Gala honors Spanish-TV leaders

The Miami Herald Posted on Fri, Jun. 13, 2003 BY CHRISTINA HOAG choag@herald.com

The guest list read like a veritable who's who of the Spanish-language television industry, from Latin America to Spain to the United States.

There were soap-opera stars, talk-show personalities, former beauty queens, behind-the-scenes tech guys and a throng of dark-suited executives who were busy wheeling and dealing when they weren't exchanging chit-chat.

It was all part of Premio INTE 2003, which stands for Television Industry in Spanish Award, held Thursday at a luncheon at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and a red-carpet evening gala at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.

The event gathered some 675 Latin-television honchos in the second edition of a kudofest designed to boost and bring together a scattered international industry, not to mention dish out prizes.

Seventy-two accolades that cover all aspects of the TV business, from dubbing to music to cable operation, were handed out, with the behind-the-camera awards announced at the midday event. The evening event was slated to honor on-screen talent.

''It's a unique opportunity for executives to come with their artists,'' said Richard Izarra, president of Miami's Izarra Group, publisher of Spanish-language television trade journals and founder of Premio INTE. ``Everyone in the industry is coming together.''

Participants said such a ceremony, which is the only one of its kind, was long overdue.

''This is a well-deserved recognition of those who work daily in television,'' said Maite Delgado, a popular Venezuelan TV show host. ``We're reaching high levels of quality and gaining more viewers every day.''

Added former Miss Universe Bárbara Palacios, a Venezuelan who now lives in South Florida, ``People have no idea the hours it takes to produce one minute of programming. It's really a very difficult job.''

Among the winners were Brazilian Adrián Caetano, director of the year; Colombian Patricio Wills, producer of the year; and Brazilian Gloria Perez, scriptwriter of the year.

Special awards were given to new U.S. hit channel TeleFutura, Venezuela's Radió Caracas Television on its 50th anniversary, and Coca-Cola as an advertiser.

Izarra said entries for this year's awards surged to more than 800 from about 350 last year. Attendance also increased by 35 percent.