- NHMC Announces Honorees for its 16th Impact Awards Gala
- Senator Menendez and Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Received NHMC Impact Awards
- Washington, D.C. Policy Shop Update
- Film Adaptation of Author Rudolfo Anaya’s Classic Novel, Bless Me, Ultima
- National Latino Media Council Released Annual Television Networks Report Cards
- Variety Special Report: Violence & Entertainment
- The Battle and Victory of #BoycottLaComay
- Pasadena Latino Coaltion Leads a Successful Candidate Forum
- NLMC/NHMC Television Writers Update
- NHMC Gives a Big Thanks ALAC
NHMC announces its 16th Annual Impact Awards Gala, taking place Friday, February 22, in Beverly Hills, California. The NHMC Gala is one of the premier Latino entertainment events in the country. NHMC President & CEO, Alex Nogales, will host four hundred of the most influential persons in Hollywood when it comes to advancing Latino talent in Hollywood.
This year’s Impact Awards will honor onscreen talents Mario Lopez, Morena Baccarin, Lana Parrilla, Gina Torres and Michael Peña. The Impact Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the positive portrayal of Latinos in media.
“You know something exciting is happening when Latinos get to play a broad array of roles such as evil queens, lawyers and are hosting major shows like Extra and X Factor,” comments Alex Nogales, NHMC President & CEO. “These five top notch talents are appealing to the young U.S. Latino population, which happens to be the youngest ethnic group in the country, representing more than a trillion dollars in purchasing power.”
Entrepreneur and media all-star Mario Lopez, host of Fox’s X-Factor and the nationally syndicated EXTRA, will be honored for his great feats in the entertainment industry thus far. Mario’s acting career was launched on the cult TV classic Saved by the Bell. Known as a man of all trades Mario is not only a well-known TV personalit y but a familiar voice on the airwaves with his nationally syndicated radio show On with Mario and a New York Times bestselling author for his health and fitness books.
Actor Michael Peña will be receiving the Outstanding Performance in a Motion Picture award for his role as Officer Zavala in the critically acclaimed film End of Watch. Peña garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for his role. Peña’s film credits include playing Daniel the locksmith in the Oscar winning film Crash, and he can currently be seen on the big screen in the ensemble feature Gangster Squad opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. Later this year he can be seen portraying civil rights leader and labor organizer, Cesar Chavez, in the filmChavez, directed by Diego Luna.
This year NHMC is honoring the following actresses with the NHMC Outstanding Performance in a Television Series Award:
Morena Baccarin for her moving performance on Showtime’s Emmy and Golden Globe award winning series Homeland. She stars alongside a notable cast that includes Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin on this critically acclaimed series. BeforeHomeland Baccarin was last seen starring as a shapeshifting alien leader on ABC’s drama sci-fi, V.
Lana Parrilla for her role as the Evil Queen/ Mayor Regina Mills in ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Parrilla’s performance as the alluring villain of parallel worlds, a mythical fairytale land and the modern fictional town of Storybrooke, Maine has garnered her numerous accolades including TV Guide Magazine’s “Fan Favorite Villain.”
Seasoned television and film actress Gina Torres will be honored for her role as Jessica Pearson managing partner of Pearson Harden law firm on USA’s Suits. Most notably known in the world of sci-fi, Torres has TV credits ranging from her role as the Russo-Cuban assassin Anna Espinsoa on Alias to the shotgun-toting mercenary Zoe Washburn on Firefly (alongside Morena Baccarin) and the soul eating Jasmin on Angel. Her film credits include The Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions opposite husband Laurence Fishbourne and Keanu Reeves.
More information about NHMC’s 16th Annual Impact Awards Gala can be found at www.nhmc.org/gala.
To purchase tickets or ad placement in the Gala program book, please contact Brenda Rivas at info@nhmc.org. Individual tickets are available for $300.
Senator Menendez And Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Received NHMC Impact Awards
From left to right: Alex Nogales, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, and Senator Menendez
NHMC celebrated its annual Washington, D.C. Impact Awards Reception on November 14, 2012 at the National Association of Broadcasters’ headquarters. During the celebration, Senator Robert Menendez and Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard were honored with Impact Awards for their outstanding service and commitment to the Latino community.
“Senator Menendez and Congresswoman Roybal-Allard have been ahead of the curve when it comes to developing policy that will positively impact the Latino community. Between the two of them are decades of public service, including almost 40 years of service in the U.S. Congress. We are pleased to offer them our thanks and recognition,” commented Alex Nogales, NHMC President & CEO.
“Our work in Washington, D.C. would be that much more difficult without the friendly ears and open doors of leaders like Senator Menendez and Congresswoman Roybal-Allard. We are looking forward to continuing to work with both of them in the future,” added Jessica Gonzalez, NHMC’s Vice President of Policy & Legal Affairs.
