The Latino Media Gap a Report on the State of Latinos in U.S
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OFFICER LATINA MARTINEZ WITH CARTEL HOT ACCENT GUNMAN #2 THE LATINO MEDIA GAP A REPORT ON THE STATE OF LATINOS IN U.S. MEDIA BY Frances Negrón-Muntaner with Chelsea Abbas, Luis Figueroa, and Samuel Robson COMMISSIONED BY FUNDED IN PART BY The Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race National Latino Arts, Education, Columbia University and Media Institute Latinos are a powerful force in featuring compelling Latino talent and American society. Topping fifty-three storylines are rewarded with high EXECUTIVE million, Latinos constitute one of the ratings and revenue. fastest growing ethnic groups in the SUMMARY United States, comprising 17% of Yet, with few exceptions, Latino the population and over 20% of the participation in mainstream English- AND key 18–34 marketing demographic.1 language media is stunningly low. A Relative to the general population, review of the top movies and television KEY FINDINGS Latinos also attend more movies and programs reveals that there is a narrower listen to radio more frequently than range of stories and roles, and fewer do any other U.S. racial or ethnic Latino lead actors in the entertainment group.2 In addition, their purchasing industry today, than there were seventy power is steadily increasing. By 2015, years ago. Likewise, whereas the Latino Hispanic buying power is expected to population grew more than 43% reach $1.6 trillion. To put this figure from 2000 to 2010, the rate of media in perspective: if U.S Latinos were to participation—behind and in front found a nation, that economy would be of the camera, and across all genres the 14th largest in the world.3 and formats—stayed stagnant or grew only slightly, at times proportionally Latinos are not only avid media declining.5 Even further, when Latinos consumers; they have made important are visible, they tend to be portrayed contributions to the film and television through decades-old stereotypes as industries, and currently over-index criminals, law enforcers, cheap labor, as digital communicators and online and hypersexualized beings. content creators.4 Moreover, they are watchful of their image: when programs To visualize the magnitude of Latino or films are perceived to have anti- media exclusion, we can imagine that Latino content, advocacy groups and references to the states of California consumers target studios and networks (38 million people), Illinois (12.8 with increasingly effective campaigns. million) and Rhode Island (1 million); Simultaneously, programs and movies or New York (19.6 million), Florida (19.5 million), and Pennsylvania (12.7 million) are eliminated from American media culture.6 And in the rare case that audiences saw or heard anything about, say, California or Illinois, we would be shown bikini-clad women and gangsters. In this report, we have named this conundrum the Latino media gap: as Latino consumer power grows, relative Latino media presence shrinks. Although the modest increase in numbers and the success of a handful of stars like Jennifer Lopez is noteworthy, the rate of incorporation is out of step LATINO MEDIA EXCLUSION with the massive demographic changes sweeping the country. EXCLUSION OF MORE THAN THE ENTIRE STATES OF CALIFORNIA AND ILLINOIS (38 MILLION) (12.8 MILLION) The consequences of this gap are far-reaching. The current data THE LATINO MEDIA GAP 1 suggests persistent and unchecked highest-rated scripted television shows; Spaniards are regularly confused with job discrimination in a major U.S. public television programming focusing Latinos in media representations and industry. The relegation of Latinos on history, music, and independent tend to play Hispanic-coded roles, we similarly deprives media consumers of documentary ; and select YouTube sites refer to their influence and presence innovative perspectives at a moment through March 31, 2014. but do not count them as Latinos of rapid industry and demographic for statistical purposes. In addition, change. Equally important, as To determine short- and long-term the report uses the terms Latino and entertainment and news reports often trends, we consulted a range of available Hispanic interchangeably. carry more weight than do other sources: the U.S. Census; past research forms of communication, the limited and guild reports by the Writers Guild and stereotypical nature of existing of America, Directors Guild of America, FINDINGS stories about Latinos skews the public’s and Screen Actors Guild; PBS show perception of U.S. society. It also archives; entertainment and advertising The Latino Media Gap report makes sanctions hostility toward the country’s trade magazines; and studio and eight principal findings on the gap largest minority, which has already network websites; as well as the Nielsen between Latino presence and media become the majority in many cities, Ratings, Box Office Mojo, and Internet inclusion in the U.S. today: including the media capitals of