FonoLibro Acquires Worldwide Rights in Spanish for the Audio Book of Dan Brown's ``The Da Vinci Code''.

MIAMI -- FonoLibro, Venevision International's company of audio books, announced the acquisition of the worldwide rights for the audio book in Spanish of the acclaimed bestseller "The Da Vinci Code", the thriller that sold over 29 million printed copies and has 110 weeks in the most sold books list of the New York Times.

"The DaVinci Code", written by the American author Dan Brown, has been one of the most important publishing successes in recent years, with over 30 million copies sold worldwide. "The Da Vince Code" audio book will be launched in its unabridged version, giving buyers the opportunity to enjoy the story in its entirety in a new medium that allows the person to "read while listening" as he/she is doing other activities.

FonoLibro's negotiation, for an undisclosed amount, includes also the worldwide rights in Spanish of another of the author's bestsellers "Angels and Demons", a book that also sold over 15 million copies. The executives of Fonolibro are convinced that these bestsellers will be an important key in the marketing promotion of audio books in Spanish, since there are a lot of people willing to try the product with high profile books. "So far," commented Arquimedes Rivero, in charge of the company, "audio books in Spanish have had a limited promotion and distribution, something we are going to change significantly with Dan Brown's books. These titles added to the recognized quality of Fonolibro's audio-books will launch the growth of the business with a substantial promotional support."

"The Da Vinci Code" takes the reader through a murder to be solved in an enigma suggested in the Mona Lisa and other Leonardo da Vinci paintings, involving religious organizations, and historical (not well known) facts of the Catholic Church. It is a work of fiction with a dynamic and thrilling narrative. The impact of this book has prompted the release of other books that want to follow up with this union of fiction with reality. Currently, Hollywood is in the process of filming "The Da Vinci Code" starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard, schedule to be released next year.

In its catalogue, FonoLibro Inc. has classics like "The Count of Montecristo", "La Esclava Isaura", "La Dama de Las Camelias" and "Les Miserables" and bestsellers such as "El Caballo de Troya 1" (by the acclaimed and controversial novelist J.J. Benitez). Soon to come on FonoLibro's bestsellers list: "Un Mensaje de Garcia," by Charles Patrick Garcia; and the international bestseller, "How to Make Love All Night," by Barbara Keesling.

FonoLibro is part of Venevision International, an entertainment company part of the Cisneros Group, with more than 30 years in the industry. Its projects are inserted in the business development strategy designed by Gustavo Cisneros, Chairman of the Cisneros Group of Companies. Venevision International distributes television programs throughout the world and is one of the largest independent producers of television programs in Spanish. The company also distributes films in Spanish in theaters, pay-per-view, home video, paid and free television in the United States, where it also participates in the music business with its own record Label Vene Music. The company also produces theater in Spanish in its own theater house in Miami and is a pioneer in the area of "advertainment" (product integration) through Synapsis International.