In this edition of NHMC at Work
CW comedy-drama Jane the Virgin and its star Gina Rodriguez each received Golden Globe nominations. Following the nomination announcement, Rodriguez told BuzzFeed “There are so many women who paved the way for me, so to think I can open the door for the next, that’s everything. That’s what this is about. That’s what I do Jane for… If you start to see yourself in the worlds of television and film and on billboards and in magazines – everything we’re driven by as a culture and a society – you start to think, ‘Why not me?'”
Congratulations! ABC ordered a full season for its new comedy Cristela, which features a Latina lead who is also the show’s creator, co-executive producer and writer. We’re hoping it gets renewed for a second season.
In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, ‘Orange Is the New Black’ actress Diane Guerrero shared a heartbreaking story about being separated from her parents at 14 after they were deported. “Not a single person at any level of government took any note of me. No one checked to see if I had a place to live or food to eat, and at 14, I found myself basically on my own,” she wrote. Watch her interview on CNN here.
In a blog post, NHMC President and CEO Alex Nogales applauded actor, comedian and director Chris Rock for denouncing the entertainment industry’s glaring under-employment of Latinos in an essay that ran on December 3 in The Hollywood Reporter. “Chris Rock was absolutely on the money: Hollywood is still keeping Latinos out,” Nogales wrote.
“Hollywood’s images reach millions throughout the country and the world. Yet American Latinos, 17% of the nation’s population, of which nearly 65% are of Mexican descent, are generally excluded in film and television both in front and back of camera. If the entertainment industry were located in Montana, it could be argued there weren’t enough of us to hire, but the business is located in Hollywood- in the Greater Los Angeles area, where there are 5.8 million Latinos residing, 49 % of the Southland’s population. We are living in the industry’s backyard, and yet we are not included in the business. This is not only shocking and shameful as Chris expressed, but it is also, as many have insisted for years, unacceptable.
To read the full blog post, click here.
NHMC Media/Telecommunications Policy Shop Update
Lifeline and E-Rate update
In November, our executive vice president and general counsel Jessica J. González spoke at the American Enterprise Institute alongside FCC Commissioner Clyburn and a panel of broadband experts in support of reforming the Lifeline program to subsidize broadband for poor families. Later in the month, it became apparent that a majority of FCC Commissioners support the modernization of Lifeline
In December, in a move sought by NHMC, the FCC voted to increase the funding cap for the federal E-Rate program, which provides support for schools and libraries seeking to connect to high-speed Internet access service. The funding cap increase to $3.9 billion marks the first time the cap has been reset since it was initially set in 1997 at $2.25 billion. This increase in funding will ensure that all of our schools are equipped with the tools necessary to provide a 21st century education to our students.
We are also pleased that Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner Rosenworcel, and Commissioner Clyburn have all recognized the need to modernize Lifeline to get more people connected. During the FCC’s December meeting, Chairman Wheeler noted that he can already count three votes for Lifeline modernization on the Commission, which is the amount of votes required to pass an item. NHMC has long recognized that, together, the modernization of E-rate and Lifeline has the potential to dramatically change lives by ensuring that all students have the connectivity required to attain academic achievement, both in the school and at home.
Net Neutrality and the Open Internet
As the FCC continues to contemplate new Open Internet rules, NHMC and others have been busy urging the FCC to treat Internet Service Providers as common carriers and prevent blocking, discrimination, and paid fast lanes online.
Efforts by NHMC and our allies culminated in President Obama publicly aligning himself with our organizations in urging the FCC to adopt strong Open Internet rules using the sound and sustainable legal authority in Title II of the Communications Act. Further, the arguments of opponents to net neutrality have been falling apart at the seams, as NHMC demonstrated in a recent blog post. It has truly been an incredible year in the fight for Net Neutrality. The FCC is poised to act early next year and many top industry analysts believe that Title II rules are likely – an outcome once believed impossible. NHMC will be watching and weighing in every step of the way.
