• Streaming now accounts for nearly half of all U.S. TV usage (47.3%), with Latinos over-indexing as early adopters, reaching 55.5%. YouTube leads among Gen Z, further highlighting how Latinos are setting the pace.
• Despite being 19.5% of the U.S. population and over 25% of the youth audience, Latinos remain underrepresented:
  • Only 5.2% of lead roles in all scripted shows.
  • Just 3.7% of participants, hosts, and judges in unscripted content.
  • A mere 7% of episodes directed by Latinos across major platforms.
• Latinos drive engagement in ad-supported platforms (AVOD/FAST) and YouTube, creating unmatched opportunities for advertisers and studios.
• The report calls underrepresentation “a strategic blind spot” as Latinos set the pace for the future of media consumption.

The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC) today released the 2025 LDC U.S. Latinos in Media Report™ – Part One: Streaming, Broadcast, and Cable Shows, highlighting a widening gap between where Latinos watch content and how they are represented on screen. The analysis is the first of four media-focused reports the LDC will publish in 2025.

Latinos are the youngest, most digitally engaged audience in the United States. The industry shift now unfolding away from broadcast and cable and toward streaming was led by Latinos years earlier. Today, they are also the heaviest consumers of new ad-supported streaming formats, setting the pace for how all Americans will watch in the future. Yet, representation in traditional media has not kept pace: in scripted streaming content, Latinos hold only 5.2% of leading roles. In unscripted programming, intended to mirror real life, the figure drops to just 3.7%. Behind the camera, Latino representation is also scarce, with only 7% of episodes directed by Latinos across major platforms.

“Latinos left traditional TV years ago because they weren’t being represented. They became the first adopters of streaming, AVOD, FAST, and YouTube, and they continue to lead those platforms today,” said Ana Valdez, President & CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative. “Yet the industry has not caught up. Attention has moved. Representation has not. That gap is no longer acceptable; it’s a business risk.”

The report underscores that Latinos:

• Spend 19.1% of their total TV time on YouTube, 42% higher than the national average. (13.4%).
• Are 70% more likely to prefer ad-supported streaming than paid subscriptions.
• Pay more attention to ads portraying them accurately (64% vs. 50% for the general population).

“Latinos are the most engaged and responsive audience in today’s hybrid streaming era,” said Valdez. “Platforms and advertisers who continue overlooking them are missing the very consumers who are shaping the future of media.”

Key Findings from the 2025 LDC U.S. Latinos in Media Report™ – Shows Edition

1. Representation Gaps
   • Latinos hold just 6.0% of lead roles in scripted streaming shows, 3.7% in unscripted, and direct 7% of episodes.
2. Shifts in Consumption
   • Streaming now accounts for 47.3% of all TV time, with YouTube leading at 13.4%.
   • Latinos are early adopters, dedicating half of their TV time to streaming years before the general market.
3. Business Case
   • In ad-supported environments favored by Latinos, accurate representation drives higher engagement, lower churn, and stronger ad outcomes.
   • Correcting underrepresentation could unlock billions in value for studios, advertisers, and platforms.

This is the first in a new four-part media series from the LDC, with future editions covering film, studio performance, and Latino talent success stories.

About the Latino Donor Collaborative

The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC) is an independently funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and think tank. The LDC has consistently provided economic and business data through meticulous research and fact-based insights. Its reports have become essential tools for U.S. resource allocators, highlighting the growing opportunities presented by the myriad contributions of U.S. Latinos across the social spectrum. Learn more at www.latinodonorcollaborative.org

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250926792919/en/

LDC Releases 2025 U.S. Latinos in Media Report™, Exposing Persistent Underrepresentation Across Streaming, Broadcast, and Cable