NHMC remained vigilant that KCBS-TV in LA honored the agreement, complying with Federal Communications Commission policy, and expanded to KABC-TV in LA, as well as New York stations WABC-TV and WCBS-TV.
NHMC’s work to pressure the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the licenses of dozens of stations shirking their federally mandated obligation to hire people of color prompted the FCC start issuing fines to broadcasters for the first time in 56 years.
After NHMC demanded that ABC provides a plan to place Latinos at all levels, ABC publicly disclosed employment statistics and contracted more extensively with Latino-owned companies, adding them to procurement lists.
After all 26 network shows debuting in the Fall of 1999 had failed to include a person of color in a primary or secondary role, ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX executives signed the agreement put forward by the National Latino Media Council to diversify their workforce, board, and vendors. FOX flew their senior vice president to NYC to interview actors of every ethnicity for the following year’s shows; ABC and NBC added more people of color to their program line-up; and CBS announced a Latino-themed show. NBC also removed a slanderous remark from “Will and Grace” and TV GUIDE launched a 16-page color insert in Spanish.
NHMC’s TV Writers Program has prepared more than 100 graduates for writers’ room positions since 2003. Thirty-five percent of program alumni have earned jobs on TV and online shows featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, BET, HBO, Disney Jr., Hulu, Amazon, Lifetime and Netflix.
NHMC forced Nielsen to address inaccuracies in their rating system so the use of the data would not lead to limiting Latino employment opportunities in English-language television or discourage the development of Latino-themed programming.
NHMC’s 18-month campaign against the crass, misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ program resulted in its removal from the airwaves, a hefty fine, and a behavior compliance plan. Through their action, the FCC enforced indecency rules against a Spanish-language broadcaster.
The FCC granted construction permits to NHMC and seven other Los Angeles-based non-profit organizations to build a community radio station to bring viewpoint diversity to 101.5 FM.
NHMC established an effort, with 55 other organizations, to #breakhate and bring civil discourse back to the public square. The group works to hold purveyors of hate speech accountable and pushes media platforms to abandon hate speech as a profit model.
National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a woman-led 501(c)(3) non-profit civil and human rights organization that was founded to eliminate hate, discrimination, and racism toward the Latino communities.
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC