Monday, September 30, 2019

VIZ Media Announces Its Plans for New York Comic Con 2019

Visit VIZ Media in Booth #1336 at New York Comic Con

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PANELS, EVENTS AND RETAIL EXCLUSIVES FOR NEW YORK COMIC CON 2019

Catch Panels For SEIS MANOS, Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA, TRANSFORMERS, And SHONEN JUMP

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media invites New York Comic Con (NYCC) attendees to catch a fun series of panels, events, autograph sessions and retail exclusives available for purchase at the company’s booth in the Exhibit Hall throughout the weekend of Thursday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 6th, 2019.

The Official SHONEN JUMP panel kicks off VIZ’s events on Friday and presents the latest from Team JUMP. Later that evening, attendees can catch the VIZ Media Panel with special guests from Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA, including Creator, Writer and Executive Producer Warren Ellis and voice actors James Callis (voice of Alucard), Graham McTavish (voice of Dracula) and Alejandra Reynoso (voice of Sypha). Continue celebrating CASTLEVANIA on Saturday with an official panel and autograph session featuring the special guests.

VIZ Media’s first original animated property, SEIS MANOS, debuts at NYCC with an autograph session and special screening of Episode 1 with a cast Q&A on Saturday. Transformers fans won’t want to miss The Evolutionary Art of Transformers, a panel celebrating 35 years of artwork from one of the world’s most beloved franchises. Transformers archivist and author Jim Sorenson will be signing autographs following the panel in the VIZ Booth (#1336).

Meanwhile the VIZ Originals imprint continues its participation in portfolio review sessions at New York Comic Con. Reviews will be conducted by Fawn Lau, Executive Editor for VIZ Originals. For more details please visit: viz.com/originals.

In addition, the VIZ Media booth will offer a wide range of convention retail exclusives available for purchase. Attendees can also catch a variety of special giveaways as well as other fun in-booth activities.

Notable VIZ Media New York Comic Con 2019 Exclusives:

Each purchase comes with a special 2019 limited edition tote bag offered in two distinct designs: POKÉMON or SAILOR MOON (while supplies last)

    MY HERO ACADEMIA & ONE-PUNCH MAN Manga Replicas - $15 each
    NARUTO 20th Anniversary Poster - $50
    NARUTO 20th Anniversary Skateboard Deck - $60
    ONE-PUNCH MAN Enamel Pin - $10
    SAILOR MOON: SAILOR STARS T-shirt - $20
    SHONEN JUMP T-shirt - $30 ($25 when you show us your SJ app!)

VIZ Media 2019 New York Comic Con Panels & Signings:

Friday, October 4th

11:15pm - Shonen Jump Official Panel

Room 1A10
Are you a fan of DRAGON BALL, ONE-PUNCH MAN, NARUTO, ONE PIECE or BLEACH? Hang out with Team SHONEN JUMP and get the latest developments on new series from Japan, all-time fan favorites and what we're doing to bring you the world's best manga!

5:15pm - VIZ Media Official Panel with Special Guests from Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA

Room 1A06
Join us as we talk about some of your favorite manga and anime. We’ll also be revealing big news, chatting with incredible guests and handing out prizes! The panel will feature CASTLEVANIA’s creator and writer Warren Ellis and voice actors James Callis (voice of Alucard), Graham McTavish (voice of Dracula) and Alejandra Reynoso (voice of Sypha).

7:00pm - Warren Ellis Signing

NYCC Private Autograph Area*
Meet Warren Ellis, the Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA series for Netflix and receive a free poster.

Saturday, October 5th

1:00pm - SEIS MANOS Screening with Special Guest Q&A

Room 1A06
Catch a special screening of SEIS MANOS, an upcoming Netflix Original Anime Series and a Q&A with special guests Alvaro Rodriguez (co-creator), Jonny Cruz (voice of Jesus) and Angelica Vale (voice of Garcia)!

2:30pm - SEIS MANOS Voice Cast and Co-Creator Signing

NYCC Private Autograph Area*
Join the cast and crew of SEIS MANOS, including Alvaro Rodriguez, Jonny Cruz and Angelica Vale in a special signing session and receive a personally autographed SEIS MANOS poster.

