VivirLatino

Living & Luchando la Vida Latin@

Tag Archives: FAIR

VivirLatino’s Maegan Ortiz on CounterSpin

February 2nd, 2013

I’ve been very lucky that over that last few days I have been very busy talking on many radio shows about both the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” immigration reform principles and President Obama’s speech on his plan for comprehensive immigration before.

I will share the links with you as they become available.

One great conversation I had was with Peter Hart of Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting for their show Counterspin. (Full disclosure: I have contributed twice to their publication Extra!). In the interview, I talk about the hype or spin that’s dressing up the proposals and give a bit of a reality check.

You can listen here. 

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FAIR Looks at Where the Latin@s in Media Are and Aren’t

September 10th, 2012

The national media watch group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) just released their latest issue of their monthly magazine Extra!. I think this particular issue will be of interest to VivirLatino readers as it is dedicated it to looking at Latin@s in the media.

Julie Holler, Managing Editor of Extra!, looks at where the Latinos aren’t. She writes in Missing Latino Voices :

While people of color and women have always been underrepresented in U.S. media, Latinos consistently stand out—in the coverage as well as inside the newsroom—for their exceptionally paltry numbers relative to their population size.

And if new media was to be the great brown hope for both Latino media makers and those hoping to see themselves reflected, yours truly begs to differ in Latinos in New Media On the verge of a breakthrough—or breakdown. As a longtime blogger myself, I was excited to get to interview some of my favorite Latinos in new media and ask them what’s going on. In it I write:

Many bloggers, though, note a downward shift over the past five years, in audience numbers and participation, which leaves many wondering: Are new media struggling with corporatization the way traditional media have been? Or have Twitter and the rise of mobile technology killed the Internet star?

Speaking of stars, there is interview in the issue with a Latina who has been working hard representing, Maria Hinojosa. In ‘You Have a Picture; See How Complex It Is?’ Hinojosa tells Janine Jackson :

I felt that from the moment I walked in the doors at NPR in Washington in 1985, that it was me that was opening the door, but that I was carrying this very heavy weight of responsibility. And that was the thing that motivated me, essentially, to be fearless—because I was scared. I was like a fish out of water.

I have been a long time fan of FAIR’s work so it was an honor to write for them and it’s really wonderful to have them look at Latin@s in the media and walk their talk, by having independent media makers provide perspective while looking at the full scope of the successes and challenges Latin@s face in the media.

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Es Mentiroso Ese Hombre. Who Exactly Are the Liars? A Look At Reactions to Wilson.

September 13th, 2009

Everyone and their mami is jumping on the outburst heard round the world. Let’s take a look at how organizations that claim to be progressive or at the very least Democratic, are repping what down during Obama’s health care plan pitch.

The Free Press Action Fund, an org whose mission according to it’s tagline is to “Reform Media, Transform Democracy”, took the opportunity to ask for funds. In their request letter, they focus on the failings of the mainstream media:

For the past 24 hours, the media have focused on the controversy surrounding Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst, but not on the substance of his claim — that the president lied about coverage for undocumented immigrants — which is demonstrably false.

As in nothing to see here folks. Undocumented (at least they didn’t use the word illegal) won’t be covered. Hmm I wonder how independent media makers such as myself can get in on some of that fundraising action?

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