latino media gap report by frances negrón-muntaner with chelsea abbas, luis figueroa, and samuel...

7/22/2019 Latino Media Gap Report by Frances Negrn-Muntaner with Chelsea Abbas, Luis Figueroa, and Samuel Robson

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A REPORT ON THE STATE OF LATINOS IN U.S. MEDI

Frances Negrn-Muntaner

with Chelsea Abbas, Luis Figueroa, and Samuel Robson

BY

THE LATINO MEDIA GAP

COMMISSIONED BY FUNDED IN PART BY

The Center for the Study of Ethnicity and RaceColumbia University

National Latino Arts, Educaand Media Institute

LATINA

WITH

HOT ACCENT

OFFICERMARTINEZCARTEL

UNMAN #2


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LATINO MEDIA EXCLUSION

EXCLUSION OF MORE THAN THE ENTIRE STATES OF CALIFORNIA AND ILLINOIS(38 MILLION) (12.8 MILLION)

Latinos are a powerful force inAmerican society. opping fifty-threemillion, Latinos constitute one of thefastest growing ethnic groups in theUnited States, comprising 17% ofthe population and over 20% of thekey 1834 marketing demographic.1

Relative to the general population,

Latinos also attend more movies andlisten to radio more frequently thando any other U.S. racial or ethnicgroup.2 In addition, their purchasingpower is steadily increasing. By 2015,Hispanic buying power is expected toreach $1.6 trillion. o put this figurein perspective: if U.S Latinos were tofound a nation, that economy would bethe 14thlargest in the world.3

Latinos are not only avid media

consumers; they have made importantcontributions to the film and televisionindustries, and currently over-indexas digital communicators and onlinecontent creators.4 Moreover, they arewatchful of their image: when programsor films are perceived to have anti-Latino content, advocacy groups andconsumers target studios and networkswith increasingly effective campaigns.Simultaneously, programs and movies

featuring compelling Latino talent anstorylines are rewarded with highratings and revenue.

Yet, with few exceptions, Latinoparticipation in mainstream English-language media is stunningly low. Areview of the top movies and televisioprograms reveals that there is a narrowrange of stories and roles, and fewerLatino lead actors in the entertainmenindustry today, than there were seventyears ago. Likewise, whereas the Latinpopulation grew more than 43%from 2000 to 2010, the rate of mediaparticipationbehind and in frontof the camera, and across all genresand formatsstayed stagnant or grewonly slightly, at times proportionallydeclining.5 Even further, when Latino

are visible, they tend to be portrayedthrough decades-old stereotypes ascriminals, law enforcers, cheap labor,and hypersexualized beings.

o visualize the magnitude of Latinomedia exclusion, we can imagine thatreferences to the states of California(38 million people), Illinois (12.8million) and Rhode Island (1 million)or New York (19.6 million), Florida(19.5 million), and Pennsylvania (12.million) are eliminated from Americamedia culture.6And in the rare casethat audiences saw or heard anythingabout, say, California or Illinois, wewould be shown bikini-clad women agangsters.

In this report, we have named thisconundrum the Latino media gap:as Latino consumer power grows,relative Latino media presence shrinks

Although the modest increase innumbers and the success of a handfulstars like Jennifer Lopez is noteworthythe rate of incorporation is out of stepwith the massive demographic changesweeping the country.

Te consequences of this gap arefar-reaching. Te current data

EXECUTIVESUMMARYAND

KEY FINDINGS



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highest-rated scripted television shows;public television programming focusingon history, music, and independentdocumentary; and select Youube sitesthrough March 31, 2014.

o determine short- and long-termtrends, we consulted a range of availablesources: the U.S. Census; past researchand guild reports by the Writers Guildof America, Directors Guild of America,and Screen Actors Guild; PBS showarchives; entertainment and advertisingtrade magazines; and studio andnetwork websites; as well as the NielsenRatings, Box Office Mojo, and InternetMovie Database (IMDb). Furthermore,we conducted interviews with 27 mediaadvocates, innovators, and executivesover a period of five years (20092014).

In order to better understand therelationship between level of inclusionand cultural impact, we measuredLatino media participation in twodifferent ways. Te first gauged thenumber of creative talent out of allindividuals in that field. Te secondfocused on how frequently creativetalent appeared and/or was employedover a season or a year. We foundboth approaches useful, particularlyto describe the inclusion of actors,since a single star like Cameron Diazor Sofia Vergara may represent a smallpercentage of actors in a categorybut can be highly visible due to therepetition of a hit show or popularcharacter over time.

Another important methodologicalconsideration refers to the termLatino. As there are different

definitions and these can affectstatistical outcomes, the present studydefines Latinosas persons born inthe United States who are of LatinAmerican descent and/or who havebeen born in Latin America and haveimmigrated to the United States. Weidentified Latino talent by surname,place of origin, self-identification, andother corroborating data. Being that

Spaniards are regularly confused withLatinos in media representations andtend to play Hispanic-coded roles, werefer to their influence and presencebut do not count them as Latinosfor statistical purposes. In addition,the report uses the terms LatinoandHispanicinterchangeably.

FINDINGS

Te Latino Media Gapreport makeseight principal findings on the gapbetween Latino presence and mediainclusion in the U.S. today:1. Latino participation inprogramming and movies is extremelylimited.

In general, Latino media participationhas modestly increased since the1940s. But, per capita, it is the sameor lower than it was in prior decades inmajor categories. For example, in the1950s, Latinos were on average 2.8%of the U.S. population. In the top tenscripted shows, however, Latinos were3.9% of lead actor appearances and1.5% of all lead roles; in the top tenmovies, Latinos made up 1.3% of leadappearances and played 1.7% of leadroles. Yet, in 2013, despite being 17%of the population, Latinos comprisednone of the lead actors among the topten movies and scripted network Vshows.

2. Latino men have disappeared asleading actors; though the percentageof Latinas and Afro-Latino actors isrising.

Until the 1990s, there were considerablymore Latino male leads than Latinaleads in V shows and films. Tistrend has significantly reversed. In the20102013 period, Latino men did notperform any leading roles in the top tenfilms and V shows, and constitutedfewer than 3% of supporting televisionand film actor appearances. Latinas

suggests persistent and uncheckedjob discrimination in a major U.S.industry. Te relegation of Latinossimilarly deprives media consumers ofinnovative perspectives at a momentof rapid industry and demographicchange. Equally important, asentertainment and news reports oftencarry more weight than do otherforms of communication, the limitedand stereotypical nature of existingstories about Latinos skews the publicsperception of U.S. society. It alsosanctions hostility toward the countryslargest minority, which has alreadybecome the majority in many cities,including the media capitals of Miamiand Los Angeles.

THE STUDY

Te Latino Media Gapexaminesthe state of Latino participation inmainstream media and the Internetwith the goal of identifying challengesand opportunities to promote aninclusive media landscape.

