A new report from the Latino Donor Collaborative highlights a significant financial opportunity being missed by the media industry due to insufficient Latin representation. The 2024 “Latinos in Media” report reveals that despite Latinx individuals constituting nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population, they remain markedly underrepresented across various media platforms—a disparity that translates to substantial business losses.
The report estimates that the entertainment industry could see an additional $12 billion to $18 billion in annual revenue if Latin representation in TV and film were properly addressed. The analysis shows that films featuring Latin talent in prominent roles from 2013 to 2022 outperformed those lacking such representation by 58 percent at the global box office. Latin audiences, who account for 24 percent of movie ticket sales, have demonstrated their market influence through record-breaking films like *Inside Out 2* and *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*, which had 40 percent and 41 percent Latin viewers, respectively.
Despite this, Latin representation in major film roles remains low. The report indicates that Latin actors hold only 8 percent of on-screen roles, with just 2 percent in lead roles, 1 percent in co-lead roles, and 5 percent in ensemble casts. Behind the camera, Latin directors make up 8 percent and screenwriters 4 percent.
Streaming services also reflect these disparities, with Latin talent representing just 6 percent of roles overall. However, Prime Video stands out with 30 percent Latin representation in its main cast. While there has been some improvement in streaming films—Latin directors increased to 10 percent and screenwriters to 8 percent—the overall representation remains limited.
In television, both scripted and unscripted formats reveal further inequities. Latin actors are involved in 9.8 percent of lead, co-lead, and ensemble roles in scripted shows. Of the 198 scripted shows analyzed, only 11 featured a Latin actor in a lead role. Broadcast TV shows show Latin actors making up only 13 percent of main cast roles, while streaming services are even less inclusive, with 10 percent of main cast roles and just 7 percent in lead roles. Notably, Apple TV+ has 17 percent Latin representation in lead roles, but Disney+ and Netflix lag behind with minimal Latin presence.
In non-scripted television, Latin individuals occupy only 5 percent of host, presenter, or narrator roles, 5 percent of participant or contributor roles, and 6 percent of judge or expert roles.
To achieve market parity, the report advocates for a tripling of Latin leads in scripted content and a significant increase in Latin talent behind the scenes and in executive roles. Additionally, the report underscores a trend observed in the 2023 findings: younger Latin audiences are increasingly turning to social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok for authentic representation, bypassing traditional media outlets.
The findings call for a strategic shift in media industry practices to better reflect the Latin community and harness the associated economic benefits.
