Annual Reports

NHMC's 2011 Accomplishments

In 2011, NHMC celebrated its 25th anniversary. The NHMC team is proud to share some of its 2011 accomplishments.

 

Fighting Hate Speech in Media

Promoting Positive Stories of Latinos in Media

Giving Voice To Latinos on Media Policy Issues in Washington, DC

Promoting Media Ownership Diversity

Opening Doors for the Next Generation of Latinos

Empowering Local Communities

Recognizing Talent and Champions

 

 

Fighting Hate Speech in Media

  • In January of 2009, NHMC and a diverse collection of other organizations, urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to study the effects of hate speech in media. In July 2011, after two years of waiting, NHMC presented this issue to a crowded forum at the White House Hispanic Policy Conference. National Latino leaders from all corners of the U.S. joined NHMC to discuss how to address the debilitating effects of hate speech in media.
     

 

 

  • In early 2011, NHMC and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) filed a complaint with the FCC against KRCA-Los Angeles and Liberman Broadcasting for the repeated broadcast of indecent, profane, and obscene material over the public airwaves on “Jose Luis Sin Censura.” The program frequently features blatant nudity, and female guests have been shown in violent fights. Routine offerings also include hyper-sexualized images of women's breasts and genitals while stripping for male guests and audience members. Guests and audience members are often incited to engage in verbal and physical attacks, especially against people perceived to be LGBT. Many episodes show the audience standing and shouting anti-gay epithets and profanity at guests. This has been a synergistic campaign with two national civil rights/media organizations coming together for a mutual cause and effectively sharing talent and resources. Two affiliate stations have already dropped the program, and at least two advertisers have stopped supporting it. In addition, Liberman Broadcasting is telling NHMC that the show has been replaced on the schedule, and that reruns are now only running once per day, down from twice.
     
  • For years, John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, hosts of "The John and Ken Show" on KFI radio, have terrorized Los Angeles’ Latino, Asian American and African American communities, among others, creating an atmosphere of hate and intolerance and seemingly legitimizing violence and discrimination against members of these groups. In a September broadcast, the duo released the personal cell phone number of Jorge-Mario Cabrera’s, of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), and then – after saying some pretty nasty things about Mr. Cabrera – encouraged their listeners to call him. Mr. Cabrera received over 500 abusive and threatening calls. Many of the callers repeated John and Ken’s exact words, and then wished death upon Mr. Cabrera and/or threatened his life and physical safety. As a result, NHMC initiated a campaign to get John and Ken off the air. KFI has refused to fire John and Ken and NHMC is asking the advertisers to stop supporting this hateful show. Already, twenty major sponsors have committed to no longer run ads on the show. Many other companies have stopped advertising without notifying NHMC. At NHMC’s request, Media Matters for America, a non-profit research and information center, continues to monitor the show and NHMC staff continues to contact and educate the remaining advertisers, asking them to drop their ads from the show.
     
  • NHMC commissioned the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center to investigate patterns of hate speech on the radio. Quantifying Hate Speech on Commercial Talk Radio was released in November. This pilot study aims to develop a sound, replicable methodology for qualitative content analysis that can be used to examine hate speech in commercial broadcasting that targets vulnerable groups such as ethnic, racial, religious, and/or sexual minorities. The researchers selected segments between thirty to forty minutes from each of three programs: “The Lou Dobbs Show: Mr. Independent” (syndicated by the United Stations Radio Networks), broadcast on July 31, 2008; “The Savage Nation” (produced at KFMB 760 AM and syndicated by Talk Radio Network), broadcast on July 24, 2008; and “The John & Ken Show” (KFI AM 640, Los Angeles), broadcast on July 30, 2008. The qualitative content analysis reveals a significant incidence of hate speech that incorporates targeted statements, unsubstantiated claims, divisive language, and indexical terms related to political nativism.

Promoting Positive Stories of Latinos in Media

  • NHMC encourages positive and accurate portrayals of Latinos in media. One of NHMC’s most successful tactics is engaging in regular meetings with top network entertainment executives at ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX to encourage them to hire Latinos in front of and behind the camera. In September, NHMC’s President & CEO traveled to New York to host a meeting with NHMC allies and television news executives from the ABC and NBC networks. ABC brought twenty-five of its news professionals to the meeting. The goal of the meeting was to inform the news executives of the realities of the immigration debate and present a list of qualified immigration spokespeople to use as resources and guests. The network executives agreed to stop showing undocumented immigrant newsreels from the 1980s that do not reflect the realities of today. NBC indicated interest in producing a show on hate crimes.
     
  • NHMC believes that writers are the key to more positive and accurate depictions of Latinos on screen. This was the eighth year that NHMC administered the National Latino Media Council’s Television Writers Program. This year alone, ten NHMC/NLMC fellows were hired by the top broadcast networks to work on television shows – an impressive accomplishment in itself.

     

  • NHMC was a key player in the 2010 negotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Comcast/NBCU and Latino leaders, which occurred during the merger of the two corporations. In 2011, NHMC’s President & CEO became a member of the Comcast/NBCU National Hispanic Advisory Council. As a member of the Advisory Council, NHMC is monitoring the MOU’s progression and ensuring Latino participation in Comcast/NBCU’s governance, workforce, and programming. One of the main issues currently being discussed is the selection of entities that will operate the first two U.S. Latino networks that Comcast/NBCU promised to roll out within three years of closing of the merger.

Giving Voice To Latinos on Media Policy Issues in Washington, DC

  • In 2011, the FCC appointed NHMC’s Vice President of Policy & Legal Affairs to its Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age. The mission of this committee is to make recommendations to the FCC regarding policies and practices that will further enhance the ability of people of color and women to participate in telecommunications and related industries.
     
  • In December, NHMC celebrated wireless giant AT&T’s announcement that it was ceasing efforts to acquire T-Mobile. NHMC a played a key role in fighting this transaction. NHMC’s research indicated that the acquisition would lead to higher prices, fewer choices, and fewer jobs for all consumers, particularly Latinos. NHMC filed a petition to deny the merger with the FCC, joined by the National Institute for Latino Policy. NHMC staff spoke at briefings and hearings, wrote op-eds and blogs, and taped videos and radio interviews to educate the public about the harms of the merger. In August, the Department of Justice sued to block the merger on antitrust grounds. In November, the FCC designated the transaction for a hearing, indicating that it believed that the merger would not serve the public interest.
     
  • NHMC advocated for a variety of policies to increase Latinos’ access to affordable and open broadband service, and to ensure that they are protected over new technologies. It also highlighted pressing consumer protection issues to its constituents, through English and Spanish-language e-mail blasts, blogs, and consumer alerts.
     
  • Finally, in 2011, NHMC’s Washington, D.C. office transformed from virtual to actual. You can now reach us at 1705 DeSales Street, N.W.

Promoting Media Ownership Diversity

  • For years, NHMC has urged the FCC to retain limits on media consolidation based on the premise that diverse owners tell diverse stories, allowing greater opportunities for Latinos’ stories to be told. In 2011, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held, in a case called Prometheus Radio Project vs. FCC (Prometheus II), that the FCC’s relaxation of media ownership rules was inappropriate and that before any further rule changes the FCC must thoroughly examine how those changes would impact the ability of people of color to become and/or remain broadcast license owners. Throughout 2011, NHMC requested that the FCC collect more data so that it could thoroughly and thoughtfully examine this issue.
     
  • NHMC worked with the Prometheus Radio Project and its allies to educate the Latino community about the opportunity to apply for Low Power FM (LPFM) radio station licenses. Soon, there will be a short window for not-for-profit groups to apply for LPFM licenses. In November, NHMC helped convene a Spanish-language webinar about these opportunities. The webinar was well-attended by community groups serving the Spanish-speaking community.

Opening Doors for the Next Generation of Latinos

  • NHMC’s legal internship program continues to train Latino law school students in media policy work. The program has graduated six interns. The goal is to create a pipeline for Latino lawyers in the media policy arena, a sector that would greatly benefit from more diversity. NHMC will continue training several law students each year.
     
  • In late 2011, NHMC, in partnership with NBCU, started an educational pilot program at the Esteban Torres High School in East Los Angeles. The program’s objective is to increase the number of young Latinos that dream of becoming part of the entertainment industry and create a realistic path for them to achieve this goal. The lucrative film and television industries are right down the street from NHMC’s headquarters, and despite Latinos comprising 48% of the Los Angeles population, they account for less than 1% of behind the camera film and television positions. This Latino staffing shortfall is the direct result of lack of information, exposure, and opportunity.
     

Empowering Local Communities

  • NHMC stands prepared to assist local communities in responding to hate speech in media and to advise community activists on how to hold their local media accountable. In 2011, NHMC staff developed a one-page information sheet on the rights of the public to access broadcasters’ public files, and the rules governing such visits. NHMC distributed the information sheet to community activists as they traveled to “occupy” their local radio and television stations, sending a message that broadcasters still have a duty to serve the public.
     
  • NHMC is based in Pasadena, California, a city with severe income inequality. In the summer of 2011 NHMC helped bring together the Pasadena Coalition. It’s mission is to advocate for economic, educational, and political parity and to build bridges for community health in the greater Pasadena area. So far the group has met with four local newspaper editors to discuss their misrepresentation and under-reporting of Latinos and the diversity of their staffs. Along with continuing to work with the editors of the local newspapers, the coalition hopes to serve as a united voice for better education polices in the Pasadena Unified School District.
     
  • The San Diego Union Tribune Latino Community Advisory Board celebrated its first anniversary. NHMC played a lead role in creating this Board after a major layoff of Latino journalists at the local newspaper. The Community Board provides recommendations for how the newspaper may best serve the Latino community.

Recognizing Talent and Champions

  • In February, NHMC held its 14th Annual Impact Awards Gala at the renowned Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The Masters of Ceremony were "Extra" TV host Mario Lopez, and film and TV actress Michelle Rodriguez. The honorees included film director Robert Rodriguez who received the Visionary Impact Award; Zoë Saldana for her role in the hit film, "Avatar;" Danny Trejo for his lead role in the film, "Machete;" nationally-syndicated radio host, Dr. Isabel Gómez-Bassols; and a special award for his bravery and service to the community went to Daniel Hernandez, the young man who rushed to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' aid and has been credited with helping save her life following the tragic shooting that occurred in Tucson, Arizona.


     

  • In September, NHMC held its 9th Annual Local Impact Awards Luncheon at the Westin Hotel in Pasadena, California. This Luncheon honors individuals and entities whose achievements have greatly benefited the California Latino community. KPWR’s Big Boy and KNBC’s Ana Garcia served as Masters of Ceremony. The honorees included Congressman Esteban Torres (Ret.), Chair of the National Latino Media Council, who received the award for Outstanding Service and Commitment to the Latino Community. Radio Bilingüe received an award for Outstanding Service to the Latino Community in Radio Broadcasting. Univision’s Gabriela Teissier received an award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism for her outstanding professional performance. Danny Romero, weathercaster from ABC7 Eyewitness News, received the award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. Finally, Kathy Vara, KNBC’s anchorwoman, was awarded for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism.


     

  • In December, NHMC recognized FCC Commissioners Mignon L. Clyburn and Michael J. Copps for their commitment to the public interest. The reception was held at the the National Association of Broadcasters’ headquarters in Washington D.C.