monday, Nov. 9, at 11 p.m. (ET/PT).
 

Additional scheduled guests for the first few weeks include Sandra Bullock, Ray Romano, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Alba, Charlie Sheen, Queen Latifah, Marc Anthony, Ted Danson, Andy Garcia, Larry David, Taylor Lautner, Oscar de la Hoya, Kelly Osbourne, Floyd Mayweather, Eva Mendes, Arsenio Hall and Kathy Griffin, among many others. Additional guests will be announced in the weeks ahead.

LOPEZ TONIGHT will air on TBS Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. (ET/PT). The show comes to TBS from 2.2 Productions, paraMedia Inc. and Telepictures Productions. Lopez is executive producing the show with Jim Paratore (The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Bonnie Hunt Show) and Mike Gibbons (The Late Late Show).