4:30pm - Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA Creator and Voice Cast Signing

NYCC Private Autograph Area*
Meet Warren Ellis, Sam Deats (director), Adam Deats (asst. director), James Callis, Graham McTavish and Alejandra Reynoso in this special signing session.

6:30pm - VIZ Media Presents Frederator Studios CASTLEVANIA Panel

Main Stage
Get an in-depth look into CASTLEVANIA, the hit Netflix Original Anime Series, with and incredible lineup of guests, including CASTLEVANIA’s creator and writer Warren Ellis, director Sam Deats, asst. director Adam Deats and voice actors James Callis (voice of Alucard), Graham McTavish (voice of Dracula), Alejandra Reynoso (voice of Sypha) and Ade M’Cormack (voice of Isaac)!

Sunday, October 6th

11:00am - The Evolutionary Art of Transformers Panel

Room 1A06
Join TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY author Jim Sorenson, Hasbro Global Director of Publishing Michael Kelly, artists Livio Ramondelli and Andrew Griffith, and other special guests as they celebrate 35 years of artwork from one of the world’s most beloved franchises.

1:00pm - TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY Writer Signing

VIZ Media Booth #1336
Transformers archivist and author Jim Sorenson visits the booth for a signing session.

*Tickets are distributed via pre-show lottery. Please see New York Comic Con’s Autograph Policy for more information.

For additional information on anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular SHONEN JUMP brand and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shogakukan Inc., Shueisha Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at viz.com.

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Sunday, September 29, 2019

Bluefin Bringing Exclusive Collectibles to New York Comic Con 2019

Visit Bluefin’s Brands During NYCC Booth #1520 & Tamashii Nations Booth #1903 And 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure Booth #1612

BLUEFIN DETAILS A WIDE ARRAY OF EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS FOR 2019 NEW YORK COMIC CON

Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, a Bandai Namco group company and the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, brings a comprehensive array of products from its arsenal of leading collectibles brands to the 2019 New York Comic Con.

The 2019 New York Comic Con takes place October 3rd – 6th, 2019 at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the East Coast's biggest pop culture convention. The annual gathering plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. More information on New York Comic Con is available at: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

For this year’s convention, Bluefin announces exclusives and first-to-market products from popular brands such as Storm Collectibles, Bandai Hobby and Tamashii Nations. Bluefin also proudly announces a special Tamashii Nations installation to be located in the Javits Center’s Crystal Palace and the 2019 Dragon Ball World Adventure attraction.

Attendees are invited to visit Bluefin brands at the following booths:

Crystal Palace Tamashii Nations Installation

Tamashii Nations / Bandai Hobby - #1903

Tamashii Nations / Storm Collectibles - #1520

Dragon Ball World Adventure - #1612

Crystal Palace
Bluefin and Bandai will erect a Japanese-inspired village display that will showcase a wide array of collectibles and other exhibits from the renowned brands. Catch a special life-size Darth Vader Meisho Movie Realization display depicting the Dark Lord in traditional Samurai armor.

A comprehensive collection of Star Wars Meisho Movie Realization figures also will be for sale. Take advantage of a number of special gift-with purchase promotions.

Tamashii Nations (Booth #1903 & #1520)
Booth #1520 will be where a variety of exclusives from the Dragon Ball World Adventure will be available for purchase. Booth #1903 will showcase and offer for purchase a wide variety of other Tamashii Nations’ items from Gundam, Star Wars, Marvel and more.

Metal Build - Strike Freedom Gundam Soul Blue Version · MSRP: $270
Tickets for the Dragon Ball Exclusives will be handed out at the beginning of each day at Booth #1520. The tickets will include a return time, and grant fans access to purchase all of the exclusives.

Special Tamashii Nations NYCC promotions at the booth include:
·         Buy-One, Get One Half-Off on all Star Wars Meisho Movie Realization Samurai Figures and Marvel Manga Realization figures

·         Buy-One Get-One-Free on S.H.Figuarts Street Fighter figures

·         Purchase any 2 S.H.Figurarts Joker figures for $55.00 (4 version to choose from)

·         Purchase any 2 Star Wars Meisho figures and receive one of the following – a free Star Wars Meisho Movie Realization enamel pin, a FREE Star Wars Meisho Movie Realization t-shirt or a FREE Star Wars Meisho Movie Realization fan

·         Purchase any Marvel S.H.Figurarts figure and receive a FREE Wolverine Marvel Meisho Manga shirt and poster.

