Why Barrio Television?

BARRIO TELEVISION underscores the importance of community-driven news, emerging and diverse media makers and culturally-relevant programming. We aim to increase support for these projects and media makers from funders and industry executives; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)–with new public interest rules; and content distributors–to fulfill and strengthen diversity commitments. We are establishing the narrative that media advocacy succeeds, with “Realidades” as a blueprint, in challenging gatekeepers, creating new spaces for diverse media makers, and serving underserved audiences.

Key Metrics & Audience

Latinos are 20% of the U.S. population (60M) and most frequent movie-going audience (32%) though few films address the Latino experience in the U.S. or Latino community-driven media like BARRIO TELEVISION. The recent success of “Mr. Soul!,” “Summer of Soul,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street,” underscore audience interest in the pursuit of racial justice in media, especially public media, and surfacing sparsely told stories.

Media makers of color represent 17% in print newsrooms, 29% in TV news, 70% of new documentary film professionals, and 20% of working artists. Nearly 200 organizations raise issues of concern for filmmakers of color. “Barrio Television” addresses the multigenerational struggle to hold gatekeepers accountable with a model for creating and holding our own spaces. Futuro Media, HITN-TV, NALIP, Documented NY, and City Bureau are already sharing this project.

80 percent of Americans believe the news media can serve as a healing force and most want greater racial, ethnic and ideological diversity. This film offers a blueprint for the growth of local, bilingual and culturally relevant news. The Library of Congress, Center for Puerto Rican Studies, and more are already sharing this project.