chicanosontv

The Young Misfits

May  28       Latinos and TV

                An acquaintance told me that her 3-year-old son said, “Look mom, they (the actors) have dark eyes like me.  They have black hair like me mommy.”

            Which raises an important issue, why after all of these years are there still no major Latino programming on the major LA area TV stations 2, 4, 7 or the others 5, 9, 11 or 13? We do have a presence now like newscasters, weather reporters, traffic or sports.  But where are the Chicano sitcoms, or the drama shows?  We are not even minor players in the programs.  We are not even the nannies, gardeners or criminals anymore.  For example in The OC which takes place in my county that is about 30% Latino and is a minority/ majority county, why aren’t there any Latinos on the show?  This is why I have never watched it nor will I watch a program about just a bunch of rich white folks.

            When people, especially Republicans, tell me that there is no more racial discrimination I simply tell them to look at the local TV and look for us there.  The problem with discrimination is that it is subtle, not obvious.  We can look back at history and say, “How could blacks endure riding in the back of busses, drinking from different fountains, living in separate neighborhoods and attending separate schools?”  We can ask ourselves the same questions.  It is always easy to look back at history or discrimination and condemn it.  It is much harder to see it in the present and to change it.  It is easier to ignore it or rationalize it.  We do have Spanish TV and we do see “our images” and our language there.  Or we can say we are all Americans so we are on TV, except it is only white and black Americans on TV. 

            Enough of the problem.  Let’s talk solutions.  Several years ago a group that organized a ‘Brown Out’ had the right idea.  In other words, boycott TV like we did grapes and other things in the past.  Why? Because it is the right thing to do.  We shouldn’t expect the Latino actors/ producers/ moviemakers to lead the charge.  They are directly dependent on the TV and movie industry.  They can be blacklisted like in the past or bribed.  We as a community need to do this.

            How?  Easy, pretend this was a local market or department store.  In other words treat TV like a product.  Are they union or not?  Do they have Latino personnel, in management, do they hire from the community, do they have good prices and products, and do they treat us with respect?  If not, simply take your money and business somewhere else.  It is not personal, it’s business.

            Also support whatever Latino movies, programming etc there is.  If not, years from now our children’s children will too be surprised at seeing someone like himself on TV.

Frank R. Castillo ©    2008