TodoBebe, the leading Spanish-language provider of multimedia content for before, during and after pregnancy, announced today the launch of a new weekly 1/2 hour TV show called "TodoBebe" for expectant and new parents. The show, which is the first of its kind to address the issue of pregnancy and child-rearing on Hispanic television, will air via Telemundo stations in Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Houston and Orlando, as part of its initial market rollout beginning November 14th. AOL Latino, the leading Internet service provider for U.S. Hispanics, will be the exclusive online service sponsor for the launch.
"Having a baby is a life changing moment in any culture, and especially so among Spanish-speaking families. The numbers tell the story: on average, Hispanic families have three children, and in major urban markets like Los Angeles and Miami, over 50% of births are Hispanic," said Gillian Sandler, Chairman and CEO of TodoBebe. "The focus of our company has been about filling a void by connecting new and expecting Hispanic parents to the best information in a language that is entertaining, helpful and easy to understand. TV provides a powerful and far-reaching platform to add to our radio and Internet properties to serve this highly critical life moment."
As U.S. companies consider innovative ways to reach and attract the exploding Hispanic segment, TodoBebe provides a valuable channel for delivering marketing messages and programs to this increasingly important demographic. Media and publishing partners include Grupo Editorial Norma, La Opinion Digital, AOL, Radio Unica, Puerto Rican radio station 1140 AM-11Q and Grupo Imagen. Top medical associations and hospital partners include the Miami Children's Hospital and Pediatrix Medical Group, which cares for high risk pregnant women and babies in more than 200 neonatal intensive care units nationwide.
"Telemundo is committed to offering programs that will help, inform and entertain our viewers," said Ibra Morales, President, Telemundo Television Stations. "TodoBebe is a great source of information for understanding pregnancy and the challenging toddler years."
"We are extremely pleased to be TodoBebe's exclusive online service sponsor for the launch of this important show," said David Wellisch, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Latino. "At AOL, family content and information have always been valuable resources to our members and we feel TodoBebe will provide the Hispanic community with an excellent show that will be very popular with new and expecting parents."
The "TodoBebe" show will be co-hosted by Jeannette Kaplun, TodoBebe's award-winning Editor-in-Chief and former Discovery Channel TV host; Maggie Jimenez, a former model and TV presenter for TV Azteca and Discovery Channel Latin America/Iberia; and Adriana Abascal, an author and former Miss Mexico. The program will be broken into five main segments: Planeando/Planning & Infertility, Embarazo/During Pregnancy, Criando/Raising Your Child, Probar antes de comprar/ Consumer Products: Try Before You Buy and Supermama/Superpapa which will include interviews with well-known Hispanic entertainment personalities. The show will also feature mini-segments including Tips of the Week, Ask the Doctor and TodoBebe to the Rescue.
Roger J. Medel, M.D., President and CEO of Pediatrix Medical Group, said, "With 675 physicians in maternal-fetal and newborn specialties in hospitals throughout the country, Pediatrix is keenly aware of the health issues affecting mothers and babies in the Hispanic population. Our partnership with TodoBebe reinforces our commitment to delivering information about the importance of preventive and appropriate care. Through their outreach to the community, which now includes television, TodoBebe continues to play a crucial role in educating women throughout the phases of pregnancy and parenthood."
TodoBebe is a multimedia company dedicated to providing information around babies and pregnancy for Spanish speakers worldwide through Internet, television and radio. It has been providing content, community and research related to planning, pregnancy and raising babies since 1999 via the Internet, e-newsletters and a grassroots program targeting baby fairs and health events, hospitals and doctor's offices. Its TV show airs weekly on Telemundo stations as of November 2003. TodoBebe's weekly radio show and daily tips launched in Miami on Radio Unica in 2002, and in Mexico on Radio Imagen in March 2003. Its popular Web site www.todobebe.com hosts 350,000 unique visitors per month, and delivers news, forums, chat rooms, electronic birth announcements, baby names, personalized health tools and other features to a rapidly growing global online Club Membership of more than 155,000 registered Spanish-speaking members who are planning, expecting and raising babies.