·         Numerous other figure and effects parts bundles for Dragon Ball and Cowboy Bebop

Bandai Spirits Hobby (Booth #1903)
Model builders are invited to catch a wide variety of Gundam (GunPla) and Star Wars model kits.
·         Gundam HG Destiny [Clear Color] · MSRP: $25

·         Gundam HG Freedom vs. Force Impulse · MSRP: $48

·         Gundam HG Narrative C-Packs · MSRP: $26

·         Gundam MG Zaku High Version Ka · MSRP: $100

·         Gundam RG Sazaki [Clear Color] · MSRP: $50

·         Gundam SDCS Zeta Gundam [Clear Color] · MSRP: $13

·         Gundam HG 00 Sky [Clear Color] · MSRP: $18

·         Gundam MG Tallgeeze II (Special Color Coating) · MSRP: $80

·         Star Wars 0-0-0 Character Model Kit · MSRP: $28

Specially designed 40th anniversary Gundam apparel will be available to purchase at the booth. Also select from an array of Gundam 40th Anniversary enamel pins as a special gift-with-purchase.

Storm Collectibles (Booth #1520)
Street Fighter fans and collectors are invited to catch 3 unique NYCC Exclusive releases:
·         Mortal Kombat Scorpion “Bloody” Version · MSRP: $70

·         Mortal Kombat Cyber Smoke · MSRP: $70

·         Mortal Kombat Kazuya “Final Battle” Version · MSRP: $70

Also catch a pair of exclusive Storm Collectibles NYCC First-to-Market Products:
·         Mortal Kombat Cyrax · MSRP: $75

·         Mortal Kombat Cammy · MSRP: $85

Take advantage of a special Buy One, Get One Half-Off on all Storm Collectibles products (excluding NYCC Exclusives, Gears of War products and First-to-Market products).

Dragon Ball World Adventure (#1612)
Dive into the world of Dragon Ball at New York Comic Con with an expansive collection of multi-faceted interactive installations that will delight fans and attendees. Catch interactive kiosks featuring the latest Dragon Ball video game titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment, including Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, Dragon Ball Z Fighter, Dragon Ball Legends, and Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle. Also browse a variety of Dragon Ball exclusive action figures and premiums that will be available for purchase.

    S.H.Figuarts Son Goku Kid · MSRP: $55
    S.H.Figuarts Ultimate Son Gohan · MSRP: $55
    S.H.Figuarts Golden Frieza · MSRP: $65
    S.H.Figuarts Goku Black-Super Saiyan Rose · MSRP: $75
    S.H.Figuarts Zero Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Gogeta · MSRP:  $65
    Figure-Rise Standard Super Saiyan Gogeta · MSRP: $35

Tickets for the Dragon Ball World Adventure Exclusives will be handed out at the beginning of each day. The tickets will include a return time, and grant fans access to purchase all of the exclusives.

Dragon Ball exclusive items also available for purchase at Tamashii Nations Booth #1520.

Gundam Builder’s Workshop (Booth #1612)
Dive into the creative world of GunPla model building in a special workshop area. Bluefin/Bandai Hobby representatives will be present to help attendees build their very own FREE Gundam Kit Collection Item (while supplies last).


