Cannes LIONS Live 2021: Measuring Progress Toward Better Latinx Representation in Content

When it comes to the involvement of historically under-represented groups in entertainment and media, we are seeing forward progress. According to Nielsen’s Being Seen on Screen: Diverse Representation and Inclusion on TV report, 92% of the top 300 most-viewed programs in the U.S. in 2019 (including broadcast, cable and streaming) have some presence of diversity in the recurring cast. However, a deeper dive into these findings reveals that there is more work to be done to support representation on and off the screen.

For example, even though Hispanics make up 18.8% of the U.S. population, they only account for 5.5% of share of screen across all TV. Visibility of this group is double on streaming video on demand (SVOD) platforms at 10.1%, but that is still only about halfway to reaching parity. Consequently, for Latino audiences across the country, the TV landscape doesn’t reflect their unique experiences or culture.

The demand for more diverse content is increasing. Yet obstacles remain for creators as they try to get their stories out into the world. For brands, there are opportunities to lean in and support this content.

During Nielsen’s Cannes LIONS Live 2021 virtual experience, Stacie de Armas, SVP, Diverse Consumer Insights & Initiatives, Nielsen spoke with Jamie Davila, President and Co-founder Campanario Entertainment and Executive Producer of “Selena: The Series” and Ben Lopez, Executive Director at NALIP (The National Association of Latino Independent Producers) on the topic of Latinx and Afro-Latinx representation on screen and how these insights can help advertisers reach and speak to these consumer segments.

During the session, panelists discussed the barriers faced when creating content with accurate representation and how brands can help including:

How meaningful is it for brands to be present within this content and help address the representation gap?
Why is on-screen representation data, such as that from Gracenote Inclusion Analytics, essential for brands and advertisers?
Does inclusive content have the potential to change the world and society?

Watch our on-demand recording of this session for more insights into the opportunities to improve representation of Latinos and other under-represented groups across media.

Be sure to check out on-demand recordings of the other sessions from Nielsen’s Cannes LIONS Live 2021 virtual experience: