Fox News Channel ended 2016 as the most-watched cable network in primetime for the first time in its history, according to Nielsen. Bolstered by its coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign, Fox News topped last year’s ratings champion ESPN by posting a 51% increase over its 2015 numbers, according to Nielsen.

Among adults 18-49, ESPN was tops with its live sports-event programming. Despite its win, ESPN posted a 12% year-to-year decline within the advertiser-coveted demo — in fact all but one network ranked within the top 10 posted declining audience numbers in the demo compared to 2015.

And cable television shows dominated Nielsen’s list of the top time-shifted programs for the year, which illustrates the percentage difference between audiences watching shows same day and over a seven-day period. AMC, FX and Bravo programming secured more than half of the top 10 slots, according to Nielsen.

The Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) Southern California Chapter has announced its 2016 LEA Awardwinners, who will be honored at an awards gala on Nov. 10 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.

Recipients of the prestigious 2016 LEA Awards include:

• Toby Berlin, president, School of Toby
• Del J. Heintz, senior director, state government affairs, Charter Communications Western Region
• Nadya Ichinomiya, director of IT, Television Marketing, Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Donna Thomas, senior vice president, studio sales, Vubiquity
• Erika Nolting, enterprise client executive, Neudesic, and Board Member of the Year

"WICT SoCal is thrilled to continue the tradition of honoring five outstanding individuals who lead by example and inspire us all,” said LEA Awards co-chair Rachel Richman. "This award is all that much more special because WICT SoCal relies on peers in the industry to submit nominations, and the winners are chosen by a committee comprised of past recipients.  It’s truly peer-driven recognition.”

The WICT SoCal LEA Awards are recognized as one of the most well-respected and prestigious events in the Southern California entertainment industry. The event will feature a celebrity Master of Ceremonies, keynote remarks from an industry leader and speeches by each award recipient. WICT SoCal said it expects to draw several hundred cable, programming and technology innovators who will converge to celebrate the recipients for what they have accomplished in their careers and the work they do to support, advocate and develop women leaders in media.

"In the often challenging and ever-changing entertainment industry, WICT is very proud to continue to recognize individuals that stand out and make us all proud to be in this business," said Helene Juceam,president of WICT SoCal.

Fox Networks, Charter Communications and Discovery are the event sponsors. Additional information, including sponsorship availability, can be found at www.socalwict.org. To buy tickets for the 2016 LEA Awards, visit http://leaawards2016rsvp.com.

With 10,000 members nationally, WICT is the oldest and largest professional association serving women in the cable and telecommunications industry.

For 22 years, NAMIC — the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications — has recognized outstanding television and digital content about the lives and contributions of people of color through its Vision Awards. Amid controversies such as the lack of diversity among the major Oscar nominees earlier this year, NAMIC has chosen winners in 18 different categories from more than 83 nominations across 29 networks and distributors, representing the best in diversity-themed television programming.

NAMIC CEO Eglon Simons spoke with Multichannel News programming editor R. Thomas Umstead about this year’s Vision Awards honorees and the importance of celebrating the achievements of people of color both in front of and behind the camera — especially in an era with unprecedented amounts of content tailored to multicultural viewers. Here’s an edited excerpt of their conversation.

RELATED:And the Honorees Are...: 2016's Vision Award Winners

MCN:How would you define the Vision Awards?

Eglon Simons: The intent of the Vision Awards, which were created in association with NAMIC’s Southern California chapter, is to highlight individuals who have created quality and entertaining multicultural-themed product that may or may not have been recognized by other entertainment-based awards shows. The Vision Awards are even more timely this year, because it allows us the opportunity to fill the gap that the some other well-known awards shows have not been filling lately.

MCN:How important is NAMIC’s focus on multicultural-themed content through the Vision Awards, particularly given the fact that we’re seeing more shows featuring actors of color in prominent roles on television?

ES: I think what’s important about the Vision Awards is that it talks about shows and themes that don’t always find their way to the big networks, so the Vision Awards allows submissions of content that captures the multicultural nature of stories that don’t always gain exposure. With increased distribution of content across multiple platforms providing more ways for people to see content, it’s often difficult to recognize it all. The Vision Awards also provides a venue to encourage more creativity … when people know that there is a forum out there that will recognize their creativity, I think that’s encouraging.

