ABC Radio Networks To Create And Syndicate Daddy Yankee National Radio Program

ABC Radio Networks To Create And Syndicate Daddy Yankee National Radio Program

Hispanic Music Star to Host Weekly Two-Hour Program

NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Radio Networks announced today an exclusive agreement to create a weekly two-hour syndicated radio program hosted by Puerto Rican Reggaeton sensation Daddy Yankee. This new enterprise underscores the network's commitment to develop quality programming for the fastest-growing segment of the United States population.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, ABC Radio Networks will develop and distribute the program targeting audiences of ages 18-34. The show is expected to run on Saturday evenings beginning this fall.

"We are very excited to offer this breakthrough show to our affiliates and advertisers," said Darryl Brown, executive vice president and general manager of ABC Radio Networks. "In just a few short years, Daddy Yankee has quickly established himself as an international music phenomenon and we look forward to bringing him to a national Hispanic radio audience here in the United States."

After observing the unyielding support of his fans and his personal desire to share his vision with anyone who was willing to hear it, ABC reached out to Daddy Yankee. Yankee's carefully crafted lyrics and his ability to interpret his musical compositions have allowed him to deliver his real message to the masses. From love themes to socially-saturated comments on the everyday Puerto Rican culture, his songs have remained solid hits in the club scene and are considered Reggaeton classics.

Yankee's intense drive and his desire for artistic expression have garnered the respect and admiration of the international music community. This energy and enthusiasm have allowed him to create an extensive body of work spanning more than 130 published tracks in as many as 70 feature albums.

Without a doubt, his solid record sales confirm his success and popularity within Latin Music. All of his albums have received platinum status. Throughout the years he has consistently remained at the top of the charts in his native Puerto Rico, one of the most prestigious markets within Latin Music. His latest release titled "Barrio Fino," which is his most complete offering to date, has remained the hottest selling Latin music album for the past year. This album not only brought Daddy Yankee international acclaim but helped spearhead the incursion of the Reggaeton Genre into the international music scene. The album earned its place in history by selling over two million copies world-wide and reaching the top of the Billboard Latin Album Charts and remaining in this position for over 53 weeks, thus cementing his position at the forefront of the Reggaeton genre and was awarded Reggaeton Album of the Year at the 2005 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

"I am excited about the great opportunity this new radio show will give my Hispanic community," affirmed Daddy Yankee. "I aspire to be a trendsetter and I hope that with this deal I will be able to open doors so that others might be able to follow. I am proud to be the first Reggaeton artist to have his own nationally syndicated radio show and with this tool I will be able to reach audiences we hadn't been able to reach before, this will prove to those that still doubt it, that the Reggaeton movement is a real musical genre," Yankee reiterated.

"ABC Radio Networks en Espanol provides beachfront access to the hearts, minds and ears of the U.S. Hispanic population," stated Kevin Miller, senior vice president of Business Development, ABC Radio Networks. "It is our business to develop world class radio properties for those networks that attract and retain millions of Hispanic listeners for our affiliate and advertising partners. The Daddy Yankee Radio Show is one such property and is destined to be our Empire State Building."

Currently, Daddy Yankee is touring Latin America and the United States, where he has been consistently met by thousands of eager fans. Recently in Colombia and Ecuador, Daddy Yankee performed in front of over 60,000 screaming fans. His energy and dedication have enabled him to record more than 130 tracks in as many as 70 feature Reggaeton albums.

"As the pioneer and recognized frontman for the popular Reggaeton movement, Daddy Yankee has captured the attention of millions of young Hispanic listeners," said Elisa Torres, senior director of Hispanic affiliate relations, ABC Radio Networks. "We are confident Daddy Yankee will be able to build a strong radio platform that reaches the highly emergent Latino community across the United States."

About ABC Radio Networks

ABC Radio Networks has 4,600 affiliate radio stations reaching 109 million people age 12 and over each week. Programs and services include ABC News Radio, Paul Harvey News and Comment, The Sean Hannity Show, Satellite Sisters, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Doug Banks Morning Show, MoneyTalk with Bob Brinker, The Mark Davis Show, The Larry Elder Show, American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley, The Dan Patrick Show, The Michael Baisden Show, Dick Bartley's Rock & Roll's Greatest Hits, The John Batchelor Show, Todd Pettengill at the 80s, Renan Almendarez Coello-El Cucuy de la Manana, El Vacilon de la Manana with Luis Jimenez and Moonshadow and El Vacilon de la Manana with Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero. Other ABC broadcast services include ABC Sports Radio, Radio Disney, syndicated music and talk programs including Flashback, format-specific ePREP and production libraries, ABC's Jack FM(TM) and eleven other 24-Hour Formats, including Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel and ESPN Radio, which is the exclusive network radio home of Major League Baseball, the NBA and the Bowl Championship Series.

Source: ABC Radio Networks

CONTACT: Bennett Kleinberg, bkleinberg@goodmanmedia.com, or Sakura Komiyama, skomiyama@goodmanmedia.com, both of Goodman Media International for ABC Radio Networks, both at +1-212-576-2700; or Lourdes Perez of Halo Communications for Daddy Yankee-El Cartel-Los Cangris Inc., +1-787-777-0623, Ext. 30, or cell, +1-787-370-4555

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