Latinos

By Eve, Jack, Sadie and Jade

Latino: Archetype representations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifXAuTHHt

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Historical Representations

How has the media represented this group in the past?

Historically Latinos have not only been portrayed negatively through stereotypes but they have also been largely ignored and exclued from most American Media. Usually it is a person who has ddarker features, tanner skin, and an accent. Although they are not always portrayed negatively, for example in the past it has been shown that Many are second, third generation and beyond Americans who are wholly assimilated and have rights and rightly insist on asserting their rights. The history and continued emergence of documentation and Latino filmmaking will help to counter the decline and negative stereotypes of Latinos in the media.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mVnESHri3GY

Portrayal of Latin stereotypes in

the media

On November 16, 1979, NOSOTROS, a Hollywood-based association

of Latino actors, held a press conference to protest two CBS Movies of

the Week in which Latino gang members figured prominently. While

some may consider that NOSOTROS and other Latino groups were

over-reacting to gang depictions in the films, streets of L.A. and act of

violence, a cursory look at how Latinos have been portrayed, first in

Hollywood motion pictures, and then in television and other media, will

give insight into how modern media have moulded popular perceptions

of Latinos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ca-S1ZxVrk

Alvarado’s theory – representation

of ethnicity

Four key themes in racial representation;

- Exotic

- Dangerous

- Humorous

- Pitied

Alvarado founded these key themes and was able to put all types of people

into these categories. Latino’s are often categorised as exotic and

dangerous.

How are they represented? Latinos are represented as gang members in today, often

linked with drugs or illegally crossing the border into America.

They are also know as maids such a Consuela in family guy,

she is the token in family guy. This is called tokenism.

Latino’s in today’s media

How are your group

represented today? Are

they positive or

negative?

In the media today, Latinos are represented more than they ever have. Specifically, television

has had a large increase in Latino actors.

Furthermore, many Latinos now star in or have their own shows. This has had a great impact

on the portrayal of Latinos, as more Americans learn more about Latinos and can see the

inaccuracies of their stereotypes. Whereas before in the media Latinos were portrayed as

merely immigrants that smuggle into their country, now they are getting much more screen time

that allows a deeper insight into their TRUE culture and beliefs.

•Some shows, on the other hand, further perpetuate the stereotypes of Latinos. On TV today,

there are three main shows available on basic cable that are based on Latinos: The George

Lopez Show, Mind of Mencia, and Ugly Betty.

•Ugly Betty in particular helps to paint a positive image of a true representation of Latinos. Ugly

Betty is a comedy-drama about a young Latina who works for a fashion magazine in New York

City. She is an awkward woman who wears thick glasses and has braces, which has resulted

in her nickname of Ugly Betty. This show has helped to paint a positive portrayal of Latinos, as

Betty has become very successful in the company. It also helps because it shows some of the

issues that Latinos face that have not gotten enough attention in politics. Throughout the

series, Betty has had to help her illegal immigrant father obtain a visa; however, they are

having a very difficult time in doing so.

Main focus (continued)Have the Ideologies changed over time? Why do you think this is?

•In contrast to this a new study says Latinos were better

represented in front of and behind the cameras in the 1950s than

they are today. The same report asserts that stereotyping of

Latinos in English-language movies and TV shows is worse than it

was 20 years ago.

•Some say that Latinos have not only been portrayed negatively

through stereotypes but they have also been largely ignored and

excluded from most media. Support for this assumption has been

provided by “The Annenberg School of Cultural Communicators

Project” which found that between the years of 1969 to 1978 only

2.5% of primetime television characters were Hispanic.

•Another study conducted by “The Centre for Media and Public

Affairs” in Washington DC has shown that Latinos have been in

the 2% range of representation in Media for the past 30 years.