MCN:Given how many over-the-top, online streaming services now offer original content, how inclusive of digital media is NAMIC with regard to its Vision Awards nominations and winners?

ES: When you think about the fact that people can produce content on their phones and upload it to YouTube, it allows a venue to be creative, and we provide a forum for that content to be recognized. To the extent that we can provide a wider reach into the entertainment community, we can offer viewers more awareness and exposure of the shows and content that they want to see. It’s just beneficial for all involved.

MCN:Do you foresee the Vision Awards eventually moving to a big-event ceremony in the future?

ES: I would hope so. The cable and communications industry is going so through such a sea change right now. I can remember when I first started in the television industry, any television show that generated below a 25 share wouldn’t survive. Now, when you look at shares and ratings points, a 1.5 share is big stuff for many networks. I say all of that to say that the measuring points are different than they once were.

Given that there is such an exciting array of entertainment and creativity available, at some point it may substantiate a bigger platform such as a gala to recognize the quality of multicultural content in the marketplace. There will always be a need to celebrate diversity both on the screen and off the screen.

IFC shared its new programming slate at an upfront event in New York April 21, sneak-peeking eight comedies from the likes of Bryan Cranston, Hank Azaria and Sharon Horgan.

Cranston is executive producer on Todd Barth Can Help You, about a nerd who transforms himself into a self-help guru. Azaria stars in Brockmire, a Funny or Die production about a beloved baseball announcer who suffers a very public meltdown. Horgan, costar on Amazon’s Catastrophe, is starring in This Land Is Ours, about anarchist squatters in present day New York (produced by her production company Merman).

"These projects reflect our mission to make great content with cool people," said IFC president Jennifer Caserta. “At IFC, we are driven by developing smart comedy that is 'Slightly Off' and working with the very best creative forces, both in front of and behind the camera."

Seth Meyers was on hand to talk about season two of Documentary Now! Executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Broadway Video, Documentary Now! returns this fall with seven new docu-spoofs showcasing the comedic talents of Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and others.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

MTV will look to attract millennials with a different beat, adding more music-themed programming – including the network’s first live music show in two decades -- to its lineup of scripted and reality fare, the network said prior to its upfront presentation Thursday in New York.

RELATED:MTV Acknowledges Prince's Passing During Upfront

Under the leadership of new president Sean Atkins, MTV will return to its music roots 35 years after it launched as a music video-based network. The network’s 2016-17 programming slate of 14 new series and specials will feature several shows offering a music/pop culture theme, beginning with the series Wonderland, a weekly show that will feature live musical performances along with comedic performances, according to the network.

“We’re on a mission to reignite MTV with everything that makes it one of the world’s most iconic brands  – its soul of music, its love of pop culture, and its unexpected, groundbreaking creative,” said Atkins in a statement. “What we share today is just the beginning, but it’s a strong first step in the journey and shows how aggressively we are moving to energize the extraordinary promise of this great brand.”

Along with Wonderland, the network announced several other new music-themed, series including a yet-untitled competition series from prolific unscripted series producer Mark Burnett and a reboot of its classic music series MTV Unplugged.

The network will also develop new projects with such music celebrities as rapper Pitbull (Miami-based drama 305) and John Legend (hip-hop comedy It’s the Real).

Among other new shows greenlit by MTV are Sweet/Vicious, a dark one-hour dramedy about odd-couple vigilantes avenging sexual assault victims on a college campus; The Outsiders (working title), a docuseries following families living on the fringes of society; Acting Out, a series in which hilarious stand-up routines are reenacted; Mary + Jane, a comedy about enterprising weed dealers navigating L.A. hipster culture; Shinesty (working title), a docuseries on the outrageous upstart millennial fashion brand; MTV’s The Investigation (working title), which follows the legal cases of the wrongfully convicted; Stranded With a Million Bucks, a reality competition series that employs drone cameras; Loosely Exactly Nicole, a scripted comedy starring and adapted from the life of Girl Code alum Nicole Byer; Going Off (working title), a dance docuseries set in the studio of master choreographer Tricia Miranda; and The Almost Impossible Game Show, a new competition format adopted from the hit UK version.