Miami Movie Database (IMDb). Furthermore, and Los Angeles. we conducted interviews with 27 media 1. Latino participation in advocates, innovators, and executives programming and movies is extremely over a period of five years (2009–2014). limited. THE STUDY In order to better understand the In general, Latino media participation The Latino Media Gap examines relationship between level of inclusion has modestly increased since the the state of Latino participation in and cultural impact, we measured 1940s. But, per capita, it is the same mainstream media and the Internet Latino media participation in two or lower than it was in prior decades in with the goal of identifying challenges different ways. The first gauged the major categories. For example, in the and opportunities to promote an number of creative talent out of all 1950s, Latinos were on average 2.8% inclusive media landscape. individuals in that field. The second of the U.S. population. In the top ten focused on how frequently creative scripted shows, however, Latinos were One of the most comprehensive talent appeared and/or was employed 3.9% of lead actor appearances and reports on Latinos and U.S. media, its over a season or a year. We found 1.5% of all lead roles; in the top ten seven sections provide an overview of both approaches useful, particularly movies, Latinos made up 1.3% of lead critical issues, namely rates of media to describe the inclusion of actors, appearances and played 1.7% of lead participation, stereotyping, ownership, since a single star like Cameron Diaz roles. Yet, in 2013, despite being 17% leadership, diversity policies, economic or Sofia Vergara may represent a small of the population, Latinos comprised impact of diversity, Latino advocacy, percentage of actors in a category none of the lead actors among the top and Latino innovation. The first but can be highly visible due to the ten movies and scripted network TV three sections focus on the stagnation repetition of a hit show or popular shows. and proportional decline of Latino character over time. participation in media since 1940 while 2. Latino men have disappeared as noting new trends in the incorporation Another important methodological leading actors; though the percentage of women and Afro-Latinos. The last consideration refers to the term of Latinas and Afro-Latino actors is four sections emphasize approaches, “Latino.” As there are different rising. initiatives, and individuals that are both definitions and these can affect expanding opportunity for Latinos in statistical outcomes, the present study Until the 1990s, there were considerably media and transforming the industries. defines Latinos as persons born in more Latino male leads than Latina the United States who are of Latin leads in TV shows and films. This The study encompasses new research American descent and/or who have trend has significantly reversed. In the based on quantitative and qualitative been born in Latin America and have 2010–2013 period, Latino men did not methods. Our team analyzed Latino immigrated to the United States. We perform any leading roles in the top ten inclusion in network and studio identified Latino talent by surname, films and TV shows, and constituted leadership; top ten movies as measured place of origin, self-identification, and fewer than 3% of supporting television by domestic gross revenue; top ten other corroborating data. Being that and film actor appearances. Latinas 2 THE LATINO MEDIA GAP also did not play any television leads. has also narrowed. Presently, 36.6% of campaign’s goal has shrunk from an Still, they were 4.6% of all female film Latino TV character appearances are average of two years in the 1970s to lead appearances and 9.5% of all TV in law enforcement and a whopping three weeks today. supporting female appearances. On 44.7% of Latino-coded television television, Latinas accounted for 67% characters are either uncredited or 8. Latinos drive new media of Latino supporting roles. unnamed. Equally important, 69% production and innovation. of iconic media maids in film and In addition, while there were few television since 1996 are Latina. As Latinos continue to be shut out Afro-Latino stars in prior eras, the of traditional media, their creativity percentage of prominent Afro-Latino 5. News is worse than fiction. is migrating to the Internet, blurring actors has significantly increased. From the distinction between producer and 2010 to 2013, Afro-Latino performers Stories about Latinos constitute less consumer. Latino participation online is represented 18.2% of Latino film than 1% of news media coverage, and significantly higher than in mainstream actors and 16.7% of Latino TV actors, the majority of these stories feature media or PBS. Of the top 50 single- although they were generally confined Latinos as lawbreakers. Moreover, focused YouTube channels with the to supporting roles in both media. Latino participation in front and most subscribers, 18% are produced behind the camera is extraordinarily by and/or feature U.S.