Marketers and communicators now have a more comprehensive means to target their messages to additional ethnic audiences across the United States through enhanced distribution circuits offered by PR Newswire, the pioneer and leader of the commercial news distribution industry.

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Recognizing the need to narrowcast to each U.S. ethnic group, PR Newswire's new Multicultural Markets Newsline offers comprehensive distribution to print, broadcast and online media read by African American, Chinese American, Hispanic American and Native American consumers. The new circuits represent an extensive updating of a service first introduced by PR Newswire in 1992.

"Just as leading companies have modified their product lines to meet the interests of different market segments, they are also seeing the benefit of using multicultural marketing and PR strategies to communicate messages to the many ethnic audiences within the United States," said Patricia Canary, vice president of International Services, PR Newswire.

The Multicultural Markets Newsline provides direct access to thousands of culturally focused newspapers, magazines, wire services, broadcast media and Web sites, enabling businesses and organizations to customize their communications to each individual population segment. The broadest coverage option, "Multicultural Markets Newsline plus US1," combines PR Newswire's full U.S. network with distribution to U.S.-based Hispanic, African American, Chinese and Native American media. PR Newswire customers can also select to distribute to each newsline individually to match specifically targeted campaigns. Further, PR Newswire will translate news releases into Spanish, Simple Chinese and Traditional Chinese at no additional cost.

"We have been serving the needs of ethnic markets for more than 12 years and as more companies recognize the value in tailoring their messages to these markets, PR Newswire is positioned to help them do so. This enhanced targeted distribution offers organizations a simple and direct pathway for disseminating news and information to specific cultural groups. As the United States continues to grow in diversity, companies that tailor their communication strategies to different population segments will have an undeniable edge over the competition," continued Canary.

Recent U.S. Census numbers indicate that minorities now comprise 30 percent of the U.S. population, with Hispanic and African American segments accounting for 13 and 12 percent of the population, respectively. This growth in population has led to greater economic influence within the United States. Studies from the U.S. Census, the Selig Center for Economic Growth and the Market Segment Group, indicate that the combined buying power of the Hispanic, African-American, Asian and Native American communities is currently in excess of $1.5 trillion.

"Minority groups are expected to be the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population in the next 50 years. Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau project the African American, Hispanic, and Asian populations to expand 71, 188, and 213 percent, respectively," remarked Gina Amaro Rudan, Director of Multicultural and International Markets for PR Newswire. "Yet, despite the growth, prosperity and continued assimilation into the U.S. mainstream, these groups have retained a very strong allegiance to their individual cultures. For example, nearly half of all Hispanics say they primarily read Spanish- language papers, while the number of Web sites affiliated with African American newspapers has more than doubled in the past two years. This trend of minority population growth and cultural individuality is expected to endure, and should be a catalyst for more businesses and organizations to cater their communications to specific cultural groups."

About PR Newswire Association LLC

Now in its 50th year, PR Newswire Association LLC (www.prnewswire.com) provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement, translation and broadcast services on behalf of some 40,000 corporate, government, association, labor, non-profit and other customers worldwide who seek to reach a variety of critical audience including the news media, the investment community, government decision-makers and the general public with their up-to- the-minute, full-text news developments. Established in 1954, PR Newswire has offices in 14 countries and routinely sends its customers' news to outlets in 135 countries and in 30 languages. Utilizing the latest in communications technology, PR Newswire content is considered a mainstay among news reporters, investors and individuals who seek breaking news from the source. PR Newswire's leading brands include ProfNet(SM), eWatch™, Online MEDIAtlas™ and MultiVu™. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media plc of London.

  Contact:
  Rachel Asche, Director, Public Relations, PR Newswire at 212-282-1929, or
  rachel.asche@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: PR Newswire