TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary 1

Behind the Report: Partners and Funders 4

The Latino Disconnect: An Introduction 6

1. Off Camera: Latinos Before and After the Comcast and NBCUniversal Merger 9

2. Huge Deal: The Comcast and Time Warner Cable Merger 15

3. Game Over: Latino Advocacy and the Failed Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger 20

4. The Next Wave: Latinos and the New Telecom-Media Mergers 27

5. Online Views: Diversity in Streamed Original Programming and Corporate Leadership 30

Conclusion: Connecting Communities 33

Notes 34 Latinos are among the most connected investigated the multiple implications and media-savvy Americans: They of Comcast’s unsuccessful attempt to use smartphones, buy movie tickets, acquire Time Warner Cable, the nation’s and listen to radio at higher rates second-largest cable provider. Moreover, than any other ethnic or racial we analyzed the recent wave of mergers group. Comprising 17.4% of the after the failed Comcast-Time Warner population and commanding 1.5 Cable transaction and the important trillion dollars in buying power, Latinos role of Latino advocacy in influencing EXECUTIVE SUMMARY also make up nearly a quarter of the public discussion and outcomes coveted 18–34-year-old advertising around media consolidation. To assess demographic. Yet the media and whether the Internet offers a more telecommunications companies that inclusive alternative to traditional media collect billions of Latino dollars do companies, we considered the diversity not seem to notice. We call this state records of online content producers of affairs the Latino disconnect: despite Netflix and Hulu. Latinos’ notable population growth and increased share of American purchasing With few exceptions, the report reveals power, large companies continue to limit that merged and streaming companies access, representation, and opportunity deepen the Latino disconnect. The for Latino consumers, content creators, low number of Latinos in corporate and businesses. leadership and behind the camera is reflected by equally inadequate and The Latino disconnect has been highly stereotypical representation of exacerbated by the acceleration Latinos. The media giants offer limited of media market consolidation, a opportunities to Latino businesses process that is reshaping the US and fail to meet Latino consumer communications landscape. During demand for affordable and high-quality the past decade alone, there has been broadband service. Findings from the an average of two substantial mergers report further demonstrate the inefficacy per year in the media, telecom, and of memoranda of understanding Internet industries. These mergers (MOU) signed between companies and have often resulted in higher prices for Latino organizations to diversify content services, while giving a small number and leadership. of companies unprecedented power over what Americans watch, how it is The consequences of this disconnect are delivered, and whether independent far-reaching. Once a merger has been content producers are included or paid approved, it is final. If the companies sustainable fees. do not fulfill stipulations outlined in MOUs or other agreements, consumers The first study of its kind, this report are left with hardly any mechanisms highlights the impact of the Latino to affect changes in access or pricing. disconnect on consumers, communities Additionally, in the US, communities and mainstream media by examining and individuals cannot fully participate the representation of Latinos three in society without access to broadband. years before and three years after one This resource is particularly important of the most important media and for groups that have been historically telecom mergers in recent history: the excluded from opportunity and denied 2011 Comcast-NBCUniversal merger, a public voice as broadband provides which brought together a major cable not only access to entertainment but company, a film studio, and several also education, health information, job television networks. Our team also opportunities, government services,

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 1 news, and other forms of enrichment. NBCUniversal merger. These included Yet, due to market consolidation, there criminals, law enforcers, and blue- are fewer choices to obtain the services collar workers, or an army of “people from an alternate provider and existing in uniform”: inmates, police officers, options may be financially out of reach janitors, and maids. While in film, for many. stereotypical characters reached an all-time high of 66.7% in 2013, on At another level, the low rates of Latino television, stereotypical roles rose from participation in the media industry 34.1% in the 2008–2009 season to implies widespread discrimination in 52.5% in the 2014–2015 season. This hiring and the marginalization of diverse was also the case in news stories about perspectives. The stereotypical nature of Latinos and Latin America. A stunning existing Latino stories and roles further 64% of Latino-themed NBC Nightly skews the perception of the country’s News segments from 2012 to 2014 largest minority group. This makes it focused on illegal immigration and more difficult for the United States crime. In news, Latinos were largely to address pressing challenges such as represented as threatening to the United immigration reform, rising economic States in one of three ways: as criminals, inequities, and equal access to education illegal immigrants, or communists. for the nation’s children, 22% of whom are Latino. 3. Latino leaders segregated and media partners paid less. Although the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger led KEY FINDINGS to expanded operations in its Spanish- language properties, Latino leadership Our analysis of the relationship between was segregated. Only one top Latino media mergers and Latinos over the last Comcast-NBCUniversal executive seven years includes the following key oversees non–Latino-specific markets findings: or initiatives. In addition, Comcast’s willingness to pay sustainable fees to 1. Less diversity after the merger. We competing Latino Spanish-language found no significant increase in diversity networks like LATV and Estrella TV behind the camera after the 2011 sharply declined after the merger. Comcast-NBCUniversal merger through to the 2014–2015 television season. 4. Latino advocacy plays an In most categories, Latino inclusion increasingly bigger role in declined. On average, Latinos accounted mergers. During the 2011 Comcast- for less than 7% of behind-the-camera NBCUniversal merger debate, Latino talent in the top ten shows, national national organizations succeeded news programs, and films. Moreover, in negotiating a memorandum of no Latinos were among the C-suite understanding (MOU) to increase decision-makers and only one served on diversity and establish a benchmark. the board of directors. Newly merged Three years later, in part due to the media and telecom companies have limited impact of the MOU, Latinos similarly low levels of diversity. helped to derail the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger through the 2. Stereotypes on screen surged creation of a broad coalition of after the merger. At NBCUniversal, advocates, consumers, members of while the percentage of Latino actors Congress, scholars, and content- modestly increased, stereotypes grew producers. In 2016, Latino advocates considerably after the Comcast- continue to play this role.

2 THE LATINO DISCONNECT 5. Latino advocacy impacts industry leaders, advocates, consumers, programming. Latino consumer government officials, and a wide range dissatisfaction and advocacy before of organizations. To this end, we provide and during the Comcast-Time Warner the following recommendations. Cable merger debate correlates to a rise in the number of Latino-themed pilots. For company and creative leadership: The percentage jumped from 0% in the 2014–2015 season to 8% for the 2015– 1. Develop a comprehensive and 2016 season. Even more dramatic, four enforceable plan to significantly diversify out of thirteen new NBCUniversal leadership and creative positions as well pilots, or 30.8%, have a Latino lead, all as expand opportunities for Latino- of which are women. owned companies over the next five years. 6. Online content is also stereotypical and talent is segregated. In Netflix 2. Recruit from diverse, experienced, productions from January 2014 through and underutilized Latino talent June 2015, Latinos have similarly low pools; inform writers, producers, and rates of representation as in traditional directors regarding the diversity of the media: they account for 8.1% of actors Latino experience to avoid persistent and 3.6% of the behind-the-camera stereotypical representation. talent. Likewise, 49% of Latino roles are stereotypical. In Hulu shows, Latino 3. Create pipelines of opportunity for presence was notably higher, comprising Latino leaders and content producers in 33.3% of writers and 31.5% of actors. Spanish-language media to participate in Even further, their characterizations the production and creation of English- were far less stereotypical. At the same language media. time, the vast majority of Latino Hulu talent appeared in a single series, East For Latino advocates and consumers: Los High. Without this show, Latino inclusion plummets to 0% of leads and 4. Actively participate in public debates behind- the-camera talent. concerning media consolidation at both the local and national level. 7. New wave of mergers extends the Latino disconnect. The new mergers 5. Boost organizational capacity and that have been approved or proposed in expand coalition networks by using 2015 continue to consolidate the media digital tools and social media. industry. They also sustain the Latino disconnect in various ways as most 6. Expand the purview of research and of these companies offer limited low advocacy to include online content income Internet access and/or do not production companies. include Latinos in the top leadership. Overall, only 1.4% of CEOs and 7.7% For government entities: of board members are Latino, and all are men. 7. Limit the number and scope of media mergers as well as increase support and capacity building for SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO advocates, organizations, and consumers BETTER CONNECT WITH LATINOS to participate in debates, legislation, and hearings that concern media and Greater Latino connection is possible telecommunications policy and mergers. through a concerted effort among

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 3 The Latino Disconnect was co- ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC commissioned by the Media and FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS Idea Lab of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia The National Hispanic Foundation University and the National Hispanic for the Arts (NHFA) was cofounded Foundation for the Arts. in 1997 by actors Jimmy Smits, Sonia Braga, Esai Morales, Merel Julia, and Washington, DC lawyer Felix BEHIND THE REPORT: ABOUT THE CENTER FOR THE Sanchez to advance the presence STUDY OF ETHNICITY AND RACE and image of Latinos in the media, PARTNERS telecommunications, and entertainment The Center for the Study of Ethnicity industries. The NHFA promotes AND FUNDERS and Race (CSER) is Columbia career opportunities for Latino artists University’s main interdisciplinary and professionals while fostering hub for the most innovative research, the emergence of new Latino talent public discussion, and teaching about in all aspects of entertainment and race, ethnicity, and indigeneity in the telecommunications. United States and beyond. CSER is also home to the Media and Idea Lab, The NHFA also provides scholarships a novel program that promotes media and outreach programs to Latino research and the use of media to relay graduate students at eight universities new knowledge to a broad public. with a direct pipeline into the Among the Lab’s projects are Small entertainment business: Columbia City, Big Change, a policy brief and University, New York University, video, produced in association with Harvard University, Yale University, Hispanics in Philanthropy; The Latino Northwestern University, the University Media Gap: The State of Latinos in US of Texas at Austin, the University of Media, a collaboration with the National California at Los Angeles, and the Association of Latino Independent University of Southern California. Producers, National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, Social Science Research Council, and National Latino PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Arts, Education, and Media Institute; and Narratives of Inclusion, a partnership Frances Negrón-Muntaner is a with the Center for Justice at Columbia filmmaker, writer, curator, scholar University. To learn more about the and professor at Columbia University, Lab’s programs and to download current where she is the director of the Center and prior reports, visit http://www. for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, columbia.edu/cu/cser/. and founding directors of the Media

4 THE LATINO DISCONNECT and Idea Lab. Among her books and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS publications are The Latino Media Gap (2014) and Boricua Pop: Puerto Ricans A report of this scale would not and the Latinization of American Culture be possible without the help and (2004). Her recent films include War encouragement of many friends and for Guam (2015) and Life Outside partners. We would like to thank (2016). In 2005, she was named one of Mark Lloyd, Ana Valdez, Jeffrey the most influential Latinos by Hispanic Humphreys, and Amy Tenbrink for Business Magazine, and in 2008, the all their thoughtful suggestions and United Nations’ Rapid Response Media support. Many thanks also to US Mechanism recognized her as a global Representative Tony Cárdenas and his expert in mass media and Latin/o staff, Paul Kincaid and Anna Hevia; American studies. She is a founding media advocates Arturo Carmona and member and former board chair of Antonio Gonzalez; Barry Friedman, the National Association of Latino general counsel for Entravision; as well Independent Producers. as Ellen Stutzman, Emily Sokolski, and Tery Lopez from the Writers Guild of Chelsea Abbas is a PhD candidate America, West. in applied anthropology at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is In addition, we are thankful to Felix a graduate fellow at Columbia’s Earth Sanchez, NHFA chairman and Institute. Her specializations include cofounder, for his initiative and insights. race, visual anthropology, and social We are similarly grateful to CSER’s staff, movements in the Americas. Teresa Aguayo and Josephine Caputo; and research assistants Michael Carter, Damian Fagon, Nicholas Goodly, RESEARCH COLLABORATORS David Lee, Alexandra Martinez, and Ian Shin. Our deep appreciation also goes Nathan Xavier Osorio is an MFA to Victoria Benitez from Columbia’s candidate in the Columbia University communications team, fact checker Writing Program. He is the poetry Kim Leiken, editors Michael Koch and editor for Columbia: A Journal of Celeste Fraser Delgado, and designer Literature and Art. Stephen Chou for their impressive talent and important contributions to making Ediz Ozelkan is an MA candidate this report a success. in American Studies at Columbia University. His research focuses on race, class, and identity in popular culture.

