The second annual Multicultural Media Correspondents Dinner is being held May 25, with the honorees just announced. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), founder of the Multicultural Media Caucus, and House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) will receive ongressional Advocate Awards for championing of diversity in the media.
Cárdenas has called communications the people’s space, not corporate America’s, adding that those corporations should reflect the diversity of their audiences but don’t. He said the job of Congress was to hold up a mirror to that fact.
Fox's Juan WIlliams is being honored as Television Broadcast Journalist of the Year.
“Throughout my career I’ve strived to be a voice for diversity and inclusion,” said Cárdenas of the honor. “A diverse media in front of and behind the camera is not just a way to ensure all Americans are heard and represented—it’s also good business. I’m honored and humbled to receive this award. I will not stop fighting for these issues until our media fully represents the diverse voices of America.”
Others being honored: Robert Rodriguez, El Rey Networks, Broadcast Media Owner of the Year; Suzanne Gamboa, NBC Latino - Fifth Estate, New Media Broadcast Executive; Traci G. Lee, NBC Asian America - Fifth Estate, New Media Broadcast Executive; Cherylyn Harley LeBon, The Conservative Blog - Fifth Estate, New Media Print Executive; Joe Madison, Sirius XM - Radio Journalist of the Year; Helen Zia, Women’s Media Center - Print Journalist of the Year; Dr. Ben Chavis, National Newspaper Publishers Association - Media Advocacy Organization of the Year; Monique Nelson, Uniworld Group - Media Advertising Executive of the Year; Lamia Rezgui, Voice of America - International Journalist of the Year.
