Entertainment industry Latino representation questioned

In the realm of television and entertainment, there's an exciting shift towards inclusivity, with a growing focus on Latino stories and stars.

One such show making waves is "Jane the Virgin," airing on the CW, which features a Latina lead character. The show's success is a testament to the audience's desire to see themselves as heroes on screen. Gina Rodriguez, the show's star, recently won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the titular role, making her only the second Latina to ever win the Lead Actress in a Comedy Award at the Golden Globes, following America Ferrera's win in 2007.

The world of music has also seen a surge in Latin representation. Juanes, with his two Grammy awards and 20 Latin Grammys, performed at the Grammy awards last Sunday, marking the first time in nine years that someone performed a song in Spanish on the broadcast. However, it's worth noting that Juanes is not as well-known to those who only listen to Top 40 music stations. Successfully crossing over into the mainstream U.S. audience often involves a blended Spanglish sound, as seen in the work of artists like Pitbull, Shakira, or Enrique Iglesias.

In the music industry, it's rare to find artists who have achieved success in the Spanish-speaking music industry but remain unknown in the mainstream U.S. market. Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were the last people to perform a song in Spanish on the Grammy awards, nine years ago.

The growing Hispanic population in the United States is expected to significantly shape businesses and the country's economy. This demographic is a significant portion of the Millennial audience, and networks like Univision are capitalising on this. During Super Bowl Sunday, Univision was number 2 of all the networks in the 18-34 age bracket. During November sweeps, Univision was the fourth place network in the same age bracket, outperforming Fox.

Chiqui Cartagena, the vice president of marketing for Univision, recently gave a keynote speech during Reynolds Week, acknowledging the need to "look in their own backyards" for opportunity. This sentiment echoes the ongoing struggle in media to reflect the audience who watches it, whether it be showcasing Latino communities or others.

The lack of diversity in Hollywood is a topic that has been widely discussed, with an infographic from Fusion illustrating this issue. The mainstream networks and studios aren't truly catering to the Latino audience, despite their significant presence.

The rise of shows like "Jane the Virgin" and "Cristela" on ABC, and movies like "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner, are steps in the right direction. These productions offer a Latino-centric perspective, providing representation that resonates with the growing Latino population in the United States.

As we move forward, it's clear that the entertainment industry has a long way to go in terms of inclusivity. However, the strides being made are promising, and it's exciting to see more Latino voices and stories being heard.