Naples couple using television to bring east coast market to SW Florida.

Spanish Language TV program ask "Que pasa SW Florida".

"Take A Look" Sabor Venezolano.

A partir del 28 de Noviembre estara al aire programa "Take a Look TV Magazine".

Take a Look taking over Nielsen ratings.

Spanish program meets needs of growing niche.

Whats up?

Local Spanish-speaking viewers are getting their own television variety show en Español.

That's " Que Pasa, Southwest Florida" premiering Sunday, Sept. 9 on WEVU-TV, a UPN station serving Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties. Other localy produced shows target the Hispanic population, but the new half hour program joins "Salsa, Fama y Estrella" as the only strictly Spanish-speaking shows.

Its a slick, effects-enhanced magazine-style show mixing news and entertainment. The shows creators plan to unveil a preview friday at a press conference in Naples.

"It's the right moment for this to happen," said director jose Marquez Stefani, who's also producing along with wife Lila Marquez. The Naples couple has done shows for HBO Latino such as "Estrellas y Hollywood" through their company , MHTV.

"Five years ago, the spanish population was very low" he said."Now its growing".

Along with it, the need for information - about hurricanes, elections, immigration issues, restaurants, Hispanic leaders and businesses - in a language viewers can relate to.

"Even people who know English, many prefer to see, hear and know things in Spanish," Lila Marquez said."Its important that the Spanish-speaking market can reach all this information".

The 2000 census numbers showed that 42,042 now live in Lee county, a 178.5 percent jump from 1990. Hispanics today represent 9.5 percent of the county's population of 440,888.

The show represents progress for the soaring Hispanic population, according to Michael Villalobos, a Fort Myers attorney ad president of Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"We're 110 percent - 2000 percent - behind it" Villalobos said. "Theres definetly a void this will fill - to be able to communicate about local events in spanish.

The show isnt the couples firts foray into local television. Theyve launched a similar lifestyle program aimed at Hispanics, the English-language "Take a Look," a year ago. it now airs at midnight Thursdays on WTVK-TV the WB affiliate. It blends music, dining, personality profiles and news.

"Que Pasa is going to be the same format in spanish , " said Lila Marquez, who will appear on the show along with primary host Frank rodriguez, a Naples banker and civic leader." It means 'Whats going on" - wheres the entertainment, wheres best food, who is important Latin person in Southwest Florida".

With more Hispanic-owned businesses and more Hispanic professionals populating the area, savvy marketers could be seeing dollar signs on their TV screens.Naples Mitsubishi & Hyundai already has inked a deal as the main sponsor of "Que Pasa".

The variety show joins the Spanish-speaking "Salsa, Fama y Estrellas" in the lineup at WEVU, which reaches some 334,000 households and its carried by 84 percent of the local cable market.

Pursuing Spanish-speaking viewers is one way the WEVU can stand out from the rest, according to station manager Dave Elliot.

"When youre a small station like we are, you have to do things other stations cant or wont do" Elliot said. " You can cater to a more specialized audience.

"As far as i know, we are the only station airing locally produced Spanish-speaking programming. Its a vastly underserved market.

Twenty - to 60 year olds are the target audience, according to producer Jose Marquez Stefani, who has 20 years expirience in television.

Host Rodriguez has more expirience being interviewed than doing the interviewing. He ran unsuccessfully for County Commision last year.

"Que Pasa" evolved from early discussions between the producers and Rodriguez.

"I am involved in many areas of the community and have been able to identify the need for Spanish TV programming to actually bring in local news and information," Rodriguez said.

"We dont have anything like that now. I believe this show can play a key role in opening up lines of communication".