National Latino Media Council: Ken Burns' "The War" Must Include The American Latino Story

Mar. 20, 2007 - LOS ANGELES –The National Latino Media Council (NLMC) today sent a letter to Paula Kerger, PBS President and Chief Executive Officer, asking for an immediate meeting to discuss the exclusion of Latinos in Ken Burn’s THE WAR. “It is inconceivable how a documentary on World War II that took six years to complete would exclude the contributions of 500,000 Latinos that served our country proudly,” said retired Congressman Esteban Torres, NLMC Chair. “Without the inclusion of Latinos this documentary is inaccurate and should not be broadcast on public television.”

“It is unacceptable to us that PBS does not have a mechanism in place to flag this type of intolerable creative oversight before the end of a project,” added Marta Garcia Co-Chair of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, New York Chapter. “PBS is partially supported by tax dollars and as such, there is an obligation by PBS to provide for an accurate and complete documentary.”

NLMC is joining forces with dozens of organizations and thousands of individuals mobilizing to force Ken Burns to include the Latino experience. “Thousands of people that have family members that fought in World War II are outraged to learn that THE WAR excludes the American Latino experience,” said Martin Castro, President & CEO of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. “Latinos were the group that proportionally received the most Congressional Medals of Honor and we cannot be left out of the World War II story. We must be included.”

“What makes matters worse is that this documentary has an educational component, which will be widely distributed in schools. Latino children will not benefit from seeing their ancestor’s contributions to this country and this is disheartening to say the least,” concluded Congressman Torres..

Below is a copy of the letter sent to Paula Kerger.

# # #

NLMC is comprised of 15 of the largest Latino Civil Rights and advocacy organizations in the nation and advocates for diversity in the media, especially as it impacts the Latino community.

National Latino Media Council Member Organizations:
* Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute * Latino Literacy Now * League of United Latin American Citizens * Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund * Mexican American Opportunity Foundation * National Association of Hispanic Publications * National Association of Latino Elected Officials * National Association of Latino Independent Producers * National Hispanic Media Coalition * National Institute for Latino Policy * National Puerto Rican Coalition * Nosotros * Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund *

National Latino Media Council
1201 W. 5th Street, T-205, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Tel: (213) 534-3026 · Fax: (213) 534-3027

March 20, 2007

Ms. Paula Kerger
PBS President and Chief Executive Officer
PBS Office of the Corporate Secretary
2100 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202

Dear Ms. Kerger:

As the Chair of the National Latino Media Council (NLMC), a national coalition comprised of 15 of the largest Latino advocacy, civil rights groups in the nation, I share with you our dismay at your March 13, 2007 letter to Latino leaders. The letter states the unwillingness of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to correct the record in Ken Burn’s THE WAR documentary, even though it neglects to cover the Latino story.

As you might be aware, an estimated five hundred thousand Hispanic Americans served their country proudly during World War II. Many of our fathers and uncles died for this country and their sacrifice and service has earned them the right to be included in any documentary relating to this war. PBS will disrespect our community if it broadcasts THE WAR and omits the patriotic participation of the American Latino in that struggle.

We question PBS’s record of embracing diversity. Your response to our leaders request for inclusion in this series confirms the belief in many parts of our community that PBS is intended only for the elite and not for everyone else, especially the disenfranchised. PBS’s current diversity efforts are irrelevant if, when it comes down to what is really important to the Latino community, which is our historic contributions to this country, PBS is unwilling to stand up for the truth. At a time when Latinos are often used as scapegoats in the media for all society’s ills, it is imperative that public television be willing to include the Latino patriotic contributions to this country. If it does not, there is no reason for it to continue to be funded by our tax dollars and we are forced to consider advocating for PBS to be defunded.

I am requesting a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss this further. Please contact Alex Nogales at the National Hispanic Media Coalition, NLMC’s Secretariat, at (213) 534-3026 to schedule a meeting.

Sincerely,
Congressman Esteban Torres (Retired)
National Latino Media Council Chair