MORE STAR POWER ADDED TO "THE 2009 ALMA AWARDS," AIRING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 ON ABC

Grammy-Winning Artist Shakira Performs

Salma Hayek Receives Anthony Quinn Award for Industry Excellence

Oscar de la Hoya Receives Special Achievement in Sports Television

Tribute to Ricardo Montalban Presented by Rita Moreno

Eva Longoria Parker and George Lopez Co-Host

The all-star lineup of today's hottest stars from the worlds of film, television, music and sports continues to shine brighter with the announcement that award-winning artist Shakira will perform, and Salma Hayek, Oscar de la Hoya and the late Ricardo Montalban will be honored on "The 2009 ALMA Awards," to be telecast FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. The show will tape on Thursday, September 17 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus.

In addition to Shakira, other musical performances include David Archuleta, Nelly Furtado, Sean Kingston and Pitbull.

Among the highlights of the ceremony, "The 2009 ALMA Awards" will bestow special honors upon two Latino superstars, actor/producer Salma Hayek and boxer/philanthropist Oscar de la Hoya, as well as host a special tribute to the late Ricardo Montalban -- who passed away earlier this year -- led by Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Rita Moreno.

Celebrity appearances include Antonio Banderas, Jimmy Smits, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jake T. Austin, Benjamin Bratt, Jordana Brewster, JoAnna Garcia, Selena Gomez, Eva La Rue, Jesse Metcalfe, Enrique Murciano, Amaury Nolasco, Oscar Nunez, Soledad O'Brien, Dania Ramirez, Efren Ramirez, James Roday, Michelle Rodriguez, Adam Rodriguez, Roselyn Sanchez, Nadine Velazquez, Lauren Velez, Sofia Vergara, Kat Von D and Rainn Wilson.

"The 2009 ALMA Awards" will bring a new approach to this year's show. Television and film actress Eva Longoria Parker will share her hosting duties with comedian and actor George Lopez, in addition to reprising her role as one of the show's executive producers. This year the ALMA Awards will also update the format of the show with some modifications to the nominations process in an effort to be more inclusive of the broad array of talent throughout the industry.

The show will focus on "Year in Review" categories in film, television and music. New categories have also been added to recognize the influence of special segments of the entertainment industry that are shaping positive perceptions of the Latino community, such as emerging young talent (under 18), talent behind the scenes who make the on-screen magic happen, and a sports category in acknowledgment of the increasing integration of the worlds of sports and entertainment.

"The 2009 ALMA Awards" production team includes executive producers Janet Murgu�a, Eva Longoria Parker, David Chavez, Bob Bain and director Michael Dempsey.

About the NCLR ALMA Awards�

The two-hour special is organized by The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. The annual ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) Awards recognize and celebrate Latino artistic achievement in the entertainment industry. The ALMA Awards was created by NCLR in 1995 as part of its strategy to promote the diverse, accurate and balanced portrayals of Latinos in the media and the enhancement of the Latino image in the entertainment industry. The show is an example of how inclusion strengthens the entertainment industry, just as diversity strengthens our country.

"The 2009 ALMA Awards" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning

For more information on "The 2009 ALMA Awards," please visit www.almaawards.com.