CBS News journalist Maria Carla Mercader , 54, has died from COVID-19 in a New York hospital. Mercader has been with CBS News for over 30 years and has been at the forefront on reporting breaking news as well as being part of growing CBS News network. Mercader was strong willed and for 20 of the 30 years she worked at CBS News, battled cancer and related illnesses.
Not only did the Filipina American journalist report on breaking news, but she also was a producer at CBS foreign news desk, and in 2004 won an Emmy Award for a piece she worked on for CBS Sunday Morning.
“Even more than her talents as a journalist, we will miss her indomitable spirit, Maria was part of all of our lives. Even when she was hospitalized — and she knew something was going on at CBS, she would call with counsel, encouragement, and would say ‘you can do this.’ I called Maria a ‘warrior,’ she was. Maria was a gift we cherished.”
“The Asian American Journalists Association sends our sympathies and condolences to the family of Maria Mercader, a longtime and beloved member of our community. Maria, 54, a cancer survivor, died Sunday of complications from COVID-19.”
“Maria was a dear mentor and friend to many AAJA members. She was a proud 2004 graduate of AAJA’s Executive Leadership Program in Chicago. She will be greatly missed.”
Throughout her career she helped many young journalists in their career development.
Maria Mercader was born on Nov. 28, 1965, in New York City. She attended the all-girls Dominican Academy in Manhattan and went on to graduate from the College of New Rochelle in 1987.
She is survived by her father and brother, both name Manuel.
Mercader loved both ballet and music which is a testament to her mother who was the pianist for the American Ballet Theatre.
Newsrooms can be lonely places for journalists of color.
During the course of my career as a journalist, I was aware every day that I was one of the few Asian Americans in a newsroom. Even in the racially diverse Bay Area where there are large AAPI communities, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were woefully underrepresented in journalism. Decades passed but in all that time, not much has changed.
On Monday, members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) sent a letter to executives at ABC News, CBS News, CNN Worldwide, Fox News, NBC News and MSNBC requesting information on what steps are being taken to promote representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) both on camera and behind the scenes. The letter was led by CAPAC Chair Judy Chu, D-CA, CAPAC First Vice Chair Grace Meng, D-NY, and CAPAC Whip Ted Lieu, D-CA. Specifically, the letter requests information on steps being taken to increase paid television contributors, how many AAPIs are currently in decision making positions, how many AAPI anchors there are, and what networks are doing to cultivate new talent.
“As AAPIs continue to grow in population and influence, it is important to see that change reflected in our media as well. That includes not only on-air representation, but also more seats at the table as producers and contributors in order to help ensure more perspectives are reflected in the news coverage we watch,” said Chu. “Increased AAPI representation is particularly important on issues like immigration, where AAPIs are the fastest growing demographic, but are often excluded from coverage of immigration issues," she said. "This is a change that media executives have acknowledged is necessary, and so we are sending this letter for an update on where things stand. As the 2020 election approaches and news coverage becomes more important, it is vital that we ensure all voices are heard and represented.”
“Diversity and inclusion are the building blocks for a more just and equitable society. That is why, I have continued to fight to make sure our institutions - from businesses to academia; from entertainment to government - live up to these ideals. Actions, however, must match words, which is why shining a light onto the diversity and inclusion efforts at major media outlets is so important,” said Meng. “The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, and - whether in front of or behind the camera; whether in the editing room or in the executive room - our diverse communities must have fair and meaningful representation. "No longer are we made invisible, without a voice, or a mere afterthought. We must hold the major network news accountable for their inclusion and engagement efforts, including efforts to build the pipeline of representation, and commitment to telling AAPI stories that resonate, not just with our AAPI community, but with our entire nation. After all, the AAPI story is the American story. The AAPI perspective and roles are critical to the full American story. I look forward to the responses from each of the major networks.”
“As a proud member of CAPAC, I am pleased to co-lead this effort to encourage increased representation of the AAPI community in the news media,” said Rep. Lieu. “For too long, AAPIs have been underrepresented within this industry, leaving many voices unheard and opinions overlooked. The AAPI community has made monumental contributions to American society and culture, and it is past time to reflect that in our newsrooms.”
Data from the American Society of Newspaper Editors shows newsrooms across the US are overwhelmingly white. This is true for both conservative-leaning papers like The Wall Street Journal (80.81% white) and liberal-leaning papers like The Washington Post (71.08% white).
