Superstar Don Francisco Helps NLM Promote Spanish Language MedlinePlus
NLM has joined with the popular Hispanic television host Don Francisco to increase public awareness of and promote the Spanish-language version of MedlinePlus (www.medlineplus.gov/salud).
That Spanish-speaking communities are an important audience for MedlinePlus may be seen by the fact that surveys show more than 50% of adult Latinos in the U.S. use the Internet. More than half of those, in fact, look to the Web for medical and health information.
Don Francisco, the star of the well-liked TV variety show Sabado Gigante (Spanish for "Giant Saturday") is teaming up with NLM to encourage Latinos to use MedlinePlus.gov en español for their health information needs. MedlinePlus includes information on over 700 health topics, drug and herbal supplements, interactive tutorials, and health-related news stories.
"Do you want to learn more about your health quickly and easily?" Francisco asks Latino TV and radio audiences in public services announcements to be released this May. He adds, "It's simple. Visit MedlinePlus, the bilingual website with the most complete and reliable health information in the world."
Over the years, Francisco, whose real name is Mario Kreutzberger, has often been described as the Spanish-speaking equivalent of Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, or David Letterman and Sabado Gigante is as popular among Latino audiences in the United States (where it airs on the Univision network) as it is in Spain and in countries all over Latin America. In fact, Sabado Gigante is so well known among Spanish-speaking viewers that President George W. Bush has appeared on the program twice - first in 2000 (when he was running against Al Gore), then in 2004 when Francisco interviewed both Bush and his Democratic rival, Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry - who also recognized that a Sabado Gigante appearance was a perfect way to court Latino voters.
Examples of Don Francisco's public service announcements can be viewed at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/outreach/donfrancisco.html
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