Menendez, Lujan Grisham Request Update on FCC Efforts to Improve Latino Representation in the Media

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the highest ranking Hispanic member of Congress, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai inquiring about the status of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) announced back in April. As Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce, Menendez used the attention garnered by the diversity of the winners at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards to request an update on the strategy by the ACDDE to tackle systemic challenges of Latino representation in the media and information sector in general. Joining the Senator in sending the letter was Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D- N.M.).

"As you know, the United States still has a long way to go on our path to ensuring out Information Industry landscape reflects our diverse and multicultural national identity," stated the letter. "As we have seen in the past, a lack of minority voices in decision-making positions can create situations in which, at best the content is not representative of diverse voices and at worst, is insensitive. We believe the Commission's Advisory Committee is particularly timely in order to correct some of these issues."

Created to advice the FCC on how to empower disadvantaged communities and accelerate the entry of small businesses into the media, digital news and information, and audio and video programming industries, the ACDDE was formed to engage with sectors which have historically been bereft of Latino representation. A recent study by the University of Southern California School of Communications and Journalism showed that more than half (54) of the Top 100 grossing films of 2016 had no Latino characters in them, and only 3.1% of the total speaking roles in these films went to a Latino or Latina character.

A copy of the letter with the full list of questions that the Members posed to the Commissioner regarding what steps the FCC and its ACDDE plan on taking to ensure greater Latino representation can be found HERE and below.

Mr. Ajit Pai

Chair

Federal Communications Commission

Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai,

We write today to inquire about the status of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) that Chairman Pai announced on April 24, 2017. As you know, the United States still has a long way to go on our path to ensuring our Information Industry landscape reflects our diverse and multicultural national identity. As Members of Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who represent the almost 57 million Latinos and Latinas in the United States, it is our duty to highlight the importance of Hispanic access to economic opportunities in the media, the digital news and information, and audio and video programming industries.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) defines the Information sector as "establishments engaged in producing and distributing information and cultural products." This sector includes "the publishing industries, including software publishing; the motion picture and sound recording industries; the broadcasting industries; the telecommunications industries; and Web search portals, data processing industries, and the information services industries."^[1] These industries, which the ACDDE intends on engaging in order to be able to provide recommendations to the Commission, have historically been bereft of Latino representation.

According to the Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs, in 2015 almost 80% of all Hispanic owned firms with paid employees in the information sector were started or founded by their owners. This fact is in-line with Latinos having the highest rate of new entrepreneurs when compared to their White or Black counterparts.^[2] Unfortunately, of the total number of business in the information sector that year, only 3% were Latino owned businesses^[3]. When examining specific industries within the information sector such as the Motion Picture and Telecommunications industries, the lack of Latino representation tells the same story.

For example, a recent study by the University of Southern California School of Communications and Journalism, showed that more than half (54) of the Top 100 grossing films of 2016 had no Latino characters in them, and only 3.1% of the total speaking roles in these films went to a Latino or Latina character^[4]. This percentage has not changed since 2007, despite the fact that Latinos make up almost 18% of the total U.S. population. The same study only identified 34 female directors in their examination of 900 films since 2007. None were Latina^[5]. Outside of Hollywood, the National Latino Media Council – a group of 13 of the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organizations - consistently grade the overall performance of three of the four major television networks, ABC, CBS, and FOX as "mediocre" for Latino inclusion efforts.^[6]

As we have seen in the past, a lack of minority voices in decision-making positions can create situations in which, at best the content is not representative of diverse voices and at worst, is insensitive. We believe the Commission's Advisory Committee is particularly timely in order to correct some of these issues. It is clear that we need a better strategy to tackle systemic challenges of Latino representation in the information sector.

Considering these facts, we have several questions that we would like answered regarding what steps the FCC and its ACDDE plan on taking to ensure greater Latino representation in the Commission and the information sector. Please respond to the questions below as soon as possible.

Given the FCC's statutory obligation to promote diversity and localism, we believe a diverse and effective Committee is warranted. We look forward to hearing your response, and hope to be able to continue to work with you on these issues in the future.

Sincerely,