Among the newspapers with the largest circulations in the US, The Los Angeles Times (14.8% Asian) and Washington Post (12.65% Asian) reported comparatively larger percentages of staff who identified as Asian, while The Chicago Tribune (3.42% Asian) and Boston Globe (4.86% Asian) reported smaller percentages.
Television news has a similar problem with Asian American representation. According to the most recent data from the Radio Television Digital News Association, Asian American representation in TV news has declined to 2%.
Jean Luc Picard meets the mysterioius Dahj, played by Isa Briones.
The big reveal that Marvel picked Simu Liu to play Shang-Chi, wasn't the only news coming out of ComicCon last week that AAPI fans should be excited about. Last Spring, when it was announced that Isa Briones would be cast in CBS-All Access' Star Trek: Picard, we didn't know what kind of role she would play. It could have been one of the crew members who always linger in the background or a Red-Shirt but after seeing the trailer for the new show, it turns out that the Filipina American's role is a pretty significant one. We still don't know what her relationship is with Jean Luc Picard, a role from Star Trek: Next Generation reprised by Sir Patrick Stewart, but it appears she's the McGuffin, the instigator, the one who gets the story going, the reason Picard is going to give up his retirement at Chateau Picard. Her character, Dahj, apparently needs to be protected and she found Picard, someone she's had history with and who she could trust. So, who is Dahj? A lot of interesting theories have arisen among Trekkers about the identity of Dahj: from being the daughter of Data (the android who gave up his existence to save Picard) to being a reincarnation of the Borg Queen.
In the first trailer debuted at ComicCon, she shows up at Picard's idyllic vineyard 20 years after he retired from Star Fleet.
“Everything inside of me says that I’m safe with you,” she tells him.
Before he can answer her, the camera cuts away leaving fans with questions.
Later on in the trailer, she shows she has some serious (superhuman?) fighting skills as she effortlessly takes out a group of attackers while Picard watches on.
Picard quickly grasps the significance of helping this young woman and is well aware of the dangers she faces if she is captured by the wrong people.
Picard calls on Starfleet for its help but he’s ignored. “If she is who I think she is, she’s in serious danger,” he warns someone.
The mysterious Dahj is a major player. I wonder if she speaks Tagalog?
The director of the upcoming The Eternals, Chloe Zhao, has assembled a powerful and diverse cast to star in the Marvel flick about a race with superhuman powers. The brightest star to join the Marvel universe is Angelina Jolie. The film, set to debut in Nov. of 2020, will also star a buffed up Kumail Nanjiani as one of the 3,500-years -old Eternals. Unfortunately, Warner Bros, the studio that drew raves in past ComicCons was missing this year! So we didn't get to see anything the new Wonderwoman 1984, Aquaman 2 or The Birds of Prey, the latter of which will introduce Cassandra Cain, AKA Batgirl, played by Filipina American Ella Jay Basco.
Agents of SHIELD included Chloe Bennett, middle and Ming-Na Wen, right,
It was an emotional farewell to Agents of SHIELD which is currently filming the finale for its final season. Chloe Bennett and Ming-Na Wen, who play bad-ass agents, proved you can have more than one Asian American in a cast, a rarity when the show debuted seven years ago.
Descendants of the Chinese workers who built the Transcontinental Railroad made sure that Chinese were not omitted in the recreation of the historic photo.
In case you missed it, last Sunday, CBS's Sunday Morning did a feature on the transcontinental railroad built 150 years ago. Most of the 6.5 minute segment was devoted to the Chinese workers who built the western portion of the railroad through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountain range. The 20,000 Chinese men who worked on the transcontinental railroad were largely overlooked in US history books. The iconic historic photo of the railroad's completion left out any of the Chinese workers. Hundreds of descendants of the Chinese workers were determined to correct this oversight and participation was prominent in several May 10 ceremonies and events commemorating the 1505h anniversary of completion of the railroad at Promontory Point, Utah to ensure that their ancestors receive the honor they deserved. The popular low-key and often inspiring program hosted by Jane Pauley airs at 9 a.m. on CBS stations.
Co-hosts of 'The Talk' couldn't help but talk about their missing co-host Julie Chen and her husband Les Moonves.
TELEVISION HOST Julie Chen is taking time off from The Talk after her husband, Les Moonves, resigned from the top job at CBS following sexual harassment allegations, reportsThe Hollywood Reporter.
