Bringing together over 1,000 powerful music executives, artists, composers, sponsors and press, it features four full days of programming, showcases, educational sessions, parties and networking events. Week highlights include the Billboard Bash, a pre-awards extravaganza featuring live performances by top acts, and the annual Star Q&A, an intimate one-one interview conducted by Billboard’s executive director of Latin content, Leila Cobo.

The week is capped off by the longest running, most prestigious awards show in the music industry, The Billboard Latin Music Awards, which honors the biggest and brightest stars in the industry. From the dazzling red carpet to stunning performances by the NO. 1 artists on the charts, this is “the” Latin music award show that truly reflects the best in the marketplace.

The Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards is part of Billboard’s long-standing editorial commitment to Latin music coverage. Billboard magazine publishes weekly charts and a expanded weekly Latin music section as well as special stand sections 4 times a year which provides even more in-depth coverage.

SUPERSTAR Q&A WITH DON OMAR
PANEL HIGHLIGHT!
URBAN MIXX
Presented by Creative Media Group
THE URBAN MOVEMENT, PAST AND PRESENT
Key artists, producers, brands and executives on the future of the movement.
Speakers: Toby Love, Recording Artist, SONY BMG
Nely “El Arma Secreta”, Grammy Award winning producer
Tony Dize, Recording Artist, W&Y Records
Boy Wonder, Chosen Few
DJ Laz, Radio Personality, Power 96 Miami
2009 BILLBOARD SPECIAL AWARDS RECIPIENTS!
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT CARLOS SANTANA
SPIRIT OF HOPE DADDY YANKEE
HALL OF FAME PABLO RAUL ALARCON, SR.

THE BILLBOARD BASH
Featuring performances by this year’s Billboard Latin Music Award finalists!
Flex
Marla
Luz Rios
Plus a special performance by: Los Felinos De La Noche

TELEMUNDO ANNOUNCES THE LIST OF FINALISTS FOR THE 2009 BILLBOARD LATIN MUSIC AWARDS

FLEX, ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, MANA, VICENTE FERNANDEZ, JENNI RIVERA, LOS PIKADIENTES DE CABORCA, MARCO ANTONIO SOLIS, JULIETA VENEGAS AND AVENTURA, TOP THE LIST OF FINALISTS

The 11th broadcast of the Billboard Latin Music Awards presented by State Farm and hosted by Aylin Mujica and Alan Tacher, will take place April 23 and will be produced and broadcast LIVE by Telemundo

Miami– February 17, 2009 – Telemundo announced today the finalists for the 2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards presented by State Farm during the live broadcast of its morning show, “Levantate.” Flex, Enrique Iglesias, Mana, Vicente Fernandez, Jenni Rivera, Los Pikadientes de Caborca, Aventura, Marco Antonio Solis, Julieta Venegas, Los Dareyes de la Sierra, Luis Fonsi, Wisin & Yandel, Alacranes Musicales, Juanes, Ivy Queen and Daddy Yankee, are among the finalists featured in multiple categories. The ceremony, to be hosted by Aylin Mujica and Alan Tacher, will take place on Thursday, April 23 at The BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and will be produced and broadcast live by Telemundo.

Topping the list of finalists, and competing for 13 awards is Flex, whose CD and song, “Te Quiero”, landed him as a finalist in the categories of Hot Latin Song of the Year; Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year; Hot Latin Song of the Year, Male; Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Male; Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Male; Latin Rhythm Airplay Song of the Year, Solo; Top Latin Album of the Year; Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year; Top Latin Album of the Year, Male; Latin Rhythm Album of the Year, Solo and Latin RingMasters of the Year. In addition, since Flex debuts for the first time in the Billboard charts, he’s a finalist in the following categories Hot Latin Song of the Year, New Artist and Top Latin Album of the Year, New Artist.

Enrique Iglesias is a finalist in ten categories including, Hot Latin Song of the Year; Hot Latin Song of the Year, Male; y Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Male; for “Donde Estan Corazon?”; Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year; Latin Digital Download Artist of the Year; and Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year. His most recent CD, “95/08”, is finalist in the categories of Latin Album of the Year; Top Latin Album of the Year, Male; Latin Pop Album of the Year, Solo; and Latin Greatest Hits Album of the Year.

Among the finalists up for seven awards are Mana, Vicente Fernandez and Jenni Rivera. Mana is a finalist in the categories, Hot Latin Song of the Year; Hot Latin Song of the Year, Duo or Group; and Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group for “Si no te Hubieras Ido.” The band’s CD, “Arde el Cielo”, is up for four awards including, Latin Album of the Year; Top Latin Album of the Year, Duo or Group; Latin Pop Album of the Year, Duo or Group; and Latin Rock/Alternative Album of the Year.

Vicente Fernandez is a finalist in the categories of Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year; Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year; and Hot Latin Song of the Year, Male; for “Para Siempre”; Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year, Male; for “Para Siempre and “La Derrota”, Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Solo Artist, for “Primera Fila”; and Latin Tour of the Year.

