Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation to Radio Simulcast 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards; Billboard Latin Music Awards Scheduled for May 8, 2003

Business Wire, March 12, 2003

Entertainment Editors/Music Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2003

Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (HBC), the largest Spanish-language radio broadcaster in the U.S., will cover the hottest week in Latin music as the official radio network of the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards for the second year.

The show, which is produced and televised by Telemundo, will be simulcast on stations in the HBC Entertainment Network.

HBC's coverage of the hottest event in Latin music will include an exciting week of programming. A two-hour Finalists' Music Special on May 4 will feature interviews with Award finalists and the music that launched them to the top of the Billboard charts. HBC will broadcast backstage and from Conference events on May 5-8. Coverage will culminate with HBC's red-carpet pre-show and simulcast of sizzling performances, celebrity appearances and winner announcements at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The Awards will take place on May 8, 2003 and this year move to a bigger venue at the Miami Arena. The Awards are the grand finale to the Billboard Latin Music Conference, presented by Heineken and in association with Garnier Fructis, at the Eden Roc Resort & Spa in Miami Beach. This year's Conference will feature the first Billboard Bash, to be held May 7 at BillboardLive. The bash, an "off-air" awards show, will include awards presentations and performances by some of this year's Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists.

"We are excited about returning to Miami with the Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards," says Jack Hobbs, Senior Vice President and Director of New Business for HBCSi. "This year promises to be even more exciting than last and HBC is proud to be associated with such a great event."

"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with HBC on this event and feel confident that they will help to significantly drive the awareness of the show and the artists," says Howard Appelbaum, Vice President, Marketing, for Billboard Music Group.

The only show of its kind, the Billboard Latin Music Awards is an annual event honoring the year's biggest and brightest stars. Finalists for the awards ceremony are chosen based on their performances on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks and Top Latin Albums charts, which comprise radio airplay and sales. Past performers and participants include Marc Anthony, Elvis Crespo, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Fernandez, Julio Iglesias, Los Tigres Del Norte, Mana, Ricky Martin, Ricardo Montaner, Lupillo Rivera, Paulina Rubio, Alejandro Sanz, Son By Four, Thalia, Jaci Velasquez, Celia Cruz, Tito Nieves, Tito Puente, Jon Secada, and Shakira.

For more information on the Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards, log on to www.billboardevents.com.

Now in its 109th year, Billboard is the world's premier music industry publication. It is read weekly in 110 countries. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music and entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Music Group, which also consists of Airplay Monitor, Amusement Business, Music & Media, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.com and Billboard Licensing. The Group is a unit of VNU Business Media, a worldwide media company that provides specialized publications, electronically delivered data, expositions and marketing services and is owned by VNU Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, an international publishing and information company.

Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation is the largest Spanish-language radio broadcaster in the United States and currently owns and/or operates 63 radio stations in fifteen of the top twenty Hispanic markets. The Company also owns and operates a network of Hispanic community-focused bilingual web sites found at www.netmio.com.

Business Wire and Hispanic PR Wire are the official news distribution services of the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards.