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As a Latino, I am privileged to understand the rich fabric of our culture, a culture woven with vibrant threads of heritage, resilience and passion. Latino culture is as diverse as the US itself, a beautiful kaleidoscope of traditions, flavors, sounds and histories. We cover the multicultural/multiracial spectrum, including Natives, Afro Latinos, Asian Latinos, people of European descent, and every mix imaginable. Latinidad is so large that it cannot be limited to a single check box in the census. But when we look at the reflection of our culture on television, it often falls short and fails to capture the true essence of who we are.
Fuse media
The statistics are staggering: Latinos make up more than 19% of the U.S. population and have a purchasing power of $3.4 trillion. Our brand loyalty runs deep, with many of us staying true to products and companies that authentically embrace our culture. We are a demographic powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with in the marketplace. Nike and Ross are some of the brands that understand this. Neither makes the top 10 among non-Hispanic consumers; however, they grade 4 and 6 among Latinos, respectively.
The purchasing power of Latinos is just as pronounced – if not even more so – in Hollywood, which we were a part of 29% of all cinema tickets sold in 2020. You’d think the industry would respond to our rise by ensuring content reflects the audience, but you’d be wrong: Latinos currently account for just 5.1% of lead actors and 4.5% of the co-leaders. ensemble actors. Representation of Latino talent as screenwriters and directors were both below 3 percent in 2022. The numbers aren’t much better when they apply to television, where Latinos make up 2.6% of lead actors and 1.4% of showrunners.
True and accurate representation of Latinos on TV must also extend to the language in which the content is created for us. Research shows that English-language consumption generations increases among Latinos, and this isn’t major news: A 2011 Pew Research Center study and a 2016 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers both highlight that a significant majority of Latinos choose English-language media, and this trend is becoming more apparent with each generation. But even with all this well-documented data, television executives continue to view Latinos as niche.
There are a number of reasons why the sector has not yet caught up. Historically, it made sense that when the first wave of TV networks aimed at Latinos were introduced in the US, they were in Spanish, because the makeup of the US Latino population was mainly made up of recent immigrants. For years, if people wanted to reach Latinos, the major Spanish-language networks were the obvious choice. But times have changed, and so has the makeup of the Latino community, with births now also playing a role an important role in the recent growth among U.S. Latinos. While Spanish-speaking Latinos remain a viable and important audience, English-speaking Latinos present an opportunity for exponential growth.
Another reason our media doesn’t match our reality is the misguided assumption that if we speak English and are born and raised in the US, the mainstream market entertainment will meet our entertainment needs. The difference is nuanced, but still extremely important. Even though we are entertained, we are not represented and therefore we do not experience a sense of belonging. Latinos consume media in English, so the industry doesn’t feel the economic incentive to make a change. Imagine the potential for the film industry if it wholeheartedly embraced the true inclusion of both storytelling and casting of Latino talent. When films that authentically reflected our experiences were released earlier this year (finally!), we played a crucial role in their successes: Blue Beetle catapulted to the top of the weekend box office, with Latinos topping ourselves when it came to our share of attendance (39% as opposed to our usual 30%, according to PostTrak). In the meantime we have made Flamin’ Hot Searchlight’s most-watched streaming film of all time, the studio reports. Yet the industry remains comfortable with the status quo and has little motivation to change the narrative. This approach is short-sighted in every respect. This is not only a smart business decision, but also a matter of social justice: media shapes perception.
Ensuring we see truthful and accurate representation of Latinos on TV has become a mission for me – hence my personal and professional investment in Fuse Media to create a space for Latinos and other culturally diverse creators to tell their stories in authentic way to share. But I can’t do it alone. Only by producing stories where Latinos are the weavers of the story, and by creating opportunities for Latinos to be crucial members of the cast, crew and executive teams, can we provide our audiences with truly reflective programming. We need content that reflects stories of how we are integrated into the society we contribute to every day, in the country that for so many of us is not only home, but the only place we have ever lived. to ensure that the decision makers responsible for greenlighting projects and selecting showrunners truly understand the depth and complexity of Latino audiences. It’s alarming to see these same decision makers losing their DEI leaders, which begs the question of how serious Hollywood really is about true inclusivity.
As the film and television industry grapples with the results of the strikes and we try to understand the rapidly changing media landscape, it is time to take stock of where our industry is headed. We will not reach our full economic potential if we do not tap into the full spectrum of the Latino audience and our enormous – and growing – purchasing power. We are a diverse group, but not impossible to understand. You just have to try, and it will pay off.
Miguel Roggero is chairman and CEO of Fuse Media, a Latino-owned entertainment company known for celebrating culturally diverse voices. His commitment to promoting diversity in the media was the driving force behind his decision to acquire a majority stake in the company. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a global media brand with a growing portfolio of DEI-focused linear and streaming channels aimed at serving young, culturally diverse audiences with vibrant content that truly reflects their life experiences.