Comcast and NBCUniversal: Many Voices, One Vision

23Connecting with everyone in theaudience: It’s what we live for.At Comcast-NBCUniversal, we don’t think it’s enough to reflect the diverse culturesand backgrounds of our audiences. We want to celebrate them. By presenting positiverole models, telling diverse stories, commemorating heritage, and fostering dialogueon a variety of platforms, we are creating powerfully engaging content that makes areal difference in people’s lives.When Chris Peña was eight years old, heemigrated from the Dominican Republic toNew York. “I barely spoke English, so I hadto catch up quickly,” he shared. Today, asExecutive Editor of NBCLatino.com, Chrisis grateful for the opportunity to help otherslike him. “I didn’t arrive here alone. Peoplegave me a leg up and helped me growmy career. Now I have a responsibility toset an example for the next generation ofemployees. I see the hunger in the eyesof our junior employees who are lookingfor positive role models, and it gives megreat personal satisfaction to be a part ofthat.” With NBCLatino.com, a site modeledafter NBC News’ widely successful AfricanAmerican-focused news site, theGrio.com,Chris hopes to take Hispanic news beyondthe usual conversation by offering powerfulnews, information, and stories aboutsuccessful and inspiring Hispanics, creatinga unique space that reflects Hispanic pride.In 2012, Universal produced two films withdiverse participation both in front of and behindthe camera:The comedy Ride Along stars Kevin Hart and IceCube, with Tim Story directing and William Packerproducing alongside Ice Cube. The film has a talentedsupporting cast including Laurence Fishburne,John Leguizamo, Tika Sumpter, Bryan Callen and JayPharoah. Ride Along arrives in theaters January 2014.Also, the long-awaited sequel to The Best Man hitstheaters in November 2013, reuniting the entire castfrom the original film: Taye Diggs, Nia Long, MorrisChestnut, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, SanaaLathan, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa andRegina Hall. Malcolm D. Lee returns to write anddirect the sequel, The Best Man Holiday.When Bruce Evans, Senior VicePresident of Current Series atNBC Entertainment, first heardthe legend of La Llorona from anemployee at NBCUniversal, hegot chills—and not just becauseit was such a scary story.“I loved the idea of telling a story from theHispanic culture, because that’s a groupI very much want to appeal to,” he said.Evans pitched the story to the producersof Grimm, a series that dramatizes mythsand fables, and they loved the idea asmuch as he did.“La Llorona” began as a pitch from a buddingemployee and ended up becoming Grimm’ssecond highest rated episode ever. Theepisode also aired on Telemundo and mun2on the same night—Halloween.“We got tremendous feedback from theHispanic community,” Evans says. “Theywere really pleased that NBCUniversal wouldhonor such a beloved story from Hispanicculture. This show was a nice step inbeing representative.”“As an African American, diversity is closeto my heart,” Evans continues. “To have mycompany share that commitment and seethe value of it makes me feel excited to goto work every day.”DIVERSITY.NBCUNI.COMCOMCAST.COM/DIVERSITY