Latinos in Television - Essay Example

Latinos in TelevisionRace is a considerable facet of human life, as it stems from man’s need to gain identity, and as such can be both positive and negative to any given person. In television, race plays a huge part into how a given show or movie will be accepted by the audience. Latino Americans have had the easiest transition into acceptance from the television audience. This paper will seek to provide evidence and factual arguments to validate this claim.Television has been found to depict the generally accepted culture within society.

This is because media is a manifestation of the beliefs and opinions of the society. In television there are numerous incidences of discrimination and repression of minority groups such as; lesbians and gays, women and individuals of minority races. Racism is particularly common as roles in television and the portrayals of minority races is usually against the minority race. However, Latinos have not experienced such segregation. Latinos have found it relatively easy to transition from a minority race into acceptance by television audience.

Richy Ricardo was a star character in the 1951 American hit sitcom, I love Lucy. Ricardo was played by Latino actor, Desi Arnaz. Ricardo is depicted as the leader of a band with an exciting and riveting lifestyle. He is married to a beautiful Caucasian lady, Lucy Ricardo. Richy was always the smooth talker who could get himself and mostly his wife out of any situation. Richy was naturally likeable and has a mystical charm about him. This set him apart as an individual and a character within the series.

Television has become oneof the highest paying careers in the 21st century. As individuals become more engrossed in a demanding and intensive 21st Century lifestyle, entertainment is held in high regard. Technological advancements accord television a global audience that translates into considerable revenue annually. Sofia Vergara is currently the highest paid TV actor, earning $6 million in 2013[New141]. She earns $175,000 anepisode. Cameron Diaz and Zoe Saldana are also two of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, having earned $34 million and $11 million respectively in 2013[Jav14].

Animated TV shows are a huge part of the film industry, especially in Hollywood. Such films have come to be loved and followed by many all over the world, creating a huge audience for the films and TV shows. In recent times, animated shows and films have had a positive portrayal of Latinos. Characters such as Disney hit Gabriella are an example of such portrayals of Latinos[New141].The Spanish language is the symbol of Latino heritage and culture. This language has reached a huge global audience through the emergence of numerous Spanish TV channels.

Most of the global show in sports and entertainment are offered on numerous channels, Spanish and Portuguese are one of the main languages offered[Jav14]. Furthermore, there are numerous Cable TV packages that are specifically suited for Spanish speakers, both native and non-native.In conclusion, Latinos have received a positive reception by global TV audience. This can be seen by the fact that the highest paid TV actor is of Latin origin, with numerous positive portrayals of Latinos in animated films and shows.

ReferencesNew141: , (Newcomb, 2014), Jav14: , (Javier & Berumen, 2014),