LEADERSHIP' GRANT:

EVS Communications, the producers of the Washington, D.C.-based Spanish-language public affairs program Linea Directa, was named one of the 20 winners of the Ford Foundation's "Leadership for a Changing World" award. EVS was the only media organization selected among the 20 awardees. A total of 1,400 nominations were submitted in the national competition. Each winner receives $100,000 and an additional $30,000 to advance their work over a two-year period. EVS Communications has been producing Linea Directa in the Washington, D.C., market since 1990. The program first began airing on Univisión. It is now produced at the local NBC station in Washington and airs weekly on the local Telemundo station. The LCW award, created in September 2000, is a Ford Foundation program in partnership with the Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

Juan González, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, was one of four journalists named to Hispanic Business magazine's annual list of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics. González, a columnist for the New York Daily News, was joined on the list by Carolyn Curiel, a member of the editorial board of the New York Times; Robert García, vice president of CNN Radio and Lisa Guerrero, sports anchor, Fox Sports Net.

TIED FOR FIRST:

Noticias 41, the newscast for Univisión station WXTV, finished tied for first place in the 6 p.m. time slot in the New York City television market on Sept. 23, with a 5.7 rating/11 share. The newscast was knotted with the local NBC station. The rating was the highest ever for a Spanish-language news program in New York, according to the station. MEDIA 42, Oct. 21, 20002