NHMC Celebrates 5th Annual Washington, D.C. Impact Awards Reception
On December 3, NHMC honored Senator Edward J. Markey and Congressmen Raúl M. Grijalva and Hakeem Jeffries for their outstanding public service at the 5th Annual NHMC Washington, D.C. Impact Awards Reception. At the annual event, NHMC honors public servants, community leaders, and media professionals and entities, whose achievements, generosity of spirit, and courage under fire have greatly benefited the welfare of the nation in the areas of media and telecommunications. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) generously hosted the event for the fifth time.
In a rousing acceptance speech, Senator Markey underscored the importance of the inclusion of Latinos in telecommunications. Other speakers included former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, and NAB President and CEO, former Senator Gordon Smith. We will give Congressmen Grijalva and Jeffries, who were unable to leave the House floor to join the reception, their awards at a later date.
Senator Edward J. Markey and NHMC Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jessica J. González.
(Photo credit: Hector Emanuel)
To view photographs from the 5th Annual NHMC Washington, D.C. Impact Awards Reception, visit www.flickr.com/nhmc.
The National Association of Broadcasters, Comcast NBCUniversal, Entravision Communications Corporation, Google, Sprint, T-Mobile, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Facebook, GlenEcho Group, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, NUVOtv, TracFone Wireless, Inc, and Viacom were all reception sponsors. A number of other donors also provided generous support for the event. Their tax-deductible gifts to the National Hispanic Media Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, support NHMC’s mission.
NHMC and BabyFirst Launch Annual Programming Competition
BabyFirst, the TV network devoted to delivering high-quality child development programming to tots and their parents, announced has teamed up with NHMC to launch an annual Latino-themed programming competition. Called “Rising Creators Project,” the competition invites emerging talent – writers, musicians, animators and producers – to submit their idea or existing children’s TV series for consideration. An esteemed panel of media executives will select one winner whose show will appear on BabyFirst for two years, reaching 41 million households throughout the U.S.
Entries can be submitted now through March 15, 2015 at www.risingcreators.com. A panel of judges will review the submissions and select finalists and, ultimately, a winner. The winning producer will then work with the network’s production team to create their content or fine-tune their existing work before it premieres on BabyFirst. The winner will fully own the rights to the series and will be entitled to 50% of revenues the series directly generates across platforms other than the BabyFirst television network.
All submissions must be suitable for children 2-4 years old, and should have an educational basis for early childhood learning. Acceptable content includes music, animation, scripts, show concepts and existing works. The content should embody and embrace Latino culture.Judges will consider educational and entertainment value, ingenuity, age-appropriateness and cultural relevance.
NHMC Releases 2014 Accomplishments
The 2014 annual report highlights NHMC’s accomplishments to make media fair and inclusive of Latinos, and expanding access to open communications systems. Click here to read the report.
NHMC Welcomes Policy Counsel to the Team
NHMC recently welcomed Elizabeth (Liz) Ruiz to its team as the new Policy Counsel. Liz will work closely with NHMC’s DC-Based Policy Director to advance NHMC’s agenda.
Elizabeth is not new to NHMC — she was our 2011-2012 Legal Fellow during her last year at UNC School of Law. In law school, she also interned for Commissioner Clyburn at the FCC and served as a Google Policy Fellow at Media Access Project. She was a member of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation, and she was Vice President of the Carolina Public Interest Law Organization.
To learn more about Liz, read her blog post here.
NHMC Business Advisory Board Updates
NHMC congratulates two of its Business Advisory Board Members, Ivette Rodriguez and Maura Corbett. AEM’s Ivette Rodriguez has joined the 2015-2016 CHCI Advisory Council.
CEO and founder of the Glen Echo Group Maura Colleton Corbett has been named one of PR News’ Top Women in PR for 2014 and will be honored at a luncheon held January 28, 2014 at the Grand Hyatt New York.
Congrats, Ivette and Maura!
Happy Holidays from the NHMC Team!]]>
