April 29, 2004 07:52 PM US Eastern Timezone

From ``25 Most Beautiful’’ to ``50 Most Beautiful,’’ People en Espanol Doubles Its Beauties

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—April 29, 2004—People en Espanol:

The "50 Most Beautiful" Issue Debuts on Monday, May 3 with Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Smits, Salma Hayek, Rosario Dawson, Ricky Martin, Michelle Rodriguez, Carlos Ponce, Daisy Fuentes, Among Others; Behind-the-Scenes Telemundo Network Primetime Special to Air on Sunday, May 2; American Airlines, Johnnie Walker, Matrix & Maybelline to Sponsor 3rd Annual Celebrity Gala on May 19th

People en Espanol’s top-selling franchise issue, the "25 Most Beautiful," doubles its size in 2004, profiling 50 of today’s hottest Hispanic entertainers. Now called the "50 Most Beautiful," the sexy, photo-filled edition will debut on Monday, May 3 with a history-making gatefold cover featuring eight rising Hispanic stars. The perfect-bound issue will unveil on Sunday, May 2 from 7:00pm-9:00pm during a two-hour Telemundo TV special. The special will offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the issue as well as reveal exclusive celebrity interviews and photo shoots.

Others on the "Most Beautiful" list include: talk show host Cristina Saralegui, music producer Emilio Estefan, actress Gina Torres, CNN/American Morning anchor Soledad O’Brien, Resurrection Blvd’s Nicholas Gonzalez, Telemundo’s Maria Celeste Arraras, Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz and actress/singer Roselyn Sanchez.

On Wednesday, May 19, the "50 Most Beautiful" issue will come to life at the 3rd annual celebrity gala at Splashlight Studios in New York City. The evening will feature red carpet arrivals and a musical performance by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi. American Airlines, Johnnie Walker, Matrix and Maybelline are sponsoring the event.

"The growth of the ’Most Beautiful’ franchise coupled with the return of the Telemundo TV special and the annual celebrity gala, truly reinforces People en Espanol’s position in the marketplace," says Jackie Fallous-Hernandez, Publisher of People en Espanol. "Advertisers are eager to benefit from this ever-growing market and are embracing our integrated and innovative partnerships to further reach the Hispanic community."

All of People en Espanol’s franchise issues, the "50 Most Beautiful," the "Best & Worst Dressed," and the "Year in Review," will be perfect-bound in 2004