Report pulls back curtain on underrepresentation across U.S. broadcast, cable, print, digital newsrooms

2023 LDC-NAHJ U.S. Latinos in Journalism Report is available for download

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The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a nonprofit organization and think tank dedicated to producing research that highlights economic opportunities for growth, has unveiled the first annual edition of the 2023 LDC-NAHJ U.S. Latinos in Journalism Report, available for download.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

Created in partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, this report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of Latino representation in the American English-language journalism industry. The report is intended to raise awareness of clear disparities in representation within an institution that plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and social narratives.

The LDC will present this report at the 2023 L’ATTITUDE Conference, which takes place at The Fontainebleau Miami Beach from Sept. 27–30. L’ATTITUDE is the largest business event in the country focused on “The New Mainstream Economy,” helping executives and business leaders understand the U.S. Latino cohort driving its growth. Every year, the conference provides a national platform showcasing the economic leadership of U.S. Latinos in business, media, politics, science and technology.

U.S. Latino representation in journalism highlights:

  • Despite comprising nearly 20% of the U.S. population, there are very few Latino executive producers at major broadcast networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS and syndicated networks.
  • In cable news, there are very few Latino anchors in single anchor shows and no executive producers at the major network families of FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery.
  • Across 22 major print newspapers, there are few Latino managing editors and executive editors, and zero Latino CEOs/presidents and publishers.
  • Across 22 major digital news sites, there are zero Latino editors-in-chief and zero Latino executive editors.

The data in the report makes clear that, with some exceptions, the percentage of Latinos working at the highest level of the U.S. journalism industry does not match the national market parity of U.S. Latinos. The report also features data-driven case studies analyzing the benefits of equal Latino representation in U.S. news media, the detriments of a lack of Latino leadership in the industry, and the consequences of BIPOC groupings in achieving Latino representation.

“This first-of-its-kind report reveals the blind spot of resource allocators in this industry,” said Ana Valdez, CEO and president, LDC. “The U.S. Latino cohort is where the growth is coming from but the lack of Latino journalists and, therefore, the lack of U.S. Latino news is shocking. Disparities in Latino representation vs. population are evident across all sectors examined, including broadcast news, cable news, print newspapers, and digital news sites.”

“From a business perspective,” said Sol Trujillo, chairman of the LDC, “this signifies an industry missing an opportunity for success and even recovery, as many news outlets around the country are currently suffering. In today’s economic landscape, neglecting a segment that represents between 20% and 30% of the potential audience in broadcast, cable, print and digital news sites is an oversight by any business standard.”

“The U.S. Latino population is simply being underserved by the media,” said Yvette Cabrera, president of NAHJ’s board of directors. “Through the first edition of this report, we intend to spread awareness and catalyze change to ensure that the voices who deliver our news represent the everyday Americans who read, watch and absorb it.”

Note: This article has been updated to say there are “very few” rather than “zero” Latinos on cable news single anchor shows, as the report identifies three on MSNBC. We’ve made the same change to the statement about executive producers at broadcast networks, as we’ve heard from one Latina EP at ABC News (A Latina is in charge of NBC Nightly News, but holds a VP title). Anyone else we’ve overlooked? Email us 

About Latino Donor Collaborative:

The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC) is an independently funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and think tank. LDC has consistently provided economic and business data through meticulous research and fact-based insights. Its reports have become essential tools for American resource allocators, highlighting the growing opportunities emanating from the myriad contributions of U.S. Latinos across the societal spectrum. Learn more at https://www.latinodonorcollaborative.org/.

About NAHJ:

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and is dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in the newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in news media. NAHJ has more than 3,500 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals and journalism educators. For more information please visit NAHJ.org or follow on Twitter @NAHJ. 

About L’ATTITUDE:

The brainchild of international business executive Sol Trujillo and NAHREP Co-Founder & CEO Gary Acosta, L’ATTITUDE hosts a world-class slate of CEOs, celebrities, economists, educators, entrepreneurs, journalists, politicians and industry influencers at its annual conference. Participants engage in open dialogue about the latest facts and data regarding America’s Latino Factor and the New Mainstream Economy. As the name implies, L’ATTITUDE is about staying on course to a growing and sustainable economic future for America. U.S. Latinos, our country’s youngest cohort, represent nearly 1 in 5 Americans, and account for over $3.2 trillion in GDP, making it the 5th largest economy in the world if it were a stand-alone country. L’ATTITUDE features presentations, panel discussions, interactive sessions, and entertainment featuring leading celebrities.