On the social media front, MTV will bring back its classic series Cribs on Snapchat Discover, one of two new series slated for that service. Artists Mac Miller, Austin Mahone and Travis Mills will be among the first celebrities on the reboot, which will feature a tour of a celebrity’s home in each episode, MTV said.

The second Snapchat series, Pants Off, is an 8-episode series on sex and relationships hosted by MTV Braless host Laci Green.

Comedy Central’s upfront presentation Thursday (March 31), during a busy week for those cable-network gatherings in New York, was definitely the one with the most F-bombs and references to male and female genitalia from onstage presenters.

Amy Schumer’s risqué standup act — referencing certain aspects of her own sex life that can’t be relayed here — set the tone. The Daily Show host Trevor Noah had a naughty take on the current political climate. Comedy Central Roasts host Jeff Ross did a profanity-filled parody of Donald Trump. Broad City’s Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson removed their clothes to reveal nude body suits as the event ended with the network’s on-air stars dressed in bathrobes.

Get more news about The Upfronts.

FX’s upfront gathering Wednesday began with a screening of the upcoming final episode of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. Attendees included series stars Courtney B. Vance and John Travolta. FX Networks CEO John Landgraf thanked the various FX and FXX stars and producers who came, saying, “We know that they can make great television … what we don’t know is if they can bowl.” That’s because the night continued with an FX Networks signature bowling party across town from the screening.

Crown Media Family Networks (the two Hallmark channels’ parent), in contrast, entertained about 200 in style Wednesday at the Rainbow Room. Helping Crown CEO Bill Abbott and ad-sales EVP Ed Georger as hosts were Hallmark original-movie stars Lori Loughlin and Candace Cameron Bure. Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik performed.

When Discovery Communications pitched upcoming slates at a breakfast gathering Thursday, questioners zoomed in on why reality haven TLC had ordered a new Tyler Perry-produced scripted series, Too Close to Home, when those are usually the province of Discovery affiliate OWN. TLC chief Nancy Daniels called it “a big swing,” but said TLC’s audience watches scripted shows elsewhere, so why not on TLC? When a reporter asked if it was easier to control actors in a scripted show than characters in a reality series — TLC is home to such shows as Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and 19 Kids and Counting — Discovery CEO David Zaslav observed that controlling people “is a problem in life in general.” The Wire definitely agrees.

— R. Thomas Umstead

Take Off (My Cable Bill), You Hoser

Barely a month into the Canadian government’s mandated skinny bundle experiment, legislators are warning potential customers that they’re on their own if they expect the new lighter video packages to result in lower pay TV bills.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission chairman Jean-Pierre Blais told the Globe and Mail newspaper that Canadian consumers wrongly assumed the government was going to cut cable prices when the intention was to provide more choices. If consumers want lower bills, he said, they’re just going to have to haggle with their provider, as he did.

After delivering a speech on anti-spam legislation in Toronto, Blais told the newspaper he was able to slim down his monthly pay TV bill the direct way, by threatening to switch providers.

“Was it easy? No. … You have to keep going up the chain into [the] loyalty program. It requires eff ort,” he said.

“This will take time, and I’ll repeat it again: Canadians will have to do some work,” Blais stressed. “They will have to be ready to at least threaten to change providers.”

The skinny-bundle mandate in Canada took effect on March 1 and is being watched closely to see how popular the new sub-C$25 plans might be with consumers. Canadian providers complied with a variety of packages, but critics said they weren’t well publicized and contained sparsely-viewed channels.

Reports indicate the Canadian regulator had received about 600 complaints from consumers, including those from viewers who found the channels in the skinny packages weren’t compelling

— Mike Farrell

Velocity will roll out more than 400 hours of original content over the next year including several new series, the network said prior to its Thursday upfront presentation.

The network’s 2016-17 programming slate will feature 13 returning series as well as 100 live hours of premiere event coverage, including the popular Barrett-Jackson live auto auction event, said Robert Scanlon, General Manager of Velocity and Automotive Content.