Jenni Rivera is a finalist in the categories of Hot Latin Song of the Year, Female: and Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year, Female, for “Culpable o Inocente” and “Inolvidable”; Top Latin Album of the Year, Female; and Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Solo Artist, for “Jenni”. In addition, together with Olga Tañon, Jenni is a finalist in the category of Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Female; for “Cosas del Amor”.

Finalists up for six awards include, Los Pikadientes de Caborca and Aventura. Los Pikadentes de Caborca competes in the categories of Hot Latin Song of the Year, Duo or Group; Hot Latin Song of the Year, New Artist; Regional Mexican Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group; and Latin RingMasters of the Year, for “La Cumbia del Rio”; and Top Latin Album of the Year, New Artist; Regional Mexican Album of the Year, Duo or Group, for “Vamonos Pa’l Rio”,

Aventura is a finalist in the categories of Latin Album of the Year and Top Latin Album of the Year, Duo or Group, for “Kings of Bachata: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden”; Tropical Album of the Year, Duo or Group, for “K.O.B.: Live”, Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group; and Latin Rhythm Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group, for “El Perdedor”; and Latin Digital Download Artist of the Year.

Finalists up for five awards are Marco Antonio Solis, Los Dareyes de la Sierra and Julieta Venegas. Meanwhile, Alacranes Musical, Wisin & Yandel, Joan Sebastian and Luis Fonsi are finalists for four awards. Among those up for three awards are Juanes, Ivy Queen and Daddy Yankee. La Factoria, Luis Miguel, Los Temerarios, German Montero, Luz Rios, Victor Manuelle, Hector Acosta, DJ Nesty, Tony Dize, Diana Reyes, Xtreme and Espinoza Paz are finalists for two awards each.

Billboard also presents prestigious discretionary awards including the Spirit of Hope Award, Lifetime Achievement and Hall of Fame Award. A complete list of finalists can be found at, www.telemundo.com.

Aylin Mujica, who most recently garnered recognition on Telemundo´s production, “Sin Senos no hay Paraiso”, and Alan Tacher, host of Telemundo’s morning show, “Levantate”, are back as the official hosts of the prestigious event.

This year, the awards include 13 new categories: Hot Latin Song of the Year, Male; Hot Latin Song of the Year, Female; Hot Latin Song of the Year, Duo or Group; Hot Latin Song of the Year, New Artist; Top Latin Album of the Year, Male; Top Latin Album of the Year, Female; Top Latin Album of the Year, Duo or Group; Top Latin Album of the Year, New Artist; Latin Rhythm Airplay Song of the Year, Solo; Latin Rhythm Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group; Latin Rhythm Album of the Year, Solo; Latin Rhythm Album of the Year, Duo or Group; and Latin Digital Download Artist of the Year.

The awards show will cap off the 20th annual Billboard Latin Music Conference presented by State Farm and in association with Verizon. The event, taking place on April 20-23 at the Eden Roc, a Renaissance Beach Resort & Spa in Miami Beach, Florida, will unite today’s top Latin music artist and key industry executives for informative panel discussions, live showcases, networking receptions and The billboard Bash – a pre-Billboard Latin Music Awards show celebration featuring performances by some of this year’s finalists. For details on The Billboard Latin Music Conference, visit: www.billboardevents.com. The Billboard Latin Music Awards honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin music, as determined by the actual sales and radio airplay data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts during a one-year period covering the issue dated February 9, 2008 through this year’s January 31 issue. Finalists, and the eventual winners, reflect performance of new recordings on Billboard’s sales charts, including Top Latin Albums, and radio charts, including Hot Latin Songs, with album categories confined to titles that did not chart before Billboard’s Nov. 10, 2007 issue and excluding finalists from the prior-year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards. Based on sales data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, radio information monitored by Nielsen BDS and master ringtone sales compiled by Nielsen RingScan, Billboard’s charts are the world’s most authoritative music rankings.

Billboard also presents prestigious discretionary awards including the Spirit of Hope Award and the Hall of Fame Award. Past winners of Billboard discretionary awards include Soraya, Banda El Recodo, Willy Chirino, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernandez, Jose Feliciano, Mongo Santamaria, Los Tigres Del Norte, Mana, Ricky Martin, Tito Puente, Olga Tañon, Ricardo Montaner, Miguel Bose, Conjunto Primavera and Juanes.

Now in its 115th year, Billboard is the world’s premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. The billboard brand consists of Billboard magazine, Billboard.biz, Billboard en Español, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard.com – the online destination of choice for over four million music fans every month. Billboard’s many strategic partners include Microsoft, Reuters, Ticketmaster, Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, ABC Radio Networks, AT&T, Sandisk and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. These partnerships leverage Billboard’s proprietary data, charts and information resources to develop broadcast entertainment, digital and mobile platforms and contextual commerce applications that expand Billboard’s franchise and consumer reach. Billboard is published by the Entertainment Group at Nielsen Business Media, a part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company.

Telemundo, a U.S. Spanish-language television network, is the essential entertainment, news, and sports source for Hispanics and a leading international player in the entertainment industry with presence in more than 100 countries worldwide. Broadcasting unique national and local programming for the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, Telemundo reaches 93% of U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 16 owned-and-operated stations, 45 broadcast affiliates, and 800 cable affiliates. Telemundo is wholly owned by NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies.