January 1, 2007 www.LatinEPR.com LatinEPR News Wire
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LATIN AMERICA - NEWS BRIEFS
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
Global Internet Ad Spending to Rise 28% in 2007
Global Internet ad spending is expected to increase by as much as 28.2% in 2007, while total global ad spending is predicted to rise by only 3.9%, cites a recent forecast report sponsored by ZenithOptimedia. Thus far the Internet’s share of ad spending stands at 5.8%, but that figure too, could climb to 7% in 2007 and reach 8.6% in 2009, surpassing radio’s share within the next three years. According to the report, online ad spending should hit US$30.1 billion by the end of 2007.
Televisa Plans Phone Services and Web Platform
(Reuters) --- Mexican media giant Televisa plans to offer phone services next year and is also launching an Internet content platform across Latin America to boost its reach and revenue outside its core broadcast business. Televisa's cable television unit Cablevision will move into the telephone business starting in February, Cablevision Chief Executive Jean Paul Broc said last month. Via the Internet content platform, Web surfers all across the region will be able to watch live shows, from soap operas to soccer matches, or download movies or sitcoms from up to 14 days ago. Clients also will be able to purchase vintage shows, movies and soap operas, for an additional cost. Live television over the Internet will not be available for users in the United States, however.
Univision among Top 5 in TV Sweeps Month Fourth Time in a Row
For the fourth consecutive sweep period, Univision has finished as the 5th broadcast network in primetime among US adults 18-49. Since being included in the Nielsen Television Index (NTI), Univision has routinely beaten at least one of the Big 4 English-language networks. This November sweep period Univision outdelivered ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX on 11 out of 28 nights, or 39% of the sweep period, among Adults 18-34.
TRAVEL
Bolivia Loses Schengen Visa Exemption
Following a recent meeting of the European Commission, Bolivia has joined the list of countries requiring a visa within the Schengen area, due to the high levels of immigration from the Andean state to Europe. Other South American countries also on the list include: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname, and Guyana.
Porto Alegre Hosts Destinations2006
This past month, the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre hosted the 3rd Annual Summit of the World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development (Destinations2006). Between November 29 through December 2, roughly 5,000 people, including entrepreneurs, professionals, scholars and students, representatives of governmental agencies and NGOs, and professionals from the Third Sector gathered to discuss and debate the main themes associated with sustainable tourism, such as biodiversity preservation, socioeconomic development, valuing cultural diversity and creating conditions for world peace. The opening ceremony as well as subsequent panel discussions and case presentations were broadcast via the Internet on Terra Networks, making the event available around the world.
LAN Initiates Seasonal Route to Patagonia
From now through March 4th 2007, LAN Airlines is adding the Patagonian port of Madryn to its extensive network with two weekly flights out of Santiago, Chile. Puerto Madryn, an attractive tourist destination in the Southern Andean region of Argentina, is the gateway to the Valdes Peninsula, named Natural Heritage Site in 1999. The city is also world-renowned for its whale watching locations.
Rooftop of South America Distinction Could Boost Chilean Tourism
Chilean tourism could receive a boost with the launch of a new expedition, organized by Andes Magazine, to recalculate the height of Ojos del Salado and hopefully establish the mountain summit as the continent’s tallest. At the moment, Aconcagua in the Argentine Andes holds that distinction, but scientists speculate that the measurement of Ojos del Salado could be 350 feet higher than its Argentine neighbor, citing a military expedition in the 1950’s that recorded the Chilean peak at 23,238 feet. The discrepancy lies in the nature of the mountain. As an active volcano, the exact height of Ojos del Salado has thus far been difficult to assess.
ECONOMY AND POLITICS
South American Nations Reach Visa Agreement
(AP) --- Nationals from all 12 South American nations will soon be able to travel throughout the region without visas, regional foreign ministers recently agreed. The decision at a meeting of foreign ministers of the South American Community is expected to become effective sometime in January, officials said. Visas will be exempt for nationals traveling between Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. The visa exemption "represents a step in our efforts to eliminate our traditional divisions," said Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley. Until now, countries in the region had a wide variety of visa policies, which changed frequently with political or economic conditions.
