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
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
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
Bold Projects Win Big at This Year’s Emmys
On Sunday, TVs biggest names donned their best outfits and parked themselves in front of cameras to attend this year’s Emmy awards, mostly from their living rooms. The show was a significant departure from the past, with COVID-19 preventing the types of large gatherings that usually constitute awards shows like the Emmys. However, one thing didn’t change—the celebration of the best storytelling on TV. From Euphoria to Schitt’s Creek to Watchmen, the evening awarded the type of bold, challenging projects that have become synonymous with cable programming. Cable TV networks took home 71 awards
ESPN Prepares for Monday Night Football, COVID Style
Tonight kicks off the 50-year old American tradition of Monday Night Football, and ESPN is ready to launch its 15th season hosting the program. Even during a pandemic, ESPN has been preparing for a live broadcast under new protocols while staying true to its renowned coverage of the sport. During a media call, the new MNF commentator team, production executives, and reporters previewed the NFL season and shared how they have come together to bring football fans the entertainment they've been waiting for. This year, the network has had to scale down the number of people on site at a football
A Career of Public Service at C-SPAN
In the early 80s, after visiting the White House, a group of high school students were touring a new TV network called C-SPAN, where they were attending a live broadcast of a call-in show. When the host (C-SPAN Founder, Brian Lamb) answered the phone on air, he was told to hold for the President of the United States. Sure enough, then President Ronald Reagan was on the other end of the phone, praising the students for their engagement in the civic process after he tuned into C-SPAN from the White House’s private residence and recognized the group from earlier that morning. C-SPAN is more than
Knowing Your Audience Is the Key to ViacomCBS’s Success
These days, TV viewers have more options of shows to watch than ever. So how does a TV network decide what shows to produce? While the decision-making process is complex, networks like ViacomCBS have one powerful tool at hand: audience research. At ViacomCBS, researchers serve as deep strategic partners to brands and businesses. With teams embedded across networks like BET, MTV, or Nickelodeon, ViacomCBS researchers work in constant partnership with programming strategists. Knowing the ins-and-outs of MTV, for example, allows for more precise information gathering, better understanding of
Samantha Bee Talks on Filming Challenges and How She's Approaching the Election
With both a pandemic and presidential election happening in the same year, 2020 has been quite the year for political satire and for the media pundits covering America's state of affairs. In a rescheduled virtual panel for the Television Critics Association, comedian and political commentator Samantha Bee, who is the host and executive producer of TBS's Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, discussed how her show's production process has changed since COVID-19 hit. Along with the show's executive producer Alison Camillo, she also shared her thoughts on media coverage of the presidential election
CNN Reporters Share Their Perspectives as Women of Color Covering an Election Year
As the Democratic National Convention wrapped up last night, and with the Republican National Convention approaching, general election season is just around the corner. Television plays an especially important role during election seasons, as millions of Americans tune in to stay informed of the news, learn, and get perspective on the country's state of affairs. It's therefore the job of those TV network reporters and journalists to report the facts and to bring a comprehensive and inclusive view of current events. In a CNN film recently released on HBO Max, On the Trail: Inside the 2020