Television Brings Hispanic Stories and Culture to American Viewers
Since 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month – which officially concludes today – has marked a time to celebrate the enormous contributions that the Hispanic and Latinx community has made to the United States’ economy, society, and culture. This year, it’s particularly poignant to recognize the iconic TV shows and characters that have brought Latinx stories and culture to American viewers. An H Code survey of U.S. Hispanics found that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hispanic viewers have significantly increased the amount of TV they consume. In fact, 60% of U.S. Hispanics reported that they are
How the Cable Industry is Securing the Network Against Cyberattacks
To check the latest findings on nationwide broadband network performance during the pandemic, go to the NCTA COVID-19 dashboard. October may mark Cybersecurity Month, but the cable industry’s work to secure its networks against evolving cyberattacks happens every single second of every single day. With more people working remotely more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with more devices in the home now, the industry is always monitoring traffic to identify potential threats that could compromise consumer devices, businesses, and personal information. As the annual Cable-Tec Expo
Leading by Example: TV Network Executives Say D&I Starts at the Top
During a Diversity Week virtual panel hosted by NAMIC, top executives from cable TV networks with successful diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs shared their thoughts on the current social justice climate, how they’re committing to building diverse and inclusive workforces, and where the industry needs to go from here. "At ViacomCBS, this work didn't start this year. It builds on a legacy of us working to build a more equitable company, but we are certainly broadening and deepening our work this year," said ViacomCBS President & CEO Bob Bakish. "We recognize our responsibility and we are
10G: Powering Economic Progress and Jobs in the U.S. Economy
New Technology Estimated to Contribute $330 Billion and over 676,000 jobs to the U.S. Economy by 2027 The future is closer than it might seem, especially with 10G just around the corner. As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, the virtue of a robust, high-speed, and reliable internet connection has never been more evident, and the cable industry has continued its work to stay ahead of consumer demand. Indeed, 2020 has seen major developments on the road to 10G – the cable industry’s initiative to bring broadband speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second to residential households across the U.S
Kaitz Foundation's Michelle Ray Reflects on the Enduring Importance of Diversity
Each year during the fall, key players across the cable industry gather for meetings and critical exchanges that champion diversity and inclusion efforts. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented an in-person gathering in NYC, but it could never prevent the continuance of this gathering which will take place virtually. In fact, WICT and NAMIC have both planned robust agendas of virtual sessions packed with thought leaders driving the value of gender and ethnic diversity. The iconic fundraising Kaitz Dinner, which has been hosted by the Walter Kaitz Foundation every year since 1984
Mediacom’s Connect2Compete Keeps Waterloo Students Connected
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a nationwide shift to distance learning, schools and internet service providers quickly mobilized to close the gaps for students without a home internet connection. In Iowa, a collaboration between Mediacom Communications and Waterloo Community Schools allowed K-12 education to continue. “Waterloo is a very diverse community in terms of both ethnicity and socioeconomic status.” says Matt O’Brien, executive director of technology for Waterloo Community Schools. “With the move to distance learning, we absolutely didn’t want internet access to be a barrier.” By
Cox Doubles Down on Commitment to Connect Students
To check the latest findings on nationwide broadband network performance during the pandemic, go to the NCTA COVID-19 dashboard. The cable industry has long been committed to closing the digital divide through its numerous broadband adoption programs, community initiatives, and school partnerships. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, America's broadband leaders have doubled-down on this commitment to address the education crisis that the country is facing right now. With many schools still either closed or in a hybrid learning mode, cable operators have been stepping up since March to
How ViacomCBS Gets TV Viewers What They Want
On any given day, millions of Americans will sit down to watch TV. But what shows do people put on? And how do they decide where to watch them? Those are some of the questions driving the Global Insights team at ViacomCBS. The team strives to connect audiences with the content they love, and leverages data and research to do so. “Research is really important to helping ViacomCBS keep up with changes in the landscape and how consumers are thinking about them,” says Colleen Fahey Rush, EVP and Chief Research Officer at ViacomCBS. Earlier this year, we visited the ViacomCBS headquarters in New
Discovery's New Network, Hogar de HGTV, Celebrates Hispanic Talent in the Home and Food Space
This past June, under COVID-19 quarantine conditions, Discovery, Inc., launched Hogar de HGTV, an all-new, Spanish- language network dedicated to Hispanic audiences with a focus on the home and food genres. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15-October 15, Hogar de HGTV is a milestone for Hispanic TV, and one that is worth examining as the cable industry strives to include more Latino and diverse voices on and behind the screen. Yesterday during the virtual Hispanic TV Summit, Eileen Piñeiro, Senior Channel Director for Discovery U.S. Hispanic (a division of Discovery, Inc
Comcast and Chicago Public Schools Team Up to Enable Distance Learning
As schools across the country dive head-first into distance learning and attempt to resolve digital equity issues, districts can find a great model in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and its unique public-private partnership with Comcast. This past summer, Comcast, along with multiple stakeholders, worked with CPS to launch Chicago Connected, a digital equity initiative whose goal is to provide broadband internet at no cost over the course of four years to as many as 100,000 eligible students. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort, K-12 Bridge to Broadband, which provides a path for