About Bluefin
Bluefin is a leading master and channel distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. The company’s extensive product line features a diverse and continually expanding catalog of high quality and popular collectibles from Asia. As a Bandai Namco group company, Bluefin distributes products in the U.S. for Bandai Tamashii Nations, Hobby and Shokugan. The company’s array of brand offerings also includes products from Storm Collectibles, Mr. Hobby/GSI, SEN-TI-NEL and Flame Toys, for which the company is the North American exclusive distributor. Bluefin is also the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Additional company information is available at: https://bluefinbrands.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bluefinbrands/

https://www.facebook.com/BluefinBrands/

https://twitter.com/BluefinBrands

https://www.youtube.com/channel/BluefinVideos

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Friday, September 27, 2019

Star Wars Franchise Stars Launch "Triple Force Friday"

Star Wars Talent Join Forces to Count Down to Triple Force Friday

Fans Around the World Invited to Tune in to Epic Livestream from Pinewood Studios for First Look at New Products for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “The Mandalorian” and “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”

Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano and More to Reveal New Star Wars Products Ahead of Global Launch

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Generations of Star Wars talent will came together Thursday, September 26, 2019 for a global livestream event on YouTube kicking off a weeklong countdown to Triple Force Friday when new products inspired by this year’s highly anticipated Star Wars movie, live-action series and gaming launches began hitting shelves worldwide.

On September 26 at 2 p.m. ET, fans around the world tuned in to the Star Wars YouTube page for a livestream event from Pinewood Studios in London where the upcoming theatrical release “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was filmed (view teaser here). Via live and recorded vignettes, an ensemble of veteran and new Star Wars talent revealed new products that will roll out globally for Triple Force Friday on October 4, 2019, inspired by a trio of upcoming original Star Wars releases:

 1. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”: the highly anticipated final installment of the Skywalker saga, which hits theaters December 20
2.  “The Mandalorian”: The first-ever Star Wars live-action series, which will debut in the U.S. on November 12 exclusively on Disney+, The Walt Disney Company’s new streaming service

3.  “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”: a brand-new action adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, releasing November 15

Star Wars talent participating in the global reveal will include: Daisy Ridley (‘Rey’); John Boyega (‘Finn’); Oscar Isaac (‘Poe’); Anthony Daniels (‘C-3PO’); Billy Dee Williams (‘Lando Calrissian’); Joonas Suotamo (‘Chewbacca’); Keri Russell (‘Zorii Bliss’); Naomi Ackie (‘Jannah’); Kelly Marie Tran (‘Rose’); Pedro Pascal (‘The Mandalorian’); Gina Carano (‘Cara Dune’ in “The Mandalorian”) and Cameron Monaghan (‘Cal Kestis’ in “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”). Livestream viewers will also be treated to the worldwide premiere of a new trailer for “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,” along with other special surprises from across the Star Wars galaxy.

Warwick Davis, a prolific actor who’s best known for his roles as ‘Wicket the Ewok’ in “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” and as ‘Willow Ufgood’ in “Willow,” will host the livestream event at Pinewood Studios. In the U.S., fans and influencers will gather for a special viewing party at Lucasfilm’s headquarters in San Francisco.

As well as seeing new characters like ‘Zorii,’ ‘Jannah,’ ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘Cal Kestis’ and the new droid ‘D-O’ in product form for the first time, fans will get their first look at the wide array of new products that bring the characters to life in new and unexpected ways, spanning toys, apparel and accessories, books, gaming, tech and home goods.

Force Friday is an anticipated event for Star Wars fans worldwide, commemorating merchandise introduced in advance of the episodic saga films. Past iterations, including a live unboxing event that rolled through 15 cities worldwide in 2015 and a global in-store digital scavenger hunt in 2017, brought out fans around the world who shared their experiences.

As always, fans are invited to join the conversation on social using Triple #ForceFriday, as well as to participate in real-world retail celebrations around the globe. Select retailers in major markets around the world, including flagship Disney store locations in the U.S., will open at midnight on October 4, featuring the new range of products from all three properties as well as a selection of limited-edition commemorative products.

Throughout the weekend, retailers including Target and Toys “R” Us Canada will join in to celebrate Triple Force Friday. On October 4, Amazon Treasure Truck will feature a limited-edition product in select cities — sign up for Treasure Truck alerts so you don’t miss out.

Fans in Orlando and Anaheim will be able to experience October 4 midnight shopping at World of Disney at Disney Springs and Downtown Disney. Disney Springs also will feature midnight shopping at The LEGO® Store, along with Star Wars-themed food and beverage offerings and a LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon Master Build Event taking place throughout the weekend.

