By Jose de la Isla
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) shared some of the most revealing findings in this country's communications history this month. Its studies should come with a warning label.
At a luncheon of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the coalition's president, Alex Nogales, released three academic reports expounding on "the power of media to breed hate, impact health and shape opinions." The institute advocates accuracy and fairness in media, and its report reveals how media hugely influence opinions about Latinos.
Research for the NHMC's report was conducted by the leading Latino polling organization, Latino Decisions. It consisted of a national survey of 900 non-Latinos answering more than 90 questions about news, entertainment, media content and opinions about Latinos. In a second survey, 3,000 non-Latino participants provided opinions after watching video clips, listening to audio clips or reading articles.
Non-Latino Americans rely heavily on TV as a guide to these perceptions, the research shows. The coalition reported that about 66 percent of non-Latinos watch major network and cable telecasts for news and information. Only 30 percent trust Facebook, Twitter, social media or online news sources.
News and entertainment media lead in determining how non-Latinos perceive Latinos and immigrants. The portrayals, as they are slanted, can diminish or accentuate negative stereotypes.
But we already knew that, didn't we? If not statistically, we at least have known it experientially for a long time.
The polling research seals the deal. The coalition research shows how people are influenced when they are exposed to negative news and entertainment about Latinos and immigrants. They found those pervasive portrayals lead non-Latino audiences to believe them as true.
Conservative talk radio and Fox News audiences are, for instance, less likely to be personally familiar with Latinos, yet they are among the most likely to hold anti-immigrant and anti-Latino views.
Media, through powerful images, work to solidify these views. For example, 30 percent have a common misperception that the majority of Latinos are undocumented.
Using terms such as "illegal alien" elicits negative feelings, more so than if "undocumented immigrant" are used. Even better-informed people who have positive feelings about Latinos form less favorable opinions when exposed to negative entertainment or news narratives. Yet, after one minute of exposure to media content, people's attitudes can become more positive. For example, those exposed to positive pieces were more likely to rate Latinos as intelligent.
The NHMC, based in Pasadena, Calif., has some skin in the game. In the past, it has helped pressure the removal of hateful and inflammatory broadcasters, such as Lou Dobbs, John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou from AM radio and the TV show "Jose Luis Sin Censura."
Most often, success comes not by confronting the content provider but through the sponsor. When sponsors see how their commercials are associated with bad behavior, they wise up.
The negative social consequences of social stereotypes should be enough to persuade the public to want over-the-top broadcasters to cut it out, or find another line of work.
Listeners subjected to hate speech experienced a spike in a hormone that could influence cancer and inflammatory diseases.
The study may be found at www.nhmc.org. Take it seriously. For better health, increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid listening to disparaging, hateful, negative commentators. Too much negativity could assault you hormonally and later on cost you your life.
I'm telling you: Those broadcasters who spew hate and divisiveness are dangerous.
Jose de la Isla writes a weekly commentary for Hispanic Link News Service.
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