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 5 In February 2014, the nation’s largest radio more frequently than any other US cable operator and Internet services racial or ethnic group.7 Latinos also over- provider, Comcast Corporation, index in Internet video consumption. announced plans to acquire Time According to a recent Nielsen report, Warner Cable Inc., the nation’s second- Latinos “spend more time viewing video largest cable and Internet services on digital devices, with the average provider. Comcast’s main goal was to Latino spending more than eight hours expand its broadband reach at a time watching online video each month, THE LATINO when more customers were subscribing which is over 90 minutes longer than to its Internet service than to its cable the US average.”8 Furthermore, Latinos DISCONNECT: and on-demand oferings.1 Te new adopt smartphones at a higher rate merged company would serve 30% of than any other group. By 2014, 72% of AN INTRODUCTION the nation’s cable subscribers and 57% Latinos owned smartphones, which is of the broadband market as well as own “close to 10 percent higher than average over ffty media-producing companies, in the US” (fgure 3).9 broadcast networks, and cable networks (fgure 1). Importantly, Latinos are not passive online consumers; they similarly over- Not surprisingly, given its scope, the index as content producers. A study proposed $45.2 billion merger sparked of college students found that Latinos a major debate about whether it would “were more likely to be online content produce a monopoly that violates creators than were white students.”10 antitrust laws, inhibits competition in Forrester’s social technographics ladder providing high-speed Internet services, further noted that 47% of online and fails to serve the public interest.2 Latinos are content creators. According Equally important, the potential merger to David Chitel of New Generation mobilized Congressional Hispanic Latino, this represents an over-index of Caucus members, Latino-led media 263 when the activity of non-Hispanics companies, and other Latino leaders is indexed at 100.11 and organizations in protest.3 Teir central concern was the disproportionate Yet, still not surpassing the single digits, efect that the merger would have on the rate of Latino media participation Latinos: the new company would serve a remains stunningly low and out of step staggering nineteen out of the top twenty with the demographic transformations Latino markets, where 91% of Latino taking place in the United States.12 households are currently located.4 Moreover, although Latinos over- index as consumers and producers Te advocates’ concern was warranted. online, only 56% of Latino households At ffty-fve million, Latinos constitute currently have access to broadband one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups due to its high cost.13 In addition, in the United States, comprising 17.4% most companies still lack diversity of the population and over 20% of the in leadership and provide limited key 18 to 34 marketing demographic procurement and business opportunities for advertising, media, and broadband to Latinos. companies.5 In 2015, Latino buying power reached $1.5 trillion, with a In this report, we refer to this state of signifcant portion of that income afairs as the Latino disconnect. While geared toward media consumption.6 the importance of Latinos as media consumers, content providers, and Relative to the general population, online producers grows exponentially, Latinos attend more movies and listen to the availability of diverse media

6 THE LATINO DISCONNECT representation, afordable broadband, To measure whether the type of and leadership opportunities in major company ownership has an impact media and telecommunications on the diversity of online streaming companies does not. Latino consumers content and leadership, we also also continue to have limited reliable surveyed the diversity record of Netfix, While the importance of information regarding diversity in an independent company with 67.5 Latinos as media consumers, mainstream media and few avenues to million subscribers, and Hulu, which infuence corporate governance.14 has 6 million subscribers and was content providers, and founded by Disney-ABC Television online producers grows In response, our goal is to examine Group, Fox Broadcasting Company, the efects of proposed and completed and NBCUniversal (which, however, exponentially, the availability mergers on Latinos from 2008 to relinquished any infuence over of diverse media, affordable 2015. Tese include the 2011 Comcast Hulu’s operation when it merged with acquisition of the General Electric Comcast).16 broadband, and leadership portion of NBCUniversal, the failed opportunities in major media merger of Comcast and Time Warner Specifcally, our report consists of Cable in 2015, and the recent wave of fve core sections. Te frst focuses on and telecommunications media mergers of telecommunications Latino talent diversity in the top ten companies does not. and broadband provider Verizon scripted television and news shows, Communications and multimedia and highest-grossing flms produced content producer AOL, cable and phone by NBCUniversal before and after service provider AT&T and satellite the merger. Tis section likewise service provider DirecTV, and cable considers the postmerger corporate operators Charter Communications, leadership diversity and mobility in Figure 1 Major Latino metro areas that would Time Warner Cable, and Bright House both English- and Spanish-language have been covered by a Comcast-Time Warner Networks.15 divisions of NBCUniversal. In order to merger (Source: Business Insider, WebpageFX)

LATINO METRO AREAS AFTER A COMCAST-TWC MERGER

SAN FRANCISCO -OAKLAND-VALLEJO, CA 1.1M 2.0M CHICAGO, IL 4.3M 5.8M NYC-NORTHERN NJ DALLAS-FORTH WORTH, TX

LA 2.1M -LONG BEACH, CA 1.8M RIVERSIDE -SAN BERNARDINO, CA 1.1M SAN ANTONIO, TX STATES DOMINATED BY COMCAST AFTER A TWC BUYOUT 2.1M 1.6M LATINO METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH MAJOR LATINO POPULATIONS HOUSTON-BRAZORIA, TX MIAMI-HIALEAH, FL POPULATION # DOMINATED BY COMCAST AFTER A TWC BUYOUT

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 7 examine the substantial impact that the Satisfaction Index (ACIS), NBC Nightly Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger News archives, company websites, tax would have had on Latinos, the second records, and the Hollywood Reporter. section investigates how each company We also interviewed a total of fifteen compared in terms of Latino diversity, executives working within merged or product quality, general customer soon-to-be merged media companies, service, procurement, and philanthropic members of Congress, business leaders, giving. and activists opposed to the Comcast- Time Warner Cable merger. In the third section, we explore how and why Latinos organized against the As with our prior report, The Latino Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, Media Gap: The State of Latinos in US and in what ways this mobilization Media (2014), we define a Latino as a contributed to both hindering the person of Latin American origin that merger and a more diverse 2015-2016 has immigrated to, or is born, in the television pilot lineup. Te last two United States. We identified Latino sections consider the questions raised talent and leadership by surname, by the increasing number of completed place of birth, self-identification, and or pending merger transactions that other corroborating data. In order to followed Comcast’s Time Warner bid, maintain consistency with the film data and the diversity records in leadership and highlight the importance of a given and production of online content character to a story, we categorized producers Hulu and Netfix between characters as “lead” or “supporting” January 1, 2014, and June 15, 2015 rather than “regular” or “recurring,” as networks may do in their own data To create the report’s data sets, we gathering. examined a range of available Figure 2 Latinos’ current media and Internet sources, including the US Census, participation (Source: Te Latino Media Gap Internet Movie Database (IMDb), and Nielsen) Nielsen Ratings, American Customer

LATINOS SPEND LATINO BUYING POWER, 2015 90 MINUTES+ $ 47% MORE THAN THE NATIONAL 1.5 OF LATINOS ONLINE ARE AVERAGE WATCHING ONLINE CONTENT CREATORS VIDEOS PER MONTH TRILLION LATINOS ACCOUNT FOR (FASTEST GROWING IN HRS 8+ HRS THE NATION) OF US POPULATION 8 17.4% (53 MILLION+) 7 6.5 HRS LATINOS NATIONAL AVERAGE ... 6 LATINOS 5 ONLINE LATINOS IN MAJOR US CITIES 72% 62% 4 NYC CHICAGO LATINOS BUY 27.5% 28.9% 3 2 LATINO SMARTPHONE OWNERSHIP IS CLOSE TO 1 25% LA MIAMI HIGHER THAN THE OF ALL 48.1% 68.2% 0 NATIONAL LATINOS NATIONAL AVERAGE MOVIE TICKETS AVERAGE 10%

8 THE LATINO DISCONNECT Since 2000, the United States has on Latino diversity in original English- experienced a spike in merger activity, as language programming, we examined media, Internet, and telecommunications talent in front of and behind the camera companies struggle for greater infuence from the 2008–2009 to the 2014–2015 in a rapidly shifting business landscape.1 seasons in the top ten television shows Emblematic of this process is the produced by NBCUniversal. We also Comcast and NBCUniversal merger, considered the top ten highest-grossing which combined flm and television flms from 2008 through 2015, and the properties in English and Spanish with most complete available archive of NBC 1 cable and broadband services.2 Partly due Nightly News, which spanned from to the merger’s anticipated impact on February 1, 2012 to February 4, 2014. OFF CAMERA: these companies’ control over content and distribution, the deal, which was We found that while the merged LATINOS BEFORE AND announced in 2009, was not closed for company retained some opportunities several years. for Latinos, including in the lucrative AFTER THE COMCAST Te Fast and the Furious franchise, In 2011, the US government fnally and opened up new ones such as in AND NBCUNIVERSAL approved the transaction after Comcast MSNBC’s Te Rundown with José accepted nine conditions stipulated by Díaz-Balart (now MSNBC Live with MERGER the US Federal Communications José Díaz-Balart, fgure 4), its overall Commission (FCC).3 Among them was performance did not show signifcant a pledge to carry minority networks and improvement.6 Instead, the merged to improve “diversity in employment company’s diversity record was and procurement.”4 Comcast also agreed characterized by a zigzag pattern of to increase diversity in governance, slight growth alongside stagnation and programming, philanthropy, and decline. community investment.5 To assure that Latinos would be part of the new initiatives, several national organizations DIVERSITY POSTMERGER: negotiated a memorandum of STAGNATION AND DECLINE understanding (MOU) with NBCUniversal that Comcast entered In general, both before and after into on June 25, 2010. the merger, NBC had low rates of Latino inclusion in the network’s top In order to measure the efectiveness of ten scripted shows. On average, the the MOU and the impact of the merger percentage of directors increased by

Figure 4 Te Rundown with José Díaz-Balart on MSNBC (Source: MSNBC, 2015)

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 9 only 0.8% after the merger, from 3.6% in the postmerger period. Te most to 4.4%. All other categories decreased: notable change was in the category of Latino executive producers shrunk from leads, which rose from 0% to 6.9%. 1.9% to 1.5% and Latino producers, Tis increase was due to the inclusion of from 2.2% to 1.1%. Latino writers two actors: Danny Pino, who became a experienced the steepest fall: Tey main cast member of Law & Order SVU comprised 3.8% of premerger writers in 2011, and Jon Seda, who began to and 2.2% of all writers after the merger appear as Antonio Dawson on Chicago (fgure 5). PD during 2014. In May of 2015, however, the network announced that Moreover, from the 2008–2009 to Pino would not be returning to Law & 2014–2015 seasons, there was limited Order SVU. gender and racial diversity within the Latino behind-the-camera television Concerning Afro-Latino inclusion, talent pool. Afro-Latinos made up there was a negligible increment in the 0% of producers, directors, writers, average percentage of actors, which and executive producers. Te rate increased from 0.3% to 0.4%. At 2.5%, of participation for Latina directors, the presence of Latina actresses was the producers, and writers never exceeded same before and after the merger. Yet, 2.5%, the highest point in 2008. Latinas decreased in their proportion Equally signifcant, the percentage of of all Latino actors: from 38% in Latina executive producers dwindled the 2008–2009 period to 34.2% in from 1% to 0.5%, or from two to one, 2012–2014. Notably, the number of before and after the merger. uncredited and unnamed roles largely stayed high and stagnant: 43.7% in Figure 5 Percentage of Latino talent behind Modest gains did take place in front 2008-2009 and 46.5% in 2014-2015. the camera in NBCUniversal television (Source: of the camera. Te average percentage IMDb) of all Latino actors grew slightly from Even more striking, the small gain 6.6% in the premerger period to 7.3% in Latino television on-screen representation was accompanied by a LATINOS BEHIND THE CAMERA AT NBC-UNIVERSAL, surge in stereotypical roles: from 34.1% PREMERGER AND POSTMERGER in the 2008-2009 season to 52.5% in the 2014-2015 season. Whereas in PREMERGER POSTMERGER 2008, 8.7% of Latino characters were AVERAGE AVERAGE criminals and 7.1% were law enforcers, in 2014, these fgures jumped to 22% and 20%, respectively. In addition, DIRECTORS 3.6% 4.4% 0.8% the number of Latino characters that appeared in uniform—as maids, janitors, inmates, and police ofcers— PRODUCERS 2.2% 1.1% 1.1% tripled during this period (fgure 6). Tese two fndings underscore how Latinos are frequently represented EXECUTUVE as “types” rather than as complex PRODUCERS 1.9% 1.5% 0.4% individuals and valuable community members.

WRITERS 3.8% 2.2% 1.6% In flm, inclusion remained low and again followed a zigzag pattern that suggests a lack of frm advances. While in 2008, Latinos held 3.8% of flm

10 THE LATINO DISCONNECT roles; in 2014, the fgure was 4.8%, MORE LATINOS, with slightly higher numbers in the interim years (fgure 7). Signifcantly, MORE STEREOTYPES IN TELEVISION the modest rise in between can be largely traced to a single Universal 44 40 flm franchise, Te Fast and the ROLES ROLES Furious. In two of the three years that 29 an installment was released (2009 ROLES and 2011), the percentage of Latino inclusion increased by nearly 2%. As in television, the vast majority of Latinos 11 9 9 in flm were confned to crime-related ROLES stories. ROLES ROLES

In contrast to television, Latinos in flm are almost exclusively found playing 2008 2014 2008 2014 2008 2014 supporting roles. During the entire 2008–2014 period, only one Latino # OF LATINO ROLES # OF LATINO ROLES # OF LATINO ROLES actor portrayed a leading character, AS CRIMINALS AS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN UNIFORM (INMATES, MAIDS, Benicio del Toro in Te Wolfman JANITORS, ETC.) (2010), which accounted for 1.2% of the total leads. On average, Latinos 4.9% of producers. Only one Latina, Figure 6 Increase in the number of Latino comprised 4.2% of supporting roles Victoria Alonso, was credited as an stereotypical roles in television, NBCUniversal before the merger and 6% afterwards. executive producer for Avengers: Age of (Source: IMDb) At 62.2%, however, flm had an Ultron. even higher rate of Latino actors in uncredited and unnamed roles than television. BAD NEWS: LATINOS AND NBC NEWS PROGRAMMING Behind the camera, inclusion decreased over time in most measured categories. Network news presents an even Before the merger, Latino directors grimmer picture than entertainment. working at Universal constituted, Consistent with other studies that on average, 6.7%, and reached 10% document a decline in the number of in 2008 when Guillermo del Toro Latino journalists in US newsrooms,7 directed Hellboy II. After the merger, we found that there were more Latino the number of directors plunged to producers before than after the merger zero while the percentage of writers in NBC’s four top news programs: the similarly dropped, from 1.5% to total contracted from thirteen to eight. 0%. Additionally, Latino producers Most of the producers were in only two decreased from 2.3% to 1% and no shows, NBC Nightly News and Dateline. Latinos served as executive producers One show, Today, did not have any except in 2013, when Guillermo Latino producers. Across the board, no del Toro produced Mama. None of Latinos served as executive producers. the directors, producers, executive producers, or writers were Latinas or Moreover, Latino producers tended not Afro-Latinos. to hold major decision-making positions. Of the sixteen producers employed from In flm, these trends largely continued 2008 to 2015, only one was credited as through 2015: Latinos accounted for a senior producer; seven were primarily 0% of directors, 3.3% of writers, and in the rank of producer; and eight were

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 11 LATINOS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA 620 IN UNIVERSAL FILMS, 2008-2015 610 LATINO / NON-LATINO LEAD ROLES LATINO / NON-LATINO SUPPORTING ROLES 400 LATINO / NON-LATINO UNNAMED ROLES LATINO / NON-LATINO UNCREDITED ROLES 358 348

300 292 281 270 269 271 271 255 251 249 235 237 ONLY 1 229 215 210 213 196 LATINO LEAD! 200 190 173 BENICIO DEL TORO 140 “THE WOLFMAN” LAWRENCE TALBOT 118 % OF LATINOS 100 IN ALL CAST 6.6% 6.7% 8.0% 4.8% 3.8% 3.4% 2.8% 4.2% 23 LATINOS 12 12 11 11 15 12 11 0 0 4 11 8 0 19 17 24 1 9 9 6 0 13 13 19 0 9 12 15 0 15 8 16 0 14 4 19 0 10 10 29 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Figure 7 Latinos in front of the camera in listed as assistant, associate, additional, representation prevailed in the merged Universal flms, 2008–2015 (Source: IMDb) or feld producers. Latino producers company’s lineup. In our analysis of were similarly credited with an average NBC Nightly News, we found that only of 4.3 episodes, regardless of length of 292 or 3% of news stories were about employment. Equally important, seven US Latinos and Latin America; the of the sixteen producers, or 43.7%, percentage focused on US Latinos alone produced only one or two episodes. was 1.8%.

In front of the camera, the picture was Of the total number of Latino stories, mixed. While no Latinos appeared 64% were about crime or illegal as the top host or anchor in any of immigration (fgure 9). Mexicans and the NBC news shows from the 2008- Puerto Ricans were the two groups most 2009 to 2014-2015 seasons, according associated with lawlessness: 64.3% of to IMDb, three Latinos served as stories involving Mexicans and 88.9% “substitute anchors,” “hosts for a day,” of news about Puerto Ricans focused on or “weekend anchors”: Natalie Morales, crime. Te majority of Mexican stories Carl Quintanilla, and Linda Hurtado. referenced drug violence and human Morales has also been a contributing smuggling while nearly all Puerto Rican anchor for Dateline since 2004 and stories concerned drug trafcking and news anchor and cohost of the third sex crimes. Typical headlines included: hour of the Today show (fgure 8). “Drug cartels descend on Puerto Rico” Te total of anchors, however, declined and “Mutilated bodies found in Mexico from three to two after the merger.8 near border.”

Regarding the quality of Latino- Signifcantly, the second-largest cluster themed news content, extremely low of stories, totaling sixty-six or 22.6%, levels of inclusion and stereotypical revolved around politics. Of these,

12 THE LATINO DISCONNECT LATINOS IN NBC NEWS SHOWS, PREMERGER AND POSTMERGER

PREMERGER POSTMERGER

LATINO PRODUCERS 13 8 LATINO EXECUTIVE 0 0 PRODUCERS

Figure 8 Latinos at NBCUniversal news shows before and after the merger (Sources: IMDb and NATALIE CARL LINDA NATALIE CARL Comcast-NBC Universal websites) MORALES QUINTANILLA HURTADO MORALES QUINTANILLA LATINO (TODAY) (TODAY) (TODAY) (TODAY) (TODAY/CNBC) ANCHORS/ Figure 9 Latino themes in NBC Nightly News HOSTS 3 2 segments (Sources: Comcast-NBC Universal DATELINE NIGHTLY NEWS MEET THE PRESS websites) over one third, or 37.9%, used a Cold Brian Roberts, Hinojosa wrote: “As you War lens. For instance, all segments know, Cinco de Mayo is not a day of LATINO-THEMED SEGMENTS about Venezuela and Cuba (excluding debauchery.”9 IN NBC NEWS, 2012-2014 Guantanamo), concerned leftist leaders or governments. Overall, Latinos were Lastly, NBCUniversal struggled with largely represented as a threat to the initiatives like nbcnewslatino.com, a US in one of three ways: as criminals, news portal that failed to reach a broad illegals, or communists. audience and was downsized. Rather than developing a new brand and In the few occasions in which news integrating Latino talent and content coverage referenced Latino culture, into mainstream news shows, NBC stereotypes were equally pervasive. A narrowly targeted Latino consumers, May 5, 2014, segment of MSNBC’s thus alienating them with a sense of 10 Way Too Early about the Mexican “separateness.” In the words of a ONLY 3% OF NEWS STORIES American Cinco de Mayo celebration, journalist who worked on a similar site ARE LATINO for example, prompted protest from for a competing network: “Te digital Latino organizations and lawmakers. properties were all misguided. Latinos Te segment featured the reporter Louis don’t self-segregate in English-language 11 Burgdorf wearing a sombrero, drinking media.” 64% tequila, and wandering “around the OF THESE WERE ABOUT newsroom shaking a maraca” at the CRIME AND/OR IMMIGRATION same time that host Tomas Roberts SEGREGATED GROWTH: LATINO explained the “Mexican holiday.” LEADERSHIP AFTER THE MERGER Among those who protested was US Representative Rubén Hinojosa, then Te merger had a more complex impact chairman of the Congressional Hispanic on Latinos in leadership positions. Caucus. In a letter to Comcast CEO As Comcast expanded operations for

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 13 Telemundo, the Spanish-language is still no gender parity: slightly over media division acquired as part of the a third of Telemundo executives in Comcast-NBCUniversal merger, the the postmerger period were Latinas number of Latino executives grew. and no Latinas serve as executives in Tis is consistent with Comcast’s 2014 the non-Spanish market divisions. report, Seeing the Bigger Picture, which (Comcast’s vice president of diversity notes an increase in diversity among and inclusion, Maria G. Arias, is not executives between 2010 and 2013 and included on the company’s leadership points out that Latinos make up 7% page.) No Afro-Latinos serve as top each of both “VP+ level and director” Telemundo executives. positions.12 Yet, we found that despite the fact that the majority of Latinos are In addition, while the leadership US-born and English-dominant, most of Telemundo remained majority Latino executives at NBCUniversal Hispanic, it became relatively less hold positions directing or managing powerful in at least three key ways. regional broadcast operations in First, the president of Telemundo Spanish-language markets or within became president of a division that . . . media mergers may Telemundo. reported to Hispanic Enterprises at have long-term effects on NBC. Second, as noted earlier, many In general, the number of Latino executive positions were rebranded as the quality and quantity executives remained very low in the “regional” executives, and there was of minority employment, company’s non–Spanish language little leadership mobility from Spanish- sector. Whereas in 2008, neither to English-language NBCUniversal and downgrade minority Comcast nor NBCUniversal had top properties. Tird, whereas before the executive influence within Latino executives, by 2015, 4 out of merger there were very few non-Latino 130 senior executives in the positions executives in leadership positions the corporate structure. of CEO, chairperson, president, at Telemundo, after the merger the or vice president were Latinos, number increased. Overall, non-Latino totaling 3.1%. However, only one leadership rose in the Spanish- executive, Cesar Conde, held a non- language operations at a higher rate Telemundo position as chairman of than Latinos in the company at large. both NBCUniversal International Group and NBCUniversal Telemundo Te merger also afected morale as Enterprises.13 Latino executives expressed a feeling that the merger weakened Latino Likewise, out of twelve members of leadership. One executive, who worked the board of directors, only one was for NBCUniversal, stated that: “If a Latino, Eduardo G. Mestre, who business is ‘integrated’ into another, joined in 2011.14 In this regard, the jobs will be lost. But in the case of merged company has to date provided a minority business, it additionally few opportunities for Latinos to creates an imbalance by making the assume leadership roles in the highest Anglo voices bigger, stronger and more levels of the corporate structure.15 pervasive.”17 In sum, although rarely considered, media mergers may have Our data further suggests that in long-term efects on the quality and all divisions, there is little racial quantity of minority employment, diversity and modest gender inclusion and downgrade minority executive among Latino executives. Although infuence and expertise within the new Comcast has reported a substantial company. gain in the percentage of women in VP+ and director positions,16 there

14 THE LATINO DISCONNECT As part of its strategy to gain an even QUALITY MATTERS greater and frmer foothold in the media industry, in 2014, Comcast Whereas diversity tends to be of great sought to acquire Time Warner concern to racial, ethnic, and other Cable Inc., the nation’s second-largest minoritized groups, mainstream cable provider.1 In making its bid, debates around media mergers tend to Comcast promised to “deploy capital to focus on cost and quality of services enhance broadband speed, expand the and products. Available reports diversity of its programming content, like ConsumerReports.org and the and increase the avenues over which American Customer Satisfaction Index 2 consumers can access content.”2 If (ACSI), indicate that the merger would HUGE DEAL: approved, the new company would have combined two media companies capture a third of the nation’s cable with abysmally low rates of customer THE COMCAST AND TIME subscribers, 57% of the broadband satisfaction in a type of service that market, and 91% of Latino households usually ranks lower than other utilities WARNER CABLE MERGER (see Introduction). Given the major and services.4 stakes of the merger for Latinos, in this section, we provide a snapshot of Specifcally, in two Consumer Reports the new company’s projected impact released in 2013 that assessed bundled by considering fve key aspects: services ratings, Comcast and Time Latinos in leadership, product quality, Warner Cable both had a score of 59 customer satisfaction, procurement, and out of 100, and were ranked tenth philanthropic giving, and twelfth, respectively, in a survey of fourteen companies. In another category, television service ratings, EQUALLY WHITE AT THE TOP Comcast retained a 59% rating while Time Warner Cable dropped one Troughout 2014 and 2015, much of point, to 58%. Overall, however, the the debate on diversity and inclusion companies ranked even lower. Out of was focused on Comcast programming seventeen companies, Comcast ranked (see section 1). Yet, from the point of ffteenth and Time Warner Cable was view of leadership, the Comcast and sixteenth.5 Time Warner Cable merger would have brought together two companies Likewise, in 2014, the ACSI issued with similarly low levels of Latino scores based on a survey of questions diversity in upper management. Like that measured customer satisfaction, Comcast, there are no Latinos among customer expectations, perceived the top decision-making executives at quality, recognized value, customer Time Warner Cable. Of the twelve complaints, and customer loyalty. Te members of its board of directors, just report included results from 2013 to one, Tomas H. Castro, is Latino. 2014. In this case, both companies Overall, Latinos represent 4.2% of the routinely scored low as both cable and company’s foremost leadership. broadband service providers.

Moreover, unlike Comcast, which Also in 2014, Comcast rated 60 and issued a report with some diversity Time Warner 56 out of a possible 100 data, the last publicly available diversity in the ACSI index for subscription report issued by Time Warner Cable service providers. As Internet service was in 2013. Te report did not include providers, their scores were even lower: any information on the percentage of Comcast had a score of 57 and Time Latino employees or executives at the Warner 54.6 As a result, Comcast is company.3 only one of two companies to have

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 15 earned the title of “Worst Company in for the deterioration of programming America” twice from the Consumerist, such as NBC Nightly News related to the a blog owned by Consumer Reports.7 appointment of executives that lacked experience in television journalism and Equally important, despite its poor talent management.10 service, Comcast prices were among the highest of any provider. Te average During the frst quarter of 2015, cost of Comcast’s bundling services in NBC’s ratings improved in some its twenty top markets, for instance, is news and entertainment programming more expensive than many competitors, categories.11 A public concern, including AT&T U-Verse, DirectTV, however, is that a multiyear lag in DISH, Verizon FiOS, and Time correcting media- and telecom-related Warner Cable.8 merger problems such as low quality programming, coupled with high cost Since assessing quality of programming and poor service, can have considerable may be subjective, we employed ratings social impact, particularly on minority as a proxy for perceived quality. We communities. found that in the top ten programs, NBC-scripted shows lagged in ratings and that the network had only one OUT OF BUSINESS?—COMCAST, series, Te Blacklist, in the lineup after TIME WARNER CABLE, AND the merger (fgure 10). Te merger INDEPENDENT LATINO VENDORS also afected the reach and ratings of its news programming. As Vanity Part of the compounded power of a Fair reported, citing a former NBC consolidated company is in contracting executive: “When Comcast took over, for goods and services from minority they [NBC] had the No. 1 morning business enterprises (MBEs). While Figure 10 Top ten scripted television shows show, the No. 1 Sunday show, and the Comcast has reported that its total after the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger No. 1 evening broadcast. . . . Tat’s all workforce is 59% diverse and its diverse (Source: Nielsen) completely fallen apart.”9 According to contract activity has increased, it has various decision-makers, the reasons to date not provided the percentage TOP 10 TELEVISION SHOWS AFTER COMCAST-NBCUNIVERSAL MERGER

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

CBS ABC NBC AMC FOX

16 THE LATINO DISCONNECT of actual spending with MBEs, which NICKLED AND DIMED?: LATINO was one of the targeted areas contained CONTENT PRODUCERS AND in the 2011 MOU reached with the PHILANTHROPIC GIVING Latino leadership.12 Independent researchers have similarly raised In addition to limited diversity in concerns about the low levels of MBE procurement, Comcast was also spending in available data.13 involved in disputes with a long list of cable and other programmers, including Due to an initiative undertaken by the Latino content providers, over the California Public Utilities Commission imposition of fees. A case in point is (CPUC) to obtain relevant reporting, Estrella TV, the nation’s fourth-largest MBE information can be secured in Spanish-language network.20 California. According to a 2014 report that used data submitted by California While there is limited public utility companies to the CPUC, information about the dispute, the Comcast has one of the lowest rankings allegations in this case illustrate the of any telecom, energy, or water utility considerable power of major companies in MBE spending in California, the like Comcast to determine what Latino Comcast has one of the largest Latino media market in the content is available to consumers and lowest rankings of any country and the state with the largest at what price. Estrella TV, for example, Latino population.14 initially elected a “must-carry” status, telecom, energy, or water meaning Comcast is obligated to Whereas other reporting companies, air Estrella programming on certain company in MBE spending such as Sprint and AT&T, spent 29% broadcast stations. But in 2015, in California, the largest or higher on MBE, Comcast spent Estrella sought to change its status to a only 8.23%, ranking tenth in a twelve- retransmission consent model in order Latino media market in company roster. Likewise, Comcast to expand into all markets served by the country and the state ranked ninth out of twelve companies the provider’s Xfnity service.21 Estrella in Latino contracts, amounting to only TV’s new preferred status led to a with the largest Latino 1.55% of the total.15 Lastly, Comcast dispute over compensation, introducing population. was one of only two companies to earn the possibility that Comcast would an “F+” for its performance.16 literally “disconnect” the network in three important markets: Denver Equally signifcant, fgures for Time (KETD), Houston (KZJL), and Salt Warner Cable were unavailable.17 In Lake City (KPNZ). California, CPUC General Order 156 “requires the state’s largest Comcast’s response was to refuse to regulated energy utility, water and pay retransmission fees to Estrella TV telecommunications companies to arguing that, “these stations are not annually report their percentages of widely viewed among Latino audiences” contracts given to women-, disabled and therefore the fees sought were veteran-, and minority-owned business not justifed.22 According to Nielsen, enterprises.”18 Te company’s repeated however, during the November 2014 avoidance of this requirement prompted sweeps, “Estrella TV was . . . the No. researchers to conclude that, “Time 2 Hispanic outlet (behind Univision) Warner Cable failed to report under among adults 18–49 and No. 1 in GO 156, once again demonstrating adults 18–34.”23 Although independent apathy towards these eforts.”19 data from the disputed markets is not available, ultimately, Comcast dropped Estrella TV from the contested markets once their contract expired at midnight on February 19, 2015.

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 17 A second relevant, if less publicized, serving networks, El Rey (created in case was that of LATV, a Latino-owned 2012 and led by flm director Robert network whose target demographic is Rodriguez26), expressed concern that English-speaking Latino millennials. at $0.08 per subscriber, Comcast According to Entravision, which has ofers such low licensing fees that the a business relationship with LATV, network has been growing at a very Comcast had shown interest in carrying slow pace.27 Not surprisingly, during the LATV network before the 2011 the government review period of the merger with NBCUniversal. Afterward, Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, Comcast restricted its carriage of a number of other minority-owned LATV to those television markets programmers also complained that where Entravision was an afliate of Comcast’s low fees made it difcult to Univision, the nation’s largest Spanish- maintain “a real business.”28 language television network. Equally important, Time Warner In those markets, Comcast carried the Cable had a range of contract disputes LATV network’s secondary stream with various companies—including on the Entravision television stations MSG Sports Network, DirecTV, through its local cable television Sunbeam Television, Verizon FiOS and systems. Yet, eforts to expand and Newport Television—over rising license gain further carriage in markets such payments to carry content.29 Te sheer as Atlanta and Sacramento met some number of companies engaged in fee obstacles. Economist John E. Kwoka and carriage conficts with Comcast and described the detrimental efects Time Warner underscores that increased The combined cases of of Comcast’s actions on LATV as consolidation makes it harder for new, “secondary de-tiering of its carriage, small, and minority businesses to be Estrella TV and LATV or simply the absence of carriage all created and sustained.30 24 suggest that the new together.” Lastly, assessing Comcast’s merger would be less likely To better understand LATV’s philanthropic activities before the to carry competing Latino- predicament, a carriage comparison merger and through 2015 presents some may be instructive. For instance, LATV challenges. At the time of review, the owned networks and drive carriage by Time Warner Cable, which Comcast website had only one complete down the price paid for does not produce competing content, list (dated 2013) of organizations that was considerably higher at 70% than received support.31 An analysis of the Latino-oriented programs. Comcast’s at 40%. Comcast’s lower corresponding public tax records reveals carriage and decline of interest appears that 4.8% of recipient organizations to be directly related to the company’s were Latino and these organizations acquisition of not only Telemundo but received 10.8% of all funds (fgure also Mun2 (now NBC Universo), a 11). While some grants were as low network aimed at a younger bilingual as $300, the average amount was Latino demographic. Te combined slightly more than $31,762. Yet, two cases of Estrella TV and LATV suggest organizations—the National Council of that the new company would be less La Raza (NCLR) and League of United likely to carry rival Latino-owned Latin American Citizens (LULAC)— networks and drive down the price paid received a combined total of $598,490, for Latino-oriented programs. 25 or 33% of all contributions to Latino organizations. Importantly, concerns over compensation were not confned to Reporting on Time Warner Cable’s external providers like Estrella and philanthropic activities is even more LATV. One of Comcast’s own Latino- difcult. According to a brief statement

18 THE LATINO DISCONNECT about philanthropy and giving posted on the company’s website, Time Warner Cable provided $6.4 million COMCAST PHILANTHROPY AND LATINO ORGANIZATIONS, 2013 in 2013 and $6.8 million in 2014. Te TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS company, however, did not specify individual amounts or recipients.32 $16,543,584

In sum, Time Warner Cable’s limited reporting on its philanthropy and MBE alongside Comcast’s poor diversity record and relatively low if concentrated levels of philanthropic investment $1,778,678 and both companies’ practice of TOTAL COMCAST CONTRIBUTIONS TO 56 LATINO ORGANIZATIONS employing few Latinos at the highest corporate levels, indicate that a merged (10.8%) company potentially would have shrunk opportunity for Latino consumers, $ 598,490 (33%) OF WHICH WENT TO THE NATIONAL organizations and providers of goods, COUNCIL OF LA RAZA (NCLR) AND LULAC services, and programming. As Comcast would have operated in major Latino markets, where Latinos comprise more than 30% of the population, these Figure 11 Level of Comcast philanthropic practices could have afected not only giving to Latino organizations, 2013 (Source: Latino consumers and businesses, but IRS and Comcast website) also the overall economic well-being of the local city and state. A merged Comcast- TWC company would have potentially shrunk opportunity for Latino consumers as well as Latino organizations and providers of goods, services, and programming.

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 19 Given the merger’s anticipated impact at times opposed. Latino advocates also on Latino communities, Latino overtly criticized the Internet Essentials advocates were among the most vocal program for low-income families as too regarding the Comcast-Time Warner slow (5 Mbps) and imposing too many Cable deal. As their voices grew louder, requirements on poor families, resulting press outlets began to identify the group in only 17% of eligible households as important to the merger’s success being served.6 Over time, these concerns or failure. On April 21, 2015, the became part of the larger discussion and Washington Post succinctly declared that infuenced the outcome. Latinos held “the key to the Comcast 3 1 merger.” To better understand the impact of GAME OVER: Latino advocacy on merger activity, in Tis was in contrast to 2011. At that this section we will consider the actions LATINO ADVOCACY AND juncture, national Latino organizations and goals of four crucial institutions were largely active in negotiating and fgures. In addition to examining THE FAILED COMCAST! assurances that the new entity of published accounts, we interviewed TIME WARNER CABLE Comcast-NBCUniversal would expand eight advocates, who were similarly diversity. One of the main outcomes organizers, union leaders, business MERGER was a memorandum of understanding executives, and members of Congress. (MOU), designed “to ensure that Overall, we found that Latino advocates Comcast and NBCU increase eforts played an important role in ending to diversify their workforce, corporate Comcast’s bid to buy Time Warner governance, procurement, philanthropy Cable by mobilizing at diferent and community investments, and political levels and by employing a wide programming,” in the words of a leading range of strategies, including direct organization in this efort, the National protest, digital activism, advertising, Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC).2 scholarship, and lobbying.

Tree years later, Latino leaders were divided on the efectiveness of the PLAY BALL MOU and Comcast’s performance. Some supported the merger, citing Members of Congress do not tend to the creation of Internet Essentials, a become openly involved in merger low-income access program of which debates since these do not require half of the subscribers are Latinos,3 congressional approval. Yet, one of and the launching of the Latino-led the most efective Latino advocates network El Rey. But a signifcant and to emerge was Representative Tony broad coalition of Latino organizations, Cárdenas (D-CA), the frst member of content providers, and members of Congress to oppose the merger (fgure Congress quickly took shape to oppose 12). According to one media activist, the new merger.4 “Cárdenas assumed the role of media watchdog and lead person in holding As other advocates, Latinos focused media companies accountable.”7 on issues such as cost, citing that at $156 for an average package, Comcast In a way, Cárdenas’s participation charged the highest prices and raised seemed inevitable. He is a Democratic fees every year and at a greater rate representative of the 29th district than its competitors.5 At the same that borders Los Angeles, the nation’s time, Latino leaders saw the merger as a entertainment capital; he is similarly barrier to Latino inclusion and a threat a member of the House Committee to net neutrality, which Comcast has on Energy and Commerce, which

20 THE LATINO DISCONNECT has jurisdiction over the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). But he may also have been in the right two places at the right time.

As other Californians, Cárdenas became acutely aware about the impact of media giants in 2013, when a dispute erupted between Time Warner Cable and some smaller cable, television, and phone companies over the transmission of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games. Seeking to further integrate content and delivery, Time Warner had bought the rights to distribute Dodgers games for twenty-fve years and was now demanding a fee of $4.00 per subscriber from other companies. Te companies refused to pay, threatening to leave thousands of fans and businesses failed, in my mind, to adequately explore Figure 12 Congressman Tony Cárdenas ar a without access.8 how NBC would deal with a lack of Writers Guild of America event, February 18, diversity both behind and in front of the 2015 (Source: WGA.org and YouTube) Closer to the Beltway, members of camera.”10 Congress were being drawn into the merger debate in one way or another. By July, the negotiations between Time As negotiations began in early 2014, Warner Cable and the carriers had Cárdenas noted that, “Tere was a still not made signifcant progress in great deal of lobbying being done on resolving the Dodgers standof. For the part of Comcast to make sure that Cárdenas, the harm that can come members of Congress did not speak out with companies owning both content against the merger. I started to gather and means of transmission became information.”9 clearer. Fearing the implications of a Latino leaders saw the Time Warner win, he decided to write a merger as a barrier to letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. STRIKE ONE Dated July 25, 2014, and signed by Latino inclusion, and a seven other House representatives, the threat to net neutrality, Although initially neutral, by May 2014 letter urged the FCC to mediate in the Cárdenas felt that he had no option but dispute in order to avoid setting up which Comcast has at times to get involved. Te airing of the Cinco a precedent for “vertically integrated opposed. de Mayo MSNBC segment had raised companies to hold the consumer concerns about persistent stereotyping hostage to assert unfair market in NBCUniversal programming (see dominance.”11 section 1 and fgure 13). To address what many felt was a demeaning Four days later, Cárdenas spoke with portrayal of Latinos, Cárdenas organized Wheeler directly about the need for a a meeting between NBCUniversal and resolution. Shortly after, Time Warner the Hispanic Congressional Caucus over Cable allowed the last week of the limited Latino diversity on the network. games to be broadcast via various Still he left unsatisfed: “Comcast/NBC outlets, including DirectTV and WGN- sent a representative who apologized for TV.12 Yet, the experience left a deep the Cinco de Mayo episode, but who impression on the legislator: “I started

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 21 to realize that [for Latinos] a merged found this insinuation “insulting”16: company could potentially limit both “To accuse members of Congress of the opportunities and the audience.”13 displaying ‘parochial’ interests about a national issue such as the proposed Feeling a sense of urgency, that same merger was seen by many of my week Cárdenas drafted a second letter, colleagues as being demeaning.”17 this time signed by ffty members of the It may have also been decisive. House of Representatives (including nearly 75% of Hispanic Caucus According to antitrust members) to Comcast Corporation and STRIKE TWO economist John E. Kwoka, Time Warner Cable. Te letter urged the company leaders to “make a formal In retrospect, August was a fateful the Comcast merger commitment to carriage of independent month for the merger. While represented “a substantial Latino program providers. . . . and Cárdenas’s advocacy was the most establish clear safeguards to ensure these visible, he was not alone. threat to Latino-oriented channels do not operate on an uneven program providers and playing feld in the future and will be Te Spanish-language network available to a wide set of audiences.”14 Entravision was similarly considering the competitiveness of Legislators felt this was important for the merger’s repercussions. Starting in the market in which they a number of reasons, not excluding the early 2014, Entravision’s leadership challenges faced by minority media had met with members of Congress, operate.” companies as well as their major role including Representative Cárdenas, to in educating the community and alert them to the merger’s likely efects promoting Latino media talent. on Latino content producers.

Comcast, however, was not receptive. In A few months later, sensing the his response, Comcast Executive Vice pressing need to engage the FCC with President David Cohen wrote that the compelling arguments, Entravision legislators’ position may be related to commissioned a report from antitrust “parochial business interests seeking economist John E. Kwoka from more money and distribution for Northeastern University that was Figure 13 Screenshot of the controversial themselves” rather than about concerns released on August 25, 2014. Te MSNBC Cinco de Mayo segment (Source: over diversity, vertical integration, and report’s main conclusion was that Hufngton Post) access to broadband.15 Cárdenas in turn the Comcast merger represented “a substantial threat to Latino- oriented program providers and the competitiveness of the market in which they operate.”18

Te report not only ofered a strategically useful analysis to Latino and other advocates; it was similarly the only document on Latino content providers that the FCC accepted for discussion as part of their formal review process. More specifcally, the FCC incorporated the Latino programming question as one of only four items to be considered by a workshop of economists on January 30, 2015. Te gathering included Kwoka, who presented during

22 THE LATINO DISCONNECT the third session devoted to “Program message, the organization created Access, Program Carriage and Other infographics, social media content, and Programming Issues.” Te impact was a video titled “Comcast Spokesperson long lasting. As Entravision outside ‘Keeps it Real’” that ofered viewers the counsel Barry Friedman put it, “Te option of expressing their opposition report gave credence to the issue. And to the merger by texting “Nope” it played a part in killing the deal as the to number 225568. Te group also FCC incorporated our thinking into fled an electronic petition backed by their decision. A two-page letter was not over 10,000 signatures to the FCC, going to do it.”19 demanding that the agency reject the merger.24 August was also a hot month in California. Presente.org, a 300,000- Furthermore, while the group worked member Latino online advocacy group cooperatively with members of then-led by Arturo Carmona, had just Congress—including Representatives started a grassroots campaign against Cárdenas, Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota), the merger tersely named: “Stop the and Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona)—to “We felt that Latinos were 20 25 Comcast and Time Warner Merger.” infuence lawmakers and regulators, being thrown under the Te organization’s involvement had it likewise directly targeted Latino begun several months earlier as part of a ofcials, leaders, and national bus and we wanted to coalition of Latino grassroots advocacy organizations that supported the make clear that whoever groups that sent a letter to FCC merger. As Carmona summarized, “We Chairman Wheeler outlining “serious felt that Latinos were being thrown supports the merger will be concerns” with the Comcast merger under the bus and we wanted to make held accountable; whether in the areas of programming, Internet, clear that whoever supports the merger consumer protection, customer service, will be held accountable; whether you you are an organization or 21 26 and diversity. are an organization or elected ofcial.” elected official.”

In pursuing their advocacy, Presente.org In addition, Presente.org engaged in focused on two key arguments. First, several anti-merger actions focused since Comcast already had a part of the on the fve members of the California Spanish-language market, the company Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), would have less incentive to carry other which is charged with regulating Latino and Spanish-language networks, telecommunications in California thus limiting media diversity.22 Second, (see section 2). Tese included the by signifcantly reducing choice of collection of 2,325 signatures as part of broadband carriers in a community an online petition that directly urged where only a little over half of the commissioners “to do all you can to households currently have broadband stop the Comcast Time Warner Cable due to its high price (see section 2), the merger” and vote against it.27 merger would particularly harm the most vulnerable sectors of the Latino community. In Carmona’s words: STRIKE THREE “Latinos became the tip of the spear in opposing this deal from the beginning By early 2015, a transaction that seemed and with good reason. It was going to inevitable several months before was have great implications for us.”23 being challenged from multiple fronts.

Presente.org’s strategy included On February 7, Estrella TV decided to online mobilization and social media take its case to viewers, “running TV, engagement. To disseminate their radio, and online ads telling viewers

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 23 Figure 14 Protesters at a Comcast-Time Warner Cable antimerger rally in California, 2015 (Source: Los Angeles Times)

‘Don’t miss Estrella TV.’” Te network providers and drive down carriage featured some of its top on-camera fees for competitors.”32 Although the talent, such as radio and television communication explicitly stated that personality Don Cheto and journalist it “should not be construed as taking Myrka Dellanos, in both its ads and on sides,” on February 18, Cárdenas its social media sites.28 With hashtags announced his opposition to the merger afrming that “Xfnity discrimina” and at a Writers Guild of America, West “Quiero Estrella TV,” the network (WGAW) event. urged consumers to drop Comcast and subscribe to AT&T U-Verse or Dish Latino instead.29 OUT

Back in Washington, Cárdenas’s mind Nearly two months after Cárdenas’s was practically made up. He collaborated announcement, on April 14, on a third letter in early February, this Entravision gained the right to time to Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. participate in the California Public 30 and FCC Chairman Wheeler. Signed Utilities Commission (CPUC) hearings by four other members of Congress while Presente.org co-organized a from California districts, the new letter rally outside of the Junipero Serra requested that the FCC and Department State Ofce Building in Los Angeles of Justice “again ask that close attention an hour before the hearing on the be paid to the pending merger between merger was to take place (fgure 14).33 Comcast and Time Warner Cable to In addition, a coalition of groups that ensure that their potential increased included the WGAW, Presente.org, market dominance does not negatively and Entravision published a study impact communities and protects the titled LA Consolidation to describe how 31 best interest of consumers and viewers.” the merger would afect the state and Latinos, and ofered presentations on In the letter, the members of Congress their key fndings to the CPUC.34 highlighted Estrella TV’s carriage clash with Comcast as an example Te coalition’s impact on the CPUC of how “a merged Comcast-TWC was another critical turning point. will have an incentive to discriminate Trough its actions, the group obtained against i ndependent program support from several commissioners,

24 THE LATINO DISCONNECT including Michael Florio, who a few would abandon its efort to acquire days before the protest submitted an Time Warner Cable,39 Latino advocates alternative proposal to an earlier one saw this outcome as partly a result of that supported the merger. Known their organizing. “We played a pivotal as the Florio Alternate, the proposal role,” afrmed Carmona. “Te deal was sought “to deny Comcast’s request to derailed. We also sent a message that if a take over the licenses held in California merger will greatly impact Latinos, you by Time Warner Cable and Charter need Latino support to succeed.”40 Communications.”35 Ultimately, Latino advocacy eforts Adopting much of the advocates’ had a clarifying efect on the process in analysis, the proposal’s rationale at least two fundamental ways. First, was that “the anticipated harms as merger flings and debates largely documented in the record by opponents rely on information and data provided of the merger cannot be efectively by the acquiring companies, Latino mitigated by conditions, and therefore advocacy and research ofered diverse the merger is not in the public interest, perspectives not readily available as required by Cal. Pub. Util. Code to most legislators and regulators, Section 854(a) and (c).”36 Florio’s expanding the range of voices and views proposal reopened public discussion on the proposed merger. Second, due Due to the proposed and the possibility of a new vote by the to the merger’s disproportionate impact fve commissioners, scheduled for May. on Latinos, the nation’s largest ethnic merger’s disproportionate minority, their analysis and experience impact on Latinos, the Te focus on California was an served to dramatically illustrate the important strategic move. As Ellen merger’s consequences on all consumers, nation’s largest ethnic Stutzman, research director of the particularly those that were low income minority, the projected Writers Guild of America, West, or minorities. summed up: “Even if Washington effects of the merger served was favorable, California would have to dramatically illustrate its become a battleground. It was a unique THE PARADOX OF FAILURE: deal that would have given control of THE NBCUNIVERSAL 2015–2016 impact on all consumers, 80% of broadband in the state to one PILOT SEASON particularly those that were company. Tey could control how Angelenos could watch a Dodgers Less than a month after Comcast’s low income or minority game. Creative people in the industry announcement that it had dropped group members. were also concerned that the merger its bid, NBCUniversal began to presented a threat to opportunities in publicize its new roster of pilots for Netfix and other platforms. Latinos the 2015–2016 season. Apparently would also be disproportionately anticipating objections to its diversity afected.”37 Carmona concurs: “If it had record during the merger debate, the not been viable in California, it would network developed an unprecedented have been difcult for the merger to be number of shows with Latino talent.41 proftable. At the end of the day, the As a former NBCUniversal executive merger was death by several key cuts. put it, “Comcast was so sure that One lethal cut was California.”38 the merger would happen, that they started to neutralize the criticisms by greenlighting shows.”42 GAME OVER Te result was dramatic. According to Not surprisingly, when by mid April, the Hollywood Reporter, two Latino- it appeared certain that the Comcast themed pilots were ordered, one of

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 25 THE 2015 NBC-UNIVERSAL PILOT SEASON... IMPROVED! 25 TOTAL PILOTS, 70 TOTAL CAST MEMBERS, 13 LATINO TALENT 2 OF WHICH ARE LATINO-THEMED IN THE 13 PICKED-UP PILOTS.

13 OF THE PILOTS WERE PICKED UP, 1 LATINO-THEMED 4 LATINO LEADS 9 LATINO SUPPORTING

Figure 15 Improved Latino participation which was picked up: Telenovela, Latinas in stereotypical roles as law in NBCUniversal’s 2015–2016 pilot season starring Eva Longoria as soap opera enforcers and Latin beauties. Te as measured by theme and in-front-of-camera diva Ana Sofa Calderon. In addition, extremely limited ways that Latinos talent (Source: Hollywood Reporter) three new series with Latina leads in continue to be portrayed in new non–Latino-themed shows were also programming remains a substantial and supported: Shades of Blue, featuring enduring challenge. Jennifer Lopez as FBI agent Harlee Santos; Superstore, with America Given that past spikes in Latino Ferrera, who plays a “big box store” diversity have also not resulted in a employee, and the rolled-out defned upward trend, it is unclear pilot Emerald City with Adria Arjona if greater inclusion in the current portraying a modern version of Te television pilot season will constitute a Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy Gale. Tis last long-term tendency or be representative show is slated to premiere in September of all Comcast divisions, including flm of 2016.43 and broadcast news. More time will be needed to fully assess whether the Overall, pilots with a Latino lead current moment points to a broader rose to a record 30.8% of the total of shift in NBCUniversal’s business model greenlight pilots, in contrast to 0% and a deeper commitment to diversity. for the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 seasons. In terms of gender inclusion, the number of Latina leads jumped from zero to four (fgure 15). Tis is a signifcant increase from prior years at NBCUniversal, when the only two Latino lead characters in the top ten scripted shows were men.

At the same time, at 3.8%, the proportion of Latino executive producers remains low. Equally important is that two of four pilots, Shades of Blue and Telenovela, feature

26 THE LATINO DISCONNECT A second paradox of the failed including National Council of La Raza Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger is and League of United Latin American that news of its failure increased rather Citizens, secured an MOU with than decreased the potential for new Charter that promises to “build upon media mergers. Almost immediately existing diversity eforts” in the areas after Comcast’s announcement, the of corporate governance, employment, telephone service provider AT&T retention, procurement, programming, declared its interest in buying cable philanthropy, and community company DirecTV, a transaction that investment. Te MOU also includes a 4 was approved by the FCC in July pledge to appoint a Latino to the new 2015 and created the “largest pay TV company’s board of directors and create THE NEXT WAVE: company in the country.”1 the position of chief diversity ofcer.5 LATINOS AND THE Similarly, telephone, broadband, and More forcefully, the National Hispanic pay-TV provider Verizon stepped Media Coalition (NHMC) withdrew NEW TELECOM!MEDIA up its attempt to buy AOL in a $4.4 from the MOU negotiations, citing billion acquisition that was also Charter’s unwillingness “to state that its MERGERS approved. Te transaction ofered new-found market won’t cause prices Verizon access to online content and a to skyrocket or ofer details about $600 billion digital advertising market how it hopes to serve. . . communities through AOL’s properties, including with diverse programming.”6 Te the Hufngton Post, Engadget, and organization similarly fled testimony TechCrunch.2 Charter Communications in opposition to the merger with the likewise announced its intention to buy California Public Utilities Commission Time Warner Cable for $55 billion as (CPUC), arguing that given that well as Bright House Networks, another the new company “would control a cable company, for $10 billion. Te network that passes 50 percent of all deal is pending. households in California,” the deal would ultimately “damage competition As with the prior merger proposals, and lead to less choice and diversity the recent activity aims to integrate in programming for Californians,” content production, broadband access, including Latinos.7 distribution, and advertising. To date, relatively limited information has Likewise, Presente.org has again joined been made available regarding plans other organizations in a campaign and practices. A partial exception against the new merger (section 3). are several conditions for expanding Referring to how a new consolidated broadband access to low-income and company would likely lead to higher rural communities in the AT&T prices, less diversity in ownership and acquisition of DirecTV and the New programming, and poorer service, the York State regulators’ requirement that campaign calls on the FCC to “stop Charter “expand availability of high- Charter’s takeover of Time Warner.”8 speed internet service for low-income In this regard, while the current consumers.”4 mergers may face less resistance than the Comcast-Time Warner Cable In general, these new mergers have not transaction, the fundamental questions been as widely scrutinized. Concerns raised by the prior efort remain present over the Charter transaction, however, in a number of key ways. have led to several actions by Latinos. In coalition with other minority First, the success of the proposed organizations, fve Latino groups, mergers continues the trend of media

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 27 LATINO BOARD MEMBERS IN MAJOR MEDIA/CABLE COMPANIES

ABELARDO ANTHONY ALBERTO RICHARD THOMAS E. BRU VINCIQUERRA IBARGUEN L. CARRION H. CASTRO ONLY 5 LATINO (7.7%) BOARD MEMBERS, OUT OF 65. 0/12 2/11 0/10 1/9 1/11 1/12 AT&T DIRECT TV CHARTER AOL VERIZON TIME WARNER CABLE LATINO EXECUTIVES IN MAJOR MEDIA/CABLE COMPANIES

ONLY 1 LATINO (1.4%) RALPH DE LA VEGA EXECUTIVE, OUT OF 71.

1/10 0/7 0/14 0/13 0/15 0/12 AT&T DIRECT TV CHARTER AOL VERIZON TIME WARNER CABLE

Figure 16 Number of Latino board members market consolidation. As suggested America.12 Te fber optic service and high-level executives in major media and earlier, the reach of the Charter-Time covers twenty-fve high-density cities, cable companies (Source: Company websites) Warner-Bright House Networks merger including major Latino urban centers will be substantial. If approved, it would such as Los Angeles, New York, and create a second cable giant that together Houston.13 Additionally, the company with Comcast will control almost 90% serves the Northeast, home to seven of the nation’s high-speed broadband million Latinos, or over 13% of the market.9 Te new company would also Latino population.14 greatly afect Latinos since it plans to operate in markets with considerable Second, the increased consolidation of Latino populations, including Los broadband and cable companies raises Angeles, New York, San Antonio, the question of access for independent South Texas, Orlando, and Tampa.10 content providers. For instance, Verizon’s proposal to create smaller Te already approved Verizon-AOL cable channel bundles tailored to the merger is likewise signifcant. In subscribers’ preferences may beneft addition to having become a content consumers. But it may also negatively producer, Verizon is the largest afect small and independent networks as wireless communications service these may be taken up in fewer homes.15 provider in the United States with 131.9 million subscribers in all Latino Similarly, AT&T’s acquisition of markets and ofering land mobile the satellite provider company wireless to 313,000,000 people.11 DirecTV for $48.5 billion to become Moreover, Verizon is the sixth-largest the country’s largest multichannel pay-TV provider, serving 5.7 million television distributor and biggest subscribers, and the leading fber- Internet service provider triggered optic-to-the-home provider in North several concerns.16 On the one hand,

28 THE LATINO DISCONNECT AT&T has been extensively linked to Inc. and Chief Executive Ofcer, warrantless government surveillance AT&T Business Solutions and AT&T programs through 2013.17 On the International.22 other, streaming service providers like Netfix opposed the merger on the At 7.7% of total members (fgure same grounds as the prior Comcast 16), there is slightly more Latino transaction: that while there are representation on the boards of many online content services, they all directors with DirecTV topping the list must rely on a handful of cable and with two: Abelardo E. Bru and Anthony broadband companies to deliver their J. Vinciquerra.223 AOL, Verizon, streamed content. As journalist Michal and Time Warner Cable all have one Lev-Rahm summarized, “61% of US member each: Alberto Ibargüen, households still have just one or no president, CEO, and director of high-speed ISP servicing their region.”18 Knight Foundation; Richard Carrión, CEO and chairman of Banco Popular; Tird, although Verizon and AT&T and Tomas H. Castro, President & As content producers score above 68 in customer satisfaction Chief Executive Ofcer of El Dorado surveys, the Charter-Time Warner Capital.24 Neither AT&T nor Charter aim to improve their Cable merger raises again the question currently include a Latino board of broadband access and of whether it is in the public interest directors member. Signifcantly, there given their low ratings for quality and were no Latinas or Afro-Latinos in any telecom companies aim to customer service.19 Both companies of the top leadership or board positions. integrate content to deliver rank at the bottom of customer and quality of service reviews. As a Fifth, only two of the examined advertisement, mergers subscription service provider, Charter telecommunications companies, will likely result in fewer, Communications ranked seventh and Comcast and Bright House, ofer low- sixth as an Internet service provider income programs to facilitate access to more vertically integrated with scores of 60 and 61, respectively.20 broadband.25 Verizon and AT&T both companies. A Charter-Time Warner merger would provide a low-income program funded then combine two of the lowest-ranking by the federal government, Lifeline, but service providers in the industry. exclusively for telephone service.26 In the case of AT&T, it serves seventeen Additionally, while currently neither locations of which just two, Texas company is a content producer, Charter and Puerto Rico, have sizeable Latino has links to Discovery Communications populations.27 through investor John C. Malone, who has stakes in both companies. Tis In sum, while each individual suggests not only the possibility that the merger will not produce such a new corporation will beneft Discovery, large or integrated company as the but also that it may become a content new NBCUniversal-Comcast-Time producer itself.21 Warner Cable would have become, the current merger activity continues Fourth, diversity continues to be a a trend of extreme consolidation major concern as most companies have that may have fnancial, political and very few Latinos in their executive cultural implications for years to come. leadership. Across all companies, Ultimately, the expansion of merger Latinos accounted for 1.4% of major activity will likely result in fewer executives. Only one company, AT&T, companies asserting greater control over includes a Latino top decision-maker, access to broadband, media content, and Ralph de la Vega, who currently delivery. serves as Vice Chairman, AT&T

