8th Annual Latin Grammy(R) Awards Broadcast Reaches 12.6 Million Viewers

The Univision Television Network’s telecast of the 8th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards last night reached 12.6 million viewers and was the biggest broadcast ever in the history of the award show among the highly coveted Adult 18-34 demographic. According to Nielsen Media Research’s Fast NTI Ratings, the broadcast attracted 2.3 million Adults 18-34 and 2.7 million Persons 12-34, a +15% and +8% increase versus last year, respectively. Overall, Univision’s telecast attracted 6.2 million average Total Viewers.

Among Adults 18-34, the Univision telecast beat such other popular programs as ABC’s “Ugly Betty” (2,171,000); NBC’s “ER” (2,078,000); CBS’s “Survivor China” (1,889,000); Fox’s “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” (1,543,000) and “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (1,309,000); and CW’s “Smallville” (1,253,000) and “Supernatural” (747,000).

Univision’s telecast of the award show was also an unqualified success among other important demos. This year’s show garnered the second highest audience ever among Adults 18-49 (3.8 million) and Teens 12-17 (390,000), versus previous Latin GRAMMY® broadcasts.

The broadcast was also the #1 program in its time period in a number of major markets among key demos, regardless of language. In Los Angeles, the program was #1 for the time period among Persons 2+ and in the key demos of Adults 18-34, 18-49, and Teens 12-17, beating all other stations in the market. The program was #1 among Adults 18-34 in New York, Houston, and Dallas. It was #1 among Adults 18-49 in Houston and Dallas, and it was #1 in households in Miami.

Held for the very first time in Las Vegas, the excitement of this year’s program started even before the show as thousands of screaming, enthusiastic Latin music fans lined the Green Carpet arrival area at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The completely sold-out, capacity crowd erupted with cheers and danced in the aisles starting with the show’s electrifying opening act of superstar Ricky Martin (winner for Best Male Pop Vocal Album and Best Long Form Music Video) and one of Vegas’ most popular acts, Blue Man Group.

The energized audience was then treated to an incredible line-up of eye-popping Las Vegas style musical numbers spanning the rich spectrum of Latin music featuring Juan Luis Guerra (The evening’s leading winner for Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Merengue Album, and Best Tropical Song), Calle 13 (winners for Best Urban Music Album and Best Urban Song), Pepe Aguilar (Best Ranchero Album), La 5a Estación (Best Pop Album By A Duo Or Group With Vocal), and Laura Pausini (Best Female Pop Vocal Album), and Jesse & Joy (Best New Artist), among others.

The show featured an explosive performance by the Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Calle 13 and Cuban hip-hop group Orishas, featuring the cast from the Las Vegas production of “STOMP OUT LOUD,” dancers from “HavanaNightShow,” and Arauco Indians from Colombia in native dress. Fellow reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee performed “Ella Me Levanto” surrounded by a bevy of beauties in towering feathered headdresses from the Folies Bergere.

Another musical highlight featured Best Female Pop Vocal Album winner Laura Pausini who was joined onstage by fellow Italian and superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli. In one of the evening’s most colorful productions, Puerto Rican reggeatonera Ivy Queen performed her hit “Que Lloren” dressed as a geisha and surrounded by dancers in elaborate Japanese masks and costumes. In perhaps the most emotionally charged performance of the evening, Spanish singer Shaila Dúrcal moved the audience as she sang “Amor Eterno,” a tribute to her deceased mother, Rocío Dúrcal. One of the most interesting combinations of the show was the pairing of duranguense group Alacranes Musical and Mexican alternative band Kinky. Proving that talent runs in the family, international recording sensation Miguel Bosé performed an exciting duo with his niece Bimba. Closing the show was the night’s biggest winner Juan Luis Guerra who was accompanied on timbales by legendary percussionist Sheila E. in a rousing performance of his hit “La Travesía.”

Contributing to the program’s ratings success was no doubt Univision’s unique cross-promotional efforts by its sister networks TeleFutura and Galavisión, its Univision Radio Group, and its popular website Univision.com. The star-studded extravaganza was also broadcast offering English-language closed-captions, allowing all lovers of Latin music to enjoy this annual celebration of musical artistry.

Univision.com (keyword: Latin Grammy) was the official Spanish-language website of this year’s Latin GRAMMY® Awards. Exclusive online coverage features pre and post-show highlights that include behind-the-scenes videos, celebrity commentary, and a detailed summary of the night’s winners. Rounding out coverage, Univision Móvil also delivers pre and post-show exclusives with mobile video clips from the Green Carpet, artist interviews and behind-the-scenes action.

The 8th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards, co-hosted by internationally acclaimed actress/singer Lucero and Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez, was broadcast live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on the Univision Network on Thursday, November 8th, 2007, from 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Central).”*

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