Florida plans census marketing blitz

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TALLAHASSEE -- The search will soon be under way in Florida for every Hispanic, farmworker, college student and members of other historically hard-to-count groups in a marketing blitz aimed at improving the 2010 Census count.

Billions of federal dollars hinge on an accurate count. But with minority and transient populations on the rise in Florida, state officials say it will be harder than ever to get the count right. A mix of old and new media -- TV, radio, billboards and social networking sites -- will all be employed in the effort.

``Florida will be facing major challenges in the 2010 Census,'' said Clyde Diao, Gov. Charlie Crist's census liaison. He cited factors such as poverty, rising unemployment, language barriers, a growing minority population and a housing foreclosure crisis that has displaced many people from their homes.

Floridians will soon be bombarded with messages reminding them to fill out census forms, part of a $2.1 million outreach.

A total of 31 public relations and marketing firms have teamed up with grass-roots organizations to seek all or part of the money. Crist's office is expected to divvy up the contract Wednesday.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1429918.html