The National Association of Broadcasters, Google, Fox Deportes, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Audience Strategies, MundoFOX, Entravision Communications Corporation and Univision were all reception sponsors. A number of other donors also provided generous support for the event. Their tax-deductible gifts to NHMC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, support NHMC’s mission.
Click here to see additional photos of the event.
Reception Sponsors:
Washington, D.C. Policy Shop Update In early January, NHMC released its 2013 policy priorities. Those priorities include the following goals: 1) responsible and inclusive media; 2) affordable and universal connections; 3) empowered media and telecommunications consumers; and 4) privacy in the digital age. Over the past couple months, NHMC has been working towards these goals, with particular attention on maintaining and promoting diversity and competition over the public airwaves.
NHMC has worked with media reform allies to delay a bad FCC decision that would have led to greater media consolidation and fewer opportunities for Latinos to own broadcast stations. In FCC filings and meetings with FCC staff, NHMC has urged the agency to examine how relaxing media ownership limits would impact women and people of color before it paves the way for consolidation.
In addition, NHMC has weighed in on the FCC’s current efforts to auction a portion of the broadcast spectrum to the wireless providers. NHMC urged the FCC to complete this process in a way that will maintain as much quality broadcast service for the Latino community as possible, adequately notify individuals that will lose certain broadcast channels, and redistribute the spectrum in a way that enhances competition in the wireless market.
Film Adaptation of Author Rudolfo Anaya’s Classic Novel, Bless Me, Ultima
Bless Me, Ultima will be given a limited national release in February 2013. Arenas Entertainment is distributing and marketing the film. The film, Bless Me, Ultima, is based on the provocative award-winning novel by celebrated author, Rudolfo Anaya.
Bless Me, Ultima is a turbulent coming-of-age story about a young boy, Antonio (Luke Ganalon), growing up in New Mexico during World War II. When a mysterious curandera (healer) named Ultima (Miriam Colon) comes to live with his family, she teaches him about the power of the spiritual world. As their relationship grows, Antonio begins to question his strict upbringing by his parents (Dolores Heredia & Benito Martinez). Through a series of mysterious and at times terrifying events, Antonio must grapple with questions about the nature of divinity and his own destiny.
The film was written and directed by Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress), the executive producer is Christy Walton, producers are Mark Johnson, Sarah DiLeo and Jesse B’Franklin. The film stars Miriam Colon, Luke Ganalon, Dolores Heredia, Benito Martinez, Castulo Guerra and Joaquin Cosio.
Bless Me, Ultima will debut in more than 200 theaters across the country, including in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Denver, Tucson and San Antonio.
More information: www.BlessMeUltima.com
National Latino Media Council Released Annual Television Networks Report Cards
Created in 1999, the National Latino Media Council (NLMC) is comprised of the 15 largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organizations dedicated to increasing Latino employment in the media industry, at all levels both in front and behind the camera, do away with negative stereotypes, and advocate for media policy that benefits the Latino community. NLMC is also the group that signed Memoranda of Understanding with ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox to increase the employment ranks of Latinos and other people of color at all four networks. The Coalition is chaired by former Congressman Esteban Torres with the NHMC acting as its Secretariat.
Last November, NLMC blasted FOX Network Groups for its non-performance for the 2011-2012 television season. The network received an overall “F” in its diversity commitment and performance. The annual report states:
For years, NLMC has highlighted FOX’s lack of transparency in providing clear and complete information to evaluate diversity performance. Two years ago when a new diversity team was created at the network we were hopeful for positive change. To our surprise there was change, but only for the worse. For the last couple of years the FOX Diversity team has been unresponsive to NLMC’s request for timely and complete data. They seem not to care about our timeline nor the years of collaboration and work accomplished through the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed thirteen years ago. We have known and collaborated with FOX’s Chairman of Entertainment, Kevin Reilly, for years, ever since he was at NBC and he has been a man committed to diversity. We are now hopeful that Reilly will address this unacceptable situation immediately.
NBC received the best overall grade given by NLMC with an “A-.” NBC’s diversity strength comes from its behind the camera talent, and although it lacks in the key area of in front of camera actors, it has pulled forward as leader of the diversity network pack.
CBS earned an overall “B+” grade for Latino diversity during the 2011-2012 television season. CBS’s opportunity for improvement lies in increasing its number of Latino scripted regulars and to have more consistency in the number of Latino Writers/Producers.
