Verizon Wireless Helps Viewers Cast Their Votes for the Hottest New Star of Telemundo's 'Nuevas Voces de America'

Verizon Wireless Helps Viewers Cast Their Votes for the Hottest New Star of Telemundo's 'Nuevas Voces de America'

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless service provider, today announced it is teaming up with Telemundo, the leading Spanish-language television network in the United States and Puerto Rico, to offer customers an exclusive chance to participate in Telemundo's new performance based reality series, "Nuevas Voces de America." Beginning February 13 and running for 15 weeks, "Nuevas Voces de America" will ask Verizon Wireless customers to play a key role in choosing the contestant most deserving of being crowned the "New Voice of America." The winner of the competition will receive a grand prize that includes $50,000 and an exclusive recording contract with Sony Music worth $200,000.

With hot and trendy South Beach as a backdrop, "Nuevas Voces de America" contestants will undergo intense coaching and image transformations that will prepare them for weekly music challenges. Following each musical challenge, the three judges will score each participant's performance on a 1-10 point scale and the viewing public will be asked to vote on the two contestants that have the lowest averages to determine which one should stay for another week and which one goes home. The season culminates in a two-hour grand finale on May 21, 2005 from Universal Studios Hollywood, where famous musical guests will perform and the "New Voice of America" will be crowned.

Verizon Wireless customers with TXT Messaging-capable phones can participate by tuning in to "Nuevas Voces de America" at 8:00 p.m. every Sunday and assisting the show's host, Latin music mogul Emilio Estefan and other celebrity judges, in choosing the most gifted contender. Customers can cast their votes by simply sending a text message with the name of their favorite contestant to "VOTA" (8682). Viewers who are unfamiliar with TXT Messaging can log on to Telemundo.com and check out the Verizon Wireless animated TXT voting tutorial for step-by-step help on how to send a TXT Message and the opportunity to practice sending TXT Messages.

When competition of each episode heats up, Verizon Wireless is there to offer contestants a break from the pressure of being crowned the "New Voice of America." During each of the 15 episodes of "Nuevas Voces de America," select contestants have the opportunity to share their dramatic experience on the air with family and friends during a special Verizon Wireless' "Call Home Minutes" section of the program.

Verizon Wireless customers can send and receive TXT Messages from within the continental United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico for just $0.02 for each message received and $0.10 for each message sent. For more information on TXT Messaging and pricing on TXT Messaging bundled packages, visit http://www.vtext.com/.

Verizon Wireless products and services are available in more than 1,200 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, Circuit City stores, at participating Best Buy, and RadioShack locations and on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.


Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Media - Brenda Boyd Raney of Verizon Wireless, +1-908-306-4834,
Brenda.Raney@verizonwireless.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.vtext.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia


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