USC Study: Latinos are underrepresented in most popular films

According to a study released by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Latinos are particularly underrepresented, as reported by the LA. Researchers findings highlighted that while Latinos buy about of 26 percent of movie tickets, they under representatively have only 4.2 percent of speaking roles.

The study evaluated the 500 top-grossing movies released in the United States between 2007 and 2012 to find patterns in how race, ethnicity and gender are depicted.

The study also evaluated other underrepresented groups finding that 10.8 percent of speaking characters were black, 5 percent were Asian and 3.6 percent were from other ethnicities.

According to the Motion Picture Association of American in 2012, 76.3 percent of speaking character were white. In addition to this 56 percent of ticket buyers were white as well.

Katherine Pieper, research scientist at Annenberg’s Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative, told the LA Times that at the core is a visibility issue.

“Who we see in film sends a powerful message about who is important and whose stories are valuable, both to international audiences and to younger viewers in our own country,” Pieper said. “Are films communicating to audiences that only certain stories are worth telling?”

The study also found Latino women are most likely to be shown nude or in sexy attire while black men are least likely to be portrayed in a committed relationship, leaving one to ponder what transcends in to pop culture of this media generation. 

The report includes findings that emphasize the lack of diversity is not just in front of the camera either. USC researchers found a relationship between the race of a film’s director and the race of the cast.