As new plot points are revealed, additional products will continue to roll out leading up to the theatrical release and beyond. More details and updates about Triple Force Friday are available at StarWars.com.


About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s powerful brands and franchises—including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, 20th Century Fox and National Geographic—into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than sixty years later, Disney has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 52 resorts in the United States, Europe and Asia with approximately 160,000 cast members; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022, and 2023; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawaii; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Disney’s global consumer products operations include the world’s leading licensing business; one of the world’s largest children’s print publisher; one of the world’s largest licensors of games across platforms; more than 200 Disney store locations around the world; and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.

These experiences are created by Disney Imagineers, the creative force behind experiences found in Disney theme parks, resort hotels, cruise ships and consumer products—including books, games and merchandise.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Thursday, September 26, 2019

2019 Latin Grammy Award Nominees Have Been Announced

The Latin Recording Academy® Announces 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® Nominees

Paula Arenas, Rubén Blades, Andrés Calamaro, Fonseca, Luis Fonsi, Rosalía, Alejandro Sanz, Ximena Sariñana, Tony Succar, and Sebastián Yatra vie for Album Of The Year

The Latin Academy welcomes Aitana, Burning Caravan, Cami, Fer Casillas, Chipi Chacón, Elsa y Elmar, Greeicy, Juan Ingaramo, Paulo Londra, and Nella as Best New Artist nominees


MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Latin Recording Academy® has announced the nominees for the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, the preeminent international honor celebrating excellence in Latin music and the only peer-presented Latin music accolade.

The Album Of The Year category is composed of a diverse group of artists including Paula Arenas (Visceral), Rubén Blades (Paraíso Road Gang), Andrés Calamaro (Cargar La Suerte), Fonseca (Agustín), Luis Fonsi (Vida), Rosalía (El Mal Querer), Alejandro Sanz (#ELDISCO), Ximena Sariñana (¿Dónde Bailarán Las Niñas?), Tony Succar (Mas De Mi), and Sebastián Yatra (Fantasía).

    The Latin Recording Academy® Announces 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY awards® nominees

"The Latin Recording Academy is privileged to see so many talented and diverse artists join the milestone 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards season," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Since our inception, our international membership continues to be our driving force in the pursuit of excellence. Whether they are a sound engineer, a performer, a songwriter, or a music arranger—regardless of their gender, age, national identity, or musical genre—the nominees are the product of a voting process where every vote counts. Latin music continues to grow internationally and we're excited to celebrate the music that unites us all."

The Latin GRAMMY Awards are voted on by The Latin Recording Academy's international membership body of music creators, who represent all genres and creative disciplines, including recording artists, songwriters, musicians, producers, and mixing and studio engineers. This year's nominees were selected from approximately 15,500 submissions across 50 categories, and reflect a diverse range of established artists and newcomers who released recordings during the eligibility period (June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019).

The final round of voting to determine Latin GRAMMY® winners will begin October 3, 2019. Winners will be revealed by The Latin Recording Academy on November 14, 2019 at the 20th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards' Premiere and telecast ceremonies. The telecast will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the Univision Network from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT.

Following is a list of the nominations in some of the 50 categories. They feature an array of musical genres, as well as some of the most prominent names and brightest newcomers in Latin music. For the complete list of nominees, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

Record Of The Year:
"Parecen Viernes" — Marc Anthony
"Verdades Afiladas" — Andrés Calamaro
"Ahí Ahí" — Vicente García
"Kitipun" — Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
"Querer Mejor" — Juanes Featuring Alessia Cara
"La Plata" — Juanes Featuring Lalo Ebratt
"Aute Couture" — Rosalía
"Mi Persona Favorita" — Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello
"No Tengo Nada" — Alejandro Sanz
"Cobarde" — Ximena Sariñana

Song Of The Year:
"Calma" — Pedro Capó, Gabriel Edgar González Pérez & George Noriega, songwriters (Pedro Capó)
"Desconstrução" — Tiago Iorc, songwriter (Tiago Iorc)
"El País" — Rubén Blades, songwriter (Rubén Blades)
"Kitipun" — Juan Luis Guerra, songwriter (Juan Luis Guerra 4.40)
"Mi Persona Favorita" — Camila Cabello & Alejandro Sanz, songwriters (Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello)
"No Tengo Nada" — Alejandro Sanz, songwriter (Alejandro Sanz)
"Quédate" — Kany García & Tommy Torres, songwriters (Kany García & Tommy Torres)
"Querer Mejor" — Rafael Arcaute, Alessia Cara, Camilo Echeverry, Juanes, Mauricio Montaner, Ricardo Montaner & Tainy, songwriters (Juanes Featuring Alessia Cara)
"Un Año" — Mauricio Rengifo, Andrés Torres & Sebastián Yatra, songwriters (Sebastián Yatra Featuring Reik)
"Ven" — Fonseca, songwriter (Fonseca)

Best Pop Song:
"Bailar" — Leonel García, songwriter (Leonel García)
"Buena Para Nada" — Paula Arenas, Luigi Castillo & Santiago Castillo, songwriters (Paula Arenas)
"Mi Persona Favorita" — Camila Cabello & Alejandro Sanz, songwriters (Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello)
"Pienso En Tu Mirá" — Antón Álvarez Alfaro, El Guincho & Rosalía, songwriters (Rosalía)
"Ven" — Fonseca, songwriter (Fonseca)

Best Urban Fusion/Performance:
"Tenemos Que Hablar" — Bad Bunny
"Calma (Remix)" — Pedro Capó & Farruko
"Pa' Olvidarte (Remix)" — ChocQuibtown, Zion & Lennox, Farruko Featuring Manuel Turizo
"Con Calma" — Daddy Yankee Featuring Snow
"Otro Trago" — Sech Featuring Darell

Best Urban Music Album:
Kisses — Anitta
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Mi Movimiento — De La Ghetto
19 — Feid
Sueños — Sech

Best Urban Song:
"Baila Baila Baila" — Ozuna & Vicente Saavedra, songwriters (Ozuna)
"Caliente" — J Balvin, René Cano, De La Ghetto & Alejandro Ramirez, songwriters (De La Ghetto Featuring J Balvin)
"Con Altura" — J Balvin, Mariachi Budda, Frank Dukes, El Guincho, Alejandro Ramirez & Rosalía, songwriters (Rosalía & J Balvin Featuring El Guincho)
"Otro Trago" — Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Kevin Mauricio Jimenez Londoño, Bryan Lezcano Chaverra, Josh Mendez, Sech & Jorge Valdes, songwriters (Sech Featuring Darell)
"Pa' Olvidarte" — René Cano, ChocQuibtown, Kevyn Cruz Moreno, Juan Diego Medina Vélez, Andrés David Restrepo, Mateo Tejada Giraldo, Andrés Uribe Marín, Juan Vargas & Doumbia Yohann, songwriters (ChocQuibTown)

Best Alternative Music Album:
Latinoamericana — Alex Anwandter
Discutible — Babasónicos
Bach — Bandalos Chinos
Prender Un Fuego — Marilina Bertoldi
Norma — Mon Laferte

Best Traditional Tropical Album:
Andrés Cepeda Big Band (En Vivo) — Andrés Cepeda
Vereda Tropical — Olga Cerpa y Mestisay
Lo Nuestro — Yelsy Heredia
A Journey Through Cuban Music — Aymée Nuviola
La Llave Del Son — Septeto Acarey

Best Singer-Songwriter Album:
Acústica — Albita
Contra El Viento — Kany García
Amor Presente — Leonel García
Algo Ritmos — Kevin Johansen
Intuición — Gian Marco

Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album:
Mi Persona Preferida — El Bebeto
Sigue La Dinastía... — Alex Fernández
Más Romántico Que Nunca — Vicente Fernández
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Ahora — Christian Nodal

Best Norteño Album:
Por Más — Bronco
Las Canciones De La Abuela — Buyuchek
Mitad Y Mitad — Calibre 50
Percepción — Intocable
Amo — La Maquinaria Norteña

Best Long Form Music Video:
"Anatomía De Un Éxodo" — Mastodonte
"Piazzolla, Los Años Del Tiburón" — Astor Piazzolla
"Hotel De Los Encuentros" — Draco Rosa
"Lo Que Fui Es Lo Que Soy" — Alejandro Sanz
"Déjame Quererte" — Carlos Vives

Disclaimer: This release has been prepared with label copy information and recordings provided by labels and Academy members. Modifications to the official nominations list may occur based on further review of the information provided.

