Using Data to Track Social Change

The LDC Above-the-Line Latinos in Media report sets a benchmark for Latino representation in Hollywood. This was done by analyzing all mainstream TV and OTT content released between January 2018 to August 2020, as well as top-grossing box office films in the same period, and identifying the proportion of Latinos in lead, showrunner, and director "the most influential and visible" roles within a production. The American Latino cohort has more than doubled from almost 9% in 1990 to 18.3% in 2019, positioning them as the largest non-white ethnic group. Further, Latinos comprise 25% of all Gen Zs. The American film and television industries have been slow to reflect this reality or what we call the New American mainstream. This report also highlights a missed opportunity for production companies and their stakeholders: Latino audiences, which despite representing the biggest economic growth opportunity, are the least targeted segment.
Preliminary results (2019):

1. Only 1.8% of leads are Latino
2. Latino voice-over leads were over 12 times more in demand than Latino live-action leads
3. Latinos were almost non-existent at just 0.9% of all showrunners
4. Only 2% of all episodes have a Latino director.
   This study will be used to monitor the progress of LA COLLAB, a collective impact group of entertainment industry leaders, professionals and allies, supported by the Office of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti.