Los Angeles' Anchors of Color:
Different Perspectives and Backgrounds,
Common Goal
Written by JOSEPH WRIGHT
Cover Photography by ANCEL S. HALL, JAMES IRWIN - ASST.
Makeup by Arienne Battiste
Michaela Pereira Photos by MALCOLM ALI

In broadcast television, the primary nighttime newscasts air at 6 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. The primary morning newscasts usually air from 7 a.m. to 9 or 10 a.m. The news anchors of these programs are, for better or worse, the face and symbol of these local stations' news organizations. It has been rare occasions that blacks have occupied these key positions. Factors for the rarity vary (racism; lack of key business connections; threatening cosmetics, e.g., skin color, hair, physical size; management's fear of low ratings). Of the 17 news anchors in Los Angeles, four are black: KCAL 9's Pat Harvey; KABC 7's Marc Brown; FOX 11's Christine Devine; and KTLA 5's Morning News' Michaela Pereira.

Harvey and Brown are African American. Devine and Pereira have varied backgrounds: Devine is Afro-Brazilian, Pereira is African-Canadian with a Jamaican ethnicity. Personalitywise and in on-camera persona they all are distinctive from one another. Harvey is serious and not lacking for a point of view with an African-American, solid brown, Mona Lisa face. Brown is professional yet upbeat in his manner, much like the CBS sportscaster James Brown (no relation). Devine is stoic, unflappable with a low, full voice and an ethnically vague look--an onscreen melting pot. Pereira, because of her last name, which she took from a previous marriage (her maiden name is Thomson), and her exotic looks punctuated with a strong widow's peek in her birds' nest-like hairstyle, is sometimes mistaken for a Brazilian woman by viewers. Her on-camera personality is inquisitive and pleasant, an accommodating newscaster with a ready smile.

Meanwhile, as the ethnic demographics and population landscape of Los Angeles has changed so has the face of local broadcast television news Monday through Friday. More Latino talent is seen on television than ever before. Key factors prompt this change such as more progressive thinking by management executives, stations' efforts to better reflect the Southland's overall population on screen, target marketing, Latinos in key personnel hiring positions. Of the prime morning and evening news anchors in Los Angeles, five are Latino: KTLA 5's Morning News' Carlos Amezcua; KCBS 2's Laura Diaz; KCAL 9's Sylvia Lopez; and KCOP's My13 anchor team of Rick Garcia and Lauren Sanchez.

Amezcua sports an assimilated, portly, dapper persona whose sociopolitical views from behind wired rim glasses are decidedly right of center. Diaz has a regal cultural pride that is wrapped in a professional demeanor. Lopez has a certain charm on camera, wearing a short bob style with hair regularly placed behind her left ear. Garcia and Sanchez deliver a distinctively more off-beat newscast with Garcia exhibiting a tall, athletic look with Sanchez as his buxom, free-spirited, raven-haired counterpart. They all are aware that they are in a position that can have an impact, if used properly.

In an industry that often times has a tendency to critically link all non-white broadcasters together based on ethnicity or race, the aforementioned news anchors are not all alike. Each one has a very different story as to how they got to the unique position that they are in. Their backgrounds are varied, as are their views of themselves. At the same time, they do share common perspectives on their views on blacks, Latinos and other non-whites in the broadcast industry and their influences in television as they were developing in their formative years. Each one came to the Los Angeles market, ultimately made aware they are doing something unique.

Click a name to read more:

Carlos Amezcua, Marc Brown, Christine Devine, Laura Diaz,
Rick Garcia, Pat Harvey, Sylvia Lopez, Michaela Pereira

Conclusion:

As the demographics of the Southland continue to change, progressive minds in upper management at KTLA 5, KCBS 2, KCAL 9, and My13 saw a void and filled it with Amezcua, Diaz, Lopez, Garcia and Sanchez. Without these anchors on the air Monday through Friday, the increasing Latino television news viewing audience in Los Angeles would have grounds to charge local television with taxation without representation.