Extensions of Remarks E2047 HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E2047 No. 1 Spanish-language station, drawing in Last year, Telemundo, owned by Sony and prove market access, I strongly believe we about 122,625 householdsÐmore than four AT&T's Liberty Media, tried to strike back, can still make significant gains. Consider we times that of its main rival, Telemundo's taking old shows like ``Charlie's Angels'' and have one of the largest markets in the world. WNJU/Channel 47. reshooting them with a Hispanic cast. ``It Today, the Univision station will try to bombed,'' Almodovar-Colon said. Every nation wants to sell their product to us, grab even more of the TV viewing audience While Channel 41 is the leader, Roldan is and we must more effectively utilize this lever- when it launches New York's first early determined to narrow the gap. Telemundo age. It comes down to a simple proposition. If morning Spanish-language newscast, a 6 a.m. has been pouring money into new program- foreign nations don't let us fairly sell American to 7 a.m. version of its popular news pro- ming recently, and Roldan said he is banking products in their markets, we shouldn't let gram, ``Noticias 41.'' on new shows like ``Father Albert,'' a talk them sell their products in America. We're only Hosted by Spanish broadcasting veterans show hosted by a priest. asking for what is fair. We're only asking for Adhemar Montagne and Arly Alfaro, the Even more important, Channel 47 secured a level playing field, and we're not even get- show is aimed at drawing away Spanish the rights to broadcast Yankees, Mets and speakers who now get their wake-up calls Knicks games in Spanish. ting that. from English-language stations WCBS/Chan- While Univision is making ratings strides, This is a real problem, and I submit that nel 2, WNBC/Channel 4, WNYW/Channel 5 and it remains a laggard when it comes to total with most problems, there is usually a simple WABC/Channel 7. advertising dollars. Last year, the station solution. The expansion of Univision's local newsÐ took in $50 million, abut one-sixth the sales Mr. Speaker, I call upon the U.S. Trade which recently won two Emmy awards, a of Channel 4. Representative to step up efforts to tear down first for Spanish-language TVÐcomes in the That's because advertisers have histori- those tariff and non-tariff trade barriers that middle of a hot streak at Channel 41, founded cally poured fewer dollars into reaching impede American exports to those nation, es- 31 years ago. Spanish-speakers even though their numbers pecially China and Taiwan. By opening up In an additional sign of its growing promi- are rising. nence, the station has several times in the ``It's racism and ignorance,'' Almodovar- those huge consumer markets to American past week surpassed WWOR/Channel 9, with Colon contended. products, we can do so much for American programs like ``Noticias 41'' hosted by vet- But she added that the tide has been workers. Open up those markets, level the eran Rafael Pineda outdrawing sitcom ``Sis- changing for Spanish-language media as the playing field, increase American exports, and ter, Sister,'' and novelas ``Soadoras'' over- explosive rise of entertainers like Ricky create American jobs. It's as simple as that. taking ``In the House.'' Martin, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony f Even Channel 2 took a recent beating from draws attention to the city's Hispanic popu- Univision when network newscast ``Noticiero lation. GENERAL FEDERATION OF Univision''Ðfrom 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.Ðover- Latino culture is becoming ``the hottest WOMEN'S CLUBS ANNIVERSARY took ``The CBS Evening News with Dan thing around,'' Almodovar-Colon said. Rather.'' Channel 41's strides mirror the rise of New f HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI York's Latino community. The fastest-grow- OF PENNSYLVANIA ing minority group in the region, which in- U.S. TRADE DEFICIT RISES AGAIN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cludes the city and its surrounding suburbs, Hispanics account for about 18 percent of the HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI Wednesday, October 6, 1999 population, numbering 3.4 million. Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today ``New York continues to be the historic OF ILLINOIS point of entry,'' said Carey Davis, general IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to bring to the attention of my colleagues the 75th Anniversary of the General Federation of manager of Hispanic radio stations WSKQ/ Wednesday, October 6, 1999 97.9 FM and WPAT/93.1 FM. Women's Clubs (GFWC) of Luzerne County. As Channel 41 has stolen market share, its Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, on September The GWFC will celebrate this milestone at a Los Angeles-based parent has prospered as 21, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued breakfast meeting on Saturday, October 9, well. Under Chairman Jerry PerenchioÐa its regular report on the U.S. trade deficit for 1999. I am pleased and proud to have been former Hollywood talent agent who rep- the month of July. It should be no surprise to asked to participate in this event. resented Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Tay- many of my colleagues in this chamber that Since 1924, the GFWC has been a commu- lor before joining the network in 1992Ðthe company's ratings growth has made it the the deficit has risen again. It has, in fact, nity-based, volunteer organization representing nation's fastest-growing TV network. grown to $25.2 billion, a 2.4 percent increase women of all ages. Early records show meet- A tough-minded manager, Perenchio re- from June. ings held in two parts, the Board of Directors fuses to allow any Univision executives to The U.S. deficit set new records with Japan, and a Presidents Meeting, which involved club speak to the press, once even fining an em- China, and Western Europe. Foreign products presidents from all over the county in attend- ployee who defied him. Perenchio and other flood our shores, an there's nothing being ance. The purpose of the organization was to Channel 41 executives refused Daily News re- done. In 1998, the U.S. trade deficits with bring together the officers of all area women's quests for interviews. While it has been widely reported that China and Taiwan accounted for nearly one- clubs and consolidate various volunteer pro- Perenchio doesn't even speak Spanish, he se- third of the total U.S. trade deficit. The deficit grams and projects. The Luzerne County cured the long-term rights to some of the with China alone skyrocketed from $3.5 billion GFWC currently consists of fourteen volunteer most popular programming in Latin Amer- in 1988 to nearly $60 billion in 1998, and Tai- clubs representing almost 600 women of all ica, generated by entertainment wan is consistently one of our top ten deficit ages. powerhouses Televisa of Mexico and Ven- trading partners. Many worthy causes have benefited from ezuela's Venevision, both of which own a Nobody seems to notice or care about this the GFWC's efforts throughout the years. Fed- stake in Univision. problem. Foreign trade becomes a larger and eration Day, held in conjunction with Boscov's As a result, the network gets a steady dose of novelas, the extremely popular soap- larger portion of our economy. Exports plus Department store, has brought thousands of operalike miniseries that Channel 41 airs in imports represent over twenty percent of the dollars to area social service agencies. In the prime time, starting with novelas for teens U.S. gross domestic product. We ignore it at early 1980s, the GWFC donated almost and racier ones as the night goes on. our own peril. Most economists argue that the $40,000 to the Domestic Violence Service One current hit is ``Camila,'' the story of a trade deficits do not matter. I strongly dis- Center to aid a shelter for battered women young woman in a small town whose husband agree. Even Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the and children. Other GWFC projects have in- leaves her behind for a job in the big city, Federal Reserve, said, ``unless reversed, our cluded supporting Drug Free School Zones where he's seduced by his boss' daughter. ``/[Novelas are] a way of life in Puerto growing international imbalances are apt to signs for all area schools and universities, Rico,'' said Millie Almodovar-Colon, a media create significant problems for our economy.'' rooms for terminally ill patients at Hospic St. buyer at Siboney USA, a Spanish advertising Consequently, huge bilateral trade deficits John, hearing aids for Wyoming Valley Chil- agency that represents Colgate-Palmolive means lost trading opportunities and ultimately drens Association, a van for Catherine and Denny's. ``My grandma watched them means lost American jobs. While rosy unem- McCauley Center, wishes for terminally ill chil- and my mom watched them,'' she added. ployment figures hide the fact that over the dren under the Make A Wish Foundation, a Univision's program monopoly puts last year 422,000 Americans lost good-paying rescue boat for the Luzerne County Sheriff's Telemundo's Channel 47 at a big disdvantage, manufacturing job to workers overseas, fami- Office, and a beautiful new marquee for the acknowledged that station's general man- ager, Luis Roldan. lies continue to labor to make ends meet in Kirby Center. ``The novelas guarantee the minds, hearts low-paying service sector jobs. The General Federation of Women's Clubs and souls of the viewers,'' he said. ``We can't While I recognize the fact that the U.S.