Portrayal of Hispanics in the Media

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Mass media has become one of the most common ways to get information in society today. A poll done by The National Hispanic Media Coalition shows that about 66 percent of Americans watch major network and cable newscasts, while only 30 percent rely on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks to get their news and information (Rutgers). However, media does not only provide viewers or listeners with news, but it also moves the stereotypes, beliefs and values of the society to reproduce the existing order of social life (Bryn Mawr). Regardless of whether people believe what they see and hear in the media, people are aware of the stereotypes and images that surround minorities. The negative representation of minorities are conveyed to the public through many forms of media, such as: the news, film, music videos and other forms of media. One of the minorities that is portrayed negatively in the media is the Hispanic race. Over a span of many years, the media has consistently failed to represent and accurately depict Hispanics, and this misrepresentation continues in the media today.
Many people take pride in the United States being portrayed as a “melting pot.” (Temple) However, for some minorities, this perception is the opposite of what they experience in their daily lives. While the ideals of equality and diversity are advertised by many, some Hispanics have not yet experienced these ideals in the local Philadelphia news media (Temple). In the city of Philadelphia, roughly 13 percent of the population is Hispanics, according to the census in 2012 (Census). According to some of the Philadelphia residents, they feel as if the media tends to demote the coverage of the minorities in the city. “I know there’s a lot of...

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