For years ABC has been the model network in terms of providing opportunities for Latinos. Although it still dominates in a few categories, the other networks are catching up. This year ABC earned an overall “B” grade. The main complaint that NLMC has had and still has with ABC is that the network has no Latino Creative Executives on its creative team.
Alex Nogales, NHMC President & CEO and Secretariat for NLMC stated: “After thirteen years of working with the networks through the Memoranda of Understanding, we are at a collaborative stage with all of the networks, except for FOX. The Networks ABC, CBS and NBC are finally paying attention to the Latino audience, especially now that it represents $1 trillion in purchasing power, projected to increase to $1.5 trillion by 2015, and because it represents 16.7% of the nation’s population. We see positive internal changes taking place at the three networks and expect that these changes will translate into an accelerated hiring of Latinos in all areas.”
It’s been thirteen years since the historic Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition (a group comprised of the National Latino Media Council, the Asian Pacific American Media Council, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Indians in Film and Television), and the top television broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. This long partnership has produced tangible but incremental results. With the recent changes taking place at the networks, NLMC now expects accelerated diversity results.
The report card summarizes progress and shortfalls of the networks’ diversity efforts during the 2011-2012 television season. Networks earn overall diversity performance grades, as well as specific grades based on their employment of Latino actors in primetime scripted and alternative programming, Latino writers, producers, directors, and Latino entertainment executives. Specific grades are also assigned for program development, procurement and network commitment to diversity and transparency.
Lastly, for over a year now, NLMC has attempted to sign an MOU with Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to assess diversity and inclusion within the public broadcasting outlet. Disappointingly, PBS has failed to agree to this. It is our hope that PBS will commit to an MOU and greater transparency in the new year.
Click here to read the complete 2012 NLMC Network Diversity Report Card Narrative or watch the webinar here.
Variety Special Report: Violence & Entertainment
NHMC’s President & CEO, Alex Nogales, was featured in Variety’s special report on violence and entertainment. Click here to read the full article.
The Battle and Victory of #BoycottLaComay
If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, it was hard to miss the sweeping force of #BoycottLaComay last November. #BoycottLaComay is a national campaign that went headstrong against one of Puerto Rico’s highly rated television shows,SuperXclusivo. The program’s characters, Antulio “Kobbo” Santarrosa and the life-sized puppet he voices, La Comay, had already been under the radar for using anti-LGBT, racist, xenophobic and misogynistic language. The campaign sprung after journalist, José Enrique Gómez Saladín, was kidnapped, taken to an ATM, robbed, and then beaten to death. Santarrosa and La Comay suggested that because he was in an area known for “prostitution and homosexuality,” he may have brought the violence onto himself. Santarrosa, as many media personalities do so to obtain higher ratings, used the public airwaves to promote prejudicial and negative stereotypes by suggesting that a victim’s orientation is at fault for such violence. NHMC signed the Open Letter denouncing the program and supporting the boycott. #BoycottLaComay obtained over 75,000 supporters on Facebook, over 4,000 on Twitter, and convinced over 30 advertisers to drop the program. Early in January, Santarrosa resigned. The success goes to show that the public can successfully call out injustice and better the media. To those of you who helped support the campaign, congratulations, we did it!
Pasadena Latino Coalition Leads a Successful Candidate Forum
At the local level, NHMC is a member of the Pasadena Latino Coalition (PLC), a partnership of non-profit organizations in Pasadena that seeks social justice and fair representation for the Latino community. On Sunday, January 27th, the PLC sponsored an opportunity for community members to ask questions to candidates running for the Pasadena City Council and the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD).
NBC4 Ana Garcia & Pasadena City Council Candidates
Ana Garcia, NBC4’s Investigative Reporter, served as moderator for the City Council panel. All candidates for City Council and eight out of the ten PUSD candidates attended the forum. Candidates discussed issues concerning PUSD and City Council cooperation, affordable housing, small business support, open enrollment, charter schools and accessibility to the Latino community. Over 50 community members attend the event!
NLMC/NHMC Television Writers Update
Congratulations to the following 2007 NHMC/NLMC TV Writers Program Alumni who were accepted to participate in the 2013 Disney/ABC Writing Program: Zoila Galeano Ernie Bustamante Severiano Canales
And a special shout out to the following 2011 alumni who were picked up as writers assistants on the following shows: Judalina Neira: NBC’s Do no harm Diana Mendez: TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles Sarah Hernandez: CW’s Beauty and the Beast
Please tune in to show your support.NHMC Gives a Big Thanks ALAC
Earlier this month, the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC) hosted NHMC for its Latino Experts Reception and media training in Phoenix, Arizona. ALAC illuminates, celebrates, and promotes Latinos in Arizona through education, advocacy, and collaboration. Support ALAC today by visiting www.alacaz.org.