“After launching more than four years ago Velocity’s new car smell isn’t fading,” Scanlon said in a statement. “Under our hood in 2016-17 are fan favorite franchises, exciting new series and electrifying live events powered by vibrant personalities, the most knowledgeable experts and riveting stories. The 50 million people – that’s one in six Americans – who self-identify as motor enthusiasts can continue finding the very best of the car world on Velocity.”

Among the new shows on the slate are Speed Is The New Black, which chronicles the development of fast, custom cars developed by Noah Alexander’s Classic Car Studio in St. Louis; Wild Rides Alaska, which marks the networks first foray into the world of trucks, and RMD Design, which features an urban automotive design and build shop, said network officials.

Returning shows include Junkyard Empire, Unique Rides, Bitchn’ Rides and Wheeler Dealers, said network officials. The network is 2017 will also offer 100 hours of live coverage of the Barret-Jackson autio auctions in Las Vegas, Scottsdale, Palm Beach and Mohegan Sun, said network officials. 

Discovery Communications' American Heroes Channel is preparing a series on Adolf Hitler for next season.

Hitler is among the programs that are part of AHC's upfront pitch. Discovery on Wednesday (March 30) is holding a press briefing on its upfront plans.

With A+E Networks' H2 channel becoming Viceland, Discovery is pushing the idea that AHC is the only network still carrying programming about history. (Before it started doing more reality-style programming, History was sometimes described as "the Hitler network" for its focus on World War II.).

AHC is in negotiations to acquire some programming that had been running on H2.

Hitler, produced by KM Plus Media and Wildbear Entertainment, will draw on the latest research to tell the story of the dictator's life with new, surprising details, AHC said.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

NBCUniversal will host a single joint upfront presentation next month for the first time in company history, with cable amd broadcast, along with Spanish-language TV, taking the Radio City Music Hall stage together May 16.

Besides NBC entertainment, sports and news, the wingding will feature Bravo, CNBC, E!, Esquire Network, Golf Channel, MSNBC, NBC Universo, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, Telemundo and USA. In prior years, NBCUniversal held three upfront presentations, one apiece for broadcast, cable and Telemundo.

“As a media company, we have an unparalleled array of networks and digital platforms that reach the most audiences across all dayparts,” said Linda Yaccarino, chairman, advertising sales and client partnerships, NBCUniversal. “Our event will reflect the way we go to market as a unified portfolio which makes it easier for our clients to do business with us all together.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Comedy Central has renewed several of its current series, including Tosh.O and Drunk History, the network said Tuesday.

Tosh.O, executive produced by Daniel Tosh, Charlie Siskel and Christie Smith, will return for ninth season later this year, according to network officials, while Drunk History has been renewed for a fourth season, said network officials.

Other shows to receive a greenlight for a new season or new episodes include Not Safe With Nikki Glaser, Review, This Is Not Happening, Alternatino, Nothin’s Easy and Questionable Science.

The renewals and extension join previously announced renewals: for Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer, South Park, and Workaholics.

NEW YORK — “Stick with the people, always go with the people,” AMC Networks president of national advertising sales Arlene Manos said when it was her turn to share life lessons, career advice and a funny story or two as a Multichannel News Wonder Woman.

Manos, one of 13 executives in the current class of Wonder Women (as chosen by the editors of this magazine), followed her own advice 25 years ago in accepting a job officer as an account executive at A&E Network. She turned down a higher-paying position at a magazine she discreetly didn’t identify during her remarks at the celebratory luncheon last Thursday (March 10).

Manos got a promotion to management a year later. And she didn’t need to threaten violence, as fellow Wonder Woman Karen Grinthal, the Scripps Networks Interactive senior vice president of national ad sales, said she did in the late 1980s.

Grinthal told 700-plus attendees at the Hilton New York that she had been passed over for promotion to management three times when she started out at “male bastion” Turner Broadcasting System. When a fourth opportunity arose, she put aside the presentation she had prepared and got a baseball bat from the sports department. She held it over her boss’s head and told him, “This e_ ng job is mine — give it to me.”

