Univision 'Rises Up' for Social Change

By John Eggerton
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Univision and its Fusion Media Group are teaming up with American University on a new initiative, "Rise Up for Social Change," to help it evaluate issues in entertainment media on which to focus its ongoing rise up social impact unity.

Among the first initiatives from the new research-driven project will be issues that became hot-button ones in the recent election and post-election Donald Trump Administration.

Univision will work with nonprofits and foundations to:

  • "Explore the importance of closing the educational achievement gap."
  • "Seek to increase awareness of, and access to, affordable healthcare."
  • "Provide information about reproductive health issues and resources."
  • "Evaluate the effectiveness of media and campaign tactics in getting out the vote in the 2016 election."

The project will be overseen by Chad Boettcher, senior VP of social impact.

In addition there will be a 12-month graduate fellowship in "social influence and impact of entertainment and other mediated storytelling" at American University.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.