Spanish Networks Akin To Racist Klan

by Pedro Fernandez

Several years ago, I went to both TELEMUNDO and UNIVISION, the two all Spanish networks that regularly broadcast professional boxing with what I thought was a "sound" business proposal. What I wanted to do was broadcast their fights in English, on the S.A.C., or the Secondary Audio Channel.

Almost all of the newer TV sets have this feature. It allows Spanish speaking viewers to listen to the the English formatted stations in Espanol. The S.A.C. is truly a novel tool that HBO and SHOWTIME have utilized for a number of years to greatly increase their number of viewers.

The answer I got from both networks is that they were not interested in using the secondary audio channel for English. This, even though they admitted it would greatly increase the numbers of those watching their fights.

They simply did not want serve the English speaking boxing fan. I remember being perplexed at their reasoning, but life is too short and I moved on.

Last week I was watching UNIVISION and I finally figured out why they took the stance they did on English viewers. It's a six letter word that most writers fear more than getting fired. It's racism!

That's right, the "R" word! The Spanish speaking networks ideology in my mind is akin to that of a Klu Klux Klan broadcast. And before you think I've been using medicinal marijuana, here me out.

When you listen to UNIVISION for example, countless times you will here the term "La Raza." What La Raza means in English is "Our Race." No wonder these guys don't want their signal going into white homes, they're anti-white!

It's the flip side to the Klan. If I were to pitch the S.A.C. idea to NBC, and they told me that they didn't want Seinfeld in Spanish, and all the while during the show Jerry kept preaching white supremacy in English, the NBC Peacock would be stripped of it's feathers.

I've noticed that a lot of those now immigrating to the U.S. from Latin countries, seem to rely less on English. In fact, if you go into a major department store in Miami for example and you don't speak Spanish, they have to call for someone to come and help you.

And seeing the masses are influenced more by television than anything else, it's easy to see that their anti-English stance is fueled by the racist overtones being broadcast by TELEMUNDO and UNIVISION.

Pedro Fernandez

The writer can be reached at flash@inow.com

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