“And that’s how I became a manager in the cable industry,” Grinthal said, in one of the day’s better punchlines.

Megan Clarken, president of global product leadership at Nielsen, and Cindi Hook, senior vice president, general auditor and global risk officer at Comcast, became business leaders after injuries short-circuited planned careers as, respectively, a track-and-field athlete and a dancer.

Clarken — who had left school at 16 and became “a broken-down athlete” in her late 20s — found in herself “a determination to be the very best there was at something, a resilience to never give up, a curiosity to listen, ask and learn — and an acknowledgement that you cannot do it on your own.”

Hook said that when it came time to choose a new path “shockingly, ‘general auditor’ and ‘global risk officer’ wasn’t on the menu of career choices.”

But it turns out the jobs require similar skills, she said. A mantra for ballerinas is, “If it doesn’t hurt, you’re not doing it right,” she said, adding, “When we are doing our work as auditors and risk evaluators, if getting to the right answer doesn’t sometimes hurt a bit, you’re not doing it right.”

Fox Group executive vice president of litigation Jill Ratner was a skilled soccer player whose love of sports led to a career in the law. While on the University of California at Los Angeles soccer team, she helped found a group that threatened to sue the school over failure to provide equal opportunities for men and women athletes. She learned about “teamwork, standing up for what I believe in, perseverance and the power of the law.”

Stephanie McMahon, chief brand officer of WWE and daughter of the wrestling entertainment firm’s chairman, Vince McMahon, and former, CEO Linda McMahon, told a story about learning that women shouldn’t feel they have to “do it all” all the time, and “it’s OK to let go a little bit and rely on our support systems to help care for our children.”

Her daughter, Murphy, was sad that McMahon was unable to be at school to see Murphy’s second-grade project about endangered sea turtles because of the Wonder Women luncheon. McMahon’s husband, wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque, filled in admirably, and father and daughter had a great bonding experience. “And now I get to go home and show them proof that Mommy really is a Wonder Woman.”

“All working women, mothers or not, are going to have to make personal sacrifices,” McMahon said. “It will never be an even balance. You do the best you can to prioritize and make it work.”

Pam Kaufman, the chief marketing officer and president of consumer products at Nickelodeon Group, recalled starting at Nick 18 years ago when she was “a young, naïve executive” who was eight months’ pregnant with her daughter, Amanda. She questioned whether or not she could handle a new job, a new company, leading a new team and still have “something left” for her family. It all worked out — and along the way she learned it’s important to always be nice to everyone, to stay curious and “don’t be afraid of what you don’t know.”

ESPN senior vice president of multimedia sales Patricia Betron said her mom, who returned to being a nurse to support her family after divorce, relied on babysitters, friends and relatives to help look after her four young kids. That was stressful on everyone, especially Betron and her siblings.

Then, in 2005, Betron served on an ESPN task force studying work-life balance issues — which, with support from key executives, led the company to build an on-site childcare center.

“I share this story with you today because, as we celebrate these Wonder Women, we celebrate how having women in high-ranking positions changes the conversation in our companies,” she said.

More of these stories — and those of fellow Wonder Women Nicole Buie, vice president of marketing at Cox Media; Holly Jacobs, EVP of U.S. reality and syndicated programming at Sony Pictures Television; Michelle Rice, EVP of content distribution and marketing at TV One; Savalle Sims, EVP and deputy general counsel at Discovery Communications; and Ellen Stone, EVP of marketing at Bravo and Oxygen Media — will be available as videos soon on mcnwonderwomen.com. Click here for photos from the luncheon. For more Wonder Women coverage, visit multichannel.com/mcnww.

The Multichannel News Wonder Women Class of 2016 will gather with the 2016 Women to Watch, their colleagues, friends and family, and the magazine's editors and publishers at the New York Hilton today to celebrate their selection as influential voices in cable.

The annual event, co-sponsored by WICT New York, begins at 11 a.m., with Shark Tank's Lori Greiner, HGTV's Egypt Sherrod (Property Virgins) and ESPN reporter Shelley Smith co-hosting the proceedings.

