Washington -- Comcast and NBC Universal have struck a deal
with a host of Hispanic and Latino organizations to expand opportunities for
Latinos in both companies.
Such increased opportunities have been on top of those
groups' lists when it comes to their views of the proposed joint venture
between the two companies.
Groups signing on to the agreement include the National
Hispanic Media Coalition, the National Council of La Raza, and the League of
United American Citizens, according to a Comcast blog post.
The companies' pledges include on employment, programming,
procurement, governance and corporate giving.
The deal follows a more similar but more general commitment
to boosting diversity announced three weeks ago, in advance of a Congressional
field hearing on the joint venture at which diversity issues were a main focus.
That general pledge included a promise to add at least three
independent channels with a "substantial" minority ownership over the
next three years (it has promised to add at least six independent channels).
Comcast said Wednesday it would definitely include a Latino channel, and that
it also plans to expand distribution of the Latino networks it already carries.
