ABSTRACT
Of the myriad realms of U.S. popular culture in which Latina/o images and narratives circulate and Latina/os themselves serve as storytellers and creative practitioners, arguably none has had as profound an impact as television. As an entertainment medium that people watch daily in their own homes, television has played an instrumental role over the decades. In the case of English-language television, it has showcased, reinforced, and occasionally challenged popular notions regarding Latina/os and their place in the nation and national history. In addition, Spanish-language television has played an influential role in the lives of many Latina/os; as a diasporic medium, it has long contributed to the Latina/o imaginary, or Latina/os’ understanding of the imagined Latina/o community, regarding discourses of race, gender, class, nationality, citizenship, and global politics. More recently, bilingual television has also found a small niche, catering to younger, acculturated Latina/os interested in media that connects with their culturally hybrid identities and lives. With regard to Latina/os and these three realms of television, English-language programming arguably has had a particularly substantial impact on U.S. popular culture, given the size of its audience and the way that these television story worlds come to stand in for idealized North American ideals. As my own area of expertise, both as a researcher and as a Latina who grew up “Spanish-impaired” because of lack of exposure, it will be the main focus of this chapter.1
