Who are we really talking about?

"Women own just six percent of the commercial broadcast TV stations in the U.S." (NOW Fact Sheet)


"Women made up 26 percent of the creators, executive producers, producers, writers, directors, editors and directors of photography during the 2007-08 television primetime season." (NOW Fact Sheet)


When I look at these statistics, I wonder, are hispanic women part of that six percent? 26 percent? I would like to think so but I know that hispanic women are probably not included in that percentage. In class, we usually focus on white women...but not just all white women, we focus on well off, white women. What about poor white women? Working class white women? But most importantly, what about black, hispanic, asian women? 


As a hispanic woman, I decided to focus on hispanic alternative media since we too are plagued by magazines like Cosmo, Seventeen, People, etc all available in spanish. But what is even worse, are magazines like TV y Novelas, Vanidades, TV Notas, and TeleRevista which are mostly geared to women who watch novelas. These magazines annoy me so much but I will not go into that today.


 I could not find magazines for hispanic women that did not just focus on weight, make-up, parties, or celebrities but I did find LATINA Style. LATINA Style broke new ground in 1994 by launching the first national magazine dedicated to the needs and concerns of the contemporary Latina professional workingwoman and the Latina business owner in the United States. They inform Latinas about the achievements of hispanic women in all areas, including business, science, civic affairs, education, entertainment, sports, and the arts. As well as technology tips and reviews, entertainment reviews, travel recommendations, investment guidance, beauty tips, food and drink recipes, automotive updates, and career advice.

Although the following person is not in alternative media, I believe she should be mentioned. Maria Celeste Arraras is a Puerto Rican journalist that has been been in the news media for 25 years and whom some call the Katie Couric of Spanish television. From 1994 − 2002 she was a co-anchor to the popular news TV show on Univison, Primer Impacto. She then moved to Telemundo to work as the anchor woman in a new television program, Al Rojo Vivo con Maria Celeste. I feel like her contribution to the news has been over looked especially because she is a woman (how come Jorge Ramos gets a tribute for being a journalist for 25 years?!)