For more information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin Recording Academy website at LatinGRAMMY.com (#LatinGRAMMY).

Facebook: LatinGRAMMYs | Twitter: @LatinGRAMMYs | Instagram: @LatinGRAMMYs


ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community either directly or through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

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Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Law Firm Details Comcast vs. Entertainment Studios

MILLER BARONDESS FILES BRIEF IN U.S. SUPREME COURT IN OPPOSITION TO COMCAST ON GROUNDBREAKING CIVIL RIGHTS STATUTE

In a groundbreaking case before the United States Supreme Court, Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. (“Entertainment Studios”) alleges that Comcast Corporation (“Comcast”) violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (“Section 1981”), which gives “all persons” the same right to “make and enforce contracts” as “is enjoyed by white citizens.” Section 1981 was enacted after the Civil War to bring former African American slaves into the economy of the country and enhance economic inclusion.

Entertainment Studios, owned by Byron Allen, who is an African American entrepreneur, produces television programming, owns and operates multiple television channels, and also has a motion-picture production and distribution company. Entertainment Studios’ channels, JusticeCentral.TV, Cars.TV, ES.TV, MyDestination.TV, Pets.TV, Comedy.TV, and Recipe.TV, are award-winning lifestyle channels with general audience appeal. They are carried by major multichannel video programming distributors, including Verizon FIOS, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV, RCN, DISH, Mediacom, Service Electric, and many other distributors.

Entertainment Studios alleges that since 2008, it has offered its channels to Comcast for cable carriage and has even offered JusticeCentral.TV with no license fee, but Comcast has steadfastly refused to contract with Entertainment Studios. The lawsuit alleges that Comcast refused to launch Entertainment Studios Channels because Comcast claimed it lacked capacity to carry the channels, while at the same time launching more than 80 lesser-known, white-owned channels. As the largest cable distributor, Comcast has more than enough bandwidth to carry the Entertainment Studios Channels; and of the more than 500 channels carried by Comcast’s major competitors—Verizon FIOS, AT&T U-verse, and DirecTV—Comcast carries every single one, except the Entertainment Studios Channels.

Entertainment Studios also asserts that it was told by one Comcast executive that it refused carriage because “we’re not trying to create any more Bob Johnsons.” Bob Johnson is the African American founder of Black Entertainment Television, a groundbreaking network that was eventually sold to Viacom for $3 billion. The lawsuit alleges that Comcast did not want to support an African American media entrepreneur who would compete against the white-owned networks Comcast owns and/or carries.

Per Skip Miller, counsel for Entertainment Studios and partner with Miller Barondess, LLP in Los Angeles, “This case is about economic inclusion of African Americans in the media. It is critical to our country to break down racial barriers in business. I have tremendous respect for Byron Allen for his courage in taking on this case and firmly believe we are on the right side of the law. The data below, from our legal brief, illustrates the importance of this case.”

Today, the wealth gap between African Americans and white people remains significant. “Though black people make up nearly 13 percent of the United States population, they hold less than 3 percent of the nation’s total wealth. The median family wealth for white people is $171,000, compared with just $17,600 for black people.” Trymaine Lee, A Vast Wealth Gap, Driven By Segregation, Redlining, Evictions and Exclusion, Separates White and Black America, N.Y. Times Magazine (Aug. 18, 2019).

According to a January 2016 report from the Minority Business Development Agency, African American-owned businesses account for $150.2 billion in gross receipts whereas all U.S. firms account for $33.5 trillion. In other words, African American-owned firms account for roughly 0.4% of the gross receipts in the entire U.S. economy.