Chen did not appear on the Season 9 premiere today (Aug. 10, Monday) of the popular daytime talk show.
“I am taking a few days off from The Talk to be with my family. I will be back soon and will see you Thursday night on Big Brother,” she said in a statement.
Her absence was the talk of The Talk, however awkward that might have been for Chen’s co-hosts.
“I want to say that whatever times I’ve had of hardship over the past eight years, Julie has always been there for me,” said Sharon Osbourne. “She’s been a friend. She’s been someone who I admire and respect greatly. It’s very embarrassing and upsetting to have to talk about her husband, but we do. We feel it’s right,” Variety reported she said.
Fellow co-host Sara Gilbert elaborated further.
“This is an important time in our culture, and just because this hits close to home, it doesn’t change the story. All women’s stories, and these women’s stories, matter. This is very serious, and the appropriate actions need to take place. I am happy when women are heard because for a long time, they haven’t been,” she said.
SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS
When sexual misconduct allegations first arose about her husband, Julie Chen showed up to work on 'The Talk.'
The Hollywood Reporter reports Obsourne has exchanged messages with Moonves since the controversy broke.
That didn’t stop her from being blunt.
“Why is it that when men get power, it goes to their testicles? I do not know why, but it’s true,” she said.
Moonves on Sunday night called the allegations “untrue” and that he is “deeply saddened” to leave the company.
His buyout is a reported $100 million, according to CNBC.
Led by 'Fresh Off the Boat,' ABC rated highest by an Asian American media group.
ASAM NEWS WHICH of the major networks would you recognize for featuring the most Asian/Americans in its programming?
The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition gave ABC an overall grade of “B,” matching the highest grade the group has ever given a network in its 16 years of issuing this report card. NBC also scored a grade of “B” in the 2010-2011 season.
The APAMC recognized ABC for a new high for actors-a total of 21 regular and 23 recurring AAPI actors in prime time series last season.
By contrast Fox scored an incomplete. The network failed to submit its diversity report despite agreeing in a memorandum of understanding to do so. There may be a reason for this. The APAMC believes there were only six Asian/American regulars on Fox series in 2016-2017. That’s the lowest since 2008.
Fox has installed a new diversity team which has pledged to submit its report as soon as possible.
CBS had 16 Asian American regulars and 22 in recurring roles for an overall grade of “B-.” APAMC says the network missed an opportunity with Hawaii Five-0. Despite being based in a state with a majority Asian American population, the coalition says Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on the show are often limited to secondary roles. In addition, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park were released at the end of last season.
Similarly APAMC says NBC is missing an opportunity with CODE BLACK and NCIS: Los Angeles. Both are set in Los Angeles where there is a significant AAPI population. Neither show has an AAPI actor in a regular role.
NBC scored an overall grade of C+
Overall APAMC sees an improvement in diversity it attributes to a pipeline of diversity programs coming from a memorandum of understanding signed by the networks in 2000. The multi-ethnic media coalition includes the NAACP, the National Latino Media Council, American Indians in Film/TV, and the APAMC.
The networks were also rated for behind the scenes diversity.
New to Hawaii Five-0: BEaule Koaala, Meaghan Rath and Anthony Dale.
THREE LEAVE, THREE COME IN: When Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left Hawaii Five-0 coupled with the earlier departure of recurring regular Masi Oka, CBS had three roles to fill and a huge PR problem to overcome.
Hawaii Five-0 producers today (July 19) announced new cast members to replace the three Asian/American and Pacific Island actors who left, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park and Masi Oka.
After being roundly crushed in the media and social media for their shoddy handling of the AAPI stars, it was not surprising that the three new cast members are Asian/American and Pacific Islander: Ian Anthony Dale is half-Japanese, Meaghan Rath is half-South Asian and Beulah Koale is of Samoan descent.
Dale has recurred on Hawaii Five-0 since season two as the husband to Park’s Kono — Adam Noshimuri, a former Yakuza and trusted resource for the team who will now be recruited by McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) to work for Five-0. The casting keeps Dale in the CBS family after his lead role on the network’s little-watched summer drama Salvation. He is also starring in this summer's sci-fi show Salvation.
Rath (Being Human, Rogue, New Girl) will play Tani Rey, who McGarrett recruits after finding her working as a lifeguard at a hotel pool after she was kicked out of the Police Academy, despite being a first-rate candidate.