The editors of Multichannel News last December selected 2016's 13 Wonder Women and 13 Women to Watch. The Wonder Women being honored today are (in alphabetical order): Patricia Betron, ESPN; Nicole Buie, Cox Media; Megan Clarken, Nielsen; Karen Grinthal, Scripps Networks Interactive; Cindi Hook, Comcast; Holly Jacobs, Sony Pictures Television; Pam Kaufman, Nickelodeon; Arlene Manos, AMC Networks; Stephanie McMahon, WWE; Jill Ratner, Fox Group; Michelle Rice, TV One; Savalle Sims, Discovery Communications; Ellen Stone, Oxygen and Bravo Media.

The 2016 Women to Watch are (in alphabetical order): Margarita Black, Azteca America; Mary Campbell, QVC; Nina Facini, Time Warner Cable; Julie Fitzgerald, NCC Media; Jana Henthorn, The Cable Center; Alison Hoffman, Starz; Charisse Lillie, Comcast/Comcast Foundation; Kate O’Brian, Al Jazeera America; Stephanie Plasse, A+E Networks; Kristen Roberts, Crown Media Family Networks; Kristi Salmon, Mediacom Communications; Mona Scott-Young, Monami Entertainment; Christina Spade, Showtime Networks

Browse profiles of this year's Wonder Women and Women to Watch at the #mcnWW page, which features current and archival Wonder Women coverage, including the 2015 honoree profiles, reports from past luncheons and other stories. (Bookmark the page to check for updates as newly found archival material continues to be added.)

For details about the luncheon and to register, visit the Wonder Women event site, where you can also get bios of this year's honorees and hosts, watch videos of last year's event and view the honor roll of all Wonder Women dating back to 1999. Follow the event on Twitter via the hashtag #mcnWW2016 and by following @MultiNews, @MCNWonderWomen and @WICTNY.

Following the recent announcement of the 2016 class of Wonder Women, the editors of Multichannel News have announced 13 Women to Watch.

Collectively, the Wonder Women and Women to Watch will be profiled in the Jan. 25, 2016, edition of Multichannel News, and they will be saluted at a luncheon event at the Hilton New York on Thursday, March 10, 2016, that is co-sponsored by the New York chapter of Women In Cable Telecommunications.

More information -- including photos and bios of the Wonder Women, event details and a roster (and videos) of past speeches from Wonder Women luncheons – is online now at mcnwonderwomen.com. Celebrity hosts will be named soon.

Here is the 2016 roster of Women to Watch (alphabetically):

Margarita Black, Vice President, Programming, Azteca America
Mary Campbell, Executive Vice President, Commerce Platform, QVC
Nina Facini, Group Vice President, Finance, TWC News, Sports and Local Programming, Time Warner Cable
Julie Fitzgerald, Senior Director, Satellite Engineering, NCC Media
Jana Henthorn, Incoming President and CEO, The Cable Center
Alison Hoffman, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Starz
Charisse Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment, Comcast, and President, Comcast Foundation
Kate O’Brian, President, Al Jazeera America
Stephanie Plasse, Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel, A+E Networks
Kristen Roberts, Executive Vice President, Pricing, Planning and Revenue Management, Crown Media Family Networks
Kristi Salmon, Senior Director of Marketing, Business Services, Mediacom Communications
Mona Scott-Young, Founder and CEO, Monami Entertainment
Christina Spade, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Showtime Networks

They join the 2016 Class of Wonder Women: 

Patricia Betron, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Sales, ESPN
Nicole Buie, Vice President, Marketing, Cox Media
Megan Clarken, Executive Vice President, Global Product Leadership, Nielsen
Karen Grinthal, Senior Vice President, National Ad Sales, Scripps Networks Interactive
Cynthia Hook, Senior Vice President, General Auditor and Global Risk Officer, Comcast
Holly Jacobs, Executive Vice President, U.S. Reality And Syndicated Programming, Sony Pictures Television
Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President, Consumer Products, Nickelodeon Group
Arlene Manos, President, National Advertising Sales, AMC Networks.
Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE
Jill Ratner, Senior Vice President, Litigation, Fox Group
Michelle Rice, Executive Vice President, Content Distribution and Marketing, TV One
Savalle Sims, Executive Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Discovery Communications
Ellen Stone, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Bravo and Oxygen Media

Last week, the momentum behind the huge topic that has broiled through several Republican and Democratic administrations and decades, and has rarely gone anywhere forward, i.e., the Immigration issue, moved substantially forward, again.