In the area of media ownership, the focus of this litigation, the picture is similarly dismal. “[A]ccording to the latest FCC analysis, people of color collectively owned 7 percent of all U.S. full-power commercial broadcast television stations, or just 98 of the nation’s 1,388 stations. (Though we note that a significant number even of these stations are only nominally owned by people of color, with broadcasters using shell companies headed by people of color to evade FCC ownership rules).” Written testimony of Craig Aaron (President and CEO of Free Press and Free Press Action) before the U.S. Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Regarding “The State of the Television and Video Marketplace,” June 5, 2019, at 17. According to the Federal Communications Commission, in 2015 whites owned 1,030 stations (74.4%), while African Americans owned 12 stations (0.9%). Federal Communications Commission’s Third Report on Ownership of Commercial Broadcast Stations: Ownership Data as of October 1, 2015; released May 2017, at 7.

As Miller concluded, “Section 1981 is a critically important civil rights statute to ensure basic civil rights to African American-owned businesses. Comcast’s position would effectively shut the door of the federal courts to African Americans who were treated differently in contracting on account of race.”


About Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. (“Entertainment Studios”):
In 1993, Byron Allen founded his Los Angeles-based global media company, Entertainment Studios. The company produces and distributes Emmy Award-winning and nominated shows, while selling advertising for 43 broadcast and cable television programs. Entertainment Studios has one of the largest libraries of family and advertiser-friendly lifestyle content in the world. For more information, please visit https://entertainmentstudios.com/.

About Miller Barondess, LLP:
Miller Barondess, LLP is a 35-lawyer firm in Los Angeles handling high-stakes litigation and trial work. Skip Miller is among the top trial lawyers in the nation, representing clients from celebrities to Fortune 500 companies to government in litigation matters. The firm’s attorneys hail from top law schools and aggressively and effectively litigate for their clients. For more information, please visit https://www.millerbarondess.com/.

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Amblin Announces Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline for "The Good House"

Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline to Star in Adaptation of New York Times Best Seller The Good House for Amblin Partners

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amblin Partners announced today that three-time Oscar®-nominee Sigourney Weaver and Oscar®-winner Kevin Kline will star in the adaptation of the New York Times Best Seller, The Good House, which begins production in Canada this week.

    Amblin Partners announces Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline in film adaptation of New York Times Best Seller THE GOOD HOUSE.

The film will be directed by four-time Emmy®-nominee Maya Forbes ("The Larry Sanders Show") and two-time Emmy®-winner Wally Wolodarsky,("The Simpsons," "The Tracey Ullman Show") based on a script they co-wrote, adapted from Ann Leary’s novel The Good House.

The Good House follows Hildy Good (Weaver), a wry New England realtor and descendant of the Salem witches, who loves her wine and loves her secrets. Her compartmentalized life starts to unravel as she rekindles an old romance and becomes dangerously entwined in one person’s reckless behavior.

The project is produced by Emmy® Award-winner Jane Rosenthal (The Irishman, When They See Us), Emmy® Award-nominee Berry Welsh (The Irishman, Wizard of Lies) and Oscar®-nominee Aaron Ryder (Arrival, The Prestige) of FilmNation Entertainment. Executive producers are Erika Hampson, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos and Steve Samuels.

Weaver is well known for her Oscar®-nominated roles in Aliens, Working Girl, and Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey, as well as her leading role as Dr. Grace Augustine in the Avatar franchise.

Kline won an Oscar® for his supporting role in A Fish Called Wanda and is recognized by audiences worldwide for his roles in Sophie’s Choice, The Big Chill, De-Lovely and Beauty and the Beast. He is a three-time Tony Award®-winner, most recently being awarded Best Actor in a Play for his role in the 2017 revival of Present Laughter.

Weaver and Kline previously appeared on screen together in 1993’s Oscar®-nominated comedy Dave and the 1997 drama The Ice Storm.

The film will be released by Universal Pictures domestically. Amblin Partners and Universal will share international distribution rights.

Weaver and Kline are both represented by the United Talent Agency. Kline is managed by Berwick & Kovacik.


About Amblin Partners
Amblin Partners is a film and television production company, led by Steven Spielberg, that develops and produces films using the Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant Media banners and includes Amblin Television, a longtime leader in quality programming. The company’s investment partners include Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne), Alibaba Pictures and Universal Pictures.

www.amblin.com

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Monday, September 23, 2019

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for September 25, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

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