Koale (the upcoming Thank You For Your Service) will portray Junior Reigns, a former Navy SEAL who just returned from serving his country and asks McGarrett, a fellow SEAL, for a job, hoping to repurpose his skills as a member of Five-0.
Aloha, (from left) Daniel Dae Kim, Masi Oka and Grace Park.
The absence of the characters played by Kim and Park, Chin Ho Kelly and Kona Kalakaua will be explained in the show's season 8 premiere in September.
CBS said that Kim and Park were offered "substantial raises," but even with the raises, they were still not on parr with their costars, who also were receiving a portion of the profits of the show's profits and revenue from reruns, which is basically offering them a lifetime revenue stream.
Kim and Park could easily have accepted the contract terms and lived a comfortable life, but at some point they decided to take a stand. While Kim has been outspoken about the need for representation in the entertainment industry, Park has yet to issue a statement and has remained silent since her departure was announced.
On his Facebook page, Kim issued a statement thanking his fans and CBS. "As an Asian American actor, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find opportunities at all," later adding, "The path to equality is rarely easy."
Costar Oka, who decided to leave the show in January, emailed a statement to NPR:
"I was as saddened as anyone to learn of Daniel and Grace leaving Hawaii Five-0 but I, probably more so than most, understand their reason for doing so. Sometimes you have to draw the line in the sand for something you believe in and something for which you stand. While pay equality was not my personal primary decision to leave ... I support [Kim] and [Park] in their decision to stand up for what they believe is right."
The Kim/Park departures also put a spotlight on CBS paltry efforts to reflect America and the tendency for the white decision makers to always put white characters in the lead and - if we're lucky - actors of color playing second fiddle.
Of CBS new shows being presented this fall, only one - S.W.A.T. - will feature an actor of color in a lead role. No women will headline a new show.
Dale, Rath and Koale are all talented actors and I wish them well. CBS and the show's producers think that replacing the departing actors might placate Hawaii Five-0's critics and dampen the uproar and stem a growing movement to boycott the show. What the CBS execs must learn is that the issue wasn't simple a salary dispute. It was about respect and equality.
ASIAN/AMERICANS suffering from mental illnesses are less likely to seek help than other ethnic groups. In fact, compared to Euro/Americans they are three times less likely to seek mental health services.
Much of this reluctance among Asian/Americans is attributed to the social stigma associated with mental problems.
According to Dr. Kevin Nadal, president of the Asian American Psychological Association and professor at John Jay College in New York, many Asian-American families hold a "notion of shame and stigma" around mental illness and that "bringing shame to one's family can be especially detrimental to a person's mental health."
CBS Evening News Uncharted: State of Mind" is a new five-part digital series airing in May with new episodes released every Wednesday. This month, the series will examine the state of mental health care in America in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month. More than 43 million Americans suffer from mental illness. The third installment of the series deals with mental illness within the AAPI community.
The online episode focuses on a Chinese/American woman named Sara (She didn't want to divulge her last name.)
Suffering from depression, a victim of bullying and molested by a relative, she attempted suicide more than once. Shewas in and out of hospitals as a result. "I hated my life, I hated myself," she said.
Looking back, she attributed the reluctance of her family to seek assistance to the social stigma and shame that mental illness could bring to the family.
Nadal says that the Asian/American community sometimes turns a "blind eye to things like sexual assault," domestic violence and child abuse because of shame or stigma.
Watching her daughter go deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole, Sara's mother finally sought professional help. In her late teens, Sara was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. She was dealing with symptoms like hallucinations, auditory delusions, paranoia and depression all at once.
But with intense therapy and a search for the right medication, Sara began to get better. "Medication gave me my life back. If I didn't take medication I'd probably be dead," she said.
For Sara, hope is what keeps her fighting to survive.
Besides the social stigma associated with mental health, these are some other reasons API are reluctant to seek help:
AAPI don't see mental illness as treatable. They tend think that inner reflection will cure any emotional and mental distress. Most of all, they believe, don't tell anyone outside the family.
Language barriers and a lack of providers who understand Asian cultures contribute to that disparity.
In Asia, mental illnesses are less likely to be treated as medical conditions, according to Mariko Kahn, the executive director of Pacific Asian Counseling Services.
Many Asian languages have no words to describe mental illness, except words with negative connotations.