Yet, again, it did so, solely at the hand of President Barack Obama. In that act, the more important political accomplishment by the chief executive was to capture another four years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a Democratic administration.

That result also promised to extend the 3-2 Democratic commissioners’ current majority at the Federal Communications Commission from eight to 12 years, at minimum (along with the power base at just about every other administrative office at the federal level). Thus, judging the odds, if one were making important political and business decisions about the leanings of the FCC as we round the next decade, the folks whose mascot is the donkey might well get the nod. 

Walk The Walk

Some would say there is no basis for such a brash prediction, especially almost two years away. Yet, there actually is a huge basis, in common sense.

That is because President Obama no longer simply talked about continuing his support of foreign would-be citizens, he actually did it; and for a second time. (Recall, The President took similar steps in mid-year 2012.)

Thus, when it comes time for those tens of millions of illegal immigrants, their friends, their families, and everyone else who knows them, to express opinions about which political party actually moved to do something, at least a couple of times, to help their status, it will very likely stay the Democrats. That will, in turn, produce millions of decisive votes (especially if the Democrats can effectively exercise the “Immigrant” vote).  

Versus Talk The Talk

In my estimate, there is a good chance that younger brother Jeb Bush will become the best runner for the Republicans. He is moderate, and seems to hold a place in his heart for these people who so want to become Americans. Jeb is also great for this audience of voters mentioned in the paragraphs above, because he apparently speaks fluent Spanish, he knows the culture well, and he was governor in Florida, a state with lots of Latinos and Latinas there that will back him, as well.

Yet, very importantly, what Jeb Bush will lack between now and November 2016, will be the ability to say that he didn’t just talk about helping Mexicans, Cubans, and other immigrants in the U.S. today (and, again, their friends, families and those that know them), but actually helped them. Because compared to what President Barack Obama did for them in the third full week of November 2014, Jeb Bush could only promise; Jeb Bush could only talk.

Plus, Jeb will still get no more effective, first-level backing than that from a party that has considerably short-changed immigrants, for decades now. Moreover, Latinos and Latinas and other minorities, especially with efforts in their families and spheres to become citizens, know that difference between a politician who talks about great things he will do for them, and one that actually risks much to actually do it.

Best of The Bad

Please do not mistake my message here. I am not saying that the President’s act last Wednesday was all good, nor am I saying I agree with it entirely. I am the son of an immigrant who worked hard at a time in a country that did not want him, and waited a very long time for a green card, followed by a citizenship status that he was tremendously proud of. And like my father would, I do not like the idea of others coming into this country and getting his same benefits, without having to abide by the same laws and earn that privilege as he did.

But, the common sense and the practicality simply no longer permits the federal government to deport, and continue to seek to deport, so many millions of illegal immigrants, thus we settle on the lesser of evils, and make the best of a bad situation.

That is what Mr. Obama did last week, and in the process, it won the White House for Hillary Clinton or whoever the Democratic candidate will be. Plus, in that tortured process, it means that a more progressive influence will hold sway over telecom and media matters, all the way into 2020 and the next decade!

In the end, the Republicans will likely continue to exercise gnashing, gnawing, and ranting, even to the point of trying to sue and impeach and challenge President Obama with cancelling legislation, but they have -- via their inaction and other acts too often showing less than good faith toward these peoples -- let the Voting Genie Out of The 2016 Bottle, and He/She Will Vote For They That Helped Them Best.

It’s just common sense (and a bit of basic math), all liberalism and conservatism aside.

Jimmy Schaeffler is a telecom/media author and chairman and CSO of the Carmel-by-the-Sea-based streaming/broadband, broadcast, and pay TV/video consultancy, The Carmel Group (www.carmelgroup.com).