Soror AKA 2D '91:
I think there are a couple of reasons why Latin entertainment awards shows have gained slots on major U.S. networks:
1.) Latin music has become palatable to middle white America, and network TV is trying to capitalize off of this while it's still "hot" in the minds of "mainstream" America;
2.) Latin music is HUGE (and I mean HUGE) in many parts of the world, and these shows are an outgrowth of that form of entertainment being more out in the open here. It's always been here, though (and I LOVE salsa, mergenue, son, cumbia, etc.-don't hate on Latin music; most of it has African roots anyway!). If you ever get a chance to read up on any of the major Spanish-speaking networks, you'll get a sense of how fast-growing the Latin music demographic is. Middle America acceptance is just icing on the cake. There have been Latin Grammys for a long time, just like there is a Spanish-language MTV, HBO, etc.;
3.) "Our" awards shows don't bring in the advertising dollars, so why would a network bother to put them on during a prime slot? And why don't our shows bring in the advertising dollars? Cuz advertisers know we'll buy their products and services anyway, whether they market specifically to us or not, since they know welove giving our money multinational corporations. Besides, they also know that while we talk a good game and get all huffy amongst ourselves, we rarely stand up and take action to get what we want. And why are we waiting for them to "give us" a prime-time show? I think the commercialization of R&B, rap, and other "black" music is precisely why most of it is @#$^.
[This message has been edited by Discogoddess (edited July 11, 2000).]
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