One of the most comprehensivereports on Latinos and U.S. media, itsseven sections provide an overview ofcritical issues, namely rates of mediaparticipation, stereotyping, ownership,leadership, diversity policies, economicimpact of diversity, Latino advocacy,and Latino innovation. Te firstthree sections focus on the stagnationand proportional decline of Latinoparticipation in media since 1940 whilenoting new trends in the incorporationof women and Afro-Latinos. Te lastfour sections emphasize approaches,

initiatives, and individuals that are bothexpanding opportunity for Latinos inmedia and transforming the industries.

Te study encompasses new researchbased on quantitative and qualitativemethods. Our team analyzed Latinoinclusion in network and studioleadership; top ten movies as measuredby domestic gross revenue; top ten

THE LATINO MEDIA GAP2


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has also narrowed. Presently, 36.6% ofLatino V character appearances arein law enforcement and a whopping44.7% of Latino-coded televisioncharacters are either uncredited orunnamed. Equally important, 69%of iconic media maids in film andtelevision since 1996 are Latina.

5. News is worse than fiction.

Stories about Latinos constitute lessthan 1% of news media coverage, andthe majority of these stories featureLatinos as lawbreakers. Moreover,Latino participation in front andbehind the camera is extraordinarilylow: As of 2013, there were no Latinoanchors or executive producers in anyof the nations top news programs.

According to available data, only 1.8%of news producers are Latinos.

6. Latino content and audiencesexpand viewership.

When possible, Latino mediaconsumers reward shows and filmsthat feature compelling Latino talentand storylines with high ratings andrevenue. Tis is evident in the successof the Lifetime television show DeviousMaids,the radio program Cohen andMartinez on NPR, and the UniversalStudios movie franchise Te Fast andthe Furious. Latinos also reject andorganize against extreme stereotypicalrepresentations, as in the case of thecampaigns against the canceled scriptedshows Roband Work It, and the newsprogram Lou Dobbs onight.

7. Consumer pressure creates impact.

Latino consumer pressure is increasinglyeffective in bringing about change byusing the Internet and social media.From 1968 to 1998, 63% of Latinomedia campaigns aimed at televisionshows, advertisements, or moviesprevailed in all or part of their goals.After 1998, this figure jumped to86%. Even further, the average lengthof time required to obtain a successful

also did not play any television leads.Still, they were 4.6% of all female filmlead appearances and 9.5% of all Vsupporting female appearances. Ontelevision, Latinas accounted for 67%of Latino supporting roles.

In addition, while there were fewAfro-Latino stars in prior eras, thepercentage of prominent Afro-Latinoactors has significantly increased. From2010 to 2013, Afro-Latino performersrepresented 18.2% of Latino filmactors and 16.7% of Latino V actors,although they were generally confinedto supporting roles in both media.

3. Latinos are still missing behind thescenes.

Te vast majority of industry executivessupport diversity policies. Yet, themain strategy employed by most mediacompanies over the last decadesthecreation of diversity executive positionsand departmentshas been relativelyineffective in increasing diversity inboth creative and leadership pools.

In the 2010 to 2013 period, Latinoscomprised none of the top ten televisionshow creators, 1.1% of producers, 2%of writers, and 4.1% of directors. Intop ten movies, Latinos accounted for2.3% of directors, 2.2% of producers,and 6% of writers. Even more dramatic,no Latinos currently serve as studioheads, network presidents, CEOs, orowners. Among the top 53 television,radio, and studio executives (includingchairpersons), only one is Latina.

4. Stereotypes restrict opportunities

and perceptions.

On television and movies, Latinoscontinue to be represented primarilyas criminals, law enforcers, and cheaplabor. From 2012 to 2013, 17.7% ofLatino film characters and 24.2% ofV characters were linked to crime, aconsiderable increase from 1994, whenit was only 6% on television.7 Te rangeof television roles played by Latinos

campaigns goal has shrunk from anaverage of two years in the 1970s tothree weeks today.

8. Latinos drive new mediaproduction and innovation.

As Latinos continue to be shut outof traditional media, their creativityis migrating to the Internet, blurringthe distinction between producer andconsumer. Latino participation onlinesignificantly higher than in mainstreammedia or PBS. Of the top 50 single-focused Youube channels with themost subscribers, 18% are producedby and/or feature U.S. Latino contentcreators. And even with little support,some of the most important new medinnovators, such as transmedia pionee

Jeff Gomez, are Latinos.

EIGHT RECOMMENDATIONSFOR CLOSING THE GAP

Closing the Latino media gap willrequire the active participation of allmedia industry leaders. We offer eightrecommendations for consideration tokey stakeholders:



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BEHIND THE REPORT:PARTNERS AND FUNDERS

Te Latino Media Gap: A Report onthe State of Latinos in U.S. Media is acollaboration between the Center forthe Study of Ethnicity and Races Mediaand Idea Lab at Columbia University,

the Hispanic Foundation for the Arts,and the National Association of LatinoIndependent Producers. Te reportwas funded in part by the generoussupport of the Social Science ResearchCouncil; Te Coca-Cola Foundation;the National Latino Arts, Education,and Media Institute; and Marcos A.Rodriguez, founding managing partnerof Palladium Equity Partners.

About the Center for the Study of

Ethnicity and Race

Te Center for the Study of Ethnicityand Race (CSER) at ColumbiaUniversity is the institutions maininterdisciplinary hub for the mostinnovative research, public discussion,and teaching about race, ethnicity, andindigeneity in the United States andbeyond. CSER is also the home of theMedia and Idea Lab, a novel programthat promotes media research andthe use of media as modes of inquiry.Te Labs first project was Small City,Big Change, a policy brief and video,produced in association with Hispanicsin Philanthropy. o learn more aboutCSERs programs and download the fullreport, visit http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cser/

About the National HispanicFoundation for the Arts

Te National Hispanic Foundationfor the Arts (NHFA) was co-foundedin 1997 by actors Jimmy Smits,Sonia Braga, Esai Morales, MerelJulia and Washington, D.C. lawyerFelix Sanchez to advance the presenceand image of Latinos in the media,telecommunications, and entertainmentindustries. NHFA has concentratedon increasing access and expanding

1. Major Networks, PBS,and Studio Leaders:

Hire diverse top leadership witheffective decision-making power inall positions, including in the areasof business, policy, and content.Empower diversity executives toensure that diversity policies are widelyimplemented, and support talentengaged in producing Latino and otherdiverse media.2. Diversity Executives:

Develop innovative programs to employthe existing, deep and underutilizedtalent pool, as well as to scout,highlight, and recruit new talent intraditional grounds like universities and

new media spaces such as Youube. Inaddition, generate transparent annualreports regarding diversity efforts, hiringpractices, and the results of diversitytraining programs.

3. Executive Producers inEntertainment:

Promote open casting and diversehiring, form partnerships with diversityprograms, and lead in the developmentof new talent and stories.

4. Advertisers:

Reward programming that attracts highratings by featuring non-stereotypicalLatino characters and storylines.

5. News Executives:

Advise editorial personnel to broaden

Latino coverage and expand sourcingof experts, guests, and commentators toinclude more Latino talent.

