NBC to Air ALMA Awards as Primetime Special

UNIVERSAL CITY: The 2011 American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Awards, co-hosted by Eva Longoria and George Lopez, are to be broadcast by NBC on September 16 as a one-hour prime-time special.

The awards show, organized by the National Council of La Raza, celebrates Latino performers and entertainment. It will air on NBC from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. NBCUniversal and Comcast Corporation will contribute to the production costs of the awards show.

NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 will also air the ALMA Awards across their platforms. Telemundo News will feature highlights from the event and Telemundo.com will be the official ALMA Awards website featuring content from rehearsals to red carpet. mun2 will re-broadcast the show at a later date and will also produce a two-hour special as part of its weekly music variety show, 18 & Over. The 18 & Over pre-awards show special will air at 6 p.m. leading up to the event.

“NBC is proud to join with the NCLR ALMA Awards so that we can recognize the outstanding achievements of Hispanic artists with this national showcase,” said Paul Telegdy, the executive VP of alternative programming at NBC and Universal Media Studios. “As a company, NBCUniversal encourages diversity at every level of the entertainment industry, and serving as the new home for this awards show will help further realize that goal.”

Janet Murguía, the president and CEO of the NCLR, added: “We look forward to having the biggest and best NCLR ALMA Awards yet. We can think of no better time to put a spotlight on the many contributions that Latinos are making in the entertainment industry. I am especially grateful that all of our partners are making unprecedented commitments to ensure the continued success of this most valuable program.”