Election Updates: Chavez, Correa Wins Official
This past month in Venezuela, incumbent President Hugo Chavez was re-elected to office in a landslide victory, sweeping more than 60 percent of the votes and winning in every region of the country. The election result was accepted by defeated opponent, Manuel Rosales, and Chavez now faces another six-year term as leader of Venezuela. In Ecuador, left-wing economist Rafael Correa beat banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa to take the presidency.
Uruguay and Costa Rica Only Full Democracies in Latin America
(Mercopress) --- Almost half the countries in the world can be classified as democratic but only 28 “full democracies”, which are mostly developed nations with the exception of Uruguay and Costa Rica from Latin America according to the latest report from The Economist. In “The World in 2007”, the British weekly magazine analyzed the level of democracy in 167 countries with the five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties, maximum of 10 points per each category. The Economist, based on its analysis, classified the countries into four stages of democracy; full democracy, 28 countries; flawed democracy, 54; hybrid democracy, 30; and authoritarian regime, 55. Sweden is the most democratic country, according to the research, with 9.88 average score. Costa Rica and Uruguay, ranking in 25th and 27th place, respectively, are the only Latin American nations to be classified among “full democracies”. Latin American and Caribbean countries in the “flawed democracy” group include Chile, Brazil, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad Tobago, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, Guyana, Peru, and Bolivia. Figuring into the “hybrid” group are Ecuador, Venezuela, and Haiti.
Chile and Argentina Create Joint Peace Corps
Chile and Argentina have signed an agreement to establish a joint peacekeeping force, to become available to the UN by 2008. The agreement is one of the major results of a recent series of ministerial visits organized by the two governments, and is unprecedented in the region.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
Brazil Creates World’s Largest Rainforest Preserve
This December, the Brazilian government created the world’s largest tropical rainforest preserve by placing 7 parks with a total of more than 58,000 square miles under federal protection. The preserve lies in the state of Para in the eastern part of the Amazon, and its new status should help curb illegal logging, as well as the violence over land rights that has long scarred the area. Officials say that sustainable economic activity, however, will be allowed, in order for locals to support themselves. The creation of the preserve is a major step forward in the fight to save the Amazon forest, which covers an area larger than India and, holding a quarter of the world’s species, is the most diverse terrestrial ecosystem on earth.
Northern Peru Debuts New Modern Art Museum
A new modern art museum has been opened in Trujillo, Peru’s third largest city. The museum is the project of well-known Peruvian artist Gerardo Chavez, and is one of the latest addition to the area’s growing cultural attractions. Nearby is the ancient Chachapoyas fortress of Kuelap, as well as the site of the Mohica culture, of which recently discovered remains are also soon going on display.
Colombia Has Smallest Gender Gap in Latam
Colombia has been ranked in 21st position, highest of any Latin American or Caribbean nation, on the World Economic Forum’s recently released Global Gender Gap Report 2006. Men and women in Colombia are equal in terms of health and health care access, and women are not far behind men in terms of educational attainment. In the region, Colombia is followed by Jamaica (24), Costa Rica (29), Panama (30), El Salvador (39), Argentina (41), Trinidad and Tobago (45), Venezuela (57), Dominican Republic (59), Peru (64), Nicaragua (62), Paraguay (64), Uruguay (66), Brazil (67), Honduras (74), Mexico (75), Chile (78), Ecuador (82), Bolivia (87), and Guatemala (95). The relatively poor performance of some of these countries is mainly attributable to the large gender disparity in the area of economic participation and opportunity. On the positive side many countries in the region had excellent scores in the ‘Health and Survival’ ranking. Overall, Sweden ranked first of the 115 countries on the list.
Latin American Fans First to Hear New Coldplay Songs
British rock sensation Coldplay have chosen the Latin American leg of their tour to debut never-before heard material from their new album. The band will perform the new tracks during shows in Chile, Argentina, and Mexico during February and March of this year.