6. Media Advocates:

Generate research on new trends andidentify game-changing challenges.Similarly, increase the use of socialmedia to engage a greater number of

consumers who can mobilize quicklyacross multiple media markets.

7. Latino Consumers:

Effectively communicate both criticaland supportive perspectives on existingprograms, movies, and companies.Provide alternative visions for Latinorepresentation through contentproduction and consumer campaigns.

8. New Media Companies:

Invest in young talent working in newmedia as early as possible; support thecreation of widely accessible digital toolsto facilitate communication betweenLatino media consumers, advocates,and producers.



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career opportunities for Latino artistsand professionals while fosteringthe emergence of new Latino talentin all aspects of entertainment andtelecommunications.

NHFA also provides scholarships andoutreach programs to Latino graduatestudents at eight universities with adirect pipeline into the entertainmentbusiness: Columbia University, NewYork University, Harvard University,Yale University, NorthwesternUniversity, the University of exas atAustin, the University of Californiaat Los Angeles, and the University ofSouthern California.

About the National Association ofLatino Independent Producers

Te National Association of LatinoIndependent Producers (NALIP) isa national membership organizationthat addresses the professional needs ofLatino/Latina independent producers.Founded in 1999, NALIPs missionis to promote, advance, and advocatefor Latino and Latina content creatorsin media.NALIP is the only nationalorganization committed to supportingboth grassroots and community-basedproducers/media makers along withpublicly funded and industry-basedproducers.

Among NALIPs programs are itsannual conference, plus six otherinitiatives: Latino Writers Lab, LatinoProducers Academy, Latino MediaResource Guide, Doing your Doc:Diverse Visions, Regional Voicesdocumentary development workshops,

the Latino Media Market, and theLatino Artist Mentoring Program.

Principal Investigator

Frances Negrn-Muntaner is afilmmaker, writer, and scholar. Amongher books are Boricua Pop: PuertoRicans and the Latinization of AmericanCulture (CHOICE Award, 2004) andSchomburg(forthcoming). Her films

include Brincando el charco: Portraitof a Puerto Rican(Whitney Biennial,1995), Small City, Big Change(2013),and War in Guam(2014). In 2005, shewas named one of the most influentialLatinos by Hispanic Business Magazine,and in 2008, the United Nations RapidResponse Media Mechanism recognizedher as a global expert in mass mediaand Latin/o American studies. She isa founding member and former boardchair of the National Association ofLatino Independent Producers, andcurrent director of the Center for theStudy of Ethnicity and Race.

Research Assistants

Chelsea Abbas is a Ph.D. candidate inanthropology at eachers College. She

specializes in race, visual anthropology,and social movements in the Americas.

Luis A. Figueroa obtained his B.A. inInternational Studies Cum Laude atGeorgia State University in Atlanta.Currently, he is pursuing a Masters inPublic Administration at the Schoolof International and Public Affairs atColumbia.

Sam Robson is an oral historian basedin New York City. Among his pastprojects is a series of interviews ofAfro-Nicaraguan veterans of the 1980sContra War.

Acknowledgements

A report of this scale would not bepossible without the support of manyfriends and partners. Our heartfeltthanks go to Moctesuma Esparza for all

his support and guidance throughoutthe process; Esai Morales for hiscontagious enthusiasm; and FelixSanchez for his wisdom and energy,particularly in the last stretch. We arelikewise grateful to former and currentmembers of NALIPs staff, board ofdirectors and trustees, especially AxelCaballero, Maria Agui Carter, KathrynGalan, Cynthia Lopez, and RickRamirez.

We would also like to thank CelesteFraser Delgado, Dennis Leoni,Joe Karaganis, Mark Lloyd, DavidMadigan, Kenneth Prewitt, SarabelSantos, and Jeff Valdez for all theirthoughtful suggestions and support inthe making of the report. Moreover,we are deeply indebted to our mediacolleagues Chris White (POV), PammHiggins (Independent elevisionService), Andy Montoya (HistoryDetectives), Kimberly Myers, DarnellHunt, and ery Lopez (Writers Guildof America); Federico Subervi (KentState University), Michael oland andBill Stotesery (KLRUAustin), as wellas producers Ray elles, Rick ejadaFlores, and Jim Mendiola for helping to generate the most accurate possibledata.

In addition, we are thankful to theCenter for the Study of Ethnicityand Races staff, eresa Aguayo andJosephine Caputo, and graduatestudents Vanessa Miller and KellySwope. We are also extremely gratefulto David Stone and Victoria Benitezfrom Columbias communications teaour editor Andrea Retzky, fact checkerKim Leiken, proofreader LeonardRosenbaum, and designer StephenChou for their impressive talent andimportant contributions to making threport a success.



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LATINOS

BY

THE

NUMBERS

USA

NYC LA MIAMICHICAGO

LARGE PRESENCE IN MAJOR US CITIES:

OF US POPULATION

(53 MILLION+)AND GROWING FAST

(PROJECTED US AVG. GROWTH =42%)

LATINOSACCOUNTED FOR

US POPULATION GROWTH

FROM 2000 - 2010

167%

MORETHAN

OF

27.5% 28.9%

17%

50%

50+%

48.1% 68.2% PROJECTED LATINOPOPULATION GROWTH

FASTEST PROJECTED GROWTH 2010-2050

% of Latino writers in the television industry

% of Latino writers in t he WGA

GROWING

GAP

0

5

10

15

20

2000 1002 04 06 08

%

LATINOPOPU

LATIONINU.

S.

GAP

By all measures, Latinos have made asignificant impact on U.S. media. Evenwhen Latinos constituted 3% or less ofthe U.S. population in the 1940s and1950s, there was a range of films andV shows featuring Latinos, includingZorro, Te Cisco Kid,and I Love Lucy.While not all represented complexportrayals, these narratives showeda range of characters and situationsthat suggested a long history of Latinopresence in the United States.

Starting in the late 1960s, there was aburst of Latino-made media that againtransformed U.S. culture. Producers,writers, and directors who began theirprofessional careers during this periodwent on to create contemporary classicsthat were also profitable and popular.

Tis is evident in Luis Valdezs LaBamba(1987); producer MoctesumaEsparzas Te Milagro Beanfield War(1988) and Selena, directed by GregoryNava (1997).

Yet, despite significant achievementsand present expansion of the Latinoconsumer market, a review ofcontemporary television and film revealsthat, relative to the fast-growing Latinopopulation, there are fewer Latinotypes of roles and lead actors todaythan seventy years ago. Te number of

writers, directors, and producers hasalso proportionally declined or notkept pace with population growth.Tis is the Latino media gap: as Latinoconsumer power grows, relative Latinomedia presence shrinks.