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 29 Integrating multiplatform technology At the level of representation, there is and content is a primary driver of media evidence that some online user-driven company mergers. As noted earlier (see platforms are signifcantly more diverse Introduction), part of the decline of than traditional television and flm. television is directly related to digital Our previous study, Te Latino Media video streaming alternatives. According Gap, found that at 17.5%, Latinos to a recent study, Netfix viewing were proportionally represented online accounted for “43 percent of the decline in some music, lifestyle, and other in traditional TV” in the frst quarter YouTube channels.9 Furthermore, 5 of 2015.1 In the last three years alone, Internet companies have the potential “38 percent of US consumers say they of expanding opportunities for minority ONLINE VIEWS: subscribe or use Netfix to stream video, producers and innovating in the delivery up from 31 percent in 2012.”2 As of July of content to a diverse audience.10 DIVERSITY IN STREAMED 2015, Netfix subscribers had reached 65.5 million subscribers worldwide. Given the importance of online ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING companies to the future of media and the AND CORPORATE Expectedly, streaming and other online limited information available about their content-producing companies are diversity, this section will examine two LEADERSHIP increasingly part of mergers and related key questions: Have online streaming debates. From 2010 to 2013, eight companies produced more inclusive of ffteen media mergers included an original programming featuring Latinos Internet-related company.3 Companies than traditional flm and television? like Google routinely outspend media And does the type of ownership of the and telecom corporations such as streaming service—merged company Comcast and Verizon in their lobbying or independent—correlate with higher eforts, and Netfix has emerged as a inclusion? To investigate these questions, leading voice against broadband merger we examined the diversity of all original transactions and diminishing choices.4 scripted streamed shows produced by two of the biggest services, Hulu and In their advocacy, Netfix has been Netfix, between January 1, 2014, and Netflix viewing “accounted focused on combating higher fees, June 15, 2015. We also considered the data caps, and poor streaming service, companies’ leadership profle. for about 43 percent of the with reason. Comcast imposed fees on decline in traditional TV” in Netfix, due to the alleged “massive Specifcally, we analyzed nine Netfix trafc” that it sends to consumers.5 Tis shows: Daredevil, House of Cards, the first quarter of 2015. issue, however, goes beyond Netfix. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Marco In an efort to keep the cable model Polo, Bloodline, Hemlock Grove, Orange proftable, the press has also reported is the New Black, Sense8, and Grace and that Comcast plans to increase fees Frankie. In addition, we surveyed fve for those who use more than 300 original shows that were produced by (or gigabytes of data a month, including exclusively for) Hulu during the same in valuable Latino markets like Miami period: East Los High, Te Hotwives of and Fort Lauderdale.6 Yet, according Orlando, Deadbeat, Quick Draw, and to Netfix, these “fees are 150% more Resident Advisors. than its combined costs for transit, hardware, engineering and colocation Overall, we found that Hulu—a joint to deliver Comcast subscribers’ data.”7 venture between NBCUniversal, Fox, Ultimately, as a Latino executive put and Disney-ABC—was considerably it: “Major distribution is digital. If you more diverse in its original programming control package, you control voice and than mainstream flm and television, and message.”8 streaming sites like Netfix. While this

30 THE LATINO DISCONNECT could suggest that NBCUniversal may LATINOS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA follow a diferent pattern online than in NETFLIX VS. HULU, 2014-2015 flm and television generally, the fact that NBCUniversal is required not to exercise any right to infuence the operation of (WITHOUT EAST LOS HIGH) Hulu suggests that its notable diversity may be refective of other factors, % OF LATINOS including the partner companies’ (Fox IN LEAD ROLES 0% 16.7% 0% and Disney) business model, which centrally includes diverse programming aimed at US minority audiences. % OF LATINOS IN SUPPORTING 9.0% 34.1% 5.3% At Hulu, behind the camera, Latinos had ROLES considerable higher rates of participation than in any other examined outlet: Tey made up 25% of directors, 33.3% % OF ROLES THAT ARE of writers, 33.3% of producers, and UNNAMED/UNCREDITED 48.3% 23.8% 15% of executive producers of original OF ALL LATINO ROLES scripted shows. Likewise, in front of the camera, Latinos constituted 31.5% of all cast members and 16.7% of all leads. % OF LATINOS At 16.2%, Hulu also had among the IN STEREOTYPICAL 49% 16.2% lowest rates of stereotypical characters, ROLES and these were primarily law enforcers and blue-collar workers rather than criminals.11 of the Apes in a main role.12 Yet, if one Figure 17 Latinos in front of the camera: removes the show from the total count, Netfix vs. Hulu, 2014–2015 (Source: IMDb) When considering the total number Latino inclusion plummets to 7.1% of of Latino actors, Afro-Latinos slightly supporting on-camera talent, and 0% over-indexed in relation to the Latino of leads, producers, executive producers, population as supporting actors, with directors, and writers. 3.8% of roles. When considering gender, Latinas played the highest percentage While Netfix programming has been of Latino characters of any examined praised for its relatively nuanced content provider with 46.7%. Moreover, portrayal of Latinos in Orange Is the New Hulu shows have the lowest percentage Black, despite a stereotypical storyline, its of Latinos playing uncredited and rates of diversity more closely resemble unnamed roles: 23.8% (fgure 17). mainstream media (fgure 18).13 Behind the camera, Latinos comprised 3.6% of At the same time, there were no directors, 1.6% of executive producers, Latina or Afro-Latino directors, and 1.3% of writers, and 0% of producers the majority of Latino talent was in original scripted programming. concentrated in a single hit show, East Only one Latina, Linda Mendoza, was Los High, about a group of Latino high employed as a director, comprising 1.2% school students in Los Angeles. Te of all directors. show has consistently employed Latinos (including Latinas and Afro-Latinos) In front of the camera, Latinos behind and in front of the camera, and constituted 9% of supporting roles and served as a platform to launch new talent none of the lead characters. A whopping like Gabriel Chavarria, who will appear 49% of all roles were stereotypical, in the upcoming flm War of the Planet mostly related to crime (17.9%) and law

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 31 enforcement (11.3%). Moreover, 48.3% program is in English, one of the main of Latino actors played unnamed and characters, Lito Rodriguez, lives in uncredited Latino roles, a rate similar to Mexico City and is portrayed by Spanish networks such as NBC. actor Miguel Angel Silvestre.

Signifcantly, these trends are also Whereas the telling of stories set evident in a range of other Netfix throughout the world and the opening programming, including specials, of the US media industry to world documentaries, reality TV shows, talent is enriching for media consumers, miniseries, and flm as well as in Netfix’s global strategy appears so far to announced programming for the 2015– ofer relatively few major opportunities 2016 season. In Netfix’s new lineup to US Latino talent or stories. In Sense8, of thirty-one shows in all genres, none for instance, of four featured Latino or included US Latino themes,14 although Latin American actors, only one, Ness a few productions like DreamWorks Bautista, is a US Latino. Of nineteen Dragons, an animated series that stars Latin American or Latino featured actors America Ferrera, includes Latino talent.15 that appear in six episodes or more in Narcos, only two are US Latinos. It is important to note, however, that Netfix is increasingly producing and Lastly, the lack of US Latinos in front distributing programs aimed at Latin of and behind the camera is similarly American and global Spanish-language evident at the level of corporate diversity. markets.16 Examples of this business Both Hulu and Netfix followed a model are shows like Narcos, a crime comparable pattern as most television drama about Colombian drug trafcker networks and flm studios—neither Pablo Escobar in which the executive included Latinos in top leadership producer and star are Brazilians, and positions. other key talent are from Argentina, Chile, and Colombia; Club de Cuervos, In sum, as viewers migrate to the a Spanish-language telenovela shot Internet, the core of innovation in Mexico; and Sense8, a sci-f series and change may also shift to online portraying eight strangers from around companies. Yet, while platforms that Figure 18 Scene from Orange Is the New the world who are emotionally and showcase self-produced work such as Black (Source: Netfix website) mentally linked. While the latter YouTube continue to ofer distribution for independent Latino talent and content, streaming companies like Netfix have to date provided limited opportunities for US Latinos in original programming and company leadership. Joint ventures that combine media companies with strong and weak diversity records do not appear to be inherently less diverse. At the same time, Hulu tends to segregate Latino talent and perspectives in Latino-themed programming.

32 THE LATINO DISCONNECT Our analysis of the relationship between as in mainstream television and flm. Latinos and media mergers that have Although Hulu is signifcantly more been proposed or completed during the inclusive of Latino talent and themes, past fve years confrms what we have these tend to be concentrated in Latino- called the Latino disconnect. focused programming rather than being incorporated across all genres and Te fndings show that in most shows. categories after the 2011 NBCUniversal CONCLUSION: merger, there is inadequate growth, Equally important, our diversity if not decline, in Latino talent both fndings suggest that memoranda CONNECTING in front of and behind the camera in of understanding prior to a merger COMMUNITIES television and flm entertainment. We are not enforceable. At the end, also found that NBC’s major news these agreements have little if any shows employed a disproportionally efect, particularly when they are not small number of Latino producers and supported by continuous advocacy executive producers, and very few lead pressure. anchors. Strikingly, in both news and entertainment, Latino-themed stories Simultaneously, the report shows that were both limited and overwhelmingly the infuence of Latino advocates and stereotypical. consumers continues to grow, in large part due to their capacity to share Te Latino disconnect is similarly information through digital media and evident in how major media the Internet. Teir impact is evident corporations like Comcast have in the greater number of Latino leads promoted few Latinos to top leadership cast in the most recent NBCUniversal positions, invested insufcient resources pilot lineup and the signifcant efect in working with Latino companies, and that Latinos had in challenging the are unmotivated to pay competitive failed Comcast merger with Time carriage fees to some independent Warner Cable. Ultimately, the future Latino content producers and media of diverse media and equitable access companies. Tese combined fndings to broadband rests on the ability of all underscore that the potential harm communities, including Latinos, to of merged media companies is not connect. only about higher consumer prices. Increased market consolidation may likewise produce or maintain low quantity and quality of representation and little diversity of leadership. It may also stife Latino entrepreneurship and thus limit employment and wealth creation opportunities for minority communities.

Furthermore, we found that the disconnect does not only exist between cable, broadband, or traditional media companies and Latino media producers, leaders, and consumers. US Latino diversity in original content produced by online streaming companies like Netfix is currently as low or lower

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 33 Latin Times, June 26, 2014, http://www. press reported another possible merger, that of NOTES latintimes.com/latinos-are-fastest-growing- Dish TV and T-Mobile; see Jessica Guynn, “Dish minority-group-census-data-fnds-asians- in Talks to Merge with T-Mobile: Report,” USA THE LATINO DISCONNECT surpassing-hispanics-186077; and Jens Manuel Today, June 4, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/ Krosgard and Mark Hugo Lopez, “Hispanic story/tech/2015/06/03/tmobile-dish-merger- 1. Emily Steel, “Internet Customers Surpass Population Hits Record 55 Million, But talks/28449131/. Cable Subscribers at Comcast,” New York Growth Has Cooled,” Pew Research Center, Times, May 4, 2015, http://www.nytimes. June 25, 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/ 16. On Netfix and Hulu, see “Netfix Stock com/2015/05/05/business/media/comcasts- fact-tank/2015/06/25/u-s-hispanic-population- Surges on Strong Second Quarter Subscriber earnings-rise-10-driven-by-high-speed-internet. growth-surge-cools/. Growth,” CNN Money, July 15, 2015, http:// html. money.cnn.com/2015/07/15/media/netfix- 6. Carolina Moreno, “Latino Actors Weren’t second-quarter-2015-earnings/; and Meredith 2. See Shalini Ramachandran, Gautham Nagesh, Snubbed at the Oscars—But Tat’s Not a Good Blake, “Hulu Expands Original Content, Boasts and Bordy Mullins, “Comcast’s Lobbying Ting,” Hufngton Post, February 22, 2015, 6 Million Hulu Plus Subscribers,” Los Angeles Machine Faces Test in Washington,” Wall http://www.hufngtonpost.com/2015/02/20/ Times, April 30, 2014, http://www.latimes. Street Journal, January 22, 2015, http://www. latinos-in-hollywood-_n_6721480.html. com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st- wsj.com/articles/comcasts-lobbying-machine- hulu-upfront-originals-6-million-hulu-plus- faces-test-in-washington-1421983983; Shalini 7. Frances Negrón-Muntaner with Chelsea subscribers-20140430-story.html. On Hulu Ramachandran, Joe Flint, and Brent Kendall, Abbas, Luis Figueroa, and Samuel Robson, Te and NBCUniversal, see Emily Steel, “Comcast’s “FCC Staf Recommends Hearing on Comcast- Latino Media Gap: Te State of Latinos in Media Track Record in Past Deals May Be Hitch for Time Warner Cable Merger,” Wall Street Journal, (New York: Center for the Study of Ethnicity Merger with Time Warner Cable,” New York April 23, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/ and Race and the National Association of Latino Times, April 15, 2015, http://www.nytimes. fcc-staf-recommends-hearing-on-comcast-time- Independent Producers, 2014). com/2015/04/22/business/media/6-senators- warner-cable-merger-1429751499; and Brent urge-rejection-of-comcast-time-warner-cable- Kendall and Gautham Nagesh, “Comcast, Time 8. Nielsen, Te Digital Consumer (February deal.html?emc=eta1&_r=0. Warner Deal to Spark Regulatory Debate,” Wall 2014), 12, http://www.nielsen.com/ Street Journal, February 13, 2014, http://www. content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports- wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405270230470380 downloads/2014%20Reports/the-digital- 1. OFF CAMERA 4579380453221890292. consumer-report-feb-2014.pdf. 1. “Spending on Mergers, Acquisitions Approach 3. Ted Johnson, “Comcast Meets with Hispanic 9. Ibid. Year 2000’s Boom Levels,” CNET, September Caucus Members on TW Cable Merger,” Variety, 30, 2014, http://www.cnet.com/news/spending- December 2, 2014, http://variety.com/2014/ 10. Quoted in Negrón-Muntaner et al., Latino on-mergers-acquisitions-approaches-year-2000s- biz/news/comcast-meets-with-hispanic-caucus- Media Gap, 35. boom-levels/. members-on-tw-cable-merger-1201369291/; and “Latino Leaders React to Comcast/Time 11. David Chitel, “Latinos Have the Power to 2. Yinka Adegoke and Dan Levine, “Comcast Warner Cable Merger,” PRWeb, February 15, Change Media and Entertainment and Create a Completes NBC Universal Merger,” Reuters, 2014, http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/02/ New Image,” Hufngton Post, October 11, 2011, January 29, 2011, http://www.reuters. prweb11587946.htm. http://www.hufngtonpost.com/david-chitel/ com/article/2011/01/29/us-comcast-nbc- latinos-have-the-power_b_1004145.html. idUSTRE70S2WZ20110129; and Timothy 4. Letter to the Honorable Tom Wheeler, B. Lee, “Comcast Acquires Full Ownership of Chairman, US Federal Communications 12. Negrón-Muntaner et al., Latino Media Gap. NBCUniversal Ahead of Schedule,”Ars Technica, Commission (FCC), January 12, 2014, from February 12, 2013, http://arstechnica.com/ Hermandad Mexicana, Mexican American 13. Arturo Carmona and Joe Torres, “Why tech-policy/2013/02/comcast-acquires-full- Political Association, National Association of Media Mega-Mergers Are Bad News for Latinos ownership-of-nbcuniversal-ahead-of-schedule/. Latino Americans and Caribbean Communities, and Communities of Color,” Hufngton Post, National Latina Institute for Reproductive May 4, 2015, http://www.hufngtonpost.com/ 3. Comcast Corporation and NBC Universal, Health, National Institute for Latino Policy, arturo-carmona/why-media-megamergers- MB Docket 10-56, Federal Communications National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, are_b_7208904.html. Commission, January 18, 2011, https://www. National Hispanic Environmental Council, fcc.gov/transaction/comcast-nbcu. Present.org, and Southwest Voter Registration 14. Letter to the Honorable Tom Wheeler from Education Project; and Dave Smith, “Tis Hermandad Mexicana et al. 4. Letter to the Honorable Tom Wheeler from Huge New Group Wants to Kill the Comcast- Hermandad Mexicana et al.; and Ramachandran, Time Warner Cable Merger Once and for All,” 15. Michal Lev-Ram, “How Comcast Lost Nagesh, and Mullins, “Comcast’s Lobbying Business Insider, December 4, 2014, http:// Friends, Its Infuence, and the Bid for Time Machine Faces Test in Washington.” www.businessinsider.com/stopmegacomcast- Warner Cable,” Fortune, May 20, 2015, https:// wants-to-kill-the-comcast-time-warner-cable- fortune.com/2015/05/20/how-comcast-lost-bid- 5. “Joint Statement written by David L. merger-2014-12. for-time-warner/; and Memorandum Opinion Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast & Order (1/20/11), FCC Grants Approval Corporation and Robert D. Marcus, Chairman 5. Susmita Baral, “Latinos Are the Fastest- of Comcast-NBCU Transaction, Comcast and Chief Executive Ofcer, Time Warner Growing Minority Group? Census Data Corporation and NBC Universal, Federal Cable Inc.,” Hearing before the Subcommittee Finds Asians Surpassing Hispanics in 2013,” Communications Commission. In June, the on Regulatory Reform, Commercial Antitrust

34 THE LATINO DISCONNECT Law of the Committee on the Judiciary House 16. Comcast NBCUniversal report, 12. 14. Stephanie Chen and Noemí Gallardo, of Representatives One Hundred Tirteenth Supplier Diversity Report Card: Unexpected Congress, May 8, 2014, Serial No. 113–94, 2014. 17. Telephone interview with former Achievements and Continuing Gaps, Greenlining NBCUniversal executive, March 15, 2015. Institute, 2014, 10, http://greenlining.org/ 6. Olivia N. Castañeda, “Universal Appeal,” issues/2014/2014-supplier-diversity-report-card/. Hispanic Executive, October–December 2014, http://hispanicexecutive.com/2014/nbcuniversal/; 2. HUGE DEAL 15. Ibid., 30. and “MSNBC, Telemundo’s Jose Diaz-Balart Named ‘12 to Watch in TV News,’” NBC News, 1. Roger Yu and Kim Hjelmgaard, “Comcast, 16. Ibid., 4, 10. December 16, 2014, http://www.nbcnews.com/ Time Warner Cable reach $45B deal,” USA news/latino/msnbc-telemundos-jose-diaz-balart- Today, February 13, 2014. 17. Ibid., 39. named-12-watch-tv-news-n269471. 2. Spencer Bachus, Opening Statement, Hearing 18. Ibid., 6. 7. For further commentary, see, Esther J. before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Cepeda, “Good News, Bad News, Stormy Seas Commercial Antitrust Law of the Committee 19. Ibid., 12. for Latino Journalists,” Latino Magazine, January on the Judiciary House of Representatives One 3, 2016, http://www.latinomagazine.com/ Hundred Tirteenth Congress, May 8, 2014, 20. Lev-Rahm, “How Comcast Lost Friends.” winter2016/good-news,-bad-news.html. Serial No. 113–94, 2014, 1-3, 2. 21. Jon Brodkin, “Congressman Battles Comcast 8. MSNBC only has one Latino acnhor, José 3. Time Warner Cable Diversity Report, 2013, Over Programming Dispute and TWC Merger,” Díaz-Balart, who in late 2015 also became a http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/our- ArsTechnica, May 24, 2015, http://arstechnica. rotating weekend anchor for NBC Nightly News. company/corporate-responsibility/overview.html. com/tech-policy/2015/02/congressman-battles- comcast-over-programming-dispute-and-twc- 9. Ramachandran, Nagesh, and Mullins, 4. “How to Save Money on Triple-Play Cable merger/. “Comcast’s Lobbying Machine Faces Test in Services: Navigate the Changing World of Washington.” TV, Internet, and Home Phone Service—and 22. Christopher Zara, “Comcast-Estrella TV Save Money Doing It,” ConsumerReports.org, Dispute Shows How TWC 10. For further details, see Lee Vann, “What March 2014; and ACSI Telecommunications Merger Could Hurt Hispanic Communities, We Can Learn from the Failures of NBC Latino and Information Report, American Customer Congressman Says,” International Business and CNN Latino,” Engage Hispanics, May 8, Satisfaction Index, May 20, 2014. Times, February 12, 2015, http://www. 2014, http://www.mediapost.com/publications/ ibtimes.com/comcast-estrella-tv-dispute- article/225418/what-we-can-learn-from-the- 5. “How to Save Money on Triple-Play.”2 shows-how-twc-merger-could-hurt-hispanic- failures-of-nbc-latino.html. communities-1814676. 6. ACSI Telecommunications and Information 11. Phone interview with journalist, May 22, Report. 23. Ted Johnson, “Estrella TV, Comcast Spar 2015. Over Carriage in Tree Markets,” Variety, 7. Lev-Rahm, “How Comcast Lost Friends.” February 9, 2015, http://variety.com/2015/biz/ 12. Comcast NBCUniversal report, Seeing the news/estrella-tv-comcast-spar-over-carriage-in- Bigger Picture, 2014, 6–7, http://corporate. 8. “Te Efects of the Comcast-Time three-markets-1201428845/; and Christopher comcast.com/images/Comcast_Diversity_ Warner Cable Merger in Los Angeles,” L.A. Palmieri and Gerry Smith, “Estrella TV Goes Report_060214.pdf. Consolidation, February 18, 2015. ‘Mano a Mano’ with Comcast Over Cable Fees,” Bloomberg Business, February 9, 2015, http:// 13. “Cesar Conde, Chairman, NBCUniversal 9. Bryan Burrough,“Te Inside Story of the www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-10/ International Group and NBCUniversal Civil War for the Soul of NBC News,” Vanity estrella-tv-goes-mano-a-mano-with-comcast-in- Telemundo Enterprises,” http://corporate. Fair, May 2015, http://www.vanityfair.com/ cable-fee-fght. comcast.com/news-information/leadership- news/2015/04/nbc-news-brian-williams-scandal- overview/cesar-conde-2. Comcast also lists comcast. 24. Federal Communications Commission, NBCUniversal leadership separately, and this Economic Analysis Workshop, January 30, list contains three additional Latino executives: 10. Ibid. 2015, 253. Jacqueline Hernandez, chief marketing ofcer, Hispanic Enterprises and Content, Manuel 11. “‘NBC Nightly News’ is No. 1 in First 25. Ibid. Martinez, president of Telemundo, and Belinda Quarter,” MediaLife Magazine, April 5, 2015, Menendez, president of NBC Universal http://www.medialifemagazine.com/nbc-nightly- 26. David L. Cohen, “Comcast to Bring Four International. news-is-no-1-in-frst-quarter/. New Independent Minority-Owned Networks to Consumers,” February 21, 2012, http:// 14. See Comcast’s leadership page, http://www. 12. Comcast Diversity Report, 4–5. corporate.comcast.com/news-information/.news- cmcsa.com/management.cfm. feed/comcast-announces-agreements-with-four- 13. In Seeing the Bigger Picture, Comcast and new-minority-owned-independent-networks 15. Tese low numbers of Latinos in CEO NBCUniversal only provide percentage of and board positions are consistent with wider spending growth for each ethnic and racial 27. E-mail communication with Latino media trends as documented by HACR in their 2013 group. Tere is no data about what is the actual advocate, May 31, 2015. Corporate Governance Study, 6. percentage of spending per group.

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 35 28. Claire Atkinson, “Regulators Eyeing Most People in Los Angeles Won’t Be Able to Hermandad Mexicana et al. Comcast for Possible NBCU Deal Violations,” Watch the Dodgers on TV,” Washington Post, New York Post, May 28, 2015, http://nypost. March 3, 2015. 22. Carmona, phone interview. com/2015/05/28/comcast-under-fre-for- possible-violations-before-nbcu-purchase/. 9. Representative Tony Cárdenas, e-mail 23. Ibid. interview, June 10, 2015. 29. “Breaking News: TV Viewers Held 24. Carmona, phone interview; and online Hostage,” Consumer Reports, June 12, 2012, 10. Ibid. petition, “Tell the FCC and DOJ: Reject the consumereports.org. Comcast-TWC Merger,” Presente.org, http://act. 11. Tom Gara, “FCC Chairman ‘Troubled’ by presente.org/sign/twcomcast/. 30. Editorial Board, “How Mergers Damage the Time Warner Cable’s L.A. Antics,” Te Wall Street Economy,” New York Times, October 31, 2015, Journal, July 29, 2014, http://blogs.wsj.com/ 25. Carmona, phone interview. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/opinion/ corporate-intelligence/2014/07/29/fcc-chairman- sunday/how-mergers-damage-the-economy.html. tells-time-warner-cable-bring-back-the-dodgers/, 26. Ibid. and Letter to Chairman Tom Wheeler from 31. 2013 Foundation Giving, Comcast- Representatives Tony Cárdenas, Alan Lowenthal, 27. Online petition, “Tell the California Public NBCUniversal, http://corporate.comcast.com/ Linda T. Sánchez, Janice Hahn, Lucille Roybal- Utilities Commission: Stop Comcast,” http://act. csr2013/2013-foundation-giving. Allard, Brad Sherman, Julia Brownley, and Judy presente.org/sign/cupc/?source=presente_website. Chu, July 25, 2014. 32. Issue Brief: Philanthropy and Community, 28. Christopher Palmeri and Gerry Smith, Time Warner Cable, 2014, 1–4, 2. 12. Ibid. “Estrella TV Goes ‘Mano a Mano’ With Comcast Over Cable Fees,” Bloomberg Business, 13. Cárdenas, e-mail interview. February 9, 2015, http://www.bloomberg.com/ 3. GAME OVER news/articles/2015-02-10/estrella-tv-goes-mano-a- 14. “Cárdenas, Dozens of Reps, Demand mano-with-comcast-in-cable-fee-fght. 1. Brian Fung, “Why Hispanics Hold the Key to Potential Comcast-Time Warner Merger Protect the Comcast Merger,” Washington Post, April 21, Independent Latino Voices in Media,” Press 29. “Xfnity Discrimina contra la comunidad 2015, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ Release, August 3, 2014, https://cardenas.house. latina,” advertisement, February 7, 2015, http:// the-switch/wp/2015/04/21/how-hispanics-hold- gov/media-center/press-releases/c-rdenas-dozens- www.estrellatv.com/comcast. the-key-to-the-comcast-merger/. of-reps-demand-potential-comcast-time-warner- merger. 30. Brodkin, “Congressman Battles Comcast over 2. Statement on Comcast/NBC Universal Merger, Programming Dispute and TWC Merger.” July 15, 2010, http://www.nhmc.org/comcastnbc- 15. Ted Johnson, “Lawmakers Ask Comcast universal-merger/. Te other organizations were: to Carry Latino-Owned Channels,” Variety, 31. Ibid. National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), August 2, 2014, http://variety.com/2014/biz/ the League of United Latin American Citizens news/lawmakers-ask-comcast-for-latino-owned- 32. Ibid. (LULAC), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), channels-1201274054/. Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility 33. Sara Hamedy and Meg James, “Groups (HACR), and the Cuban American National 16. Ramachandran, Nagesh, and Mullins, Rally Against Comcast-Time Warner Cable Council (CNC). “Comcast’s Lobbying Machine Faces Test in Merger ahead of PUC Hearing,” Los Angeles Washington”; and Johnson, “Lawmakers Ask Times, April 14, 2015, http://www.latimes.com/ 3. Lev-Ram, “How Comcast Lost Friends.” Comcast to Carry Latino-Owned Channels.” entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-comcast- merger-puc-rally-20150414-story.html#page=1. 4. Ibid. 17. Cárdenas, e-mail interview. 34. “Te Efects of the Comcast-Time Warner 5. Comments of the National Hispanic Media 18. John Kwoka, “Economic Analysis of the Cable Merger in Los Angeles,” L.A. Consolidation, Coalition, August 24, 2014, 7, http://www.nhmc. Efects of the Proposed Merger of Comcast February 18, 2015. org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NHMC_ and Time Warner Cable on Program Providers Comcast_TWC_Comments.pdf. Serving the Latino Market,” August 25, 2014, 35. Hamedy and James, “Groups Rally against commissioned by Entravision, Los Angeles, CA. Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger ahead of 6. Carmona and Torres, “Why Media Mega- PUC Hearing.” Mergers Are Bad News for Latinos and 19. Barry Friedman, phone interview, September Communities of Color.” 9, 2015. 36. Summary of Commissioner’s Florio’s Alternate Proposed Decision Denying Comcast/Time Warner 7. Phone interview with Latino media advocate, 20. Arturo Carmona, phone interview, June 1, Cable Merger, William Velásquez Institute, May 24, 2015. 2015; and “Comcast Merger Collapse Would 2015. Be Huge Win for Latinos,” Presente.org, April 8. Bill Shaikin, “Dodgers Ofcially Announce 23, 2015, http://www.presente.org/press/ 37. Phone interview with guild advocate, June 8, Deal with Time Warner Cable,” Los Angeles releases/2015/4/23/comcast-merger-collapse- 2015. Times, January 28, 2013, http://articles. would-be-huge-win. latimes.com/2013/jan/28/sports/la-sp-dodgers- 38. Carmona, phone interview. tv-20130129, and Matt Bonesteel, “Once Again, 21. Letter to the Honorable Tom Wheeler from

