ABS-CBN International, the largest media company in the Philippines, now offers its programming and services throughout North America. In launching The Filipino Cannel in April 1994, ABS-CBN became the first Asian network to deliver its programming 24 hours a day to its viewers in North America. The network provides news and entertainment programming to broadcast stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Honolulu. With its distribution of programming on cable and broadcast, ABS-CBN offers advertisers both network and specific market buys. ABS-CBN also recently launched a telecommunications division and now offers discounted rates to individuals and businesses making calls to the Philippines.

Vibe Magazine has created a powerful connection with its urban readers. At the Vibe Music Seminar, entertainment executives and entrepreneurs can learn from the authority how to participate in and profit by urban culture's exploding growth and influence on fashion, film, television, sports and marketing. Attendees and sponsors will forge a direct connection to the soul of American culture at the 3 day seminar that Keith Clinkscales, Vibes's President & CEO, calls the "graduate school for the urban entertainment industry." Sponsorship packages grant marketers unparalleled access to the audience at power clinics, receptions and showcases. Quincy Jones, founder, Vibe, described the seminar's mission as providing attendees with "an accurate portrait of America's cultural nucleus: urban culture."

When a 103 year old newspaper company starts a website, it has a wealth of history in its archives from which to create content. The Baltimore based Afro-American Company established its web presence in 1994, located at http://www.afroam.org/ and, utilizing original source documents, created an online Black History Museum with highly interactive exhibits. AT&T, a major sponsor, includes its national listings in the site's Job Vault. Sponsors pay $5000 per month to be on the first page of a section and receive marketing information on page accesses and registrants. But history is its strong suit as it explores America's past through the collected writings, photography and other documents of the various newspapers of the century old company. Webmaster Brian Klaas reports an average of 14,000 hits per day, equaling over 10,000 individuals per month visiting the site.

LatinoLink, with offices in San Francisco and on the web at http://www.latinolink.com/, provides "news, analysis, commentary and photo essays that explore the joys and challenges faced by those who call the United States home yet trace their roots to the Spanish-speaking Americas," says Lavonne Luquis, founder, president and executive editor. "We present stories about Latinos and the political and social issues that affect us: immigration, bi-lingual education, affirmative action, life in the inner city and life in the corporate boardroom. We'll also publish stories that are simply fun to read," she said. The site receives 8,000 hits a day with 80 percent visiting once a week. Audience is college-educated and college-track Latinos. A reader survey showed: $50,000 median annual income; 74% male; 67% in their 20's and 30s. 12% non-Hispanic. Advertisers include AT&T, Charles Schwab, Banco Popular and Isla/Caribe Direct.

The East Manhattan Chamber of Commerce has distributed $110,800 to 50 programs run by schools and social service agencies, raised from its 1995 Second and Third Ave street fairs. Suited for Success, a program which teaches high school women how to dress and present themselves in a positive, professional manner to aid them in their employment search and PS 226's Stir it Up program, which teaches life skills to students (cooking, self-care, living on a budget) were among the recipients. This year's festivals will be held June 2 (2nd Ave) and Sept 8th (3rd Ave.) Founded in 1920, the Chamber's first business members were immigrants themselves, part of a German neighborhood which grew as European immigrants populated the community. Now the EMCC, comprised of 550 member businesses in 10 neighborhoods such as Carnegie Hill, Turtle Bay and Sutton Place, reaches out to its newer immigrant neighbors. Executive Director Nancy Ploeger, said "Kip's Bay and Yorkville, two of the communities under our umbrella, were named after our earliest settlers. Our organization continues to help small businesses prosper while fostering growth of the more established ones, serving the business community as a whole."

SRC has published its 7th edition of the U.S. Hispanic Market Study, a comprehensive report covering market buying power, product usage, comparisons between Hispanic, general and African-American households, attitudes, population, acculturation, media habits and an overview of the top 50 Hispanic markets. The "Blue Book" is an industry bible to executives in advertising, marketing, strategic market planning and research. Strategy Research, based is Miami, is a full service marketing research company headed by President Richard W. Tobin who founded it 25 years ago. He said, "The U.S. Hispanic population is growing annually at a rate of 3.3 percent -- making it the fastest growing segment in the country-- and it is currently over 27 million. This book provides concrete data and interpretation for advertisers and marketers targeting this minority".

Ms. Friedman has counseled clients regarding ownership of copyright, the creation of derivative works, licenses (including book publishing agreements and licenses for use and distribution online and in other new media), and renewal, assignment, reversion, termination and infringement of copyright. She has litigated several copyright infringement cases, including Childress v. Taylor, which set precedent on the question of what is required for joint ownership of copyright. She has written several legal columns for Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, and for "A Lawyers Ramble Down the Superhighway," an article which appeared in the Fordham Law Review.