GROWING LATINO CONSUMERPOWER

At present, Latinos comprise 17%of the United States inhabitants. Indensely populated cities such as NewYork, Los Angeles, and Miami, Latinosare an even greater share: from 27% to68% of residents.1Te rate of Latinopopulation growth is also dramatic.From 2000 to 2010, Latinos accountedfor more than half of the growth in the

U.S.2Tis trend is likely to continue:while the U.S. population is projectedto expand by 42% from 2010 to 2050,the Latino component is expected toincrease by 167% during the sameperiod.3

Moreover, of great value to advertisersand media companies, the covetedmarketing demographic of Latinosages 18 to 34 is growing five timesfaster than the rest of this populationsegment.4Indeed, Latinos represent oneof the youngest ethnic groups in the

THE LATINOMEDIA GAP



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LATINOSARE YOUNG

LATINO MEDIAN AGE =28(US NATIONAL MEDIAN =37)

OVER

UNDER THE AGE OF 35

35

United States: over 60% of Latinos areyounger than 35. In addition, Latinoshave a median age of 28, compared tothe national median of 37.5

Latino consumer power is alsoincreasing exponentially. In 2012 alone,at least 500 newspaper articles notedthe surge of the Latino market to over1 trillion dollars of spending power.Tat is more than any other minoritygroup, including Asian Americans andAfrican Americansand close to 10%of the total purchasing power of theUnited States as a whole.6According tothe research company IBISWorld, by2015, Hispanic buying power will hit$1.6 trillion, growing at a 48% clip,compared to about 27% for the entirenation.7

Equally relevant for the media industry,Latinos are among Americas mostenthusiastic media consumers. Teylisten to radio more than any otherethnic group, with 94% of Latinos over12 tuning in every week.8According tothe 2013 Motion Picture Associationannual theatrical statistics report,Latinos are one of the most importantdemographics sustaining the filmindustry in the United States. While theaverage U.S. moviegoer attends theaters4.1 times a year, Latinos have the

highest rate at 6.4. Similarly, Latinosbuy 25% of all movie tickets.9

SHRINKING LATINO MEDIAPRESENCE

Despite these numbers, the level ofLatino inclusion in mainstream English-language media remains low and is notsignificantly improving. o providea picture of the current situation, wereviewed all talent listed for the top tenscripted television shows and films onthe Internet Movie Database (IMDb),consulted network and studio sites aswell as diversity reports published in thelast four decades. o establish long-term trends, we also referred to studiesproduced by professional organizations

such as the Writers Guild of America,Directors Guild of America, and ScreenActors Guild.

Despite these

numbers, the level

of Latino inclusion

in mainstream

English-language

media remains

stunningly low and

is not significantly

improving.



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1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

I Love Lucy Chico and the ManPaul Sand in Friends and Lovers

Fantasy Island9 to 5

CHiPsFantasy Island

9 to 5

NYPD BlueUnion Square

Malcolm in the Middle

Desperate Housewives Desperate Housewives

1 1 14 3 30

#OF TOP SHOWS WITH LATINO LEADS

Latinos in elevision

Te most dramatic case study ofLatino decline involves leading actors.In the 1950sthe first decade whenNielsen ratings were introducedLatinos were, on average, 2.8% of thepopulation and 3.9% of all top ten Vlead appearances. But in the 1980s,Latinos were close to 7.7% of thepopulation and none of the leads. From2010 to 2013, Latinos constitutedan even greater share, 17% of thepopulation, but no Latino actors playedtelevision leading roles. Te result is agrowing gap between population andrepresentation.

Significantly, even if we shift ourmethod and consider how many top

25 shows had Latino leads over the lastdecades, the general decreasing patternstill holds (see Figure 1). Among thetop 25 scripted television shows, the1970s through 1990s decades had ahigher number of Latino leads than atpresent.2By this measure, on-camerarepresentation in the 2000s was thesame as in the 1950s, and significantlylower than in the 1970s, when fourshows had Latino leads: Chico andthe Man (1974-1978),CHiPs (19771983), Paul Sand in Friends andLovers (19741975), and Fantasy Island(19781984). Moreover, this trendcontinued in the 1980s and 1990s,with each decade having three showswith a Latino lead, including 9 to 5(19821988), NYPD Blue (1993

LIMITED:LATINO INCLUSION INFILM AND TELEVISION

1If one considers standard referencemeasures such as the percentage ofLatinos in the professional mediaguildsDirectors Guild of America(DGA), Writers Guild of America(WGA), or the Screen Actors Guild(SAG-AFRA)Latino membershipranges from 2% in DGA (2013) and3% in WGA (2012) to 6.4% in SAG-AFRA (2008).1Participation in frontand behind the camera in movies andtelevision at the most visible level is attimes lower in some categories.

BETTER OFF BEFORE?NUMBERS IN PERSPECTIVE

Although counterintuitive, acomparison between Latino media

employment today and in earlierperiods reveals very modest gainsalongside stagnation and decline.Even when there is an increase inpatticipation, Latinos do not securelygain ground. Rather, the statisticsfluctuate and upward trends do notnecessarily relate to greater opportunitybut to the rise of a small number of staractors and/or creative talent. In thisregard, even minor advances cannot betaken for granted.

Figure 1: op 25 V Shows and Latino Leads

(Sources: IMDb and U.S. Census, 19502013



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2005), Union Square (19971998), andMalcolm in the Middle (20002006).Since the end of Desperate Housewives(2012), onlyModern Family(2009present) has a central Latino character.3

rends regarding supporting actorsare complex. On the one hand, per

capita, there were more Latino rolesand supporting appearances in the1960s than in the 2010s (see Figure 2).On the other hand, a relatively stableupward tendency has emerged in thenumber of Latino supporting actors.Given past patterns, it is unclear ifthis trend will hold and/or result in agreater number of Latino actors crossingover to lead roles or whether they willremain confined to playing secondarycharacters.

Behind the camera, Latino participationhas been persistently low over the lastsix decades. With the exception of theDesilu era on television (19501962),in which the Cuban American DesiArnaz was involved in producing topshows such as I Love Lucy,few Latinoshave served as directors, writers and/or producers. Our survey of television

creative talent in recent years suggestscontinuity with that history.

From 2000 to 2009, Latinos comprised1.2% of producers (including one showcreator), 2.2% of directors, and 1.9% ofwriters.4 In the 20102013 period, thenumber of directors modestly rose to

4.1%. Likewise, in the critical positionof writer, the number of Latinos slightlyincreased to 2%. Yet, there were noLatino show creators and producersdecreased to 1.1%, declining in bothabsolute and proportional terms.

Latinos in Movies

Similar to V, Latino participation aslead actors in movies was higher in prioreras, this time in the 1940s and 1950s.

In the 1940s, the Latino population wasclose to 2%. At this point, Latino actorsmade up 0.9% of lead appearances and2% of all leads in the top ten movies.In the 1950s, Latinos were 2.8% of thepopulation, 1.3% of lead appearances,and 1.7% of total leads.

From 2000 to 2013, among the tenfilms with the highest domestic gross

Figure 2: Percentage of Latino Actor Appearances in op en Highest-Rated Scripted V Shows(Sources: IMDb and U.S. Census, 19502013)

A comparison

between Latino

participation today

and in earlier

periods reveals

that, over the last

decades, one finds

very modest gains

alongside stagnation

and decline.



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LATINO

POPUL

ATION

OFTHEU

S

LATINOLEADS/TOTALLEADS

1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s1940s

DECADE

PERCENTAGE

OF

POPULATION

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

LATINOSUPPORTING/TOTALSUPPORTING

TOP10LATINO

ACTORAPPEA

RANCES

IN

HIGHEST-GRO

SSINGFILMS

per year, Latino lead role appearancesdecreased from 2.8% in the 2000s to1.4% in the 2010s (see Figure 3). At

the same time, the percentage of Latinoactors playing leading roles fell under2%. Te number of Latino supportingactors has grown in absolute terms, butremains low and the gap has widenedsince the 1940s.

Not unlike televisionbut withoutthe Desilu exceptionLatinos haveaccounted for a small fraction of top tenmovie producers, directors, and writers.Te last decades suggest that growth for

Latinos in film will continue to be slow.

Figure 3: Percentage of Latino Actor Appearances in Highest-Grossing Films

(Sources: IMDb and U.S. Census, 1950-2013)

Figure 4: Percentage of Latino/a Lead Actor Appearances in

en Highest-Grossing Films by Gender

(Sources: IMDb and US Census 19502013)

Figure 5: Percentage of Latino Actor Lead Appearances in

en Highest-Rated Scripted V Shows by Gender

(Sources: IMDb and US Census, 19502013)

From 2000 to 2009, Latinos accountedfor 2.4% of directors, 0.8% ofproducers, and 0.6% of writers. In

absolute terms, most of these numberswent up in the 2010-2013 period:Latinos were 2.3% of directors, 2.2%of producers and 6% of writers. Terelative increase of writers in the topten movies, however, should not beconfused with a significant expansion ofopportunity for U.S. Latinos in the filmindustry. It is instead indicative of veryslow gains in U.S. Latino employment,combined with much faster rates ofincorporation of star Latin American

talent, a generally misunderstood trendthat we will discuss further below.

LATINO

POPUL

ATION

OFTHE

US

1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

DECADE

PERCENTAGE

OF

POPULATION

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

I

TOP10

RATEDSCRIP

TED

TVSHOWS

LATINO

POPUL

ATION

OFTHEU

S

I

1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

DECADE

PERCENTAGE

OF

POPULATION

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

LATINOS

INHIGHEST

GROSSINGF

ILMS

Te Role of Gender, Race,and National Origin in MediaEmployment Opportunities

As noted in the opening pages, thisstudy uses the term Latino toencompass U.S. and Latin Americanborn talent of all races and bothgenders. Yet, the routine countof Latino talent without furtherqualification may mask more complexpatterns of marginalization. Tese areimportant to note in order to betteraddress specific barriers to participationthat may relate to gender, race, andnational origin, among other categoriesof social difference.

For example, while the overall inclusionof Latinos is limited, when we consider

gender, we see a striking phenomenon:the near disappearance of the Latinolead actor concurrent with a relativeincrease in the number of lead Latinaactresses (see Figure 4). Tis represents asignificant change. Up until the 1990s,there were considerably more male thanfemale leads in both film and television.Te current trend reached its highestpoint in the 2010-2013 period, whenLatino men did not play any leadingroles in the top ten films but Latinasplayed 5.9% of female leads and 100%of Latino protagonists.



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DECADE

2010s

2000s

2.5% 0%

2.3% 20.0% 16.7%

18.2%

20.8%

AFRO-LATINO

POPULATION /

LATINO POPULATION

PERCENTAGE

PERCENTAGE OF

AFRO-LATINOFILM

LEAD APPEARANCES

/ TOTAL LATINO LEAD

APPEARANCES

PERCENTAGE OF

AFRO-LATINOFILM

SUPPORTING

APPEARANCES

/ TOTAL LATINO

SUPPORTING APPEARANCES

PERCENTAGE OF

AFRO-LATINO

TV LEAD

APPEARANCES

/ TOTAL LATINO LEAD

APPEARANCES

PERCENTAGE OF

AFRO-LATINO

TV SUPPORTING

APPEARANCES

/ TOTAL LATINO

SUPPOPTING APPEARANCES

16.7%

0%

0%

In the 20002009

period, Afro-Latinos

accounted for 50% oLatino film leads.

Te greater presence of Latinaactresses and characters is a welcomeand significant change. At the sametime, this increase has not completelytranslated into greater visibility forLatina actresses or storylines. On theone hand, most of the roles played byLatinas in the top ten movies were ofanimated or fantasy characters in filmssuch as Shrek Forever After(CameronDiaz), How to rain Your Dragon(America Ferrera) andAvatar(ZoeSaldaa). On the other hand, Diazand Ferrera voiced white characters,underscoring that the long-term successof stars like Diaz has been partly rootedin that she is rarely identified as Latina.

On television, we see a similar gendertrend (see Figure 5). In the 20002009

period, men disappeared from leadingroles while the number of womenplaying lead characters rose. Althoughcurrently there are no Latina leads inany of the top ten television shows,Sofia Vergara plays a main character inthe ensemble comedyModern Family.

Significantly, Vergaras success is partof a larger drift. In the supportingactor category, women have likewisegained greater visibility than men.In the 2010-2013 seasons, Latinasconstituted 11.8% of female supportingroles while Latino men were only 4.9%of supporting male roles. In general,Latinas played 67% of all supportingLatino characters. Te current gendereconomy suggests that media decision-makers view Latinas as more culturallydesirable than Latino men.

When factoring race we see another

important change. Whereas themajority of Latino actors are consideredHispanic white and there are fewAfro-Latino stars, from 2000 to 2013,Afro-Latino actors like Laz Alonso,Rosario Dawson, Jon Huertas, ZoeSaldaa, and Ruben Santiago-Hudsonbecame increasingly more prominent inboth movies and/or on television (seeFigure 6).5

Measuring this increase with precisionposes some challenges. o date, thereis no definitive census data regardingthe number of Afro-Latinos in 2000.Yet, even if we used the arguably higher2010 census figures of 0.4% of total

population and 2.5% of the Latinosegment as reference points, Afro-Latinoactors still overindexed in all categoriesin both number of actors and frequencyof appearances. In film, during the20002009 period, they accounted for0.6% of total lead roles and supportingactor appearances as well as 20% ofLatino lead appearances and 20.8% ofsupporting actor appearances.

Tis trend appears to be weakening

slightly in recent years. From 2010 to2013, no Afro-Latino actor was cast ina leading role.6 Te supporting actorcategory, however, continues to overindex. In the last three years, Afro-Latinos comprised 0.5% of supportingactor appearances and 16.7% of Latinosupporting actor appearances (seeFigure 7).

On television, Afro-Latino actors

have yet to be cast in a leading role.But from 2000 to 2009, Afro-Latinosconstituted 1.3% of all supportingactor appearances and 16.7% of Latinosupporting actor appearances. Inthe 20102013 seasons, this trendmarginally increased with Afro-Latinoscontinuing to represent 1.3% ofsupporting actors but 18.2% of Latinosupporting actor appearances.

Figure 7: Afro-Latino Actor Appearances in Relation to Latino Actors in V and Film

(Source: U.S. Census, 2000-2010, estimated 2000-2009 figure)

Figure 6: Zoe Saldaa starring in Star re

(Source: collider.com)



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DIRECTORS PRODUCERS WRITERS

2.3% LATINO

(OF WHICH 100%LATIN AMERICAN)

2.7% LATINO


6.0% LATINO


Latino indigenous actors are lesssalient. According to the 2010 census,

indigenous Latinos constitute 0.2% ofthe U.S. population and 1.4% of allLatinos. Although not measured bythe census, an even greater number ofLatinos claim indigenous roots and/orare mestizos (of European and Nativedescent). Yet, there are currently noindigenous Latino stars.

Self-identified mestizo actors suchas John Leguizamo and BenjaminBratt, however, are more visible. Onfilm, from 2000 to 2009, mestizosaccounted for 0% of Latino leads, 0.2%of all supporting actors, and 8.3% ofLatino supporting actor appearances.In the 2010-2013 period, mestizosheld no lead roles but were 0.3% of allsupporting actors, and 8.3% of Latinosupporting appearances.

On television, from 2000 to 2009,mestizos did not play any lead or

supporting roles. Still, In the 2010-2013 period, they constituted 1.3% ofsupporting roles and 16.7% of Latinosupporting actor appearances. Arguably,the differences in incorporation ofAfro-Latino and indigenous actorsrelate to how Afro-Latinos can signifyboth Latino and black identities to keydemographics.

National origin also plays an importantrole in acting opportunity but

considerably more in film than ontelevision. Tis is evident in that someof the most popular Latin movie starsof the last decade are not U.S. Latinosbut Latin American or Spanish-formedactors like Salma Hayek, Javier Bardem,Antonio Banderas, and Penlope Cruz.

Te Spanish trend is particularly robustin the 2010-2013 period. WhereasSpaniards comprise less than 0.2% ofthe U.S. population (and if countedas Hispanic, 1.4% of Latinos), in thetop ten movies, they played 50% ofLatino-coded leads and 27% of Latinosupporting roles. In television, however,the vast majority of V stars portrayingLatino roles are U.S.-raised Latinos. Temost visible exception is Vergara.

Differences in race and gender are alsosignificant behind the cameraindissimilar ways. While Afro-Latinos

overindex in some acting categories,from 2010 to 2013, no self-identifiedAfro-Latinos served as writers, directors,or producers. In the top ten V shows,Latinas constituted 0% of producersand 33% of all Latino directors. At thesame time, they overindexed as writers,accounting for 75% of all Latino writerson television. In film, the situation isnearly the opposite: Latinas represented

Figure 8: Latino and Latin American Directors, Producers, and Writers, 20102013

(Source: IMDb)

33% of Latino producers but none ofthe Latino directors or writers.

Equally relevant, Latin Americannational origin correlates with behind-the-camera opportunity in the movieindustry. If from 2010 to 2013 LatinAmericans represented a small fractionof V talent; in film, Latin Americandirectors, writers, and producers suchas Alfonso Cuarn (Gravity)andGuillermo del oro (Te Hobbit: TeDesolation of Smaug) constituted 66%of all top ten Latino movie talent.Broken down by creative position,Latin Americanborn and formedprofessionals, mostly from Mexico,made up 100% of directors, 75% ofwriters, and 50% of producers (seeFigure 8).

NORTH OR SOUTH OF THEBORDER: WHY DOES ITMATTER?

Latin American culture and artistshave always been a rich part of U.S.media history. Likewise, the distinctionbetween U.S. Latino and LatinAmerican talent can be porous in thecontext of growing interconnectivitybetween the hemispheres mediaindustries. It can also be relative, asmany Latin American professionals



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STORIES ON NEWS AND TALK SHOWS

"NEWS WORSE THAN FICTION"

LATINO-RELATED

LESS THAN 1%

OF THAT


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2.6%

3.7%

% OF LATINO OR LATINAMERICAN-THEMED

EPISODES / SEGMENTS

% OF LATINO OR LATINAMERICAN-THEMED

EPISODES / SEGMENTS

% OF LATINO ORLATIN AMERICAN

DIRECTORS


PRODUCERS


EXEC. PRODUCERS

5.9%

0.0%

14.4%

12.5%

3.0%

7.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

7.8%7.8%

9.8%

0.0%

0.0%

1.6%

2.4%

0.0%

0.0%

3.4%

8.8%

8.8%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

2.4%

6.0%

0.0%

50.0%

TOTAL 9.7%7.0% 14.8% 4.8% 2.1%

(SEGMENTS)

2.7%

2.6%

6.8%

3.2%

11.2%

14.9%

5.5%

7.0%

(SEGMENTS)

2010-2013INCEPTION-2013

GUESTS ON NEWS / TALK SHOWS

2.7%LATINO GUESTS

GUESTS

IN NEWS PROGRAMS

THAT ARE

WHITE MALE

FOX NEWS - 88%

CNN - 83%MSNBC - 83%

PBS - 82%

focusing on the 19952004 periodfound that in nine of 10 years, Latinostories made up less than 1 percent ofall network news stories.7Of these,66% focused on crime or illegalimmigration (see Figure 10).

Since 2004, the first trend has actuallyworsened: a forthcoming study byscholar Federico Subervi on news storytopics from 2008 to 2012 found thatthe percentage of general market Vnetwork news stories highlightingLatinos declined from 1% in 2008to 0.6% in 2012.8Over this period,Latinos were central in only 491 out ofapproximately 80,000 stories.

Similarly, crime and related topicscontinue to dominate news coverage of

Latinos. In both 2012 and 2013, theonly top news story featuring a Latinowas that of George Zimmerman, theneighborhood watch coordinator whofatally shot teenager rayvon Martin.Te death of teacher Vicki Soto atthe Sandy Hook Elementary School

Figure 11: PBS Latino and Latin AmericanTemed Programming (Regular and Series)

(Sources: PBS webite and IMDb)

shooting also received attention in bothyears.

Lastly, Latino opinion on commercialtelevision and PBS is shut out as well.Latinos are consistently excluded fromtalk shows, with Latino guests acrossmultiple programs in all networks atunder 3%.9A May 2013 report byMedia Matters for America furtherindicated that the situation is similaron cable. On Fox News, only 3% ofevening guests are Latinos; at CNN andMSNBC, Latinos make up only 2%.10

WHERE IS THE (LATINO)PUBLIC IN PUBLICTELEVISION?