36 THE LATINO DISCONNECT 39. Shalini Ramachandran, “Comcast to Drop network-1201684570/. Customized FiOS TV Package Despite ESPN Bid for Time Warner Cable,” Wall Street Objections,” Variety, April 21, 2015, http:// Journal, April 23, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/ 4. Kastrenakes, “FCC Approves AT&T- variety.com/2015/biz/news/verizon-custom-fos- articles/comcast-to-drop-bid-for-time-warner- DirecTV merger”; and Brooks Boliek, “FCC tv-espn-objections-1201476567/. cable-1429824755. Set to Approve AT&T-DirecTV Deal,” Politico, July 21, 2015, http://www.politico.com/ 13. “Finally a Verizon FiOS Availability Map,” 40. Carmona, phone interview. story/2015/07/fcc-set-to-approve-att-directv- Fiber for All, May 24, 2014, http://fberforall. deal-120431.html?hp=rc1_4, and Tim Knauss, org/fos-map/; and Joe Flint, “ESPN Sues 41. Phone interview with former NBCUniversal “NY Approves Charter-Time Warner Cable with Verizon Over New FiOS TV Packages,” Wall executive, 2015. Faster Broadband, Lower Prices,” Syracuse.com, Street Journal, April 27, 2015, http://www.wsj. January 8, 2016, http://www.syracuse.com/news/ com/articles/espn-sues-verizon-over-new-fos-tv- 42. Ibid. index.ssf/2016/01/ny_approves_charter-time_ packages-1430151973. warner_cable_merger_with_higher_broadband_ 43. Lesley Goldberg, “TV Pilots 2015: Te speeds_lower.html. 14. Jefrey S. Passel, D’Vera Cohn, and Mark Complete Guide to What Lives, Dies and Still Hugo Lopez, “Hispanics Account for More than Has a Pulse,” Hollywood Reporter, January 19, 5. “Charter and Multicultural Leadership Half of Nation’s Growth in Past Decade” (Pew 2015, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live- Organizations Reach Signifcant Agreement on Research Center, 2011). feed/tv-pilots-2015-complete-guide-764707. On Diversity and Inclusion Eforts,” press release, November 23, 2015, Remezcla.com announced January 15, 2016. 15. Flint, “ESPN Sues Verizon Over New FiOS that NBS also ordered a pilot featuring a TV Packages.” Dominican American family. See, “NBC Orders 6. National Latino Media Coalition, “Latinos Pilot for Dominican Family Comedy ‘Vlad,’” Slam Time Warner Cable Merger for Potential to 16. Emily Steel, “Now, Spotlight Turns to http://remezcla.com/flm/nbc-orders-pilot-for- Raise Prices, Limit Programming for California AT&T DirecTV Deal,” New York Times, May frst-ever-dominican-family-comedy-on-us- Latinos,” January 19, 2016, https://mail.aol. 5, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/ television/. com/webmail-std/en-us/PrintMessage. business/dealbook/now-spotlight-turns-to- att-directv-deal.html?_r=0; and Marguerite 7. “Reply Testimony of Alex Nogales on Behalf Reardon, “AT&T Makes Case for $48.5 Billion 4. THE NEXT WAVE of the National Hispanic Media Coalition,” Merger with DirecTV,” CNET, June 11, 2014, January 15, 2016, http://www.nhmc.org/wp] http://www.cnet.com/news/at-t-makes-case-for- 1. Jacob Kastrenakes, “FCC Approves AT&T- content/uploads/2016/01/Reply]Testimony]of] 48-5-billion-merger-with-directv/. DirecTV merger,” Verge, July 24, 2015, http:// NHMC.pdf. www.theverge.com/2015/7/24/8876267/att- 17. Julia Angwin, Charlie Savage, Jef Larson, directv-merger-approved. 8. “Tell the FCC: Reject the Charter/Time Henrik Moltke, Laura Poitras, and James Risen, Warner Cable (TWC) Merger,” Present. “AT&T Helped US Spy on Internet on a Vast 2. Mario Trujillo, “Verizon Finalizes Ownership org, February, 11, 2016, http://presente.org/ Scale,” New York Times, August 15, 2015, http:// of AOL,” Hill, June 23, 2015, http://thehill. campaign/chartermerger/original_email/. www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/us/politics/att- com/policy/technology/245841-verizon- helped-nsa-spy-on-an-array-of-internet-trafc. fnalizes-ownership-of-aol; “Verizon to Acquire 9. David Young and Ellen Stutzman, “Why the html?_r=0. AOL,” May 12, 2015, PRNewswire, http:// Charter-Time Warner Cable Merger is a Bad www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon- Deal,” Variety, January 25, 2016, http://variety. 18. Lev-Rahm, “How Comcast Lost Friends,” 8. to-acquire-aol-300081541.html; and Brian com/2016/digital/opinion/why-the-charter- Fung, “Verizon Is Buying AOL for $4.4 time-warner-cable-merger-is-a-bad-deal-guest- 19. ACSI Telecommunications and Information Billion,” Washington Post, May 12, 2015, http:// column-1201686665/. Report, American Customer Satisfaction Index, www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/ May 20, 2014, 1–15, 8. wp/2015/05/12/verizons-buying-aol-for-a- 10.Letter to Felix Sanchez from Entravision, reported-4-4-billion/. October 22, 2015. 20. Ibid., 2, 4.

3. Michael J. de la Merced, “Charter Said to 11. Verizon Communications Inc., National 21. Ted Johnson, “Will Merger Critics Wage Be Near Deal to Buy Time Warner Cable,” Broadband Map, http://www.broadbandmap. War Against Charter-Time Warner Cable New York Times, May 25, 2015, http://www. gov/about-provider/verizon-communications- Deal?,” Variety, May 26, 2015, http://variety. nytimes.com/2015/05/26/business/dealbook/ inc/nationwide/; and “Verizon Wireless and com/2015/biz/news/charter-time-warner-cable- charter-time-warner-cable-deal.html; and AT&T Move Toward Voice over LTE (VoLTE) comcast-fcc-1201504913/. James B. Stewart, “How Netfix Keeps Finding Interoperability; Working with Other Providers Itself on the Same Side as Regulators,” New to Expand Interoperability across the Industry,” 22. AT&T executive bios, http://www.att.com/ York Times, May 28, 2015, http://www. PR Newswire, November 3, 2014, http:// gen/investor-relations?pid=9812. nytimes.com/2015/05/29/business/media/ www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon- how-netfix-keeps-fnding-itself-on-the-same- wireless-and-att-move-toward-voice-over-lte- 23. DirecTV, Corporate Governance, Board of side-as-regulators.html and Ted Johnson, volte-interoperability-working-with-other- Directors, http://investor.directv.com/corporate- “Charter-Time Warner Cable Merger Faces providers-to-expand-interoperability-across-the- governance/board-of-directors/default.aspx. Fierce Opposition from New Coalition,” Variety, industry-281329741.html. January 21, 2016, http://variety.com/2016/biz/ 24. AOL website, leadership page, http://corp. news/charter-time-warner-cable-merger-dish- 12. Todd Spangler, “Verizon Launches aol.com/about-aol/leadership.

THE LATINO DISCONNECT 37 25. Brian Fung, “Comcast Is Expanding Its 7. “Te Efects of the Comcast-Time down-baz-luhrmann-herizen-guardiola-female- $10-a-Month Internet Program for the Poor,” Warner Cable Merger in Los Angeles,” L.A. lead-1201474133/. Washington Post, August 4, 2014, https:// Consolidation, February 18, 2015, 7. www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/ 16. Yvonne Villareal, “Netfix Proft Exceeds wp/2014/08/04/comcast-is-expanding-its-10-a- 8. Phone interview with former NBCUniversal Forecasts,” Los Angeles Times, July 15, 2015, month-internet-program-for-the-poor/; and executive, 2015. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f-netfix- “Low Income Internet Service Providers,” earnings-20150715-story.html. Cheap Internet, http://www.cheapInternet. 9. Negrón-Muntaner et al., Latino Media Gap, 3. com/low-income-Internet. 10. Carmona, phone interview. 26. For more information, see “Lifeline Discount Program,” http://www.verizon. 11. In 2014, Hulu also started producing a com/support/consumer/consumer-education/ Latino reality show, Los Cowboys. We do not lifeline?CMP=DMC-CVZ_ZZ_ZZ_Z_DO_N_ include it in the count as we are only sampling X00363. scripted television shows. Los Cowboys, however, is less stereotypical than other Hulu oferings 27. Karl Bode, “AT&T Fined Yet Again in some ways, but follows the same pattern of for Shady Behavior, Tis Time for Milking concentrating Latino talent in a few shows. Low-Income Lifeline Program,” Tech Dirt, May 1, 2015, https://www.techdirt.com/ 12. Phone and email interviews with Hulu articles/20150430/09505830839/att-fned-yet- executives, January 29 and February 1, 2016. again-shady-behavior-this-time-milking-low-i5. ncome-lifeline-program.shtml. 13. Carmery Trinidad, “Meet the 8 Latinos of Netfix’s ‘Orange is the New Black,’” Latina, August 10, 2013; Alex Abad- 5. ONLINE VIEWS Santos, “Orange Is the New Black’s Latina Characters Are Women We Hardly Ever See 1. Emily Steel and Sidney Ember, “Networks on Television,” June 12, 2015, http://www. Fret as Ad Dollars Flow to Digital Media,” New vox.com/2014/6/16/5807170/orange-is-the- York Times, May 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes. new-blacks-latina-characters-are-women-we- com/2015/05/11/business/media/networks-fret- hardly-ever; and CH Smith, “Latina’s on Netfix as-ad-dollars-fow-to-digital-media.html. Show ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Give Us Characters We’ve Never Seen on TV,” Latino 2. Nielsen, Digital Consumer, 11. Post, July 10, 2014, http://www.latinopost.com/ articles/6696/20140710/latinas-netfix-orange- 3. “Timeline of Media Mergers, 1986–2004,” is-the-new-black.htm. http://www.globalization101.org/timeline- of-media-mega-mergers-1986-2004/; and 14. “List of Original Programs Distributed by “Timeline of Media Mergers, 2005–present,” Netfix,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_ http://www.globalization101.org/timeline-of- of_original_programs_distributed_by_Netfix; media-mega-mergers-2005/. “Netfix Original Shows in 2015 and beyond,” CNET, March 10, 2015, http://www.cnet. 4. Victor Luckerson, “Google Spent Even More com/pictures/netfix-originals/5/; and Todd on Lobbying Tan Comcast in 2014,” Time Spangler, “Netfix Comedy ‘Club de Cuervos’ Magazine (online), January 21, 2015, http:// Starts Shooting in Mexico,” Variety, January 14, time.com/3677301/google-lobbying-comcast/; 2015, http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/ and Brian Solomon, “Why Netfix Stands Alone netfix-comedy-club-de-cuervos-starts-shooting- Against the Comcast-Time Warner Merger,” in-mexico-1201404843/. Forbes, April 22, 2014, http://www.forbes.com/ sites/briansolomon/2014/04/22/why-netfix- 15. Te upcoming Te Get Down by Baz stands-alone-against-the-comcast-time-warner- Luhrmann may be signifcantly more inclusive. merger/. To date, it will feature Jimmy Smits and Afro- Latina actress Herizen Guardiola in a lead 5. Stacey Higginbotham, “Your Next role. See Karen Butler, “Jimmy Smits to Star Comcast Bill May Be Priced Per Gigabyte,” in Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Te Get Down’ Series,” Fortune, September 30, 2015, http://fortune. UPI, May 27, 2015, http://www.upi.com/ com/2015/09/30/comcast-broadband-pricing- Entertainment_News/TV/2015/05/27/Jimmy- wireless/. Smits-to-star-in-Baz-Luhrmanns-Te-Get- Down-series/1151432732034/; and Whitney 6. Sam Gustin, “Comcast’s Trafc Pact is Friedlander, “Baz Luhrmann’s Netfix Drama Shrouded in Secrecy,” Time, February 23, 2014. Casts Female Lead,” Variety, April 16, 2015, http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/get-

38 THE LATINO DISCONNECT