Glenn
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WASHINGTON, (Sept. 7) IPS - Hispanics are almost completely absent from U.S.
entertainment television programming, while the few who do appear tend to be
negatively portrayed, according to a report published today.
The study titled "Distorted Reality: Hispanic Characters in Entertainment
Television", reveals that Hispanics dropped from three percent of total
television characters in the 1950-80 period to one percent in 1992.
The report evaluated prime-time entertainment programs for a month in 1992,
and compared them with data on 600 programs broadcast in the 1950 to 1980
period, excluding news and sports programming.
"Television has failed to recognize the multiracial reality of the 1990s --
it is cheating the entire society of the truth," Raul Yzaguirre, president of
the National Race Council which sponsored the study said during a press
conference.
Robert Lichter, with the Center for Media and Public Affairs -- the
organization which carried out the study -- said the data reflects that
"Hollywood is not interested in portraying a multicultural society," but
instead presents images which portray Hispanics in a negative light.
Hispanics -- the country's fastest growing ethnic group -- make up nine
percent of the U.S. population, and are expected to become the largest
minority group in the country within 10 years.
The study shows that from 1955-64, 95 percent of the characters portrayed on
television entertainment programs were white, 0.5 percent were black, and
three percent Hispanic.
By 1992, 75 percent of characters were white, 17 percent black, and only
one percent Hispanic.
From 1950 to 1980, Hispanics were three times more likely to appear as
villains than were blacks, and twice as likely as whites. The tendency has
worsened since 1992.
"Hispanos used to appear as Mexican bandits with pistols and cartridges
across their chests; now they are Colombian drug traffickers," Lichter said.
The figures also show that one out of six Hispanic characters is a
delinquent, a higher percentage than any other ethnic group, while they are
also more likely to be portrayed as uneducated.
National Race Council member Lisa Navarette said the portrayal is
incorrect and unfair, as Hispanics make up only 0.5 percent of the country's
prison population.
According to Council President Yzaguirre, the study largely explains why
Hispanics are seen in a more negative light than any other ethnic group --
except Gypsies -- and why they are viewed as lazy and unpatriotic.
Contrary to popular perception, the participation of Hispanics in the U.S.
armed forces is proportionately higher than that of any other ethnic group, and
the same is true in terms of employment levels.
"We are going to make sure that the whole world sees this study and
understands what the figures show: we will meet with television networks,
producers, writers and directors," Yzaguirre said.
He added that the Hispanic community has asked commercial sponsors to
demand a more accurate and just portrayal of the ethnic group, and has
requested public television to increase the participation of Hispanics in its
programming.
Source: Mexico-l List mexico-l@udlapvms.pue.udlap.mx