Learn how to reach today's diverse ethnic communities using alternate media techniques such as card decks, co-op mailings and insert programs at a luncheon seminar presented by the Direct Marketing Association on May 9. Hear Jacqueline Morey, AT&T; Shelly Lipton, Lipton Communications; Andrew Morrison, Nia Direct; Kathy Chan, LLT International; Jeff Holland, Tucker Targeted Marketing and Robert Acquaye, Black Enterprise Magazine provide insights on reaching African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic markets. $75.

Hispanic women are the primary decision makers in some of America's largest households. They buy more cosmetics, hair products, food, cleaning items and baby products than their general market counterparts. Marketers, are they hearing your message? Benefit from the insights and experiences of Christy Haubegger, publisher of a new bilingual lifestyle magazine for Hispanic women, Latina, a joint venture with Essence Communications. Workshop on May 8, 6-8 pm, presented by the Ethnic Marketing Leadership Council of the NY American Marketing Association. Tickets $25.

HPRA is a network of Hispanics employed in public relations which advocates responsible coverage of issues and images affecting the Hispanic community, promotes professional development through programs and unites Hispanic practitioners to network and share professional techniques and opportunities for career advancement. Members help their Fortune 500 clients introduce products to the Hispanic market, present issues and work with political candidates in reaching Hispanic voters. Recent workshop topics: Latinas in Magazine Publishing, Programming for Public Relations. Coming in June: Hispanics and Health Care with presentations by Dr. Ciro V. Sumaya, Administrator, US Dept of Health & Human Services and representatives of the National Hispanic Medial Association.

BPRS (pronounced Beepers) meets monthly to bring together members with seasoned professionals who present on topics such as Media Images and Stereotypes on Television; So You Want to Start Your Own Business and Planning Your Job Search. Members are in public relations and communications positions in general market companies or agencies that target African-American consumers. BPRS Meets Wall Street is the topic for the May 15 meeting.

Founded 17 years ago by soprano Eva de la O, Musica de Camara, a non-profit organization, is a forum for Puerto Rican instrumentalists, singers and composers. The classical music series has presented more than 200 chamber music concerts in New York, Washington, Miami and San Juan - including Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in NYC. Musica de Camara also works as a community service bringing classical music to those who have no access and offering Master Classes series to NYC public schools.

Paul Sladkus International (PSI), a full-service multicultural marketing/advertising organization, in collaboration with St. John's University and the United Nations agency INARI, has completed a landmark national multi-ethnic research study, the largest ever undertaken. Data from questionnaires printed in 53 top ethnic newspapers in the US cover marketing demographics, buying habits and consumer preferences of 31 ethnic groups in America. Sprint, the US Postal Service and Delta were the major corporate sponsors. The Study comes in 5 volumes: African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, European-Americans and Middle-Eastern Americans. A year and a half in the making, the 20,000 page study has been condensed into an executive summary with hundreds of graphs and charts. Review copies are available to reporters.

In "Dreamkeepers, Successful Teachers of African American Children," author Prof. Gloria Ladson-Billings, the first tenured African American woman in the School of Education at UW-Madison, chronicles the practices of eight teachers, white and black, as they relate to their students and nurture their sense of self-worth and an appetite for learning. She spoke recently to an audience of alumnae, members of Cabinet 99, (the Wisconsin Alumni Association's women's initiative) about keeping the dream alive for African American children. Cabinet 99 strives to advance women at all levels of the university.

Haven't I seen you here before? Marketers looking to pick up singles might do well to buy the bar. A website which attracts 9,000 singles in their 20's and 30's a day is being sold by founder and creator Jennifer Johnson, a former investment banker. "This is a ready made internet site for a national advertiser such as a car company, cruise line, liquor company or a singles resort looking for singles as customers. Our volume of hits has reached 270,000," said Johnson. Web savvy investors can look at the offering prospectus online at http://www. webpersonals.com/offering. Bids must be submitted by June 28.

Aliza Sherman, aka Cybergrrl, president of CG Internet Media and founder of Webgrrls networking organization was recently voted by Newsweek as one of the "50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet" for helping women and girls get online. Through Cybergrrl Internet Media, Aliza creates online programming and websites for clients such as Avon's Breast Cancer Awareness Crusade and Girls, Incorporated. She created a networking forum, Webgrrls, with chapters in NYC and around the world, to provide an environment for a non-competitive exchange of information and experience about the Internet among women and to offer the opportunity to learn about jobs, business leads, mentoring, internships and affordable classes. Team Webgrrls activities gives young girls the opportunity to find Barbie, Xena and Janet Jackson in cyberspace and discover how technology can be cool. For Mother's Day, she's a resource for finding moms online and helping moms get health, parenting and work/family info from the web.