WASHINGTON, DC – Univision Communications Inc. will be honored at the 32nd Annual Walter Kaitz Foundation Fundraising Dinner on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, in New York City.
Rocco B. Commisso, Chairman & CEO, Mediacom Communications Corporation, and John Skipper, President, ESPN,and Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks, are the dinner co-chairs. Other industry executives joining them on the Dinner Committee include: Matthew C. Blank,Chairman & CEO, Showtime Networks; Jerry Kent, Chairman & CEO, Suddenlink Communications; John K. Martin, Chairman & CEO, Turner Broadcasting System; and Brian Sweeney, President & CFO, Cablevision Systems Corporation.
“As a mission driven company, diversity and inclusion are the backbone of Univision 24 hours a day, 365 days per year,” said Randy Falco, President and CEO, Univision Communications Inc. “We are proud to receive the '2015 Diversity Champion Award' in recognition of our culture of inclusion, and for the work we do to serve the diverse and rapidly changing population in our country.”
Diversity Champion: Univision Communications Inc.
Univision Communicationswill be honored as the 2015 Diversity Champion, an award given to organizations that act as catalysts for diversity throughout the cable industry. These organizations motivate the cable industry to embrace and value diversity by serving as role models, inspiring and encouraging excellence, removing barriers that hinder progress, and empowering others with opportunities.
Univision Communications’ portfolio of properties is comprised of 17 broadcast, cable and digital networks, and strategic partnerships; 60 television stations and 67 radio stations and an array of online and mobile apps, products and content creation facilities in key markets across the country, providing programming content to the Hispanic community in U.S.
The Company’s core mission remains developing programming that is representative of and appealing to its diverse audience, while creating a positive impact upon the Hispanic community and the nation at large. Over the years, Univision Communications has made significant strides in developing original programming content, created new employee programs designed to develop and retain its workforce, sustained a high number of female and minority employees at all levels, including managerial and leadership roles and expanded its corporate philanthropy and social responsibility efforts.
Recently, Univision Communications also augmented its programming efforts to include The Root, a leading online news, opinion and culture destination for African-Americans, to go along with its investments in Fusion, Flama.com, and El Rey Network to serve an emerging America, comprised of millennials and an increasingly multicultural U.S. population. The Company is also the largest station affiliate of Bounce-TV, the nation’s first broadcast television network for African-Americans.
Some of Univision Communications’ achievements and developments in a path toward greater diversity include:
- Univision Communications’ senior leadership is one of the most diverse in the industry with half of the executive team being of Hispanic background and more than 20% of its team being women.
- Diverse workforce: More than 75% of Univision Communications’ workforce is of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and nearly 50% of the workforce is comprised of women.
- Univision Communications created Univision Contigo, a large initiative and community empowerment platform that educates, informs and inspires the Hispanic community in the areas of education, health, prosperity and civic participation. Univision Contigo's goals are: to increase educational attainment beginning with early childhood development and through college readiness and completion; improve health by educating the community about wellness and increasing access to healthcare; promote financial literacy and small business entrepreneurship; and grow citizenship and increase voter participation to ensure that Hispanics are using their voice and influence in civic life. In 2014, Univision Contigo programs informed and empowered two million attendees at 500+ local events such as fairs, workshops and “boot camps” and delivered on-air messaging about these events worth more than $82 million.
- As part of its mission to drive growth and innovation through the recruitment, development and retention of diverse and competitive leaders, Univision Communications launched the “Women’s Leadership Council” (WLC), a flourishing, company-wide program which represents women who are breaking the mold, redefining leadership and inspiring others as well as themselves.
- Univision Communications is also actively committed to fostering and enabling diversity through its company-wide program Orgullo@UCI, an employee impact group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Orgullo supports inclusive policies that allow a person’s authenticity to shine through.
- The Company is also engaging millennials through MERGE – UCI’s millennial employee resource group focused on empowering millennial talent to grow into the next generation of UCI leaders.
- Univision Communications has created a reputation for running a series of highly successful Leadership Development Programs with over 200 graduates in the last four years. These programs are offered at different levels, from early career high potential employees, to VP and Senior Executive levels. The make up once again showcases Univision Communications’ commitment to developing leaders, with more than 60% of graduates being diverse and nearly 45% female.
Ticket Sales and Sponsorships
The Annual Walter Kaitz Foundation Fundraising Dinner is the cable industry's most prestigious fundraising event. Each year, the dinner typically raises more than $1 million to fund diversity-oriented programs and initiatives for three industry-based diversity organizations: the Emma L. Bowen Foundation; the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC); and Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT).
Ticket sales for the dinner are now under way. For information on sponsorship opportunities or for other questions about the dinner, contact the Walter Kaitz Foundation, at (202) 222-2490, or email Michelle Ray, Deputy Executive Director for the Walter Kaitz Foundation, at [email protected]. Full information about the dinner can be found at http://www.walterkaitz.org.