Both groups wrote letters to advertisers, held press conferences and threatened boycotts. Through the development of a 'talent bank,' the group worked to increase Latino employment and creative control within the mass media. There won't be a significant change in content or real inclusion until the people who are able to make or influence decisions are also integrated. Latino advertising agencies and business advocacy groups make the argument for social change based on demographics and market share. They make that argument partly because it's the only avenue open, but it's a dead end.
Corporations get free access to the airwaves if they agree to serve the public interest.
That is why we used to have community affairs programs, and why the news used to be structured as a loss leader rather than as a profit center. A certain level of programming was done because it served the public interest, not because it made a profit. That notion of television in the public interest has been dismantled systematically throughout the '80s. Starting in 1979, we saw the drop-off of almost all community and public affairs programs. Since then, the focus moved to lowering production costs and increasing advertising revenue.