In some ways, the Public BroadcastingService (PBS) is no different thancommercial networks when it comesto including Latino talent and themes.Although PBS has yet to release detailedinformation regarding its diversity,our survey of posted data from their



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website and IMDb reveals that thereare currently few regular Latino-focusedprograms on PBS.11Te last majorLatino-themed PBS series wasAmericanFamily,which ran in 2002. Moreover,the late October 2013 departure ofRay Suarez from their flagship programNewsHourleft PBS without any seniorLatino journalists.12

Latino history is also bothacknowledged and marginalized. In thefall of 2013, PBS released a noteworthystand alone, three-part documentaryseries, Te Latino Americans,co-produced by Latino PublicBroadcasting. Yet, in signature history-related series likeAmerican ExperienceandAmerican Masters,Latino contenthas been limited and still tends to

largely focus on Latin American, ratherthan U.S. Latino, history and figures.

In our survey of eight serieshighlighting history, performance, andmusic since their inception to 2013, wesimilarly found a mixed picture: Latino-themed programming has ranged fromless than 3% inAmerican ExperienceandAmerican Mastersto 11.2% inIndependent Lens and 14.9% inPOV,both curated series.

During the 2010-2013 period, thetwo curated series continued to lead inLatino-themed programming: 14.4% ofIndependent Lensepisodes and 12.5%of POVshows were Latino-themed(see Figure 11). Most series, however,experienced a modest decline whileAmerican Masters slightly increasedits share of Latino programming to3.7%. Te recently created Genealogy

Roadshow has a relatively highpercentage of Latino stories. Sinceits first broadcast in 2013, 50% ofshows have featured at least oneLatino character, although only 7% ofsegments were Latino-themed.13

At another level, our review foundthat presence of Latino-themedprogramming did not necessarily

correlate with inclusion of Latinodirectors or producers. Across allsurveyed series from 2010 to 2013,Latinos made up 2.1% of executiveproducers, 4.8% of producers, and14.8% of directors. All directors,however, were part of only two series:Independent Lens and POV.

In addition to the lack of directors,most series did not include anyLatinoexecutive producers, as was the case ofAmerican Experience,American Masters,Austin City Limits, Soundstage, andHistory Detectives. Overall, Latinoshad the highest levels of participationin POVand Independent Lens,underscoring the importance of bothseries to diversity on television.14

Furthermore, it is significant to notethat of the longest-running series,those beginning in the 1970s and1980s, POV is the most inclusive andthe only one that demonstrates a cleartrend of increased incorporation ofLatino-themed programming overtime. Perhaps not surprisingly, POVisalso the sole series to have had a Latinaexecutive, Cynthia Lopez, who served

as executive vice president and co-executive producer from 2006 to 2014

O, JOS CAN YOU SEE?

In sum, U.S. viewers see an extremelylow percentage of Latinos on televisioand movie screens in all genres and

formats. Current rates of inclusionare also advancing at a very slow pace.One way of visualizing the situation isto consider that at the present rate ofchange, it will take 60 years for Latinoto fill 17% of lead roles in the top tenfilms. o reach 17% of lead roles in thtop ten scripted V shows will take ov100 years. By then, however, the Latinpopulation is projected to double,making the goal of greater inclusion a

elusive one for decades to come.



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BANDIDOS FOREVER?:THE PERSISTENTLYNARROW RANGE OF

LATINO CHARACTERS

2If U.S. media suddenly increased thenumber of Latinos in front of thecamera, the cultural landscape could, insome ways, grow worse. Not only doesthe media significantly underrepresentLatinos and other groups, but also, inthe few instances when Latinos appear,they tend to embody many of the samestereotypes first visualized in cinemaover a century ago: criminals, cheaplabor, and sexual objects. Ironically,while there is a new Latina stereotypethe maidthe once familiar LatinLover has nearly disappeared fromtelevision and movies, eliminatingone of the few kinds of leading rolesavailable to Latino men.

o determine the persistence of bothnew and old stereotypical portrayals,

we reviewed Latino roles listed for thetop ten scripted television programsand films on IMDb (Internet MovieDatabase). Additionally, we analyzedthe number and percentage of timesthat stereotypical roles appeared in the20122013 television season.

Overall, we found that stereotypicalstorylines and characters that werecoded as criminals, law enforcers,and blue-collar workers continue todominate television shows, movies,and news. Equally important, Latinosremain confined to very few genres,

mostly law and order dramas ontelevision and action movies. Incontrast to prior eras, they also playan increasingly narrower range ofcharacters.

During the 1990s, Latinos stillportrayed creative types, including aplaywright, a photographer, and anartist in V shows like Union Square,Suddenly Susan, andJesse. Beginningin the prior decade, however, Latinocharacters and Latino actors wereincreasingly associated with only twotypes of roles: criminal or law enforcer.Since 1984, 51.9%, or 14 of the 27Latino main cast roles in top tenscripted V shows, have been related tocriminal activities, law enforcement, orsecurity (see Figure 12).

Tis trend continues through 2013,even when Latino actors do notplay Latino-specific roles. In theseshows, three out of five featured adultcharacters work in law enforcement orthe military: an Israeli agent (Cote dePablo, NCIS), a homicide detective (JonHuertas, Castle) and an NYPD detective(Marisa Ramirez, Blue Blood). Acrossthe top ten shows, there were a total of2,596 roles, of which 161 or 6.2% wereLatino-specific. Of these, 24.2% werecriminal roles and 23% law enforcers.

PROHIBITIONAGENT

FARMHAND

BANDLEADER SUPERVILLAIN STUDENT/SON

STUDENT/DAUGHTER

OWNER, PHOTO-GRAPHY STUDIO

GARAGEWORKER

UNEMPLOYED(WEALTHY PLAYBOY)

POLICELIEUTENANT

POLICEDETECTIVE

PLAYWRIGHT/FORMER LAWYER PHOTOGRAPHER

ARTIST/ART TEACHER

POLICEDETECTIVE MAID NURSE

FBIAGENT

195763 SUPPORTING

Pepino Garcia by TonyMartinez, in e Real McCoys

195157 LEAD

Ricky Ricardo by DesiArnaz in I Love Lucy

195963 SUPPORTING

Agent William Youngfellowby Able Fernandez, in eUntouchables

196668 SUPPORTING

e Joker by Cesar Romero

in Batman

1968-74 SUPPORTING

Craig Carter by Desi Arnaz,

Jr. inHeres Lucy

196874 SUPPORTING

Kim Carter by Lucie Arnaz

in Heres Lucy

197576 SUPPORTING

Julie Erskine by Liz Torres

in Phyllis

197477 LEAD

Chico Rodriguez by Freddie

Prinze in Chico and the Man

198190 SUPPORTING

Lance Cumson by Lorenzo

Lamas in Falcon Crest

198490 SUPPORTING

Lieutenant Martin Castillo

by Edward James Olmos in

Miami Vice

198490 SUPPORTING

Detective Gina Calabrese

by Saundra Santiago in

Miami Vice

199498 LEAD

Detective Bobby Simone by

Jimmy Smits in N.Y.P.D.

Blue

199798 LEAD

Gabriella Diaz by

Constance Marie in Union

Square

199600 SUPPORTING

Luis Rivera by Nestor

Carbonell in Suddenly Susan

199800 SUPPORTING

Diego Vasquez by Bruno

Campos inJesse

199906 SUPPORTING

Rosario Salazar by Shelly

Morrison in Will & Grace

200109 SUPPORTING

Nurse Carla Espinosa by Judy

Reyes in Scrubs

200209 SUPPORTING

Danny Taylor by Enrique

Murciano in Without A Trace

Figure 12: Latino Actors and Characters

in the Main Cast of op enRated

Scripted V Shows, 19502013 (Source:

IMDb)



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17.7%

11.3%

CRIMINALS

(ALL)

17.7%

10.8%

16.2%

5.8%

14.7% 14.9%

3.4%

0.00%

CRIMINALS

(BLUE COLLAR)

19.1%

13.8%

LAW ENFORCEMENT

/ MILITARY

BLUE COLLAR/

SERVICE WORKERS

WHITE COLLAR/

EDUCATION-BASED

WORKERS

CREATIVE

TYPES

ROLES PLAYED BY LATINO ACTORS ROLES PLAYED BY ALL ACTORS

As suggested above, only two majoradult Latino/a characters were notmembers of law enforcement ormilitary institutions. Of these, the mostinfluential is Gloria Delgado-Pritchett,played by Sofia Vergara inModernFamily. Yet, whereas Vergaras characteris a continuation of the sexy spitfirestereotype whose accent is a constantsource of humor, she is also portrayedas being skilled with guns. Te showrepeatedly implies that her Colombianheritage makes her comicallyaccustomed to violence.

Figure 13: Roles Played by Latino Lead and Supporting Actors Compared to Roles Played by All Actors in en Highest-Grossing

Films in the U.S, 2010-2013

(Source: IMDb)

FBIAGENT

POLICEDETECTIVE

PLANE CRASHSURVIVOR

POLICECAPTAIN

PLANE CRASH SURVIVOR/

SECURITY GUARD CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATORBUSINESSMAN/INMATE HOUSEWIFE

FBIAGENT

STUDENT/DAUGHTER

STUDENT/DAUGHTER

COVERTAGENT

MEDICALDOCTOR STUDENT

UNEMPLOYED/HOMEMAKER STUDENT

HOMICIDEDETECTIVE DETECTIVE

, ,,

.

200509 SUPPORTING

Elena Delgado by Roselyn

Sanchez by Without A Trace

200310 SUPPORTING

Scotty Valens by Danny Pino

in Cold Case

200410 SUPPORTING

Hurley Reyes by Jorge Garcia

in Lost

200506 SUPPORTING

Ana Lucia Cortez by

Michelle Rodriguez in Lost

200911 SUPPORTING

Captain Roy Montgomery by

Ruben Santiago-Hudson in

Castle

200212 SUPPORTING

Eric Delko by Adam

Rodriguez in CSI: Miami

200412 SUPPORTING

Carlos Solis by Ricardo

Chavira in Desperate Houswives

200412 LEAD

Gabrielle Solis by Eva

Longoria in Desperate

Housewives

200512 SUPPORTING

Natalia Boa Vista by Eva

LaRue in CSI: Miami

200812 SUPPORTING

Juanita Solis by Madison de la

Garza in Desperate Housewives

200812 SUPPORTING

Celia Solis by Daniella

Baltodano in Desperate

Housewives

200513 SUPPORTING

Ziva David by Cote de Pablo

in NCIS

200613 SUPPORTING

Dr. Callie Torres by Sara

Ramirez in Greys Anatomy

200913 SUPPORTING

Grace Florrick by Makenzie

Vega in e Good Wife

200913 SUPPORTING

Gloria Delgado-Pritchett by

Sofia Vergara inModern

Family

200913 SUPPORTING

Manny Delgado by Rico

Rodriguez inModern Family

200913 SUPPORTING

Javier Esposito by Jon Huertas

in Castle

2013 SUPPORTING

Maria Baez by Marisa Ram

in Blue Bloods

Significantly, the percentage of criminalroles today is higher than a decade ago.According to a 1995 National Councilfor La Raza commissioned study, in1994, criminals made up only 6% ofcharacters in primetime V and 16% inreality shows.1

While the idea that Latinos are actualor potential criminals endures, however,we found that the centrality of thecriminal stereotype varied greatly fromshow to show, ranging from 0% in woand Half Menand 5.1% in CriminalMindsto 32% in NCIS LAand 50%

in Te Big Bang Teory. Notably, inlaw and order shows, Latino criminalcharacters tend to appear more oftenin stories involving gangs and/or drugrather than across all plotlines.

In addition to the uneven distributionof the criminal stereotype, there isa meaningful difference betweenthe number of criminal roles andthe number of times that a criminalcharacter appears in relation to Latinolaw enforcers. Although criminal andlaw enforcement characters are almostequal when measured in number of



20/44

in wo and Half Menare bluecollarworkers or sexy Latinas, and 50% ofLatino characters in Te Big Bang Teoryare blue-collar workers or criminals.elevision then seems to view Latinosin a more favorable light when theyare part of a multicultural anti-crime

force than when they are inside theoverwhelmingly white domestic realm.

Lastly, an important if previouslyunreported trend, is that over athird or 44.7% of the total numberof Latino roles on television areunnamed or uncredited. While 72%of Latino characters are portrayed aslaw enforcers, criminals, blue-collarworkers, sexy women, and otherminor stereotypes such as member

of a big Latino family, a considerablepercentage of these characters have littleairtime.

In the ten highest-grossing moviesfrom 2010 to 2013, Latinos performeda greater variety of roles than ontelevision, including princesses, Vikingsand vampires. But similar patterns arepresent.

roles, law enforcers appear considerablymore frequently: 36.6% vs. 13.7%. Inother words, for every Latino criminalappearance, there are three appearancesby Latino law enforcers. Tis gap can beexplained in part by the fact that Latinocriminal roles tend to be episodic,

throwaway characters while Latino lawenforcers are on the main cast.

Moreover, blue-collar and sexy femaleroles are still present but accountedfor only 9.9% and 1.9% of theroles respectively. Like the criminalstereotype, however, blue-collar workersappear less than the number of rolessuggests, only 5.7% of all Latinocharacter appearances. Conversely,overly sensual Latinas are a very small

number of roles. But given Vergarashighly visible character, they accountfor 9.1% of appearances in the top tenshows.

Equally significant, traditionallystereotypical characters are often morecommon in comedy shows than incrime dramas. For instance, besidesModern FamilysGloria Delgado-Pritchett, 50% of Latino characters

Figure 14: Race and Media Maids, 1930

2013

(Source: IMDb)

Once dominated by

African American

actresses playing

Mammy stereotypes,

the maid role has

shifted decisively

toward Latinas.



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% MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF LATINOS

ACTUAL % OF LATINOS BY OCCUPATION (US CENSUS)

LAW

ENFORCEMENT

CRIMINALS

(BLUE COLLAR)

CREATIVE

TYPES

MAIDS

24.2% 23%

latino media gap report by frances negrón-muntaner with chelsea abbas, luis figueroa, and samuel...

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