Univisión and Telemundo: #BlackLivesMatter en Español También

Univisión and Telemundo

Our families deserve accurate and educational news coverage from our Spanish-language television networks.

The two largest Spanish-language media conglomerates in the United States, NBC Telemundo Enterprises and Univision Communications, are failing the Latino community in their coverage of the current crisis of police violence against Black people and the protests organized in response. Even the limited coverage in English-language media from the partner and parent companies of Telemundo and Univision have broader and more inclusive coverage of the moment.

These two networks are the main source of information for millions of Latino households. By producing news programming and content that focuses on negative depictions of protesters, that fails to cover the systematic causes of anti-Black police violence, and that makes no effort at centering the voices of Black people in their coverage the networks have contributed to the Latino community’s skewed and incomplete understanding of the current crisis. Their coverage feeds into anti-Black stereotypes that have historically existed in the Latino community, which in the extreme can and have been used as justification for anti-Black violence and which serves to further divide us.

This political crisis is an opportunity for the Univision and Telemundo networks to be a source of education. It is not enough to leave talking about the systemic causes of anti-Blackness up to the few Afro-Latino staff or weekend coverage. News programming could be shifted to help the Spanish-speaking Latino public understand why police violence against Black people has gone unaddressed and how these systems and violence also have deep impacts in the lives of Black and brown Latino people - both those who are immigrant and U.S-born.


Organizational Sponsors:

Mijente, Pulso, Dream Defenders, Familia TQLM, CARECEN, Luz Collective, CIYJA, IDEPSCA, Youth Justice Coalition, Eastside Café, New Florida Majority, United We Dream, La ColectiVA, Latinx Therapists Network, Resilient Strategies, Latinx Therapy, Media Justice

To: Univisión and Telemundo
From: [Your Name]

We urge the Univision and Telemundo networks to shift their news programming:

1. Cover the full story of what’s happening, including background, historical context and provide clear guidance to reporters and news staff about sensitivities in coverage

2. Book Afro-Latino, community organizers/leaders and those who have been directly affected by these issues of police brutality as experts.

3. In order to improve over the long term, address inequities and lack of representation, as a first step conduct an audit of current racial, ethnic, national and gender representation in front of and behind camera as well as corporate leaders.

4. Hold a Town hall discussion on the issue of police violence and the movement to transform policing in this country, planned in consultation with stakeholders and community leaders.