Latino groups give network TV poor grades on diversity

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The four major networks have failed Latinos when it comes to increasing diversity in front of and behind the camera, a coalition of Latino groups charged Monday in issuing a ‘report card’ on multiculturalism.

Leaders of the National Latino Media Council, which is composed of several advocacy groups, said that while ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox have increased inclusion of African Americans and Asian Americans in front of and behind the camera in 2010, Latino diversity at the networks has declined.

‘If I believed in conspiracies, I would say there was a conspiracy behind this,’ said Alex Nogales, head of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. ‘This was a terrible year for Latinos at the networks. Don’t misunderstand, we don’t want what African Americans and Asian Pacific Americans received -- the pie is much bigger than that. We only want what we deserve as the largest minority consumer population in the nation.’

The council did praise NBC for ‘Outlaw,’ the short-lived drama starring Jimmy Smits as a U.S. Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench.

CBS received the highest overall grade (B+) among the networks in the diversity report card. Fox received the lowest grade (C+), while both ABC and NBC were awarded B-.

Nogales warned that if progress is not made next year in terms of Latino inclusion, he would consider charging the networks with bigotry or racism.

— Greg Braxton