FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mónica Taher, People of Color Media Director
Phone: (323) 634-2025   Email: taher@glaad.org

JULY 7, 2004 - Following an unprecedented meeting with Univision's top executives in June, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that it will work with Univision to raise the profile of LGBT issues throughout the nation's top-rated Spanish-language television network.

GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry, People of Color Media Director Mónica Taher and Entertainment Media Director Stephen Macias met with Univision on June 23 in Miami to discuss strategies for improving the quality of LGBT media images both on network programming and across local Univision affiliates throughout the United States and Latin America.

The historic meeting was the first time that a television network brought together its top executives to meet with GLAAD. In attendance at the meeting were Ray Rodriguez, President & COO of Univision Networks; Otto Padrón, VP of Programming and Promotions; María López, VP of News and Entertainment Programs; Sylvia Rosabal-Ley, VP and Co-News Director; Ivelisse Estrada, Senior VP of Corporate and Community Relations; and several other executives.

Over the next six months, GLAAD will work with Univision to train their Miami-based affiliate training teams, which travel to local affiliates and provide information on marketing research and regional, national and international news trends to station managers, programming directors and news directors. GLAAD plans to help shape presentations on: cultural, legal and language issues (including marriage) related to LGBT people and same-sex families, the growing LGBT market, the dangers of sensationalistic images and reporting, visibility of LGBT people of faith, and much more.

At the meeting, GLAAD provided Univision with an overview and evaluation of the network's news and entertainment programming relative to its inclusion of LGBT stories, issues and characters. GLAAD commended the network for its LGBT portrayals in "Clase 406" -- a GLAAD Media Award-nominated Televisa-produced "novela" that featured a same-sex couple -- and for the growing quantity and quality of LGBT-focused news coverage on Univision shows like "Aquí y Ahora," "Noticiero Univision," "The Cristina Show," "Despierta América" and "Primer Impacto." It also discussed the controversial "Casos de Familia" episode that promoted discredited "conversion" or "reparative therapies" purporting to "cure" gay men and lesbians.

GLAAD also presented Univision with strategies to increase its fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBT Latinos. Univision invited GLAAD to serve as a resource for entertainment producers and creative teams when the network plans to showcase LGBT characters.

"This really was an unprecedented meeting," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "For Univision to bring together every one of its leading executives to meet with GLAAD is something that no other network has done before. And to walk out of that meeting with such an exciting roadmap for the future demonstrates the depth of Univision's commitment to helping build greater cultural awareness and understanding of our lives."

Launched in April 2003, GLAAD's People of Color Media Program is transforming the way Spanish-language media cover LGBT-related issues and depict LGBT lives. Through a strategic program of media outreach, education and advocacy, GLAAD has presided over significant improvements in Spanish-language media representations, including a groundbreaking "People en Español" feature on civil unions in Buenos Aires and Univision's first-ever same-sex marriage panel discussion on its top-rated variety program, "Sábado Gigante." In 2004, GLAAD unveiled its first-ever GLAAD Media Awards in Spanish-language categories.

"The Latino community is the fastest-growing population in America," GLAAD's Mónica Taher said. "And Spanish-language media have often portrayed -- and, in some cases, continue to portray -- LGBT people in a sensationalistic and stereotyped manner. We are excited that our work with Univision promises to bring more fair, accurate and inclusive representations of our lives into Latino households at a time when those images -- and the acceptance and understanding they help create -- are more vital than ever."

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.